JP2006303568A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an erroneous operation in abnormality processing in a distributed system in which modules operate with independent sequences. <P>SOLUTION: The system has the operation sequences for operation modules separated into a imaging module, a paper feeding module, a transfer module and a fixing module so that each of the modules operates independently; a communication means for communicating each of the modules; and a means for downloading the sequences for each module via a control line by a predetermined method. The system is provided with a shared data region for abnormality processing to be commonly used between the modules. When an abnormality occurs, a module having the abnormality is written into the shared data region for abnormality processing to apply write protection to that module, and when the abnormality processing is completed, the protection is released to release an error state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a configuration of an image forming apparatus and processing when an abnormality occurs.

A conventional image forming apparatus generally has a configuration as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and centrally manages control related to image formation, and operates each component according to a predetermined procedure ( For example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 05-318819 A

  However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, as the functions become higher, the load of the main CPU that is centrally managed increases, and further processing capability is required. In addition, in order to cope with the addition of optional functions, it is necessary to prepare interfaces for all the options that are assumed in advance, and there is a problem that it takes days and costs for development.

  In addition, the number of signal lines and power lines to each component has increased, which has increased costs, hindered downsizing and weight reduction, and hindered the air path in the machine. There is a possibility that it may cause an abnormal temperature rise or a source of radiation noise. Therefore, an independent distributed control method in units of modules, which is different from the conventional one, can be considered. However, even in the configuration, when a jam or an error occurs, a main CPU that monitors them as an abnormal process is required. It was not possible to improve greatly.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that can prevent malfunction of abnormal processing and can also reliably perform recovery after cancellation of an abnormal state. .

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus characterized by the following.

  (1) An image forming module, a paper feed module, a transport module, a fixing module, and the like, which are divided and mounted for each module, an operation sequence in which each module operates independently, a communication means for communicating between the modules, A sequence operates based on data stored in advance for each module, and each module is independent of an image forming unit that performs an image forming operation based on a common signal provided from the communication unit. In an image forming apparatus having a determination means for automatically determining an abnormal state and a shared data area where all modules share the information on the abnormal state, the module that has determined the abnormality when the abnormal state occurs is abnormal information in the shared data area. To stop the operation of all modules via the control line and Configuration was able to inhibit writing to the data area.

  (2) In (1), when the abnormality occurrence module is canceled and the transition from the abnormal state to the normal state is released, the prohibition of writing to the shared data area is canceled and the abnormality information is canceled.

  (3) In the above (1), an address control means for prohibiting access to an address in which abnormality information is written during a write operation to the shared data area is provided.

  (4) In the above (1), when the abnormality occurrence module prohibits writing to the shared data area, it writes a password to another address, and has means for prohibiting writing to the shared data area unless the password is matched. thing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent malfunction of abnormal processing in a distributed system in which modules operate in an independent sequence. In addition, it can be reliably restored after the abnormal state is cleared. According to the present invention, each functional module can be connected through a common interface, and abnormal processing can be reliably performed even in an extended system.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of an image forming apparatus equipped with a conventional sheet processing method.

  Reference numeral 101 denotes an original platen glass on which originals fed from the automatic document feeder 160 are sequentially placed at predetermined positions. Reference numeral 102 denotes a document illumination lamp composed of, for example, a fluorescent lamp, which exposes a document placed on the document table glass 101. Reference numerals 103, 104, and 105 denote scanning mirrors, which are accommodated in an optical scanning unit (not shown), and guide reflected light from the document to the CCD unit 106 while reciprocating. The CCD unit 106 includes an imaging lens 107 that forms an image of reflected light from an original on the CCD, for example, an image sensor 108 composed of a CCD, a CCD driver 109 that drives the image sensor 108, and the like. The image signal output from the image sensor 108 is converted into, for example, 8-bit digital data and then input to the image processing unit 300 (see FIG. 2).

  Reference numeral 110 denotes a photosensitive drum, which is discharged by a pre-exposure lamp 112 in preparation for image formation. Reference numeral 150 denotes an engine controller unit. A primary charger 113 uniformly charges the photosensitive drum 110. Reference numeral 117 denotes exposure means, which is composed of, for example, a semiconductor laser and converts it into a pulse width for laser exposure based on image data processed by an image processing unit 300 that performs image processing and overall control of the apparatus, and a photosensitive drum 110 is exposed to form an electrostatic latent image. Reference numeral 118 denotes a developing device that contains a black developer (toner). Reference numeral 119 denotes a buffer unit that stores toner, and the toner is supplied from a detachable toner storage container (hereinafter referred to as a cartridge) set at 120. The toner supplied to the buffer unit 119 is supplied to the developing device according to the amount of toner in the developing device. A pre-transfer charger 121 applies a high voltage before transferring the toner image developed on the photosensitive drum 110 onto a sheet.

