JP2008065242A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve convenience by making it possible to perform an operation intended by a user, when the user instructs an image forming apparatus to terminate the operation by the instruction of the interruption of a power supply or the like, in the image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus, when the interruption of the power supply is instructed by a sub-power supply switch, it is judged whether or not a job is under performance, or whether or not the job is under a stand-by state, that is, a reserved job is registered. When it is judged that the job is under performance or the job is under the stand-by state, that is, the reserved job is registered, a three-choice display screen for choosing one of three operational items of "forced termination", "the present state is stored and termination" and "the termination operation is stopped" is displayed on a display section. When one of the operational items is chosen by a touch panel, the operation of the image forming apparatus is controlled according to the chosen operational item. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including an end instruction unit for a user to instruct an end of an operation during an image forming operation or in a standby state.

  In some cases, an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine or a printer is used as a mass printing machine for POD (Print On Demand), and hundreds of documents are output in hundreds or thousands. In such a case, if the image forming operation is forcibly terminated and the power is turned off (OFF), the image data stored in the volatile memory and related data are lost. Therefore, when the power is turned on, the image data is read again. It is inconvenient to perform (transmission) or to reset the output conditions, the number of remaining copies, and the like.

  Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 has a one-touch job memory key for interrupting the image output operation, and when the one-touch memory key is pressed, the image formation of the final transfer paper of the currently output portion is completed. At this point, the image output is interrupted, the image data, the operation setting conditions related to the image output, the number of documents, the number of output copies, and the data indicating the association with the image data are saved in a non-volatile memory, and then the power shutdown operation is started. Thus, an image forming apparatus is described in which the image output operation can be resumed even after the power is turned on again.

Patent Document 2 describes an image recording apparatus that saves data being processed to a non-volatile storage medium when receiving a power-off instruction and restores the saved data when the power is turned on. In Patent Document 3, when the occurrence of a trouble to be processed is detected by turning off the power switch, the stored image data can be retained even when the power switch is turned off. An image forming apparatus is described in which an image output operation is continuously performed on image data stored in the internal memory after the trouble is solved.
JP 2000-250362 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-112060 JP-A-7-162624

  However, in Patent Document 1, when the user instructs to shut off the power, for example, when the power switch is turned off, it is forcibly terminated even during the execution of the image forming job. When the power is turned on, the job cannot be resumed from where it was interrupted, the image data must be read (transmitted) again, or the user must set the output conditions, the remaining number of copies, etc. Inconvenient.

  Further, in Patent Document 2, when an instruction to turn off the power is received, the data being processed is saved to the nonvolatile storage medium. However, even if the user wants to immediately turn off the power, the data is saved. There is a problem that the power is not easily turned off against the user's intention. Further, Patent Document 3 saves copy conditions and the like when trouble occurs. When a power-off is instructed by operating the sub power switch during job execution, the job is resumed from the point where it was interrupted. Can not.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to improve the convenience of an image forming apparatus by enabling an operation intended by the user when the user instructs the end of the operation by an instruction to shut off the power.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, claim 1
In the image forming apparatus,
An image storage unit for storing input image data;
An image output unit for forming and outputting an image on a recording medium based on the image data stored in the image storage unit;
An end instruction unit for instructing the end of the operation;
Operation items including at least “forced end” and “save current state and end” when an end of operation is instructed by the end instruction unit during the image forming operation or waiting for the image forming operation in the image output unit A display unit for displaying a selection screen for selecting any one of
An operation unit for selecting and operating any one of the operation items displayed on the selection screen;
A control unit that controls the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the operation item selected and operated by the operation unit;
It is characterized by having.

The invention according to claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1,
The control unit, among the operation items displayed on the selection screen, when a selection operation from the operation unit is not performed within a predetermined time after the selection screen is displayed on the display unit. The operation of the image forming apparatus is controlled according to a predetermined operation item.

The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 2,
The control unit displays the number of hours up to the predetermined time on the selection screen of the display unit.

