JP2006159674A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device which assures that printed matter is unerringly received. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming device registers a printing job relatedly with personal identification information of a user who instructs to print, performs the registered printing job and outputs printed matter onto a delivery tray. In outputting the printing job, the device adds printed matter identification information related to personal identification information onto the printed matter, stores the data of the finished printing job, recognizes printed matter identification information from printed matter on the delivery tray, obtains personal identification information of a user who comes to take printed matter outputted by an outputting means, recognizes the personal identification information and the printed matter identification information when the user takes out the printed matter from the delivery tray. The device repeats the printing job related to the printed matter out of the finished printing jobs stored in the storage means. When the identification information coincides with each other, the device eliminates the registered printing job. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  As is well known, an image forming apparatus such as a printer installed in a company or office is often connected to a personal computer of each user via a network so that a plurality of users can share the plurality of Each job instructed by each user via each personal computer is received, temporarily stored in a storage means, and job processing can be executed in the order of reception.

Conventionally, as such an image forming apparatus, for example, Patent Document 1 and the like store image information such as a document and job information such as the number of copies, and the job progress status during job execution or waiting for processing is stored in the operation unit. In addition to displaying on a display unit, a technology that enables a job to be deleted from a storage unit, and a technology that enables execution order to be changed are disclosed.
JP 2000-29644 A

  By the way, when a user gives a print instruction from his / her own computer or the like and then picks up the printed matter discharged onto the paper discharge tray of the printer, someone has already taken the printed matter by mistake, May not remain.

  However, the conventional ones including the above-mentioned known examples lose the stored image data once printed out. For this reason, the user who has taken the printed matter must return to the computer and perform an input operation again to give a print instruction, which is troublesome twice.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-205650 stores an executed print job, and when the user who has executed the print job confirms that there is no printed matter output on the discharge tray, the operation unit A technology that enables re-execution of print jobs stored in the device by specification has been disclosed, but when a large number of printed materials are output, if only some pages are removed, they are removed. There are problems that it is difficult for the user to confirm that this is the case, and that a print job in which only the removed pages are stored cannot be re-executed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when an output printed matter is taken away by another user, the taken-out printed matter is recognized in units of pages, and a print job of the taken-out page is re-executed. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can be executed to guarantee that a user who has picked up the apparatus can receive a printed matter.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, registration means for registering a print job in association with personal identification information of a user who instructed printing, and executing the registered print job to output a printed matter on a paper discharge tray. Output means; means for adding printed matter identification information associated with personal identification information on a printed matter when outputting a print job; storage means for storing data of an executed print job; and printed matter on a paper discharge tray Means for recognizing printed matter identification information from the user, personal identification information obtaining means for obtaining personal identification information of a user who has come to pick up the printed matter output by the output means, and when the user takes out the printed matter from the paper discharge tray, When the personal identification information and the printed matter identification information are recognized and the respective identification information is different, the executed print job stored in the storage means Of the re-executing means for re-executing the print job associated with the printed material, if the respective identification information matches, characterized in that it comprises a control means for erasing the print jobs registered, the.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the personal identification information obtaining unit is disposed in a main body of the image forming apparatus and stores personal identification information of the user in a management area of the image forming apparatus. Wireless communication is possible.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the adding unit stores the personal identification information storage device provided in advance on the printed matter by the personal identification information storage unit in the main body of the image forming apparatus. To do.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the identification information is stored in a non-contact IC and can be read by a non-contact IC reading unit mounted on the image forming apparatus. And

  6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the recognition that the printed matter is taken out from the discharge tray is that the printed matter is taken out of a communicable range by the reading unit and communication with the printed matter identification information becomes impossible. It is characterized by performing by.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the printed matter identification information includes page information indicating a page number of the printed matter to which the added printed matter is output.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the printed material take-out recognition unit recognizes that the printed material is taken out of the communicable range, the personal identification information and the printed material identification information coincide with each other. Only the print job related to the page information not to be executed is re-executed.

