JP2006340233A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus, which in advance prevents a job from being halted during printing due to an ink shortage of a toner or the like in a print instruction from a remote. <P>SOLUTION: A control means 3 comprises a print determining part 7, which obtains a binary data amount of an image to be printed, also obtains a residue of a printing material based on an output of a printing material amount sensor 6, determines prior to printing whether or not a residue of the printing material suffices the data amount of the image to be printed, and when it is determined that the residue of the printing material is sufficient, instructs an image forming part 4 to print. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that includes a storage unit that stores image data, and that can later read and output the image data stored in the storage unit.

  Several techniques have been introduced as conventional examples of this type. For example, in a complex image forming apparatus connected to a network, when a copy, printer, or scanner function is executed, image data can be stored in a built-in hard disk in a conventional system, and the stored image information is stored in an operation panel. It was possible to print out again by the operation (for example, Patent Document 1).

In addition, as with the above-described apparatus, there is one that can store image data in a hard disk and output it from an external host when necessary (for example, Patent Document 2).
JP 2001-249775 A JP 11-129556 A

  However, when printing from a remote external host, when a user performs printing, there may be a time loss such as a supply replacement operation during printing. That is, it was impossible to know in advance whether the toner runs out on the way.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that improves the disadvantages of the conventional example and prevents a job from being stopped in the middle of printing due to running out of ink such as toner in a remote printing instruction. And

  In order to solve this problem, the present invention includes an image data storage unit that stores image data, a communication I / F that receives a print instruction for image data stored in advance in the image data storage unit from a remote terminal, and the communication Control means for reading image data stored in the image data storage unit based on a print instruction received via the I / F and printing an image based on the image data. In addition, an image forming unit that prints an image in response to an instruction from the control unit, an image material room that is attached to the image forming unit and stores image materials necessary for printing, and a remaining amount of the image material that is provided in the image material room An image material amount sensor for detecting Further, the control means acquires the binary data amount of the image to be printed, acquires the remaining amount of the image material based on the output of the image material amount sensor, and determines the amount of the image material relative to the data amount of the image to be printed. A configuration is adopted in which it is determined before printing whether the remaining amount is sufficient, and a print determination unit that instructs the image forming unit to perform printing when it is determined that the remaining amount of the image material is sufficient.

  Here, the print determination unit may acquire the data amount of the image to be printed by counting the binary data amount of the print target image using a counter.

  In addition, the control unit includes a transfer unit that transfers the image data to be printed to another image forming apparatus via the communication I / F when the print determination unit determines that the remaining amount of the image material is insufficient. You may have.

  Further, the transfer unit has a transfer notification function for notifying the remote terminal that has issued the print instruction via the communication I / F when the image data is transferred to another image forming apparatus. It may be.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a reading unit that optically reads an image and converts it into data, and an operation in which a user instructs whether to store image data acquired from the reading unit in an image data storage unit And a storage unit that stores an accumulation flag indicating an accumulation instruction from the operation unit, and the control unit “accumulates” or “does not accumulate” the accumulation flag in response to the operation of the operation unit. When the accumulation flag is set to “do not accumulate”, the image data acquired from the reading unit is not accumulated in the image data storage unit, while the accumulation flag is set to “accumulate”. Sometimes, the image data acquired from the reading unit may have a function of accumulating in the image data storage unit.

  Thus, the above-described problem is to be solved.

  Since the present invention is configured and functions as described above, according to this, it is possible to prevent a job from being stopped in the middle of printing due to running out of ink such as toner.

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

  As shown in FIG. 1A, an image forming apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to a communication network 200, and can further communicate with a remote terminal PC via the communication network 200. It has become.

  The image forming apparatus 100 is configured as shown in FIG.

  That is, the image data storage unit 1 that stores image data, the communication I / F 2 that receives a print instruction for image data stored in advance in the image data storage unit 1 from the remote terminal PC, and the communication I / F 2 Based on the received print instruction, the image data storage unit 1 is read out, and control means 3 for printing an image based on the image data is provided. The image forming unit 4 that prints an image in response to an instruction from the control unit 3, an image material room 5 that is provided in the image forming unit 4 and stores image materials necessary for printing, and the image material room 5 are equipped. An image material amount sensor 6 for detecting the remaining amount of the image material is provided.

