JP2008003227A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an image from being formed on paper to which a non-contact type data carrier device set to inhibit writing is added in an image forming apparatus capable of using the paper with the non-contact type data carrier device. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus capable of using the paper to which the non-contact type data carrier device is added is equipped with: a paper supply means for taking out the paper from a paper stacking part; a conveying means for conveying the paper taken out by the paper supply means; a communication means for communicating with the non-contact type data carrier device added to the paper taken out by the paper supply means; and a control means for controlling the conveying means to convey the paper when information can be written in the non-contact type data carrier device through the communication means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

 The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printing machine, a copying machine, or a complex machine thereof, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that can use a sheet with an RFID tag.

 As is well known, an RFID tag, which is one of contactless data carrier devices, includes an IC chip and an antenna, and is configured to be able to read and write information wirelessly. For example, when the reader / writer irradiates an RFID tag with electromagnetic waves, the RFID tag operates using power generated by electromagnetic induction as a power source, and transmits stored data to the reader / writer wirelessly. Then, it is possible to perform authentication or the like by collating data read from the RFID tag by the reader / writer with a database or the like.

 In recent years, techniques for using such RFID tags for image formation such as printing and copying have been developed. In other words, an RFID tag storing paper quality information of a paper is attached to the paper, and in printing, the paper quality information is read from the RFID tag to obtain accurate paper information, and printing is performed under conditions suitable for the paper. It is. For example, in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below, in an image forming apparatus that can use a sheet with an RFID tag, various types of information stored in the RFID tag are acquired, and various functions of the image forming apparatus are based on the information. Techniques for controlling are disclosed.

In addition, a technology for using the RFID tag as a security measure has been developed. For example, an RFID tag storing a serial number of a usable printing machine is attached to the paper, and the printing machine reads the serial number stored in the RFID tag of the paper, and if it corresponds to its own serial number, the paper When the RFID tag that stores the technology that executes printing using the printer and the code that indicates the department in charge of managing the paper is added to the paper, and the printing machine registers the code as a usable code In addition, there is a technique for executing printing using the paper.
JP-A-2005-313551 JP 2005-154081 A

 By the way, for security reasons, there is a case where a write prohibition setting is performed on an RFID tag so that information stored in the RFID tag is not falsified by a third party. However, if the printing press itself has a function of writing history information such as when the paper was printed on and when it was printed on the RFID tag, if the RFID tag is set to write prohibition, However, there is a problem that printing is executed even though the history information cannot be written.

 The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an image forming apparatus capable of using a sheet with a non-contact type data carrier device is added with a non-contact type data carrier device in which writing is prohibited. An object of the present invention is to prevent image formation on printed paper.

 In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, as a first solution, an image forming apparatus capable of using a sheet to which a non-contact type data carrier device is added, the sheet feeding unit taking out a sheet from a sheet stacking unit. A communication means that communicates with a means, a conveying means for conveying the paper taken out by the paper feeding means, a non-contact type data carrier device attached to the paper taken out by the paper feeding means, and the communication means. And control means for controlling the transporting means so as to execute paper transport when information can be written to the non-contact data carrier device.

 According to the present invention, as the second solving means, in the first solving means, the control means can write information to the non-contact type data carrier device via the communication means. After the above information is written in the non-contact type data carrier device, the conveying means is controlled to execute sheet conveyance.

 In the present invention, as the third solving means, in the first or second solving means, when the sheet conveying by the conveying means is not executed, a notifying means for notifying the outside is provided. It is characterized by.

 According to the present invention, when the information can be written to the non-contact type data carrier device, the configuration for executing the paper conveyance is adopted, so that the non-contact type data carrier device which is set to prohibit writing is added. The conveyed paper is not conveyed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent image formation on a sheet to which a non-contact type data carrier device for which writing is prohibited is added.

 Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram (front view) of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus 1 in the present embodiment. Note that the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is, for example, a multifunction device having both functions of a printing machine and a copying machine, and is configured to be able to use a sheet with an RFID tag in addition to a normal sheet. It is.