  9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when the print job is re-executed by the re-execution unit, the user who has been re-executed by the personal identification information acquisition unit picks up the printed matter. And a notification means for notifying the user that re-execution has been performed.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, even when the printed material output to the paper discharge tray is taken away by another user, the desired printed material is always output when the user comes to the image forming apparatus. Therefore, there is no need to return to the terminal and re-execute printing, or to perform a new operation on the image forming apparatus, and the original document output by the user can be acquired reliably.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Example)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an image forming system to which an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

  In FIG. 1, the image forming system includes a portable terminal 107 owned by a user 106 and an image forming apparatus 200.

  The portable terminal 107 holds personal identification (ID) information of the user 106 who is the owner of the portable terminal, and when the ID information is requested from the image forming apparatus 200, the held ID Information is transmitted by a non-contact method such as a wireless communication method or an infrared communication method. Examples of such a portable terminal 107 include an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), a non-contact IC card, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and the like.

  Examples of the image forming apparatus 200 include a copying machine, a facsimile (FAX), a printer, a scanner, and the like. Here, an MFP (Multi Function Peripherals) that integrates the functions of the copying machine, the FAX, a printer, a scanner, and the like. As an example.

  The image forming apparatus 200 can receive a signal of ID information of the user 106 transmitted from the mobile terminal 107 owned by the user in a certain communication area 104 by the short-range wireless communication method as the non-contact communication 20 method. is there.

  A terminal 103 such as a computer or workstation owned by the user 106 is connected to the image forming apparatus 200 via a network line 105 such as a LAN. The user 106 can obtain a desired printed matter from the image forming apparatus 200 by giving a print instruction from 103. When the user 106 issues a print instruction, the same ID information that is stored in the portable terminal 107 together with the print job representing the image data from 103 is stored in the image forming apparatus 200 in association with the print job.

  In the image forming apparatus 200, a document with an IC tag 102 can be used as the paper 101 to be printed. By using this sheet, image data can be generated on the printed material 101 and ID information can be stored in the IC tag 102 on the printed material 101. Further, the IC tag 102 can communicate with the image forming apparatus 200, and information stored in the IC tag 102 can be read out. The image forming apparatus 200 can determine whether the user 106 is the person who has output the printed matter by comparing the ID information in the IC tag 102 with the ID information owned by the user 106.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating in detail the inside of the image forming apparatus 200.

  The image forming apparatus 200 in FIG. 2 is broadly divided into an image reader unit 201 that reads an original image and a printer unit 202 that reproduces image data read by the image reader unit 201. The image reader unit 201 reads a document with a resolution of 400 dpi (dots / inch) and performs digital signal processing. The printer unit 202 is a part that outputs an image corresponding to the original image read by the image reader unit 201 on a designated sheet at a resolution of 1200 dpi on a full color. In the image reader unit 201, a document 204 on a platen glass (hereinafter referred to as a platen) 203 is irradiated with a lamp 205, guided to mirrors 206, 207, and 208, and light collected by a lens 209 is converted into an electrical signal. An image is formed on a three-line sensor (hereinafter referred to as CCD) 210 to be converted, and sent to the signal processing unit 211 as a full color information red (R), green (G), and blue (B) component. The carriages 205 and 206 are fixed at a speed of v, and 207 and 208 are at a speed of 1/2 v by mechanically moving in the direction perpendicular to the electric scanning (main scanning) direction of the line sensor. The entire surface is scanned (sub-scanning). The read image is stored in a memory (not shown). Next, the image data is read again from the inside of the memory, and the signal processing unit 211 electrically processes the read image signal to obtain magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y), black (Bk). ) And sent to the printer unit 202. In addition, one component of M, C, Y, and Bk is sent to the printer unit 202 for one document scan in the image reader unit 201, and one printout is completed by a total of four document scans. . M, C, Y, and Bk image signals sent from the image reader unit 201 are sent to the laser driver 212. The laser driver 212 modulates and drives the semiconductor laser 213 in accordance with the transmitted image signal. The laser beam scans on the photosensitive drum 217 via the polygon mirror 214, the f-θ lens 215, and the mirror 216. Reference numeral 218 denotes a rotary developing unit, which includes a magenta developing unit 219, a cyan developing unit 220, a yellow developing unit 221, and a black developing unit 222. The four developing units are alternately in contact with the photosensitive drum 217 and formed on the photosensitive drum. The latent image development is developed with toner. A transfer drum 223 winds a sheet supplied from the sheet cassette 224 or 225 around the transfer drum 223, and transfers an image developed on the photosensitive drum onto the sheet. In this way, after the four colors M, C, Y, and Bk are sequentially transferred, the sheet passes through the fixing unit 226, and after the toner is fixed on the sheet, the sheet is discharged onto the discharge tray 227. The