The invention according to claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The operation end instruction by the end instruction means is a power-off instruction.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the end of the operation is instructed during the image forming operation or during the standby of the image forming operation, not only the “forced end” operation as in the prior art but also the selection operation by the user. Accordingly, it is possible to perform an operation such as “save current state and end”, so that an operation reflecting the user's intention is possible, and convenience is improved.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the selection operation from the operation unit is not performed within a predetermined time after the selection screen is displayed, the operation automatically shifts to the predetermined operation. Therefore, for example, when the user intends to end the operation according to the operation end instruction in the end instruction unit and the user does not perform an operation from the selection screen, the input waiting state is prevented from being left. be able to.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the user can recognize the time until the operation corresponding to the predetermined operation item is started, the operation suddenly shifts to the predetermined operation. Can be prevented.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when an instruction to shut off the power supply is given during the image forming operation or during the standby of the image forming operation, the selection operation by the user is performed in addition to the “forced termination” operation as in the prior art. Accordingly, it is possible to perform an operation such as “save current state and end”, so that an operation reflecting the user's intention is possible, and convenience is improved.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
First, the configuration will be described.

  FIG. 1 shows a functional configuration example of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 is, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine. As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 11, the operation unit 12, the display unit 13, the communication control unit 14, the image reading unit 15, and the image processing unit 16. The image output unit 17, the flash memory 18, the timer 19, the power supply unit 20, and the like are connected to each other by a bus 21.

  The control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11a, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 11b, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 11c, and the like. The CPU 11a of the control unit 11 reads out the system program, the overall control program, and various processing programs stored in the ROM 11b according to the operation of the operation unit 12 and develops them in the RAM 11c, and forms an image according to the developed programs. The operation of each part of the apparatus 1 is centrally controlled.

  That is, the CPU 11a receives various processing requests input from the operation unit 12 or the communication control unit 14, registers them as image forming jobs (hereinafter referred to as jobs), and controls the image output unit 17 and the like based on the registered jobs. Then, an image forming operation (operation including formation and discharge (output) of an image on a recording medium) is executed. Here, executing a series of operations relating to image formation based on a registered job is called job execution. The status of waiting for execution of a registered job is called job waiting. Of the registered jobs, a job waiting for execution (waiting) is referred to as a reserved job.

  The job includes job data and original image data, and is managed by the CPU 11a with a job ID for identifying the job in the order of registration. The job data is data including a job ID for identifying a job, various output conditions (number of original pages, number of copies, paper type, paper size, magnification, single-sided / double-sided, etc.), storage location of image data, and the like. , Stored in the RAM 11c. Further, the CPU 11a counts the number of pages and the number of copies being output in the image output unit 17 during job execution, and stores them in the RAM 11c in association with the job ID.

  Further, the CPU 11a executes various processes including a stop process and a recovery process, which will be described later, according to the program expanded in the RAM 11c.

The operation unit 12 includes a touch panel 12a and hard keys 12b.
The touch panel 12a is a pressure-sensitive (resistive film pressure type) touch panel in which transparent electrodes are arranged in a grid pattern so as to cover the upper surface of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) of the display unit 13. The XY coordinates are detected by voltage values, and the detected position signal is output to the control unit 11 as an operation signal. Note that the touch panel is not limited to a pressure-sensitive type, and may be another electrostatic type, an optical type, or the like.
The hard key 12b includes various operation buttons such as numeric buttons and a start button (not shown), and various operation switches such as a sub power switch 121 as an end instruction unit. Output to. The sub power switch 121 instructs the control unit 11 to turn on the power to each part of the image forming apparatus 1 (sub power source ON), or to shut off the power to each part of the image forming apparatus 1 (sub power source OFF). It is a switch for instructing.

  The display unit 13 is configured by an LCD or the like, and displays various operation buttons, device status display, operation status of each function, and the like on the display screen according to instructions of a display signal input from the control unit 11.

  The communication control unit 14 is an interface connectable to a transmission medium connected to a communication network such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network). The communication control unit 14 is composed of a communication control card such as a LAN card, for example, and sends control signals and printer codes to and from an external device such as a host device connected to a communication network via a communication line such as a LAN cable. Send and receive various data including the beginning.

  The image reading unit 15 includes a scanner below the contact glass on which the document is placed, and reads an image of the document. The scanner is composed of a light source, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), etc., and forms an image of the reflected light of the light scanned from the light source to the original and photoelectrically converts it to read the image of the original. The image data is converted into digital image data by a converter and output to the image processing unit 16. Here, the image includes not only image data such as graphics and photographs but also text data such as characters and symbols.