  Reference numerals 122, 124, 126, 128, and 130 denote paper feed units, and each paper feed roller 123, 125, 127, 129, 131 drives the transfer paper into the apparatus, and the registration roller 132 is disposed. Is temporarily stopped, the writing timing with the image formed on the photosensitive drum 110 is taken, and the sheet is fed again. 133 is a transfer charger, and transfers the toner image developed on the photosensitive drum 110 to a transfer sheet to be fed. A separation charger 134 separates the transfer sheet on which the transfer operation has been completed from the photosensitive drum 110. Reference numeral 170 denotes a separation claw for physically separating the transfer paper when electrostatic separation by the separation charger 134 is not successful.

  The toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 110 without being transferred is collected by the cleaner 111. Reference numeral 135 denotes a conveyance belt which conveys the transfer sheet on which the transfer process has been completed to the fixing device 136 and is fixed by heat, for example. Reference numeral 137 denotes a flapper which controls the transfer sheet transport path after the fixing process in either the staple sorter 145 direction or the reverse path 139 direction. The sheets discharged to the staple sorter 145 are sorted into bins, and the staple unit 146 performs stapling according to instructions from the engine controller unit 150.

  The reverse path 139 is used when face-down paper discharge and double-sided copy are performed, and when face-down paper discharge is performed, the paper is reversed by the reversing unit 139 before being discharged. When performing double-sided copying, the paper is conveyed from the reverse path 139 to the double-sided path 144. Reference numerals 140 to 142 denote paper feed rollers that convey the retransfer paper on the duplex path 144 to the refeed roller 143. The retransfer sheet is conveyed by the sheet feeding rollers 140 to 142 and 143 while being timed with the transfer sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit, and is again conveyed to the position where the registration roller 132 is disposed. The engine controller unit 150 includes a microcomputer and a PWM unit, which will be described later, and performs the above-described image forming operation in accordance with an instruction from the operation panel 151.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the controller unit 150 and the image processing unit 300 in the conventional image forming apparatus.

  A CPU 201 controls the entire image processing apparatus, and sequentially reads and executes a program from a read-only memory 203 (ROM) that stores a control procedure (control program) of the apparatus main body. The address bus and data bus of the CPU 201 are connected to each load through 202 bus driver circuits and address decoder circuits. Reference numeral 204 denotes a random access memory (RAM) which is a main storage device used for storing input data, a working storage area, and the like.

  Reference numeral 206 denotes an I / O interface, which is operated by an operator through a key input, and displays an operation state of the apparatus using liquid crystal and LEDs, and motors for driving a paper feed system, a transport system, and an optical system. 207, clutches 208, solenoids 209, and paper detection sensors 210 for detecting the paper to be conveyed are connected to each load of the apparatus. The developing device 118 is provided with a 211 residual toner detection sensor that detects the amount of toner in the developing device, and its output signal is input to the I / O port 206. In addition, signals from switches 212 for detecting the home position of each load, the open / closed state of the door, and the like are also input to the I / O port 206. A high voltage unit 213 outputs a high voltage to the above-described primary charger 113, developing device 118, pre-transfer charger 121, transfer charger 133, and separation charger 134 in accordance with instructions from the CPU.

  An image processing unit 215 receives an image signal output from the CCD unit 106, performs image processing to be described later, and outputs a control signal for a laser unit 117 according to the image data. Laser light output from the laser unit 117 irradiates and exposes the photosensitive drum 110, and a light emission state is detected by a beam detection sensor 214 serving as a light receiving sensor in a non-image area, and the output signal is output to an I / O port. 206 is input.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an image processing unit 300 in a conventional image forming apparatus.

  The image signal converted into an electrical signal by the CCD 108 is first corrected for variation among pixels by the shading circuit 301, and then subjected to data thinning processing at the zooming circuit 302 at the time of reduced copy and at the time of enlarged copy. Interpolate data. Next, in the edge enhancement circuit 303, for example, secondary differentiation is performed in a 5 × 5 window to enhance the edge of the image. Since this image data is luminance data, data conversion is performed by table search in the γ conversion circuit 304 in order to convert it into density data for output to the printer.

  The image data converted into the density data is input to the binarization processing unit 305. Here, for example, multi-value data is converted into binary data by the ED method. Reference numeral 309 denotes an image data hard disk which stores data that has been input from the CCD unit and subjected to image processing. The image data is also stored when connected to a network or the like. The image data converted into binary data is input to the memory controller 306.