  FIG. 3 shows in detail the configuration of the part of the MFP that processes the electrical signal of the printer unit that prints on a recording medium such as paper. Reference numeral 310 denotes a CPU for controlling each part of the printer. Reference numeral 302 denotes a RAM for temporarily storing results calculated by the CPU and image data handled by the printer. Specifically, in addition to performing image processing on image data read from the image reader unit 201 or image data transmitted from a personal computer or workstation based on a mode designated by the user 106, an image A processed print job is stored / registered in association with user ID information input or transmitted together with the job, and image data of an executed print job is stored / saved. Further, various data such as user ID information obtained by an RFID reader / writer unit 317 described later is stored.

  A ROM 303 stores a program for operating the CPU, font data for generating image data, and the like. Reference numeral 304 denotes a local bus to which the CPU, RAM, and ROM are connected. Reference numeral 305 denotes an I / O bus, which is an internal bus for function expansion. Reference numeral 306 denotes a bridge circuit for connecting the local bus and the I / O bus.

  A printer unit 307 is a part for forming an image on a recording medium such as paper. There are various types of printer units such as an electrophotographic system and a bubble jet (registered trademark) system. A printer interface unit 308 is used to connect the printer unit to the I / O bus, and can transfer image data stored in the RAM 302 to the printer unit 307 in accordance with instructions from the CPU. It is. Further, the user ID information associated with the image data is transferred, and written on the IC tag on the printed paper by an IC tag writing means (not shown).

  Reference numeral 309 denotes a hard disk drive for spooling image data and storing programs for the CPU 301 to perform various processes. A network interface controller 311 is used to connect to the local area network 105 shown in FIG. 1 and receives image data or code data transmitted from a personal computer or workstation (not shown) assigned to each user. To receive.

  An image processing unit (hereinafter referred to as IPU) 312 is for performing image processing such as resolution conversion. Reference numeral 313 denotes a raster image processor. The image data in the page description language transferred from the outside via the network interface circuit 311 is developed into a bitmap image according to the instruction of the CPU 301, and the bit developed in the RAM 302 Used to store map data.

  Reference numeral 314 denotes a video RAM into which display data displayed on an external CRT or LCD panel is written by the CPU. Reference numeral 315 denotes a video interface, which serves as an interface for displaying display data stored in the VRAM on an external CRT or LCD panel.

  Reference numeral 317 denotes an RFID reader / writer unit for reading / writing data from / to an RFID described later by wireless communication. Specifically, for transmitting and receiving data and signals to and from the mobile terminal 107 in the communication area 3, and for the mobile terminal 107 of the user 106 existing in the communication area 3, A request signal for obtaining ID information of the user 106 is transmitted, and a signal of ID information transmitted from the portable terminal 107 is received.

  In addition to managing the job reception order and processing order according to instructions from the CPU 301, user ID information from the portable terminal 107 owned by the user in the vicinity of the paper discharge unit 29, that is, in the predetermined communication area 3, is It has a function of acquiring the ID information of the user 106 through the RFID reader / writer unit 317.

