JP2005079678A - Picture forming/linking system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming/linking system which independently transfers read original image data and a user stamp image, forms a composite image by an image forming unit at a transferred side, and then prints it to obtain the same output as that of a master unit. <P>SOLUTION: Job information set up at application layers 120a, 120b are transferred to the trigger of a start key, etc. on control service layers 122a, 122b, and interpreted to request a handler manager 130 to give process information for operating handler layers 124a, 124b. The handler layers 124a, 124b have scanner handlers 131a, 131b for controlling reading units, image memory handlers 132a, 132b for controlling the input/output of image data to an image memory, and plotter handlers 133a, 133b for controlling writing units and paper feed and post-processing peripheral units. These software modules are cooperated to execute processes for read and accumulation in the image memory, and the image forming. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus network system, and more particularly, to an image forming connection system having a connecting operation unit and capable of sharing printing by a plurality of image forming apparatuses.

In recent years, a plurality of digital copiers are connected, and the read image data is transmitted to the slave units connected to the connected system, so that the designated number of copies can be shared between the master unit and the slave copiers. As a result, linked copying is known in which copy productivity and usage efficiency are improved. Furthermore, a user stamp function for registering characters and marks frequently used by users has become a standard function in recent digital copying machines. As a conventional technique combining the linked copy and the user stamp function, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-223330 discloses that when the copier serving as the slave does not have the same user stamp as the copier serving as the master, it is transferred to the slave. Thus, a technique has been disclosed in which equivalent copies are created by concatenating copies so as to eliminate miscopying, and the user stamp information is deleted when printing is completed.
JP 2002-223330 A