  The memory controller 306 selectively outputs the input image data and the image data in the image memory 309 constituted by, for example, a hard disk, or outputs it by ORing. The read / write control for the image memory 310 is performed by the memory controller 306, and when the image is rotated, the read address of the image data in the memory is controlled. These image data are input to the PWM circuit 215 for conversion into a signal of laser emission intensity, and a pulse width corresponding to the image density is output to the laser unit.

  Next, connection diagrams showing the configuration of the present invention are shown in FIGS.

  Instead of the centralized management configuration using the conventional engine controller described with reference to FIG. 1, a configuration is adopted in which control is performed for each functional module as shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram in which the configuration of the conventional copying machine of FIG. 1 is divided into roughly functional modules and a module control unit is arranged for each module.

  FIG. 4 is a view showing a connection form from the reader module 1 to the finisher module. FIG. 6 illustrates each module in more detail. As shown in FIG. 4, a data area shared by all modules is provided.

  Each module in FIG. 4 has an operation sequence that operates autonomously, and operates independently according to input / output in the module. In FIG. 4, the reason why the printer controller 2 is connected to the laser module 3 and the other modules are connected from the laser module is that the image signal is not routed if the image signal is directly delivered from the printer controller to the laser module. It is. At the same time, since the laser module serves as an operation trigger for other paper transport modules, the laser module 3 is connected to the printer controller 2.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the configuration in each module.

  Reference numeral 1100 denotes a functional block of the laser module which operates by register setting. The function block setting unit 1106 sets a register. The function block setting means sets the value of each register and the timer value. This register value is transmitted by the communication means 1109. The communication means communicates with other modules and transmits the operation start, operation end, and various states of each module as serial data.

  The communication means includes a communication line for error information. This is a communication line for writing information in an area representing an engine state of a shared data area described later. In addition to the mechanical operation information of the image forming apparatus, image data is sent to the laser module. This image data is sent only to the laser module. The laser module outputs a BD signal for generating a horizontal synchronization signal or a page synchronization signal.

  Each functional block means is connected to a load such as an actual paper sensor, motor, or solenoid, and operates independently according to the sequence in the module. For example, when the image forming operation of the image forming apparatus is started, the start of the operation is instructed by serial data. When paper is sent to the transport module, a paper path sensor in the transport module detects the paper. Based on the detection signal, a timer in the transport module operates to turn on the paper feed roller clutch at a predetermined timing. When paper passes, stop the clutch with a timer. When the image formation is completed, the operation of the image forming apparatus is ended by the operation end signal.

  When the paper passes to the next module, for example, the paper discharge module, this time the paper discharge module operates in the same independent sequence. Although not shown, each module has an ASIC or CPU and operates in an independent sequence. This sequence can be changed from the printer controller 2, and is sequentially rewritten according to the number of modes and options.

  Next, the error and jam state of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, when each module detects an error state, error information is written in the shared data area 12. For example, when the fixing module detects a high temperature, information such as temperature information or an error detected by hardware or an error detected by software is written as error information in a shared data area representing the module state. At the same time, the fact that the entire image forming apparatus is in error is written in the error information area of the shared data area. This error information area may not be an area but a flag. This error information is written into the shared data area from the communication means described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 8 shows a shared data area.

  In FIG. 8, the shared data area representing the engine state is configured to be readable and writable from any module. The area indicating the module state can be read from all modules, but can be written only in the module state portion. The operation parameter is information sent from the printer controller. In the present invention, when an error or jam occurs, error information is written in a shared data area in which the generated unit indicates the engine state. At this time, writing to the area is prohibited simultaneously with writing. Specifically, the address control of each module is changed so that the address of the shared data area indicating the engine state cannot be selected at the time of writing. Writing is prohibited only in the portion representing the engine state. When the state of another module changes while the main body is stopped, the shared data area representing the module state is rewritten sequentially.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the sequence.

  In FIG. 9, for example, when a jam occurs in the transport module (s1), the transport module performs jam stop processing for its own module (s2), and puts the engine STS in a jam state (s3). Each module other than the transfer module stops its operation by looking at the state of the engine STS. The transport module instructs to prohibit writing to the shared data area (s4), and notifies the printer controller 2 of the occurrence of a jam in order to display to the user (s5). Then, it waits for the jam to be released (s6). The controller displays the jam position based on the information in the shared data area. However, maintaining the jam stop state is due to write prohibition of the module in which the jam has occurred. When the jam is released, the write prohibition to the engine STS is released (s7), and the engine is returned to the standby state (s8). Even if the jam in the transport module is released, if jammed paper still exists in another module, for example, the paper feed module, the paper feed module performs the same movement according to the flowchart of FIG.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing actual software processing.