  Further, the control means 3 obtains the binary data amount of the image to be printed, obtains the remaining amount of the image material based on the output of the image material amount sensor 6, and compares the data amount of the image to be printed. A printing determination unit 7 is provided for determining whether the remaining amount of the image material is sufficient before printing, and instructing the image forming unit 4 to perform printing when it is determined that the remaining amount of the image material is sufficient.

  In the present embodiment, the print determination unit 7 obtains the data amount of an image to be printed by counting the binary data amount of the print target image using a counter.

  In addition, when the print determination unit 7 determines that the remaining amount of the image material is insufficient, the control unit 3 transfers the image data to be printed to another image forming apparatus 100 via the communication I / F 2 and causes the image data to be printed. A transfer unit 8 is provided.

  Further, when the transfer unit 8 transfers image data to another image forming apparatus 100, the transfer unit 8 notifies the remote terminal PC that has issued the print instruction via the communication I / F 2 that the transfer has been performed. It has a function.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 100, the user instructs the reading unit 9 that optically reads an image and converts it into data, and whether or not to store the image data acquired from the reading unit 9 in the image data storage unit 1. An operation unit 11 and storage means 13 for storing an accumulation flag 12 indicating an accumulation instruction from the operation unit 11 are provided. Then, the control unit 3 receives the operation of the operation unit 11 and sets the accumulation flag 12 to “accumulate” or “do not accumulate”, and when the accumulation flag 12 is set to “do not accumulate”, the reading unit The image data acquired from 9 is not stored in the image data storage unit 1, while the image data acquired from the reading unit 9 when the storage flag 12 is set to “store” is stored in the image data storage unit 1. Has the function of

  More specifically, in this embodiment, the image data storage unit 1 is provided in one area of the storage unit 13. The storage means 13 includes a volatile storage device, a nonvolatile storage device, and a large-capacity storage device. The image data storage unit 1 and a determination condition storage unit 14 to be described later are a nonvolatile storage device or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The storage flag 12 may be provided in any of a volatile storage device, a nonvolatile storage device, and a large-capacity storage device. Here, the determination condition storage unit 14 stores a determination table used by the print determination unit 7 for determination.

  The communication I / F 2 is, for example, a communication interface compatible with the TCP / IP protocol, and identifies the external remote terminal PC and other image forming apparatuses 100 by IP address.

  The control means 3 is a processor that realizes various operations by executing a program prepared in advance, and realizes a print determination unit 7, a transfer unit 8, and a main control unit 15 to be described later by executing the program.

  In the present embodiment, the print determination unit 7 refers to a determination table stored in the determination condition storage unit 14 to determine whether printing is possible.

  The operation unit 11 is, for example, an operation switch provided on the housing, and the reading unit 9 is an optical scanner. The image forming apparatus 100 may be a multifunction device in which the reading unit 9 is used for a plurality of applications (copy, FAX, scan, etc.).

  The image forming unit 4 may be an electrophotographic printing type or an ink jet type image forming unit. Depending on the type of the image forming unit 4, the image material chamber 5 and the image material stored in the image material chamber 5 are also toner or liquid ink. The image material amount sensor 6 employs an optical sensor, a pressure sensor, or the like that is normally used for detecting the remaining amount of the image material.

