JP2008211434A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of continuing printing without redoing scanning an original when a change in size of recording sheets or the number of copies to be printed occurs while printing. <P>SOLUTION: When a stop key is pressed while printing and a stop request is made by a user, print stop processing is performed. When the stop processing is completed, a picture for displaying that printing can be started again is displayed (steps 101 to 107). On this picture, the user can change a paper feeding cassette and the number of copies to be printed, and when there is any change, the paper feeding cassette or the number of copies to be printed is changed (steps 108 to 111). When the start key is pressed and a re-start request is made by the user, printing is started again (steps 112 and 113). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a function of interrupting recording during image formation.

  Digital multifunction peripherals and copiers with copy, facsimile, print, and scanner functions are equipped with an image memory, and the scanned original image is temporarily stored in the image memory and then recorded on recording paper by the recording unit. Therefore, even when a plurality of originals are copied in a plurality of copies, a plurality of copies can be copied by reading the original once.

  As described above, even when multiple copies of multiple originals are copied, multiple copies can be made by reading the original once. However, it is necessary to print on recording paper of different sizes in the middle of copying. In this case, there is a problem that it takes time to cancel the document with the stop key and scan the document again. Also, if you start by copying a large number of copies by mistake, you must cancel with the stop key, reset the required number of copies, and then scan the document again. Take it.

  In addition, if you need to copy an original twice on different size recording paper or print data from a PC twice on different size recording paper, you can copy or print by specifying a certain size paper. After that, it is necessary to specify a paper of a different size and issue a copy or print instruction from a personal computer, which causes a problem of being troublesome twice.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. When a change in the size of a recording paper or a change in the number of copies occurs during printing, printing is continued without rescanning a document or receiving print data. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of performing the above.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus including a recording unit that records image data and a control unit that controls the recording unit. When a stop instruction is given during continuous recording of the means, the control means stops the recording and displays a screen for changing the recording paper size and / or the number of copies, and then interrupted when a restart is instructed. Recording is resumed from the state.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, when the change of the recording paper size is instructed on the change screen, the control means sets the recording paper size. Change and resume recording,
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the control means changes the number of recording copies when the number of copies is instructed on the change screen. And recording is resumed.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the first to third aspects of the present invention, for example, when the user gives a stop instruction during copying, the recording is interrupted, and during this interruption, the user changes the recording paper size or the number of copies. By instructing the change, you can change the recording paper size or the number of copies to resume printing, so if the size of the recording paper changes or the number of copies changes during copying, scan the document again It is possible to change the size of the recording paper and the number of copies without any change.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the image forming apparatus of the present invention is applied to a digital multifunction machine will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a digital multi-function peripheral. This digital multi-function peripheral includes a CPU 1, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 2, a SRAM (Random Access Memory) 3, a display / operation unit 4, and a reading unit 5. The image memory 6, the recording unit 7, the codec 8, the modem 9, the network control unit (NCU) 10, and the LAN interface (I / F) 11 are connected to each other via the bus 12.

  The CPU 1 controls each part of the hardware of the digital multifunction peripheral via the bus 12 and executes various programs based on the programs stored in the ROM 2. The ROM 2 performs various programs and operations necessary for the operation of the digital multifunction peripheral. Messages and the like are stored in advance. The SRAM 3 stores temporary data generated when the program is executed. The SRAM 3 stores the number of original pages for printing, the number of copies to be printed, and the designated recording paper size. Memorize etc.

  The display / operation unit 4 includes a display unit for displaying an operation state of the digital multifunction peripheral or displaying an operation screen for various functions, and a plurality of keys for operating the digital multifunction peripheral. As described above, the display unit 21 includes an LCD display unit 21 constituting a display unit and a number of operation keys. The LCD display unit 21 is provided with a touch panel switch, and by pressing an item portion displayed on the LCD display unit 21, a corresponding item can be selected and a function can be executed.

  As operation keys, a numeric keypad 22, a start key 23, a reset key 24, a stop key 25, a plurality of one-touch dial keys 26, a cross key 27, a return key 28, a set key 29, a FAX switching key 30, a copy switching key 31, Various keys such as a scanner switching key 32 are provided. It should be noted that some or all of these operation keys can be substituted by the LCD display unit 21.

  The reading unit 5 includes a reading document placing table such as an auto document feeder (ADF) or a flatbed scanner (FBS), reads a document with a scanner using a CCD or the like, and outputs dot image data. The image memory 6 is configured using a DRAM or the like, and stores image data to be transmitted, received image data, or image data read by the reading unit 5.

  The recording unit 7 includes an electrophotographic printer or the like, and prints out received data, copy original data, or print data transmitted from an external personal computer, and serves as means for supplying paper for forming an image. A plurality of paper cassettes 7a, 7b and 7c having different standard sizes are provided.

  The codec 8 encodes and decodes in accordance with a predetermined protocol. In order to transmit the image data of the read original, the codec 8 is encoded by the MH, MR, or MMR system, and the image data received from the outside is decoded. Also, encoding and decoding are also performed in correspondence with the TIFF method, which is an image format generally used as a file that can be attached to an e-mail.

The modem 9 is connected to the bus 12 and has a function as a fax modem capable of facsimile communication. The modem 9 is also connected to the NCU 10 connected to the bus 12. The NCU 10 is hardware that closes and opens an analog line, and connects the modem 9 to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) as necessary.
The LAN interface 11 is connected to the LAN, receives signals such as print data from a personal computer (not shown) connected to the LAN, and transmits signals and data to the LAN. Perform interface processing such as conversion.

