JP2007313793A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a removable storage device to be removed earlier. <P>SOLUTION: A file transmitting section 32 determines whether it is detected by a USB memory connection detecting section 20D that the USB memory 20 is connected to a port 20P, when a job 30 is generated, and when the file transmitting section 32 makes an affirmative determination, it reads all the files in a root folder in the USB memory 20 and stores them in an alternative folder 31. When this processing is completed, a removability displaying section 33 displays the effect that the USB memory 20 is safely removable, on an operation panel 17. The job 30 reads a predetermined file from the alternative folder 31, instead of reading the predetermined file from the USB memory 20, and uses the file for its processing. When the file reading is completed, in response to the completion, a transmitted file deleting section 34 deletes all the files in the alternative folder 31. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction machine, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that uses a file stored in a removable storage device such as a USB flash memory.

  For example, when a removable storage device storing a font file is attached to the image forming apparatus and printing is performed using the font file, the removable storage device is removed from the image forming apparatus until RIP processing is completed for all pages of the job. It cannot be removed, and the waiting time of the user becomes long. For this reason, there is a dead time, and it is easy for the user to forget to remove the removable storage device from the image forming apparatus, which may cause information leakage.

In Patent Document 1 below, when it is detected that a memory card is inserted in a slot, if an execution file for data format conversion is recorded on this memory card, this file is read and stored in the work memory. A configuration for activating this is disclosed.
JP 2005-349664 A

  However, if the executable file is not stored in the removable storage device, the process waits until the removable storage device is removed from the image forming apparatus without proceeding to the next process. The reason why the executable file is read from the removable storage device and stored in the memory of the image forming apparatus is that the executable file cannot be started otherwise, the data file that can be converted into print data is stored in the memory. It is read directly from the card and used.

  For this reason, in patent document 1, the problem that the above-mentioned waiting time becomes long cannot be solved.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can be removed from the image forming apparatus at an early stage after the removable storage device is mounted on the image forming apparatus.

In the first aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention,
A processor;
Storage means coupled to the processor for storing programs and data;
A coupling means to which the removable storage device is coupled;
An interface for a removable storage device coupled between the coupling means and the processor;
Detecting means for detecting whether or not the removable storage device is coupled to the coupling means;
In an image forming apparatus having
The program for the processor
(A) In response to the detection of the binding by the detection means, the file stored in the removable storage device is copied into a specific folder in the storage means,
(B) Instead of reading the file from the removable storage device, the file is read from the folder, and processing using the contents of the file is performed.
(C) After the processing using the contents of the file is completed, the file is deleted.
Having steps.

In a second aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in the first aspect,
Further comprising display means coupled to the processor;
The program sends the processor between step (a) and step (b),
(D) Displaying on the display means that the removable storage device is removable after the copying.
It further has a step.

In a third aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in the second aspect, the program is
A first routine that causes the processor to perform the processes of steps (a) and (d);
A second routine that causes the processor to perform the process of step (b), and the first routine is a part of a first program that performs a process of accepting a plurality of types of jobs or manages a job state. The second routine is a part of the second program corresponding to the image forming job.

  In a fourth aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in the third aspect, the program has a third routine for causing the processor to perform the process of step (c), and the third routine is the first routine. Part of the program.

  In a fifth aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the program is a part of a print application program.

In a sixth aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention,
A processor and storage means coupled to the processor for storing programs and data;
A coupling means to which the removable storage device is coupled;
An interface for a removable storage device coupled between the coupling means and the processor;
Detecting means for detecting whether or not the removable storage device is coupled to the coupling means;
In an image forming apparatus having
The program for the processor
(A) in response to the detection of the binding by the detection means, delete a file in a specific folder in the storage means, copy a file stored in the removable storage device into the folder,
(B) Instead of reading the file from the removable storage device, the file is read from the storage means, and processing using the contents of the file is performed.
Having steps.

In a seventh aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in the sixth aspect,
Further comprising display means coupled to the processor;
The program sends the processor between step (a) and step (b),
(C) causing the display means to display that the removable storage device is removable after performing the copying;
It further has a step.

  According to an eighth aspect of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, in any one of the first to seventh aspects, a file to be copied from the removable storage device to the storage unit is stored in a specific folder in the removable storage device. It is a file.

  In a ninth aspect of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the program causes the processor to perform the process of step (b) with a predetermined number of jobs. The processing of step (c) is performed.

  According to a tenth aspect of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, in any one of the first to ninth aspects, the information indicating a specific folder in the removable storage device is a file in the removable storage device or in the storage means. Or a non-volatile memory area.