FIG. 2 is a configuration example of a determination table stored in the determination condition storage unit 14. First, the horizontal axis indicates the index of the remaining amount of the image material (n is a natural number). The index of the remaining amount of art material indicates that the larger the value, the greater the remaining amount. In this embodiment, the printing method of the image forming unit 4 is an electrophotographic method, and the image material is toner.
The vertical axis represents the index of the binary (black and white) data amount of the image to be printed (n is a natural number). The data amount index indicates that the larger the value, the larger the binary data amount to be printed.
In the present embodiment, the binary data amount of an image refers to the amount of pixels to be printed (white or black pixels to be printed) using an image material. In this case, the number of printed sheets is also included. For example, it is assumed that the binary data amount of the image “A” to be printed is d. At this time, if the number of prints is specified as 3, the binary data amount to be printed is calculated as d × 3 = 3d, and the index to which this value 3d belongs is searched from the vertical axis of the determination table of FIG. I will do it.
In this way, when the index of the remaining amount of the image material and the index of the binary data amount to be printed are specified, the cell in which the vertical axis and the horizontal axis intersect is referred to and data set in advance there Is “◯”, it is determined that there is enough image material for printing. On the other hand, if the preset data is “x”, it is determined that there is not enough image material for printing. The determination table of FIG. 2 is used as such.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 100 based on the above configuration will be described.

  <Accumulation of image data>

  The user operates the operation unit 11 at a predetermined timing, and sets in advance whether to store the image data to be input to the image forming apparatus 100 in the storage unit 13. When the operation from the operation unit 11 is accepted, the main control unit 15 resets the accumulation flag 12 if the operation is an instruction not to accumulate image data, and accumulates if the operation is an instruction to accumulate image data. The flag 12 is set.

  Thereafter, when the user sets an image original on the reading unit 9 and inputs an instruction such as copying, faxing, scanning, etc. from the operation unit 11, the main control unit 15 copies the image data read from the reading unit 9, copying, faxing, scanning, etc. And the state of the accumulation flag 12 is confirmed. If the accumulation flag 12 is set, the read image data is accumulated in the image data storage unit 1.

  As a result, once output images can be re-output as many times as necessary.

  <Print accumulated image>

  Thereafter, the user of the remote terminal PC designates image data stored in advance in the image data storage unit 1 and the number of prints thereof, and transmits a print instruction accompanied with the designation to the image forming apparatus 100. The main control unit 15 receives a print instruction with selection of the image data and designation of the number of prints via the communication I / F2. Then, the main control unit 15 reads the designated image data from the image data storage unit 1 and delivers it to the print determination unit 7.

  Upon receiving the image data input, the print determination unit 7 counts the binary data amount (white or black) of the image data (the number of white or black pixels to be printed) with a counter, and further counts the data. The total amount of binary data to be printed is calculated by multiplying the amount by the number of prints. Next, the print determination unit 7 converts the calculated total data amount into an index. For example, if the total data amount D is a1 ≦ D <a2, the index is 1, the index is 2 if a2 ≦ D <a3, and the like, and so on, and the index of the total data amount of the current print image is determined (a1 < a2 <a3 <...). The index determined here corresponds to the vertical axis of the determination table (FIG. 2) stored in the determination condition storage unit 14.

  The print determination unit 7 obtains the output of the image material amount sensor 6 and calculates the index of the remaining image material. For example, if the output value R of the image material amount sensor 6 is b1 ≦ R <b2, the index is 1; if b2 ≦ R <b3, the index is 2, and so on, and the index of the total data amount of the current print image is determined. (B1 <b2 <b3 <...). The index determined here corresponds to the horizontal axis of the determination table (FIG. 2) stored in the determination condition storage unit 14.

Next, the print determination unit 7 refers to the determination table (FIG. 2) stored in the determination condition storage unit 14, the index of the total image data amount calculated previously is on the vertical axis, and the index of the remaining amount of image material is on the horizontal axis. Then, it is read whether the flag set at the intersection of each index is printable (O) or not printable (X). If the result is ○, the print determination unit 7 instructs the image forming unit 4 to print based on the image data being handled. The image forming unit 4 prints the designated number of images by using the painting material in the painting material chamber 5.
Here, whether the relationship between the index of the vertical axis and the index of the horizontal axis in the judgment table is set to “◯” or “×” is determined by experimenting with the actual remaining amount of the image material and the number of printed sheets. Can be set in advance.