  The image processing unit 16 includes a processing unit 161 and an image storage unit 162. The image processing unit 16 subjects the image data input from the image reading unit 15 in the processing unit 161 to image processing such as spatial filter processing, enlargement / reduction processing, rotation processing, and gradation correction processing, and temporarily stores the image data in the image storage unit 162. And output to the image output unit 17 at a predetermined timing. The printer code input from the communication control unit 14 is converted into image data, temporarily stored in the image storage unit 162, and output to the image output unit 17 at a predetermined timing. The input image data is given an image ID for identifying the image data. Image data is managed by image ID.

  FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the image storage unit 162. As shown in FIG. 2, the image storage unit 162 includes a memory controller 16a, a volatile memory 16b, a compression / decompression unit 16c, an HDD (Hard Disk) controller 16d, and an HDD 16e.

  Based on the control from the control unit 11, the memory controller 16a writes the image data input from the processing unit 161 to the volatile memory 16b and reads the image data from the volatile memory 16b. That is, based on the control from the control unit 11, the memory controller 16a compresses the image data input from the processing unit 161 by the compression / decompression unit 16c and writes the data in the volatile memory 16b to be temporarily stored. Further, when there is an instruction to output image data from the control unit 11, the memory controller 16 a expands the output-instructed image data stored in the volatile memory 16 b by the compression / decompression unit 16 c and sends it to the image output unit 17. Output.

  The volatile memory 16b is configured by a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or the like. The volatile memory 16b temporarily stores the image data input from the processing unit 161 and compressed by the compression / decompression unit 16c. The compression / decompression unit 16c is an IC that performs image data compression processing and expansion processing.

The HDD controller 16d writes image data to the HDD 16e, and reads and erases image data from the HDD 16e based on control from the control unit 11.
The HDD 16e is a nonvolatile storage unit that stores image data.

  The image output unit 17 in FIG. 1 is a device that forms and outputs an image on a recording medium based on the image data input from the image processing unit 16. The image output unit 17 includes a pulse width modulator, a laser light source, a photosensitive drum, a charger, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a paper feeding unit, a paper discharge unit, a fixing unit, and the like. The input image data is pulse width modulated by a pulse width modulator to emit laser light, and the surface of the photosensitive drum charged by the charger is irradiated with laser light to form an electrostatic latent image. Further, the image output unit 17 conveys a recording medium having a size and orientation instructed by the operation unit 12 and the communication control unit 14 from the paper feeding unit, and develops the photosensitive drum surface area including the electrostatic latent image by a developing device. The toner is attached, transferred onto the conveyed recording medium by the transfer unit, fixed by the fixing device, and then discharged from the paper discharge unit.

  When the sub power switch 121 is operated during the job execution or job standby and the sub power supply OFF is instructed, the flash memory 18 can continuously execute the job being executed and waiting when the sub power is turned on. Therefore, it is a non-volatile storage means for storing data indicating the current state stored in the volatile RAM 11c or the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the flash memory 18 has a bookmark / environment storage area 181, an HDD management table area 182, and the like. The bookmark / environment storage area 181 is data indicating the current state stored in the RAM 11c, that is, registered job data, job ID of the job being executed, count value (number of output copies and number of pages), etc. (hereinafter, bookmark) Environment information, which is an area for storing information indicating which image forming operation is restarted under what output condition from what page of what job when the sub power is turned on. The HDD management table area 182 is an area for storing an HDD management table T1 for managing image data stored in the HDD 16e.

  The timer 19 is an RTC (Real Time Clock) circuit with a built-in battery. When the time set by the control unit 11 arrives, a pulse is generated and output to the control unit 11.

  The power supply unit 20 is connected to a commercial AC power supply (not shown), converts AC (AC) power supply power input from the commercial AC power supply into DC (DC) power supply, and supplies necessary voltages to the respective units. The power supply unit 20 supplies power in accordance with a control command from the control unit 11. The connection between the power supply unit 20 and the commercial AC power supply can be turned ON / OFF by a main power switch (not shown).

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a stop process executed by the control unit 11 when an instruction to turn off the sub power supply is given. The instruction to turn off the sub power supply is performed by inputting an operation signal from the sub power switch 121 or by inputting a sub power OFF command pulse from the timer 19 when the sub power OFF time set in the timer 19 arrives. This process is realized by a software process in cooperation with the CPU 11a and a program stored in the ROM 11b.