However, the prior art disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 is another set when the copy machine using the user stamp is desired to be output, such as when the copying machine that has been a master machine has been in use for a long time or has failed. There was annoyance that it was necessary to create the same user stamp again with the copier that was the child machine.
In view of such problems, the present invention transfers the scanned original image data and the user stamp image independently, and then automatically registers the user stamp and combines the original image data and the user stamp data in the transfer destination image forming apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming connection system that performs connection copying by printing and obtaining the same output as that of a parent device.
Another object is to automatically register the user stamp in the transferred image forming apparatus, and when the same output is desired again, the image forming apparatus that was the master unit in the previous linked copy may be printing for a long time. Even when there is a failure, it is possible to perform printing only with the image forming apparatus that was the slave unit in the previous linked copy without registering the user stamp again.
Another object is to register the ID of the image forming apparatus that became the parent machine in the previous linked copy and the ID of the user stamp in the image forming apparatus that became the child machine in the linked copy together with the user stamp image. When a linked copy of a stamp is received as a slave unit, the user stamp is not registered again.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a reading unit that reads a document image, a registration unit that registers a user stamp to be combined by a user at the time of printing, a registered user stamp, and the reading unit. A plurality of units comprising: a combining unit that combines images; a storage unit that stores image data combined by the combining unit; a printing unit that prints the stored image; and a connecting unit that transmits and receives images to and from other apparatuses. The image forming apparatus is electrically connected, and any one of the plurality of image forming apparatuses serves as a master unit, and the image data read by the reading unit serves as another slave unit. In the image forming and linking system provided with the print sharing unit that performs printing by sharing the master unit and the slave unit, the user registered by the registration unit Image read by chromatography stamp and said reading means, characterized in that it is separately transferred without combining with respect to the base unit slave unit.
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus including a reading unit that reads a document, a registration unit that registers user stamps, a combining unit that combines them, a storage unit that stores image data, a printing unit, and a connecting unit. It is a slave unit and constitutes a connection system. At this time, when transferring from the master unit to the slave unit, the user stamp and the image read by the reading means are separately transferred to the slave unit, so that the slave unit can synthesize and print them and output the same as the master unit. Can be obtained.
According to this invention, by independently transferring the read document image data and the user stamp image, the automatic registration of the user stamp and the document image data and the user stamp data are combined and printed in the transfer destination image forming apparatus. Thus, it is possible to perform linked copying to obtain the same output as that of the parent device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the transferred user stamp is combined with the image read by the combining unit, printed by the printing unit, and automatically registered by the registration unit in the image forming apparatus serving as the slave unit. It is characterized by being.
The slave unit to which the image data and the user stamp are independently transferred is combined and printed by the combining unit. This user stamp is registered on the slave unit side by the registration means.
According to this invention, by automatically registering the user stamp in the transferred image forming apparatus, when the same output is desired again, the image forming apparatus that was the master unit in the previous linked copy may be printing for a long time. Even when a failure occurs, printing can be performed only with the image forming apparatus that was a slave unit in the previous linked copy without registering the user stamp again.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the stamp image, the user stamp automatically registered in the image forming apparatus serving as the slave unit includes the ID of the image forming apparatus serving as the transfer source and the ID of the user stamp. And the ID of the image forming apparatus and the ID of the user stamp are automatically registered simultaneously with the user stamp.
In order to prevent the trouble of registering a user stamp many times each time linked copying is performed from the same parent machine, the ID of the image forming apparatus that has become the parent machine in the previous linked copy and the user stamp ID are set as the user stamp image. At the same time, it is necessary to register it in the image forming apparatus which becomes a slave by linked copying. Thereby, in the case of the same user stamp, the registration operation can be omitted.
According to this invention, by registering the ID of the image forming apparatus that became the parent machine in the previous linked copy and the ID of the user stamp in the image forming apparatus that became the child machine in the linked copy together with the user stamp image, When a linked copy of a stamp is received as a slave unit, the user stamp can be prevented from being registered again.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the read original image data and the user stamp image are independently transferred, and after the automatic registration of the user stamp and the original image data and the user stamp data are combined in the transfer destination image forming apparatus. , It is possible to perform linked copying by printing and obtaining the same output as the master unit.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the user stamp is automatically registered in the transferred image forming apparatus and the same output is desired again, the image forming apparatus which has become the master unit in the previous linked copy may be printing for a long time. Even when a failure occurs, printing can be performed only with the image forming apparatus that was the slave unit in the previous linked copy without registering the user stamp again.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, by registering the ID of the image forming apparatus that has become the parent machine in the previous linked copy and the ID of the user stamp in the image forming apparatus that has become the child machine in the linked copy together with the user stamp image, When a linked copy of a stamp is received as a slave unit, the user stamp can be prevented from being registered again.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. However, the components, types, combinations, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like described in this embodiment are merely illustrative examples and not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only unless otherwise specified. .
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. A bundle of documents placed on a document table 2 of an automatic document feeder (hereinafter referred to as ADF) 1 with the image side of the document facing upward is most marked when a start key 34 on an operation unit 30 described later is pressed. The upper document is fed to a predetermined position on the contact glass 6 by the feeding roller 3 and the feeding belt 4. After the image data of the document on the contact glass 6 is read by the reading unit 50 (reading unit), the document that has been read is discharged by the feeding belt 4 and the discharge roller 5. Further, when it is detected by the document set detection 7 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 feeding roller 3, the feeding belt 4, and the discharging roller 5 are driven by a motor (not shown).
The transfer sheets stacked on the first tray 8, the second tray 9, and the third tray 10 are fed by the first paper feeding device 11, the second paper feeding device 12, and the third paper feeding device 13, respectively, and are vertically It is conveyed to a position where it abuts on the photoreceptor 15 by the conveyance unit 14. The image data read by the reading unit 50 forms a latent image 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 discharged to the finisher 100 of the post-processing apparatus by the paper discharge unit 18. The photoconductor 15, the transport belt 16, the fixing unit 17, the paper discharge unit 18, and the like constitute a printing unit.
The finisher 100 of the post-processing apparatus can be guided in the normal paper discharge roller 102 direction and the staple processing unit direction. By switching the switching plate 101 upward, the sheet can be discharged to the normal discharge tray 104 side via the transport roller 103. Further, by switching the switching plate 101 downward, it can be conveyed to the staple table 108 via the conveying rollers 105 and 107.
Each time the transfer sheets loaded on the staple table 108 are discharged, the end faces of the sheets are aligned by a paper alignment jogger 109, and are bound by the stapler 106 upon completion of a partial copy. The group of transfer sheets bound by the stapler 106 is stored in the staple completion discharge tray 110 by its own weight.