  According to the configuration of the first aspect, in response to the connection of the removable storage device to the combining means, the file stored in the removable storage device is copied into a specific folder in the storage means, and the removable storage is stored. Instead of reading the file from the device, the file is read from the folder, and the processing using the contents of the file is performed, so that the user can connect the removable storage device to the combining means, When it is confirmed that the file is stored in the storage unit, the removable storage device can be immediately removed from the coupling unit and separated from the image forming apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to save useless waiting time and to forget to remove the removable storage device from the coupling means. In addition, since the file is deleted after the processing using the contents of the file is completed, even if the file in the removable storage device includes confidential information, it is possible to prevent the leakage of the file. Play.

  If the removable storage device is provided with an in-access display LED and the removable storage device controls the LED display, this confirmation can be performed by visually observing this display.

  According to the configuration of the second aspect, the confirmation can be performed even if the LED is not provided in the removable storage device.

  According to the configuration of the third aspect, since the storage is performed by a part of the first program that performs reception processing of a plurality of types of jobs or manages the job status, the second program corresponding to the image forming job can execute the storage. There is no need to store, and the effect is that any application program can be simplified.

  According to the configuration of the fourth aspect, since the deletion is also performed in a part of the first program for receiving a plurality of types of jobs or managing the job status, the second program corresponding to the image forming job can execute the deletion. There is no need to delete the program, and an arbitrary application program can be further simplified.

  According to the configuration of the fifth aspect, since the storage and the deletion are performed by the print application program, when the storage and the deletion are performed only by the print application program, the storage and the deletion are performed by the job management program. There is an effect that the program of the image forming apparatus can be simplified as a whole rather than performing it.

  According to the configuration of the sixth aspect, since the erasure is performed immediately before the storage, there is no need to consider the timing of the erasure, and the program configuration is simplified.

  According to the configuration of the eighth aspect, since the file to be copied from the removable storage device to the storage means is a file in a specific folder in the removable storage device, unnecessary file transfer can be prevented. There is an effect.

  According to the configuration of the ninth aspect, since the deletion process is performed after the file is used in a predetermined number of jobs, the same file is repeatedly stored and deleted when the same file is used in a plurality of jobs. There is an effect that waste can be omitted.

  According to the configuration of the tenth aspect, information indicating a specific folder in the removable storage device is stored in a file in the removable storage device, a file in the storage means, or a non-volatile memory area. By rewriting the information according to the purpose of use, the user does not need to perform file movement processing or return the file to the original folder in the removable storage device.

  Other objects, configurations and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the invention.

  In the image forming apparatus 10, the MPU 11 is coupled to the ROM 13 R, DRAM 13 D, NVRAM 13 N, hard disk 14, scanner 15, printer 16, operation panel 17, modem 18, NIC 19, and USB port 20 P through the interface 12. In FIG. 4, for simplification, a plurality of interfaces are shown as one block, and the interface 12 includes a USB interface.

  The ROM 13R stores bootstrap and BIOS. The NVRAM 13N is, for example, a flash memory, and includes an operating system (OS), an application that operates on the upper layer of the OS, and various device drivers that operate on the lower layer of the OS (a driver that accesses the USB memory via the interface 12). ) And various setting values are stored. This application is for causing the image forming apparatus 10 to function as a multifunction peripheral. The functions include copying, scanning, printing, and facsimile. The hard disk 14 is for data storage. The DRAM 13D is for a work area.

  The scanner 15 is for image input for copying and fax transmission. The printer 16 includes a print engine, a fixing device, a paper feed unit, a conveyance unit, and a paper discharge unit, and generates an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum of the print engine based on bitmap data supplied as print data. The toner is formed, developed with toner, transferred to a sheet, fixed, and discharged. The operation panel 17 includes a display unit and a key input unit, and is used for inputting setting information or instructions to display a selection screen, a setting screen, or the like. The modem 18 is for fax transmission / reception. The NIC 19 is connected to a host computer on the network and used for a print job. The USB memory 20 connected to the port 21P includes a flash memory chip, for example.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram showing portions related to the present invention of the hardware and software of the image forming apparatus 10.

  First, the user inserts the USB memory 20 into the port 22 of the host computer 21 and stores the file used in the image forming apparatus 10 in the USB memory 20. This file is, for example, a font file when the job at the image forming apparatus 10 is a print, an image file to be transmitted when the job is a facsimile, and a print density and aggregation process in the case of a copy. This file stores printing attribute data such as presence / absence, type thereof, and printing density. In the following, it is assumed that the job in the image forming apparatus 10 uses a file stored in the USB memory 20.

  The USB memory 20 is removed from the port 22 and inserted into the port 20P of the image forming apparatus 10. This insertion is detected by the USB memory connection detection unit 20D. The detection is generally performed by the OS polling the port, and the result can be obtained using the API.