  First, it is determined whether or not the instruction to turn off the sub-power supply is from the timer 19, and if it is determined to be from the timer 19 (step S1; YES), the process proceeds to step S12, and the power supply unit 20 The power supply to each part of the image forming apparatus 1 is cut off (sub power supply is turned off), and this process ends.

  When it is determined that the instruction to turn off the sub power supply is not from the timer 19 (step S1; NO), the system is controlled so that it can be stopped, and the operation is interrupted (step S2). For example, if a job is being executed, the recording medium on the transport path in the image output unit 17 is ejected, and the job is interrupted.

  Next, it is determined whether the current job is being executed or there is a reserved job. If it is determined that the current job is not being executed and there is no reserved job (step S3; NO), the process proceeds to step S12. Then, the power supply to each part of the image forming apparatus 1 is cut off (sub power supply is turned off), and this processing is ended.

  When it is determined that the current job is being executed or that there is a reserved job (step S3; YES), the three-option display screen 131 is displayed on the display screen of the display unit 13 (step S4), and is determined in advance. The number of hours until the automatic operation start time (here, the number of seconds) is counted down, and the number of hours until the automatic operation start time is counted down on the three-option display screen 131 (step S5). Here, the automatic operation is “A. Forced termination”.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of the three-choice display screen 131 displayed on the display screen of the display unit 13 in step S4. As shown in FIG. 4, the three-option display screen 131 is a screen for allowing the user to select the subsequent operation when the sub power supply OFF is instructed by operating the sub power switch 121. Specifically, on the three-option display screen 131, three operation items “A. Forced termination”, “B. Save and exit current status”, and “C. Cancel termination action” are displayed. This is a screen for selecting and operating one of the operation items A to C by pressing the touch panel 12a on any one of the operation items. When the user operates the sub power switch 121, if the user wants to immediately turn off the power, or if he wants to resume the job from the place where the job was interrupted tomorrow by saying “today is here” in a large number of jobs, the sub power switch 121 will be mistaken. If you have operated When A is selected, the power is turned off immediately. When B is selected, the image data stored in the volatile memory 16b and the bookmark / environment information stored in the RAM 11c are saved and saved in the nonvolatile storage means such as the HDD 16e or the flash memory 18, and then the power is shut off. Is done. When C is selected, the operation before the interruption is resumed. At the bottom of the three-option display screen 131, the number of hours until the start of the automatic operation is displayed in a countdown manner.

  When “A. Forced termination” is selected from the three-option display screen 131 (step S6; YES), the power supply from the power supply unit 20 to each unit of the image forming apparatus 1 is cut off (step S12). finish.

  When “B. Save current status and exit” is selected from the three-option display screen 131 (step S6; NO, step S7; YES), the image data temporarily stored in the volatile memory 16b is saved in the HDD 16e. At the same time, the bookmark / environment information stored in the RAM 11c is saved in the flash memory 18 (step S8). That is, the image data temporarily stored in the volatile memory 16b is sequentially transferred and written to the HDD 16e, and the bookmark / environment information stored in the RAM 11c is transferred to the bookmark / environment storage area 181 of the flash memory 18. Written.

  In this embodiment, in order to write image data to the HDD 16e and read image data from the HDD 16e at a high speed, when writing image data to the HDD 16e, one sheet is stored in a continuous cluster (continuous area). Image data is written. Further, an HDD management table T1 is generated and written in the HDD management table area 182 of the flash memory 18 so that it can be searched which image data has been saved in which area of the HDD 16e.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the HDD management table T1. As shown in FIG. 5, the HDD management table T1 includes an image ID for specifying an image, and a start cluster number and an end cluster number of a continuous area in which image data specified by the image ID is stored. Correspondingly stored.

  When saving of the image data temporarily stored in the volatile memory 16b and the bookmark / environment information stored in the RAM 11c is completed, the power supply to the respective units of the image forming apparatus 1 by the power supply unit 20 is cut off (step S12). This process ends.

  When “C. Cancel the termination action” is selected from the three-option display screen 131 (step S7; NO, step S9; YES), the operation returns to the operation before the interruption (step S10), and this process ends. That is, if the job is being executed, the interrupted job is restarted from the point of interruption based on the job data and bookmark / environment information stored in the RAM 11c. If the reservation job is waiting to be executed, the execution of the reservation job is awaited.