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 section 104 that can be moved back and forth moves back and forth for each original or each copy section sorted by the image memory, and sorts the copy paper that is simply discharged.
Further, when forming an image on both sides of the transfer paper, the transfer paper fed from each of the paper feed trays 8 to 10 and imaged is not guided to the paper discharge tray 104 side, and the branching claw 112 for path switching is used. Is set on the upper side, and once stocked in the duplex feeding unit 111.
Thereafter, the transfer paper stocked in the double-sided paper feeding unit 111 is re-fed from the double-sided paper feeding unit 111 to transfer the toner image formed on the photosensitive member 15 again, and the branching claw 112 for switching the path. Is set on the lower side and guided to the paper discharge tray 104. In this way, the duplex feeding unit 111 is used when creating images on both sides of the transfer sheet.
The photoconductor 15, the transport belt 16, the fixing unit 17, the paper discharge unit 18, and the development unit 27 are driven by a main motor 25, which will be described later, and each of the paper feeding devices 11 to 13 drives the main motor 25 to feed paper clutches 22 to 22. 24 is driven to transmit. The vertical conveyance unit 14 is driven to transmit the drive of the main motor 25 by the intermediate clutch 21 (see FIG. 4).

Next, with reference to FIG. 1, the image reading means in the present invention and the operation until the latent image is formed on the recording surface will be described. A latent image is a potential distribution generated by converting an image into light information and irradiating it on the surface of the photoreceptor.
The reading unit 50 includes a contact glass 6 on which an original is placed and an optical scanning system. The optical scanning system includes an exposure lamp 51, a first mirror 52, a lens 53, a CCD image sensor 54, and the like. Yes. 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 to 1 so that the optical path length does not change. This 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 electrical signal, and processed. The image magnification is changed by moving the lens 53 and the CCD image sensor 54 in the left-right direction in FIG. That is, the positions of the lens 53 and the CCD image sensor 54 are set in the left-right direction corresponding to the designated magnification.
The writing unit 57 includes a laser output unit 58, an imaging lens 59, and a mirror 60. Inside the laser output unit 58, a rotating polygon mirror (polygon) that rotates at a high speed at a high speed by a laser diode as a laser light source and a motor. Mirror). Laser light emitted from the laser output unit 58 is polarized by a polygon mirror that rotates at a constant speed, passes through an imaging lens 59, is folded by a mirror 60, and is focused on the surface of the photoconductor 15.
The polarized laser light is exposed and scanned in the direction (main scanning direction) perpendicular to the direction in which the photosensitive member rotates, and the line-by-line recording of the image signal output from the selector 64 of the image processing unit described later is performed. An image (electrostatic latent image) is formed on the surface of the photosensitive member by repeating main scanning at a predetermined cycle corresponding to the rotational speed and recording density of the photosensitive member.
As described above, the laser beam output from the writing unit 57 is applied to the image forming photoconductor 15. Although not shown, a beam sensor for generating a main scanning synchronization signal is disposed at a position where a laser beam near one end of the photoconductor 15 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 image signals described later are performed.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the operation unit 30. The operation unit 30 includes a liquid crystal touch panel 31, a numeric keypad 32, a clear / stop key (C / S) 33, a print key 34, a preheat key 35, a reset key 36, a status display key 38, and an initial setting key 39. 31 displays a key for mode setting to be described later, a message indicating the state of the image forming apparatus, and the like.
FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of 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 in black. In addition, when it is necessary to specify the details of the function (for example, if it is variable magnification, the variable magnification value, etc.), the detailed function setting screen is displayed by touching the key. Thus, since the liquid crystal touch panel uses a dot display, it is possible to graphically perform an optimal display at that time.
In FIG. 3, the central portion is a message area for displaying messages such as “Ready to copy” and “Please wait”. A large number of print operations are performed on the right side of the message area via the network of the digital copier. A linked copy key 40 and a system status key 41 that are printed out separately are arranged. Below the message area, a paper selection key, a paper feed tray state corresponding to the number of paper feed trays, and keys for manually setting the paper feed stages are displayed for the paper feed stages. Also, keys for setting magnification (same size, paper specified scaling, scaling for setting enlargement / reduction ratio, etc.), duplex keys for setting duplex mode, editing keys for setting binding margin mode, etc. A cover / interleaf key and the like for setting the paper mode are arranged.