  In addition, it has a function of obtaining user ID information written by the IC tag writing means via the RFID reader / writer unit 317 from the IC tag 102 attached to the printed material in accordance with an instruction from the CPU 301. Further, the print job storage unit 220 determines whether or not an executed print job having the same ID information as the ID information of the user 106 who has picked up the printed matter on the paper discharge tray 227 exists. Also have. When the ID information on the printed terminal matches that of the portable terminal 107 and communication is impossible after leaving the communication area 3, it is recognized that the person who has output the printed object has taken out the printed object, and the data of the executed print job Are erased from the RAM of 302. On the other hand, if the ID information on the printed material does not match the portable terminal 107, it recognizes that the printed material has been taken out by another user, retains the stored print job data, and re-executes the print job. It has a function to make it.

  In FIG. 5, the reader / writer unit 500 for reading or writing a non-contact IC attached to the document reading unit will be described in detail. The reader / writer unit 500 includes a transmission antenna unit 501 for transmitting radio waves to a 600 non-contact IC unit, a modulation circuit 502 for modulating radio waves transmitted from the transmission antenna, and a 600 non-contact IC unit. Demodulating circuit 504 for demodulating signals received from the receiving antenna units of receiving antenna units 503 and 503 for receiving radio waves transmitted from 501, a transmitting antenna unit of 501, a modulating circuit of 502, and receiving of 503 A control unit 505 for controlling the demodulation circuit of the antenna unit and 504, an I / F unit 506 that communicates with a host device, and a transmission antenna unit 501, are connected to 600 non-contact ICs to supply power Consists of a power supply 507.

  The control unit 505 modulates a radio wave for supplying power and data to be transmitted using a modulation circuit 502 in accordance with an instruction from the outside, and transmits the radio wave from the transmission antenna unit 501 to the outside. Further, a radio signal received from the outside can be received by the receiving antenna unit 503, demodulated by the demodulation circuit 504, and then converted so that it can be handled as a data signal.

  6, the non-contact IC unit 600 will be described in detail. The non-contact IC unit 600 includes a non-volatile memory 601, an antenna unit for transmitting and receiving a radio wave 602, a resonance capacitor unit 603, a power forming unit for rectifying and smoothing a power source 604, and a radio wave 605 Are composed of a post-modulation unit for performing modulation and demodulation, and a control unit for 606.

  The antenna portion 602 is combined with a resonance capacitor 603 so that a resonance circuit can be configured. When a radio wave signal for supplying power is sent from the outside, it is received by a resonance circuit and supplied to the power forming unit shown in 604. The power generation unit of 604 operates 600 non-contact ICs Therefore, it becomes possible to supply electric power. The power is supplied to a non-volatile memory 601 and a post-modulation circuit 605. The control unit 606 is for controlling the 600 non-contact IC unit.

  Along with radio waves for supplying power from the outside, data for reading or writing from the non-contact IC unit is also transmitted and received at the same time, and the signal sent to the 600 non-contact IC unit is 605 demodulated. The signal is demodulated by the circuit and stored in the nonvolatile memory 601 via the control unit 606. The data read from the non-volatile memory 601 by the control unit 606 is modulated by the post-modulation circuit 605 and can be transmitted as a radio wave signal from the antenna unit 602.

  Next, the flow of print job re-execution processing and erasure processing performed in the image forming apparatus 200 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the user 106 issues a print instruction from the computer 103 to the image forming apparatus 200, for example, in S401, the CPU 310 recognizes that it is a print instruction, and stores the print job in the RAM 302 in association with the user ID information. In step S402, the print job is subjected to image processing by the IPU 312. After that, the printer 307 is caused to execute printing on the paper, the user ID information is written on the IC tag on the printed matter, and then the printed matter is printed on the discharge tray 227. Is discharged.

  After that, when the user 106 owns the portable terminal 107 and picks up his / her printed matter and enters the communication area 104, the CPU 310 sends the ID of the user 106 to the RFID reader / writer unit 317 in S403. Get information. This ID information acquisition process will be described later.