  When the operations A to C are not selected from the three-choice display screen 131 (step S9; NO), it is determined whether or not the automatic operation start time has elapsed, and if it is determined that it has not elapsed (step S11; NO) ), The process returns to step S5. If it is determined that the automatic operation start time has elapsed (step S11; YES), the power supply to the respective units of the image forming apparatus 1 by the power supply unit 20 is interrupted (step S12), and this process ends.

  Next, a recovery process executed by the control unit 11 when an instruction to turn on the sub power supply is given will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the recovery process. The instruction to turn on the sub power supply is input by the operation signal for turning on the sub power supply from the sub power switch 121 or the input of the sub power ON command pulse from the timer 19 when the sub power ON time set in the timer 19 arrives. Done. This process is realized by a software process in cooperation with the CPU 11a and a program stored in the ROM 11b.

  First, power is supplied to each unit of the image forming apparatus 1 by the power supply unit 20, and a start-up operation is performed (step S21). As a start-up operation, the entire control program is read from the ROM 11b by the boot program and loaded into the RAM 11c. Next, the overall control program is executed, and hardware connection confirmation and initialization of each unit are performed.

  Next, the bookmark / environment storage area 181 of the flash memory 18 is referenced to determine whether data is stored. If it is determined that no data is stored in the bookmark / environment storage area 181 (step S22; NO), the process proceeds to step S31, and a warm-up operation such as a fixing device of the image output unit 17 is performed. Thus, the image forming state is controlled, and the process is terminated.

  If it is determined that data is stored in the bookmark / environment storage area 181 (step S22; YES), a recovery inquiry screen 132 is displayed to inquire whether or not to restore the operation that was interrupted when the sub power supply was turned off. At the same time (step S23), a predetermined number of hours (here, seconds) as a waiting time until the start of the automatic operation is counted down, and the time until the automatic operation is started is counted down on the recovery inquiry screen 132 (step S24). . In the automatic operation, here, the interrupted job is not restored, and the job registered at the time of the interruption is cleared and the operation proceeds to the warm-up operation.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of the recovery inquiry screen 132 displayed on the display screen of the display unit 13 in step S23. As shown in FIG. 7, the recovery inquiry screen 132 is a screen for instructing the user whether or not to restore the operation interrupted when the sub power supply is turned off. On the recovery inquiry screen 132, a message such as “There is a job interrupted when the power is turned off. Do you want to recover?” And a “Yes” button to instruct recovery, and a “No” button to instruct not to recover. Is displayed. A recovery instruction can be input by pressing the touch panel 12a on the displayed “Yes” button. Further, an instruction not to recover can be input by pressing the touch panel 12a on the displayed “No” button. At the bottom of the recovery inquiry screen 132, the time until the start of automatic operation is displayed in a countdown manner.

  When the “Yes” button is pressed from the recovery inquiry screen 132 until the automatic operation start time and the recovery is instructed (step S25; YES), the image output unit 17 performs a warm-up operation of the fixing unit and the image formation. It is controlled to a possible state (step S26). The bookmark / environment information stored in the bookmark / environment storage area 181 of the flash memory 18 and the HDD management table T1 are read into the RAM 11c, and the system operates before the power is turned off based on the read bookmark / environment information. The image data of the interrupted number of pages of the interrupted job is read from the HDD 16e, and the image forming operation (job) is resumed (step S27).

  When the “No” button is pressed by the recovery inquiry screen 132 until the automatic operation start time is instructed to not recover (step S25; NO, step S28; YES), or when the automatic operation start time has elapsed (step S25) S28; NO, Step S29; YES), the bookmark / environment information stored in the flash memory 18 and the HDD management table T1 are cleared to clear the job (Step S30). A warm-up operation or the like is performed so that an image can be formed (step S31), and this process ends.

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus 1, if the sub power switch 121 is instructed to turn off the power while the job is being executed or the job waiting for the reserved job is registered, the “forcing” is displayed on the display unit 13. A three-choice display screen 131 for selecting any one of the three operation items of “End”, “Save Current State and End”, and “Stop End Operation” is displayed, and any one of the operation items is displayed on the touch panel 12a. Is selected, the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 is controlled according to the selected operation item. Specifically, when “forced termination” is selected, power supply to each unit is cut off. When "Save current status and exit" is selected, the image data stored in the volatile memory 16b and the bookmark / environment information stored in the RAM 11c are stored in the nonvolatile storage means such as the HDD 16e or the flash memory 18. After that, power supply to each part is cut off. When “Cancel end operation” is selected, the operation before the interruption is resumed.