On the right side of the message area is a copy number display area that displays the set number of copies, a sort key that specifies the processing to arrange copies in order of pages, a stack key that specifies processing to sort copies by page, and a sort key A staple key for designating a partial binding process is arranged. Further, a document type, density, and special document feed key are provided on the left of the message area.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control device 400 centering on the main controller 20. The main controller 20 mainly controls the entire image forming apparatus. An operation unit 30, an image processing unit (IPU) 49, a distributed control device such as an automatic document feeder (ADF) 1, and a connection I / F 48 are connected to the main controller 20. The main controller 20 is connected to a main motor 25 necessary for paper conveyance and various clutches 21 to 24.
The operation unit 30 is connected to a liquid crystal display 31 for displaying to the operator and key inputs 32 to 35 for performing input control of function settings from the operator, so that an original image read by a scanner (not shown) is displayed. Personal information data can be added. The connection means is constituted by a connection copy key, a main controller 20, and a connection I / F provided on the liquid crystal display 31. The image IPU 49 controls a scanner (not shown), writes a document image read by the scanner into an image memory (not shown), or performs an image forming process from the image memory.
The connection I / F 48 transmits / receives information regarding the configuration, function information, and operation control of a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected to the image forming apparatus. The main controller 20 acquires information of other image forming apparatuses connected via the connection I / F 48 and controls the connection operation by setting the operation. Further, it acquires a request from another connected image forming apparatus and controls its own operation. Each distributed control device and the main controller 20 exchange machine states or operation commands as necessary.
The liquid crystal display 31 displays a linked copy key 40 for setting whether or not to transmit / receive information to / from other connected image forming apparatuses, and is connected by touching the linked copy key 40. The setting of the connection operation using a plurality of image processing apparatuses is selected, and the printing apparatus requests a printing operation using the own apparatus as a parent apparatus of the connection operation and an image processing apparatus other than the connected own apparatus as a child apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the image processing unit (image reading unit and image writing unit) of the present invention. Reflection of 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 processed by the shading correction unit 62 and then processed by the MTF / γ correction unit 63. The scaling unit 72 enlarges / reduces the image signal that has been subjected to the MTF / γ correction processing by the MTF / γ processing unit 63 according to the scaling factor, and sends it to the selector 64.
The selector 64 is switched to write the image signal scaled by the scaling processing unit 72 and output it to the γ correction unit 71 or the memory controller 65. The writing γ correction unit 71 performs writing γ correction on the input signal in accordance with the image forming conditions, and sends the image signal after γ correction to the writing unit 57.
Between the selector 64 and the memory controller 65, an image signal can be input and output bidirectionally. The memory controller 65 is connected to the image memory 66, the CPU 68, the ROM 69, the RAM 70, the connection I / F 48, and the I / O port 67. The CPU 68 performs settings for each unit such as the memory controller 65 and controls the reading unit 50 and the writing unit 57. The CPU 68 writes or reads data to or from the image memory 66 (image storage means) via the memory controller 65. The ROM 69 and the RAM 70 store control programs executed by the CPU 68 and data.
The connection I / F 48 is connected to a data bus of the memory controller 65 for transmitting and receiving image data, and is configured to be able to input and output data. The image data is transferred via the image memory 66 according to the data transfer speed between the image processing apparatuses. That is, at the time of image output, after image data is stored in the image memory 66 from the memory controller 65, the data is sequentially read out from the image memory 66 according to the data transfer speed between the image processing apparatuses, and the data is transferred to the connected I / F 48. To do. When outputting an image, the image data transferred from the connection I / F 48 is stored in the image memory 66, and then the image data is processed from the image memory 66 through the memory controller 65 inside the image processing apparatus. With these configurations, it is possible to realize a connecting operation without being restricted by the functions of the image processing apparatus.