  Here, an alternative folder 31 is created in advance in the hard disk 14 of the image forming apparatus 10.

  When the job 30 is generated, the file transfer unit 32 determines whether the USB memory connection detection unit 20D detects that the USB memory 20 is connected to the port 20P. If the determination is affirmative, the file transfer unit 32 reads all the files in a predetermined specific folder in the USB memory 20, for example, the root folder, and stores them in the alternative folder 31. When this process ends, the process transitions to the removable display processing unit 33, and the processing unit 33 displays on the operation panel 17 that the USB memory 20 can be safely removed.

  The user visually confirms this, and then removes the USB memory 20 from the port 20P. Thereby, after connecting the USB memory 20 to the port 20P and confirming from the display that the file has been stored in the alternative folder 31, the user immediately removes the USB memory 20 from the port 20P, and the image forming apparatus 10 can be separated. Therefore, useless waiting time can be omitted, and it is less likely to forget to remove the USB memory 20 from the port 20P.

  Instead of reading a predetermined file from the USB memory 20, the job 30 reads a file in the alternative folder 31 and uses it for the processing. When the file reading is completed, the transfer file deletion unit 34 deletes all the files in the alternative folder 31 in response to this. This deletion timing may be immediately before or after the end of the job, as will be described later.

  By this deletion, even if the file in the USB memory 20 contains secret information, it can be prevented from leaking.

  The processing of the file transfer unit 32, the removable display processing unit 33, and the transfer file deletion unit 34 may be a part of an application that executes the job 30, but an independent program such as a job management program or the operation panel 17. It may be a part of a panel application program that accepts instructions from.

  FIG. 2 shows a case where the processing of blocks 32 to 34 in FIG. 1 is part of an application that executes the job 30. The process of FIG. 2 is started by pressing a job start button on the operation panel 17. Hereinafter, the parenthesized characters are step identification codes in FIG.

  (S0) The file transfer flag F is reset.

  (S1) If the USB memory connection detection unit 20D detects that the USB memory 20 is connected to the port 20P, the process proceeds to step S2, and if not, the process proceeds to step S5.

  (S2) The processing of the file transfer unit 32 in FIG. 1 is performed.

  (S3) The file transfer flag F is set.

  (S4) The process of the removable display processing unit 33 in FIG. 1 is performed.

  (S5) The job 30 shown in FIG. 1 is processed.

  (S6) If the file transfer flag F is set, the process is terminated.

  (S7) The process of the transfer file deletion unit 34 in FIG. 1 is performed.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus 10A according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the image forming apparatus 10A, the processes of blocks 32 to 34 in FIG. 1 are performed by the job management program. The hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 10A is the same as that of the first embodiment.

  The status information 40 is one byte or one word of a predetermined address in the DRAM 13D. The file transfer flag F is stored in the most significant bit of the status information 40, and the job identification code JID is stored in the lower bits excluding the file transfer flag F.

  When the USB memory connection detection unit 20D detects the connection of the USB memory 20 to the port 20P, the USB memory connection detection unit 20D sets a file transfer flag F. In response to the start of an arbitrary job, if the file transfer flag F is set and the job identification code JID is zero, the job management unit 41 stores the job identification code in the JID of the status information 40. For example, the upper 3 bits of the job identification code JID are “001” for a print job, “010” for a FAX job, and “100” for a copy job. The lower bits other than this are the serial number of the job type. It is. Jobs 301 to 303 in FIG. 3 are, for example, a first print job, a FAX job, and a second print job.

  After storing the job identification code JID in the status information 40, the job management unit 41 performs the processing of the file transfer unit 32 in FIG. 1, and then performs the processing of the removable display processing unit 33 in FIG.

  Thereafter, in response to the end of the job, the job management unit 41 performs the following processing. That is, when the file transfer flag F of the status information 40 is set and the job identification code JID of the status information 40 matches that of the end job, the processing of the transfer file deletion unit 34 in FIG. At the same time, the contents of the state information 40 are cleared to zero.

  According to the second embodiment, storage of files in the USB memory 20 in the alternative folder 31 and deletion thereof are appropriately performed by the job management unit 41. Therefore, the files in the USB memory 20 are stored in each application program. Instead of reading, it is sufficient to read the file in the alternative folder 31, and it is not necessary to store and delete the file.

  Since the status information 40 is used to store and delete the file as described above, it is possible to prevent the deletion from being performed due to the end of another parallel job when the use of the file has not ended. be able to.

  Note that the present invention includes various other modifications.