  On the other hand, if the determination result is x, the print determination unit 7 does not issue a print instruction to the image forming unit 4 and notifies the user who issued the print instruction that printing cannot be performed via the communication I / F 2. At this time, the print determination unit 7 instructs the transfer unit 8 to transfer the print data, and delivers the image data being handled to the transfer unit 8.

  According to this, the user can know in advance whether or not the image material is lost during printing. By knowing this in advance, the user can use other system devices, and it is possible to eliminate useless time loss. In particular, since it is possible to accept a print instruction from a remote terminal, user convenience is greatly improved.

  <Transfer to other image forming device>

  When the transfer unit 8 receives a transfer instruction from the print determination unit 7, the transfer unit 8 transfers the image data delivered from the print determination unit 7 to another image forming apparatus 100 via the communication I / F 2 for printing. Here, the IP address of the transfer destination image forming apparatus is registered in advance in an address book managed in the apparatus. In addition, the transfer unit 8 notifies the remote terminal PC of the user who issued the print instruction via the communication I / F 2 that the image data has been transferred and the identifier of the transfer destination image forming apparatus.

  According to this, it is not necessary to replace the supply in the middle of printing in the image forming apparatus instructed to print first, and at the same time, printing output of the image data can be performed smoothly. In addition, it is possible to clearly notify the user who has instructed printing from the remote terminal PC on which apparatus the print output was performed, and the user can be prevented from being confused about the output destination.

  <Modification>

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The method by which the print determination unit calculates the binary data amount of the image data may be a method other than counting by a counter. In addition, a function for transferring image data to another image forming apparatus and a function for notifying a remote terminal that the image data has been transferred may or may not be installed. In addition, the operation unit can specify whether or not to store the image data acquired from the reading unit in the image data storage unit. However, the storage specifying function is optional, and all the read image data is stored. You may do it.

FIG. 1A is a configuration diagram of a printing system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the determination table stored in the determination condition memory | storage part of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Image data storage unit 2 Communication I / F
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Control means 4 Image formation part 5 Painting material chamber 6 Painting material amount sensor 7 Print determination part 8 Transfer part 9 Reading part 11 Operation part 12 Accumulation flag 13 Storage means 14 Determination condition storage part 15 Main control part 100 Image forming apparatus 200 Communication network

Claims (5)

An image data storage unit that stores image data, a communication I / F that receives a print instruction for image data stored in advance in the image data storage unit from a remote terminal, and a print instruction that is received via the communication I / F A control unit that reads out the image data stored in the image data storage unit and prints an image based on the image data; an image forming unit that prints the image in response to an instruction from the control unit; and An arts room that is provided in the forming unit and stores art materials necessary for printing, and an art material amount sensor that is provided in the art material room and detects the remaining amount of the art materials;
The control means acquires a binary data amount of the image to be printed, acquires a remaining amount of the image material based on an output of the image material amount sensor, and supplies the image material to the data amount of the image to be printed. An image forming apparatus comprising: a print determining unit that determines whether the remaining amount of ink is sufficient before printing and instructs the image forming unit to perform printing when it is determined that the remaining amount of the image material is sufficient.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print determination unit acquires a data amount of the image to be printed by counting a binary data amount of the image using a counter.   A transfer unit configured to transfer the image data to be printed to another image forming apparatus via the communication I / F and print when the print determination unit determines that the remaining amount of the image material is insufficient; The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   When the image data is transferred to another image forming apparatus, the transfer unit has a transfer notification function that notifies the remote terminal that has issued the print instruction via the communication I / F when the image data is transferred. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
A reading unit that optically reads an image and converts it into data, an operation unit that instructs whether or not to store image data acquired from the reading unit in the image data storage unit, and accumulation from the operation unit Storage means for storing an accumulation flag indicating an instruction,
The control means receives the operation of the operation unit, sets the accumulation flag to “accumulate” or “do not accumulate”, and acquires from the reading unit when the accumulation flag is set to “do not accumulate” The image data obtained from the reading unit when the accumulation flag is set to “accumulate” is not accumulated in the image data storage unit. A featured image forming apparatus.

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