The image signal sent to the memory controller 65 is compressed by an image compression device (not shown) in the memory controller 65 and then sent to the image memory 66 as image data. The reason why the image is compressed is that data of 256 gradations corresponding to the maximum image size can be written in the image memory 66 as it is, but a large amount of image memory is used for one original image. Therefore, it is possible to effectively use a limited image memory by performing image compression. In addition, since a large amount of original image data can be stored at a time, the original image image data stored as the sort function can be output in page order. In this case, when the image is output, the data in the image memory 66 is output while being sequentially expanded by a decompression device (not shown) in the memory controller 65. Such a function is generally called “electronic sort”.
In addition, by using the function of the image memory 66, it is possible to sequentially read a plurality of document images into an area obtained by dividing the area of one transfer sheet of the image memory 66. For example, four original images are sequentially written in a four-divided area of one transfer paper in the image memory 66, so that the four originals are combined into one transfer paper image and combined into a copy output. Can be obtained. Such a function is generally called “aggregate copy”.
The image in the image memory 66 is configured to be accessible from the CPU 68. For this reason, it is possible to process the contents of the image memory. For example, it is possible to perform image thinning processing or image clipping processing. The contents of the image memory 66 can be processed by writing data to the register of the memory controller 65. The processed image is held in the image memory 66 again.
In addition, the contents of the image memory 66 can be read by the CPU 68 and transferred to the operation unit 30 as image data via the I / O port 67. Generally, since the screen display resolution of the operation unit 30 is low, the original image in the image memory 66 is subjected to image thinning processing and sent to the operation unit 30.
As the image memory 66, various types such as a RAM and a hard disk can be used, but a hard disk is used to store a lot of image data. By using a hard disk, there is a feature that an external power source is unnecessary and an image can be retained permanently. In order to read and hold a plurality of standard documents (format documents) with a scanner, this hard disk is generally used. When a RAM or the like is used as the image memory 66, an HDD 73 (image storage unit) for saving and saving the contents of the image memory 66 may be provided.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart for explaining an image signal for one page in the selector 64. / FGATE represents a valid period in the sub-scanning direction of one page of image data. / LSYNC is a main scanning synchronization signal for each line, and the image signal becomes valid at a predetermined clock after this signal rises. A signal indicating that the image signal in the main scanning direction is valid is / LGATE. These signals are synchronized with the pixel clock VCLK, and one pixel of data is sent for one cycle of VCLK. The image processing unit (IPU) 49 has separate generation mechanisms for / FGATE, / LSYNC, / LGATE, and VCLK for each of image input and output, and various image input / output combinations can be realized. .
In order to share the work, it is necessary to transmit / receive image data and commands to / from another digital copying machine. In this embodiment, the IEEE 1394 connection interface is used for transmitting / receiving image data. A serial communication line is used. The memory controller 65 of FIG. 5 implements this via the connection I / F 48.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the software control module configuration, image transfer, and print control in the image forming apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 7A shows the configuration of the software control module, and FIG. 7B is a diagram in which the master unit and the slave unit of the image forming apparatus are connected via an IEEE 1394 interface. Note that although the parent device and the child device have substantially the same configuration, the child device includes an application 126 common to the child device in an application layer described later.
The job information set in the application layers 120a and 120b is transferred to the control service layers 122a and 122b using a start key or the like as a trigger. The control service layers 122a and 122b interpret job information from the application layers 120a and 120b, and request the handler manager 130 for process information for operating the handler layers 124a and 124b. The handler manager 130 operates the individual handlers 131 to 133 according to the process information. The handler layers 124a and 124b control scanner handlers 131a and 131b for controlling the reading unit, image memory handlers 132a and 132b for controlling input / output of image data to / from the image memory, a writing unit and paper transport, and a post-processing peripheral device. Plotter handlers 133a and 133b, and these software modules cooperate to perform processing from reading to storage in the image memory and image formation.