 As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an automatic paper feeding unit 10, an image reading unit 11, a paper cassette 12, a paper feeding unit 13, a paper transporting unit 14, an RFID communication unit 15, an image forming unit 16, and a paper discharging unit. 17, a paper discharge tray 18 and an operation display unit 19.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, among the above components, the automatic paper feeding unit 10, the image reading unit 11, the paper feeding unit 13, the paper transporting unit 14, the RFID communication unit 15, the image forming unit 16, and the paper discharging unit 17. The operation display unit 19 is integrally controlled by the control unit 30. The control unit 30 is connected to the network N via the external interface 31, and can perform data communication with a plurality of user PCs (Personal Computers) 40 via the network N.
That is, when the image forming apparatus 1 functions as a printing machine, the image forming apparatus 1 forms an image based on a print instruction signal and image data transmitted from the user PC 40 via the network N. When the image forming apparatus 1 functions as a copying machine, Image formation is performed based on the image data of the paper read by the reading unit 11.

 Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In the image forming apparatus 1, the automatic paper feeding unit 10 conveys a document set on the paper feed tray 10 a by the user to a document table 11 a provided on the upper surface of the image reading unit 11 under the control of the control unit 30. Then, after the image reading by the image reading unit 11 is completed, the document on the document table 11a is conveyed to the paper discharge port 10b. The image reading unit 11 reads a document set on the document table 11 a with a scanner under the control of the control unit 30, and outputs image data of the read document to the control unit 30. The image reading unit 11 has a function of detecting the length in the width direction of the original paper and the length in the paper feeding direction, that is, the paper size of the original, and outputting information indicating the paper size to the control unit 30. Have.

  As shown in the enlarged view in the lower part of FIG. 1, the paper feed unit 13 includes a paper feed roller, a motor that drives the paper feed roller, and the like, and under the control of the control unit 30, the paper cassette 12 Are sequentially picked up one by one from the top of the sheets stacked on the sheet and conveyed to the sheet conveying unit 14. The paper transport unit 14 includes a transport roller and a motor that drives the transport roller, and transports the paper transported from the paper feed unit 13 to the image forming unit 16 under the control of the control unit 30.

 The RFID communication unit 15 is provided on the transport path between the paper feed unit 13 and the paper transport unit 14 and communicates with the RFID tag attached to the paper, thereby indicating a paper quality information from the RFID tag. And outputs this received signal to the control unit 30. The RFID communication unit 15 also has a function of writing data to the RFID tag. Here, the paper quality information includes information such as the type, size, and thickness of the paper as well as write prohibition setting information for the RFID tag.

 The image forming unit 16 conveys from the sheet conveying unit 14 based on the image data of the original read by the image reading unit 11 or the image data received from the user PC 40 via the network N under the control of the control unit 30. The toner image is transferred to a sheet to be printed, and the toner image is fixed to form an image. The paper discharge unit 17 conveys the paper on which the image is formed by the image forming unit 16 to the paper discharge tray 18. The operation display unit 19 is a liquid crystal display including a touch panel including a start key, various setting keys, and the like, and outputs operation information of these operation keys to the control unit 30 as operation signals. Further, the operation display unit 19 displays the copy and print processing status, setting information input from the touch panel, and the like based on the display signal input from the control unit 30.

The control unit 30 stores the operation signal input from the operation display unit 19, the print instruction signal transmitted from the user PC 40, the received signal from the RFID tag acquired via the RFID communication unit 15, and the storage unit 32. The overall operation of the image forming apparatus 1 is controlled based on a control program or the like. As a characteristic operation, the control unit 30 obtains a reception signal from the RFID tag via the RFID communication unit 15 and can write information to the RFID tag (that is, write prohibition is set). If not, the paper transport unit 14 is controlled to execute the paper transport. Details of the operation of the control unit 30 will be described later.
The storage unit 32 stores the control program and various nonvolatile data in advance, and stores image data and other data in response to a request from the control unit 30.

  In addition, you may employ | adopt the structure provided with two or more paper cassettes 12 instead of one. In that case, it is necessary to provide the RFID communication unit 15 corresponding to each paper cassette.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 configured as described above, particularly the characteristic operation of the control unit 30, will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the following description, it is assumed that the image forming apparatus 1 functions as a printing machine, that is, a case where a print instruction signal and image data are transmitted from the user PC 40 via the network N. In addition, it is assumed that paper with an RFID tag is stored in the paper cassette 12 in advance.