  In S404, when the user 106 takes out the printed matter from the paper discharge tray 227 and goes out of the communication area 104, in S405, the CPU 310 and the user ID information stored in the IC tag of the printed matter that cannot be communicated, The user ID information of the terminal 107 is compared.

  If the user ID information matches, it is determined that the user has taken out the printed matter and left, and the print job associated with the user 106 stored in the RAM 302 is deleted in S406.

  If the user ID information does not match, it is determined that another person's printed matter has been taken out and left, and the print job associated with the user 106 stored in the RAM 302 is re-executed in S407.

(Other embodiments)
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which only the user ID information is stored in the IC tag 102 on the printed matter has been described. However, in the case of a printed matter of a number of pages, the page information is also written together with the user ID information. good.

  At that time, the image forming apparatus 200 can recognize the page information together with the user ID information by communicating with the IC tag 102.

  By adopting this configuration, when a part of pages of a manuscript of a number of pages is taken away by another user, the CPU 310 can recognize which page has been taken away, and only the ID of the removed page is ID. The print job associated with the information can be re-executed.

  The acquisition of the user ID information is not limited to using the mobile terminal 1 as in the above-described embodiment, but may be a mode in which the user himself inputs from the operation unit of the image forming apparatus 200.

  Further, although the executed print job corresponding to the user ID information is erased at the timing when the user leaves the communication area 104, the erasing timing is not limited to this.

  Further, when re-execution of printing is performed, control is performed such as displaying on the operation unit of the image forming apparatus 200 when the user who has picked up the re-executed printed material is recognized from the ID information. The convenience of the present invention can be improved by performing control to notify that re-execution has been performed.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an image forming system to which an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. Block diagram showing details of the inside of the image forming apparatus Detailed block diagram of the inside of the printer controller Flow chart showing control procedure of the image forming system Detailed block diagram of the inside of a non-contact IC reader / writer Block diagram detailing the inside of a non-contact IC

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 200 Image forming apparatus 101 Printed matter 102 IC tag on printed matter 103 User-owned computer terminal 104 Communication area 105 Network line 106 User 107 Portable terminal

Claims (8)

Registration means for registering a print job in association with personal identification information of a user who has instructed printing;
An output means for executing a registered print job and outputting a printed matter on a discharge tray;
An additional means for adding printed matter identification information associated with personal identification information on a printed matter when outputting a print job;
Storage means for storing data of executed print jobs;
Recognizing means for recognizing printed matter identification information from printed matter on the discharge tray;
Personal identification information obtaining means for obtaining personal identification information of a user who came to obtain the printed matter output by the output means;
When the user takes out the printed matter from the paper discharge tray, the personal identification information and the printed matter identification information are recognized, and when the identification information is different, the printed information stored in the storage unit is associated with the printed matter. A re-execution unit that re-executes the print job, and a control unit that deletes the registered print job if the respective identification information matches,
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The personal identification information acquisition means is disposed in the main body of the image forming apparatus, and is capable of wireless communication with a personal identification terminal that stores the personal identification information of the user within a management area of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is characterized.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adding unit stores the personal identification information storage device provided on the printed material in advance by the personal identification information storage unit in the main body of the image forming apparatus. apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the identification information is stored in a non-contact IC and can be read by a non-contact IC reading unit mounted on the image forming apparatus.   Recognizing that the printed material has been taken out from the paper discharge tray includes a printed material take-out recognition unit which is performed when the printed material is taken out of the communicable range by the reading unit and communication with the printed material identification information becomes impossible. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is characterized.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printed matter identification information includes page information indicating a page number of the printed matter to which the added printed matter is output.   When the printed matter take-out recognition unit recognizes that the printed matter has been taken out of the communicable range, only the print job related to the page information in which the personal identification information and the printed matter identification information do not match among the taken-out printed matter is re-executed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus.   When the print job is re-executed by the re-execution unit, the re-execution is performed when the user who has been re-executed by the personal identification information acquisition unit recognizes that the user has picked up the printed matter. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising notification means for notifying a user that the operation has been performed.

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