Further, the control service layers 122a and 122b of the image forming apparatus are provided with connection I / F drivers 135a and 135b for connecting to other image forming apparatuses, and images are connected via the connection I / F drivers 135a and 135b. Data and command information can be exchanged. In the single copy job, the procedure is to read and store an image and print the stored image. In the linked copy job, the following control is added to the above procedure.
The linked copy job generated on the master side is a process of storing the image read by the scanner in the image memory after the job information is interpreted in the control service 122a of the master unit, and the image is stored in the image memory of the slave unit. Each process is executed separately. When the transfer of necessary images is completed, the control service 122b of the slave unit generates a printing process that refers to the image data transferred in advance according to the information received from the control service 122a of the master unit, and the handler manager of the slave unit Request printing to 124b. Then, the control service 122b of the slave unit sequentially notifies the master unit of print jobs processed by the slave unit to the master unit. In accordance with this information, the control service 122a of the parent device monitors the progress of the print job of the own device and the print job of the child device, and performs the necessary printing.

FIG. 8 is an operation flowchart of the master unit and the slave unit of the image forming connection system of the present invention. FIG. 8A is an operation flowchart of the parent device, and FIG. 8B is an operation flowchart of the child device. In this description, the two image forming apparatuses are connected via the IEEE1394 interface, the original is read by the master unit, the read image is transferred to the slave unit using the interface, and printing is performed by the master unit and the slave unit. to share the load.
First, the flow of the connecting operation of the master unit will be described with reference to FIG. First, when the linked copy key in FIG. 3 is pressed, it is checked whether there is an image forming apparatus connected by the interface. If there is, the linked copy key is reversed in black and white, and other than the master unit. This means that the image forming apparatus can be connected. At the same time, the print key shown in FIG. 2 becomes green and the copy can be started (step 1). Next, in order to read the original, it is checked whether the original exists on the pressure plate or the ADF (step 2). If there is no document, a message that the document size is unknown is displayed in the message area of FIG. If the document exists, the process proceeds to step 3. When it is determined that there is a document, it is determined whether there is a user stamp setting (step 3). If there is a user stamp setting, the same stamp image data as the user stamp number specified in the operation unit Is read from the image memory and transferred to the slave unit, and at the same time, the image data itself is transferred, and at the same time, an individual ID (= hereinafter referred to as machine ID) in the image forming apparatus and a user stamp in the image forming apparatus A unique ID (= hereinafter referred to as user stamp serial ID) is also transferred to the handset (step 4). After the transfer, the document on the document table is fed onto the contact glass by the feeding roller and feeding belt, and the document is read by the reading unit (step 5). When the document reading execution is completed, the read document image data is transferred from the master unit to the slave unit (step 6). On the other hand, if it is determined in step 3 that there is no user stamp setting, the user stamp data, machine ID, and user stamp serial ID in step 4 are not transferred, and the operations in steps 5 and 6 are performed in the same manner. When the image data transfer is completed, the process proceeds to step 7 where the user stamp image and the original image are combined to generate an image to be printed (step 7). After the composite image is generated, it is determined whether or not the document is at the end (step 8). If the document still exists on the DF or the pressure plate, the reading operation in step 5 is executed again. On the other hand, if the originals are still on the DF or the pressure plate, it is notified that all the originals have been read in order to start the printing operation on the slave unit side (step 9). Then, the process waits until the image transfer is completed for all the read images (step 10). When the image transfer is completed, an image transfer end notification is transferred to the slave unit (step 11), and the process proceeds to a printing operation after step 12.

  Next, a flow related to printing will be described. In the sort printing process, it is determined whether the copy can be performed by the parent machine or in the stack printing process, the image can be printed by the parent machine (step 12). When the part is shared by the master unit, printing is actually executed (step 13). Then, when the printing of one copy of the original is completed at the time of sorting and when the printing of the image is completed at the time of stacking, a successful printing result is registered (step 14). If it is determined in step 12 that there is nothing to be shared by the master unit, it is determined whether printing assigned to the master unit and the slave unit is completed (step 15). If so, the image data saved in the HDD or in the image memory is deleted (step 16). Thus, the master unit connection job is ended (step 17).