  First, when receiving a print instruction signal and image data from the user PC 40, the control unit 30 controls the paper feed unit 13 to drive the paper feed roller so that the sheets stacked in the paper cassette 12 are fed from the top. The paper is taken out one by one and conveyed to the paper conveyance unit 14 (step S1).

Then, the control unit 30 determines whether or not the write prohibition setting information is included in the received signal from the RFID tag acquired via the RFID communication unit 15, that is, whether or not the RFID tag is write-protected ( Step S2). In this step S2, when the RFID tag is writable (“No”), that is, the write prohibition setting information is not included in the received signal from the RFID tag acquired via the RFID communication unit 15. In this case, the control unit 30 controls the paper transport unit 14 to drive the transport roller and transport the paper to the image forming unit 16 (step S3), while controlling the paper feed unit 13 to stop the paper feed roller. Then, the supply of paper from the paper cassette 12 is stopped (step S4).

 Subsequently, the control unit 30 determines whether or not the conveyance time for one sheet has elapsed (step S5), and when the conveyance time has elapsed ("Yes"), controls the sheet conveyance unit 14. The conveyance roller is stopped (step S6). Then, the control unit 30 controls the image forming unit 16 based on the image data received from the user PC 40, performs image formation (printing) on a sheet with an RFID tag (step S7), and controls the paper discharge unit 17. Then, the printed paper is conveyed to the paper discharge tray 18 (step S8).

 Subsequently, the control unit 30 determines whether or not the sheet conveyed to the image forming unit 16 is the last page of the number of copies instructed by the user PC 40 (step S9), and when it is not the last page (“No”). Then, the process proceeds to step S1, and the paper feed unit 13 is controlled to convey the next sheet. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S9 that the page is the last page (“Yes”), the control unit 30 ends the printing process.

 Furthermore, in step S2, if the RFID tag is write-protected (“Yes”), that is, the write-inhibit setting information is included in the received signal from the RFID tag acquired via the RFID communication unit 15. In this case, the control unit 30 does not drive the conveyance roller in the sheet conveyance unit 14 (that is, does not execute the sheet conveyance), and causes the operation display unit 19 to display a screen for notifying the user that the sheet conveyance cannot be performed. (Step S10). By viewing such a screen, the user can confirm that unusable paper is mixed, and can take subsequent actions.

 As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the information can be written to the RFID tag, the configuration in which the sheet conveyance is executed is adopted, so that the RFID tag that is set to write prohibition is added. The existing paper is not conveyed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent printing on a sheet to which an RFID tag for which writing is prohibited is added.

 In step S2 of the above embodiment, when information can be written to the RFID tag, a predetermined information is written to the RFID tag via the RFID communication unit 15 and then the paper is conveyed. Also good. The information to be written here may be, for example, history information such as a printing machine or printing time, or information indicating that printing is possible if the paper is not registered as printable paper.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram (front view) of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a functional configuration block diagram of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a control unit 30 in the image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus, 10 ... Automatic paper feeding part, 11 ... Image reading part, 12 ... Paper cassette, 13 ... Paper feeding part, 14 ... Paper conveyance part, 15 ... RFID communication part, 16 ... Image forming part, 17 ... Ejection Paper part, 18 ... discharge tray, 19 ... operation display part, 30 ... control part, 31 ... external interface, 32 ... storage part, N ... network, 40 ... user PC

Claims (3)

An image forming apparatus capable of using paper with a non-contact data carrier device attached thereto,
A paper feeding means for taking out paper from the paper stacking unit;
Conveying means for conveying the paper taken out by the paper feeding means;
Communication means for communicating with a non-contact type data carrier device attached to the paper taken out by the paper feeding means;
Control means for controlling the conveying means so as to carry out paper conveyance when information can be written to the non-contact type data carrier device via the communication means. apparatus.  When the information can be written to the non-contact type data carrier device via the communication unit, the control unit writes the predetermined information to the non-contact type data carrier device, and then performs paper conveyance The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveying unit is controlled as described above. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a notifying unit that notifies the outside when the sheet is not conveyed by the conveying unit. 4.

Images