  Therefore, when a power-off instruction is issued during job execution or while a reserved job is registered, not only the "forced termination" operation as in the past, but also the "current status" It is possible to perform a “save and end” operation and a “cancel end operation” operation, and an operation reflecting the user's intention is possible, thereby improving convenience.

  Further, when a predetermined automatic operation start time has elapsed after the three-option display screen 131 is displayed, the power supply to each unit is automatically shut off. For example, the user operates the sub power switch 121. When the user intends to shut off the power supply and does not perform an operation from the three-option display screen 131, it is possible to prevent the user from being left in an input waiting state.

  In addition, since the number of hours until the automatic operation start time is counted down on the three-option display screen 131, the user can recognize the time until the automatic operation start, and suddenly shifts to automatic operation. It becomes possible to prevent.

  The description in the above embodiment is a preferred example of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, in the above embodiment, when the sub power switch 122 serving as the end instruction unit is instructed to turn off the power to each unit, the image data stored in the volatile memory 16b is transferred to the HDD 16e, and the HDD 16e The data is written in the continuous cluster area, but the end instruction unit is not limited to this, and is stored in the volatile memory 16b when the operation unit 12 is instructed to shift to the low power consumption mode. The image data may be transferred to the HDD 16e and written to a continuous cluster area of the HDD 16e.

  Further, in the above embodiment, “B. Save and exit current status” is selected, and when saving and saving image data in the volatile memory 16b, image data for one sheet is stored in a continuous cluster of the HDD 16e. The image data stored in the HDD 16e is managed by the HDD management table T1, but the image data is written in the file format to the HDD 16e and the file management is performed by FAT (File Allocation Tables). Also good.

  In the above embodiment, after the automatic operation start time has elapsed, the power supply is cut off automatically after the automatic operation start time has elapsed, but after the automatic operation start time has elapsed, “forced end”, “ It is possible to input from the operation unit 12 whether to shift to the operation of “save the current state and end” or “stop the end operation”, set the operation item input to the flash memory 18, and after the automatic operation start time has elapsed May move to the set operation.

  Further, the time until the automatic operation start time may be input from the operation unit 12 and may be set in the flash memory 18 or the like.

  In addition, the detailed configuration and detailed operation of each apparatus constituting the image forming apparatus 1 can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of an image storage unit 162 in FIG. 1. It is a flowchart which shows the stop process performed by the control part 11 of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the 3 choice display screen 131 displayed on the display part 13 of FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of data storage in an HDD management table T1 stored in an HDD management table area 171 in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the recovery process performed by the control part 11 of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the recovery inquiry screen 132 displayed on the display part 13 of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Image forming apparatus 11 Control unit 11a CPU
11b ROM
11c RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 Operation part 12a Touch panel 12b Hard key 121 Sub power switch 13 Display part 131 Three choice display screen 132 Restoration inquiry screen 14 Communication control part 15 Image reading part 16 Image processing part 161 Processing part 162 Image storage part 16a Memory controller 16b Volatile memory 16c Compression / decompression unit 16d HDD controller 16e HDD
17 Image output section 18 Flash memory 181 Bookmark / environment storage area 182 HDD management table area 19 Timer 20 Power supply section 21 Bus

Claims (4)

In the image forming apparatus,
An image storage unit for storing input image data;
An image output unit for forming and outputting an image on a recording medium based on the image data stored in the image storage unit;
An end instruction unit for instructing the end of the operation;
Operation items including at least “forced end” and “save current state and end” when an end of operation is instructed by the end instruction unit during the image forming operation or waiting for the image forming operation in the image output unit A display unit for displaying a selection screen for selecting any one of
An operation unit for selecting and operating any one of the operation items displayed on the selection screen;
A control unit that controls the operation of the image forming apparatus according to the operation item selected and operated by the operation unit;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The control unit, among the operation items displayed on the selection screen, when a selection operation from the operation unit is not performed within a predetermined time after the selection screen is displayed on the display unit. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the image forming apparatus is controlled in accordance with a predetermined operation item.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit counts down and displays the predetermined number of hours up to a predetermined time on the selection screen of the display unit.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instruction to end the operation by the end instruction unit is an instruction to shut off a power source.

Images