Next, the flow of the slave unit connecting operation will be described with reference to FIG.
In the slave unit, when the print key is pressed in the master unit and the linked job starts in step 1, a linked job start request is sent from the master unit to the slave unit, and the linked job on the slave unit starts (step 18). Whether there is a user stamp setting is checked (step 19). If there is a user stamp setting, a request for user stamp information is made (step 20). Next, it waits for a user stamp information response (step 21). When the information sent in step 4 comes to the handset side, the machine ID and user stamp serial ID in the user stamp information that received the response match the machine ID and user stamp serial ID that the handset has. (Step 22), and if there is no coincidence on the handset side, a new user stamp image is automatically registered (Step 23). Here, at the same time that the image of the stamp itself is registered, the machine ID and the user stamp serial ID in the user stamp information received in response are also registered. As described above, this information can be displayed from the operation unit 37 at the same time that the same user stamp is not newly registered. If the same user stamp serial ID and machine ID exist in step 22, the process proceeds to step 24 without newly registering stamp information. Further, even when the user stamp is not set in step 19, the user stamp process (steps 19 to 23) is skipped and the process proceeds to step 24. In step 24, image information for the first page is requested (step 24), an image information response for the first page is waited (step 25), and if image information is received, it is determined whether the image is the last page (step). 27). The page information waiting in step 25 is the one transmitted in step 6. If the no-information flag is set in the image information in step 27, it is determined that the previous page is the last page (step 27), and the process proceeds to step 28. Conversely, if it is not determined to be the last page, the image information of the Nth page is stored, N is counted up (step 26), and the process returns to step 24 to request the image information of the next page. Next, in step 28, in order to determine whether or not an actual image has been transferred, the end of the transfer of all images from the master unit is waited (step 28), which corresponds to step 10 in this flowchart. When the end of all image transfer is received from the master unit, an inquiry is sent to the master unit regarding whether or not the copy can be printed on the slave unit (step 29). If the reply is OK, the printing is actually performed. Execute (step 30). If it is in the sort mode, printing of the last page is completed or if it is in the stack mode, the printing result is transmitted to the parent device when the image is printed (step 31). This result is used to determine whether or not the printing assigned to the slave unit in the master unit step 15 is completed.
If the reply is NG in step 29, it is determined whether or not the printing assigned to the slave unit has been completed (step 32). If all printing shared by the slave unit is completed, the image saved in the HDD of the slave unit or the image on the image memory is deleted regardless of the printing execution state of the master unit (step 33). . In the sort mode, images from the first page to the last page are deleted at once, and only images that have been printed are deleted in the stack mode. This is the slave unit connection job end (step 34).

1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. The figure which showed the operation part 30 of this invention. The figure which showed an example of the display of the liquid crystal touch panel 31 of the operation part 30 of this invention. The block block diagram of the control apparatus 400 centering on the main controller 20 of this invention. The block diagram of the image processing part (an image reading part and an image writing part) of this invention. The timing chart explaining the image signal for 1 page in the selector 64 of this invention. 2 is a diagram illustrating a software control module configuration, image transfer, and print control in the image forming apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an operation flowchart of a master unit and a slave unit of the image forming connection system of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

120a, 120b Application layer, 122a, 122b Control service layer, 124a, 124b Handler layer, 130 Handler manager, 131a, 131b Scanner handler, 132a, 132b Image memory handler, 133a, 133b Plotter handler

Claims (3)

Reading means for reading a document image, registration means for registering a user stamp to be combined by a user at the time of printing, combining means for combining the registered user stamp and an image read by the reading means, and image data combined by the combining means A plurality of image forming apparatuses, each of which includes a storage unit that stores the image, a printing unit that prints the stored image, and a connection unit that transmits and receives images to and from other apparatuses. One of the image forming apparatuses is a master unit, and the image data read by the reading unit is transferred to an image forming apparatus that is another slave unit, and the master unit and the slave unit share the printing. In the image forming and coupling system provided with the printing sharing means to perform,
The image forming connection system, wherein the user stamp registered by the registration unit and the image read by the reading unit are separately transferred from the master unit to the slave unit without being synthesized.   The transferred user stamp is combined with the image read by the combining unit, printed by the printing unit, and automatically registered by the registration unit in the image forming apparatus serving as the slave unit. The image forming connection system according to claim 1.   In addition to the stamp image, the user stamp automatically registered in the image forming apparatus serving as the slave has information on the ID of the image forming apparatus serving as the transfer source and the ID of the user stamp. 3. The image forming connection system according to claim 2, wherein an ID of the image forming apparatus and an ID of the user stamp are also automatically registered simultaneously with the user stamp.

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