  In FIG. 10, the portions described as paper feed control, transport control, etc. represent independent sequences in the respective modules. In this embodiment, the independent program structure of each module is omitted, but the sequence processing in units of modules is made to always pass through the shared data area. Therefore, every module executes its own program while always referring to the information in the shared data area.

  The shared data area may be a semiconductor memory such as a dual port RAM, but it may be a RAM area in any module. It is also possible to realize a configuration in which an area is ensured in a RAM of a module that is absolutely necessary for image formation, for example, a laser module, and a shared data area is accessed by waiting for an internal RAM access of the laser module.

  Next, a description will be given of a method using a personal identification number for further ensuring the prohibition of writing to the engine STS area of the shared data area, but the description of the same parts as those described above will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 11, each module writes error information in the shared data area, writes an error state in the shared data area representing the engine state, and prohibits writing to that area. At this time, the password is written in the identification code area of another shared data area.

  FIG. 12 shows an image diagram of the data area.

  The code number written in the identification code area in FIG. 12 is generated by a module in an abnormal state, and the module is generated by using a random number or the like. The generated module itself stores the value in its own local data area. A personal identification number is registered in the identification code area of the shared data area. Next, when the user ends the process from an abnormal state such as a jam or an error, the module in the abnormal state reads the password stored in its own local data area and transmits the value to the code comparison area of the shared data area.

  If the values are different, the process jumps to the shared data area representing the module state without shifting to the access to the area representing the engine state of the shared data area. Therefore, in the case of “C”, the engine abnormal state is not released. If the security code registered in the identification code area matches the security code sent from the local data area, write access to the shared data area representing the engine status is permitted and the abnormal status can be released. . The operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  FIG. 13 shows a flow when JAM occurs in the transport module as an example of the present embodiment.

  When a jam occurs in the transport module (s1), the transport module performs a transition process to stop jam (s2). Then, the engine state is set to the jam state, and write protection to the engine state is applied. At this time, a password forbidden to write is registered in the identification code area described with reference to FIG. 12 from the transport module (s5). Subsequently, the printer controller 2 is notified of the occurrence of a jam (s6). It is determined in s7 whether or not the jam processing by the user is completed, and if the jam processing is completed, the process proceeds to s8. In s8, the code number generated by the transport module itself is generated again. If the passwords match in s9, the transport module cancels the prohibition of writing to the engine state (s11), and returns the engine state to the standby state (s12).

  If the passwords do not match at s9, it is possible that the wrong module is trying to cancel the writing, so that the password is re-requested from the shared data area at s10. The above is the description of this embodiment.

Cross-sectional view of a conventional image forming apparatus A block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional image forming apparatus Block diagram of the image processing unit 1 is a block diagram showing a module configuration of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. The figure showing module arrangement | positioning of the image forming apparatus of this invention Explanatory drawing of each module of the present invention The conceptual diagram which showed the mode of writing at the time of the error generation from each module of this invention Diagram showing shared data area Flow diagram showing the state of control of the present invention Explanatory drawing of sequence operation of each module of the present invention The conceptual diagram which showed the mode of writing at the time of the error generation from each module at the time of using the PIN code of this invention The figure showing the shared data area when the personal identification number of the present invention is used Flow diagram showing the state of control when the personal identification number of the present invention is used

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Reader module 2 Printer controller 3 Laser module 4 Image formation module 5 Paper feed module 6 Transport module 7 Duplex module 8 Fixing module 9 Paper discharge module 10 Toner replenishment module 11 Finisher module 12 Shared data area 150 Engine controller 300 Image processor 1100- 1102 Function block 1106-1108 Function block setting means 1109-1111 Communication means

Claims (4)

An image forming module, a paper feed module, a transport module, a fixing module, etc. are separately mounted for each module, an operation sequence in which each module operates independently, a communication means for communicating between the modules, and the sequence in advance Each module operates independently based on the data stored in each module, and each module performs an image forming operation based on a common signal given from the communication means, and each module is abnormal independently. In an image forming apparatus having a determination means for determining a state and a shared data area in which all modules share information on an abnormal state,
When an abnormal condition occurs, the module that has determined the abnormality writes abnormal information to the shared data area, stops the operation of all modules via the control line, and prohibits writing to the shared data area to which abnormal information has been written. An image forming apparatus configured as described above.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the abnormality occurrence module is canceled and the transition from the abnormal state to the normal state is performed, the prohibition of writing to the shared data area is canceled and the abnormality information is canceled. An image forming apparatus.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising address control means for prohibiting access to an address in which abnormality information is written during a write operation to the shared data area.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the abnormality occurrence module prohibits writing to the shared data area, a password is written to another address, and writing to the shared data area is prohibited unless the password matches. An image forming apparatus comprising:

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