  The digital multi-function peripheral has the above-described configuration. When the facsimile is transmitted, the image data of the original is read by the reading unit 5, compressed by the codec 8, and stored in the image memory 6. The compressed image data is read from the image memory 6, modulated by the modem 9, and transmitted from the NCU 10 to the communication partner through the PSTN. At the time of facsimile reception, the received image data is demodulated by the modem 9, stored in the image memory 6, decoded by the codec 8, and printed by the recording unit 7.

When the user performs copying, after setting the document on the ADF of the reading unit 5, the copy switching key 31 of the display / operation unit 4 is pressed, and the recording paper size is displayed on the copy setting screen displayed on the LCD display unit 21. After selecting the number of copies and the application copy mode, by pressing the start key 23, the image data of the original set on the ADF is read by the reading unit 5, compressed by the codec 8, and stored in the image memory 6. Accumulated.
On the other hand, printing in the recording unit 7 is started at the same time, and the image data stored in the image memory 6 is decoded by the codec 8 and sent to the recording unit 7 for recording from the paper feed cassette of the designated paper size. Printed sequentially on paper.

During the execution of the copy, the CPU 1 is executing a copy interruption program. Hereinafter, the operation when the copy is interrupted will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
When copying is started, the CPU 1 starts the copy interruption program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, determines whether or not the printing operation is currently in progress (step 101), and ends the program when determining that the printing operation is not in progress. To do.

If it is determined in step 101 that the printing operation is being performed, the CPU 1 displays on the LCD display unit 21 of the display / operation unit 4 that the printing operation is being performed as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the printing screen shows the number of copies being printed, the number of copies being printed, and the number of copies being printed, calculated from the number of original pages, the number of copies to be printed, the number of copies to be printed and the number of pages to be printed. Since the number of pages and the number of printed pages are displayed, the user can easily grasp how many pages in which the current print is.

  When the printing screen is displayed, the CPU 1 determines whether or not there is a stop request from the user by determining whether or not the user presses the stop key 25 of the display / operation unit 4 (step 103). If it is determined that there is no stop request, the process returns to step 101 to determine whether printing is in progress. If it is determined that a stop request is received from the user, printing is temporarily stopped (step 104), and then the LCD display unit A display to the effect that printing is being stopped as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed at 21 (step 105).

Next, the CPU 1 determines whether or not the print pause process is completed (step 106). When it is determined that the print pause process is completed, the CPU 1 can display the print resume shown in FIG. Is displayed (step 107).
As shown in FIG. 6, on this print resumption screen, the paper cassette can be changed and the number of copies can be changed. When the user wants to change the recording paper size, the digital data displayed on the screen is displayed. The paper cassette can be changed by depressing a cassette of a desired size of the multifunction device, and the number of copies can be changed by inputting a numerical value using the numeric keypad 22 in the number of copies column. .

After displaying the print resumption screen, the CPU 1 determines whether or not the paper cassette has been pressed on the print resumption screen (step 108). If it is determined that the paper cassette has been pressed, the CPU 1 presses the paper cassette. The paper cassette is changed (step 109).
If it is determined in step 108 that the paper cassette is not pressed, or after the paper cassette is changed in step 109, the CPU 1 determines whether or not the number of copies has been input on the print resumption screen of FIG. 110), if it is determined that the number of copies has been input, the set number of copies is changed to the number of copies input (step 111).

When it is determined in step 110 that there is no copy input, or after the copy number is changed in step 111, the CPU 1 determines whether or not the start key 23 of the display / operation unit 4 is pressed. It is determined whether or not there is a restart request (step 112). If it is determined that there is no restart request, the process returns to step 108 to determine again whether or not the paper feed cassette has been pressed on the print restart screen.
On the other hand, if the user presses the start key 23 and determines that a restart request has been made in step 112, printing is resumed (step 113), and then the process returns to step 101 to determine again whether the printing operation is in progress.

  As described above, the user can interrupt copying by issuing a stop instruction during copying. If the user instructs changing the paper cassette or changing the number of copies during this interruption, the number of paper cassettes or printing copies Is changed and copying is resumed, so if there is a change in the size of the recording paper or a change in the number of copies during copying, the size of the recording paper or the number of copies is changed without having to scan the original again. It becomes possible.

In the above-described embodiment, the operation at the time of copying has been described. However, the operation can be similarly performed at the time of printing by an instruction from a personal computer.
In the above embodiments, the example in which the image forming apparatus of the present invention is applied to a digital multifunction peripheral has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a normal copying apparatus.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a digital multifunction peripheral. FIG. It is a figure which shows the detailed structure of a display / operation part. It is a flowchart which shows the effect | action at the time of a copy interruption. It is an example of a display indicating that a printing operation is being performed. It is an example of a display indicating that printing is stopped. It is an example of a display indicating that printing can be resumed.

Explanation of symbols

1 CPU
2 ROM
3 SRAM
4 Display / Operation Unit 5 Reading Unit 6 Image Memory 7 Recording Unit 7a, 7b, 7c Paper Feed Cassette 8 Codec 9 Modem 10 NCU
11 LAN I / F
12 Bus

Claims (3)

An image forming apparatus comprising: a recording unit that records image data; and a control unit that controls the recording unit,
When a stop instruction is given during continuous recording of the recording means, the control means stops recording and displays a screen for changing the recording paper size and / or the number of copies, and then when restarting is instructed, An image forming apparatus, wherein recording is resumed from an interrupted state. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The image forming apparatus, wherein when the change of the recording paper size is instructed on the change screen, the control unit changes the recording paper size and restarts the recording. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the number of copies is instructed on the change screen, the control unit changes the number of recording copies and restarts recording.

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