  For example, the file to be read from the USB memory 20 is limited to a file with a specific extension, or the folder name in which the file to be read is stored is stored in a text file with a specific name or a predetermined address of the NVRAM 13N. The folder may be specified by reading out.

  Further, if the in-access display LED is provided in the removable storage device, the user can determine whether or not the device can be removed by observing this, so step S4 in FIG. 2 is not essential. .

  Further, an initial value is set in the software counter, and the software counter is decremented (incremented) by 1 by using a file in the alternative folder 31 in each of a plurality of jobs, and the software counter becomes zero (set value). After that, the configuration in which the processing of the transfer file deletion unit 34 is made valid may be used. According to this configuration, when the same file is used in a plurality of jobs, there is an effect that it is possible to omit waste of repeated storage and deletion of the same file.

  Information indicating a specific folder in the USB memory 20 in which the read target file is stored is stored in a specific file in the USB memory 20 or a specific address in the NVRAM 13N, and the specific The folder may be determined. In this case, by rewriting the information according to the purpose of use, there is an effect that it is not necessary to perform a file movement process in the USB memory 20 or return the file to the original folder.

  In addition, the configuration may be such that the previously stored file is deleted immediately before storage from the removable storage device to the HDD. In this case, there is no need to consider the erasing timing, and the program structure can be simplified.

  Further, the removable storage device may of course be a removable storage device other than the USB memory, for example, a memory card or a removable hard disk.

FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram showing portions related to the present invention of hardware and software of the image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a case where the processes of blocks 32 to 34 in FIG. 1 are part of an application of a job 30. FIG. 4 is a schematic functional block diagram of a software configuration showing a case where the processing of blocks 32 to 34 of FIG. 1 is performed by a job management program as a second embodiment of the present invention. It is a hardware schematic block diagram of an image forming apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10A Image forming apparatus 11 MPU
12 interface 13R ROM
13D DRAM
13N NVRAM
14 Hard Disk 15 Scanner 16 Printer 17 Operation Panel 18 Modem 19 NIC
20 USB memory 20P, 22 ports 20D USB memory connection detection unit 21 Host computer 30, 301 to 303 Job 31 Alternative folder 32 File transfer unit 33 Removable display processing unit 34 Transfer file deletion unit 40 Status information 41 Job management unit

Claims (10)

A processor;
Storage means coupled to the processor for storing programs and data;
A coupling means to which the removable storage device is coupled;
An interface for a removable storage device coupled between the coupling means and the processor;
Detecting means for detecting whether or not the removable storage device is coupled to the coupling means;
In an image forming apparatus having
The program for the processor
(A) In response to the detection of the binding by the detection means, a file stored in the removable storage device is copied into a specific folder in the storage means,
(B) Instead of reading the file from the removable storage device, the file is read from the folder, and processing using the contents of the file is performed.
(C) After the processing using the contents of the file is completed, the file is deleted.
An image forming apparatus having a step. Further comprising display means coupled to the processor;
The program sends the processor between step (a) and step (b),
(D) Displaying on the display means that the removable storage device is removable after the copying.
Further comprising steps,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The program
A first routine that causes the processor to perform the processes of steps (a) and (d);
A second routine for causing the processor to perform the process of step (b);
The first routine is a part of a first program that performs reception processing of a plurality of types of jobs or manages job status, and the second routine is a second program corresponding to an image forming job. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming apparatus is a part of the image forming apparatus.   4. The program according to claim 3, wherein the program has a third routine that causes the processor to perform the process of step (c), and the third routine is a part of the first program. Image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the program is a part of a print application program. A processor and storage means coupled to the processor for storing programs and data;
A coupling means to which the removable storage device is coupled;
An interface for a removable storage device coupled between the coupling means and the processor;
Detecting means for detecting whether or not the removable storage device is coupled to the coupling means;
In an image forming apparatus having
The program for the processor
(A) in response to the detection of the binding by the detection means, delete a file in a specific folder in the storage means, copy a file stored in the removable storage device into the folder,
(B) Instead of reading the file from the removable storage device, the file is read from the storage means, and processing using the contents of the file is performed.
An image forming apparatus having a step. Further comprising display means coupled to the processor;
The program sends the processor between step (a) and step (b),
(C) causing the display means to display that the removable storage device is removable after performing the copying;
Further comprising steps,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 6.   8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the file to be copied from the removable storage device to the storage unit is a file in a specific folder in the removable storage device. .   6. The program according to claim 1, wherein the program causes the processor to perform the process of the step (c) after performing the process of the step (b) with a predetermined number of jobs. The image forming apparatus described in 1.   The information indicating a specific folder in the removable storage device is stored in a file in the removable storage device, a file in the storage means, or a non-volatile memory area. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

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