JP2010046996A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus surely managing security at a low cost. <P>SOLUTION: A body side non-contact communication circuit 11 reads transfer paper information from an RFID chip 41 incorporated in transfer paper 40 in a paper feeding section 15 and writes printing job information, to form an image and then, eject the transfer paper 40 from a paper ejection section 16, when the transfer paper information coincides with the set content of the transfer paper from a user. The body side non-contact communication circuit 12 of the paper ejection section 16 reads the printing job information from the RFID chip 41 of the transfer paper 40 after being ejected, informs an information processor being the publisher of a printing job of the recovery of the transfer paper, to erase image data in an apparatus, on the basis of the printing job information. The body side non-contact communication circuit 12 repeatedly informs the information processor of the recovery of the transfer paper by a predetermined times, when the transfer paper is not recovered even when a predetermined time elapses and informs the manager of the image forming apparatus of the fact that the transfer paper is not yet recovered, when the transfer paper is not yet recovered. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that receives print job information from a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a network.

  Conventionally, security awareness is increasing in image forming apparatuses such as digital copiers and laser printers, and further management of output documents is required. In recent years, in order to simplify logistics and inventory management, non-contact non-volatile storage means is increasingly attached to products. For example, an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip that has a built-in nonvolatile memory and can transmit information in a non-contact manner by electromagnetic induction is attached to a product or the like.

  In addition, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic system, a cartridge system is widely used so that a user or a service person can easily replace consumables and life parts. In recent years, in order to manage the cartridge information, recycling, and remaining amount of consumables, those equipped with RFID chips have been used. The RFID chip is used to sequentially store cartridge usage time, remaining amount data of consumables such as toner, and the like, and read these data to determine the replacement time of the cartridge.

  For example, Patent Document 1 proposes performing processing such as optimizing printing conditions by incorporating an RFID chip into transfer paper and acquiring characteristic information of the transfer paper from the RFID chip.

  In addition, security management using an RFID chip is often used for user authentication or the like, and there is a problem that the user performs user authentication by operating the image forming apparatus every time authentication is performed. .

  In order to solve this problem, there has been an attempt to increase the security of an output document by incorporating an RFID chip into transfer paper and reading and writing information on the transfer paper. For example, in Patent Document 2, when an output document has a plurality of output bins, information written on a transfer sheet is read from an information reading unit installed in the output bin, and is not collected even after a certain period of time has passed. Proposals are made to notify collection reminders.

JP 2006-258947 A JP 2005-41608 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, security management cannot be performed even if the printing conditions can be optimized.

  In the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, an RFID chip reader is required for each output bin to be discharged. As the number of output bins installed increases, the number of RFID chip readers increases and the cost increases. There was a problem of becoming.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and is capable of inexpensively performing security management when a print job is sent from a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a network to share an image forming apparatus. An object is to provide an apparatus.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus that receives print job information from a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a network, and is configured to transfer images for image formation. In a paper supply unit for supplying paper, a first information reading unit that reads transfer paper information from an RFID chip having a non-volatile memory incorporated in the transfer paper in a non-contact manner, and a non-volatile memory incorporated in the transfer paper And an information writing means for writing the print job information in a non-contact manner on the RFID chip having the same, and the information writing means is provided in the paper discharge section for discharging the transfer paper after image formation. There is provided a second information reading means for reading the print job information written on the RFID chip having a paper non-volatile memory in a non-contact manner, and the transfer paper information read by the first information reading means. And an information management means for managing the print job information read by the second information reading means, and a print job issuing source via the network based on the print job information managed by the information management means. And a notification means for notifying the information processing apparatus to collect the image-formed transfer paper.

  According to the present invention, the paper feed unit includes a first information reading unit that reads transfer paper information from the RFID chip incorporated in the transfer paper, and an information document that writes print job information to the RFID chip incorporated in the transfer paper. And a second information reading means for reading the print job information written on the RFID chip by the information writing means. In this way, since it is only necessary to install two means for reading and writing information with respect to the RFID chip, it can be configured at low cost. The notifying unit notifies the information processing apparatus that issued the print job to collect the transfer sheet on which the image is formed, based on the print job information managed by the information managing unit. As described above, after the transfer sheet on which the image has been formed is discharged, a collection notification is sent to the information processing apparatus that issued the print job, so that it is possible to perform security management of the transfer sheet.

  Exemplary embodiments of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram in which an image forming apparatus according to the present invention and a plurality of information processing apparatuses are connected via a network. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, a plurality of information processing apparatuses 30a such as PCs (personal computers) are connected to an image forming apparatus 10 such as a full-color digital copying machine via a network 20 such as an in-house LAN (Local Area Network). 30b and 30c are connected. Each of the information processing apparatuses 30a, 30b, and 30c individually transmits print job information to the image forming apparatus 10 and requests a print job, thereby making one image forming apparatus 10 a plurality of information processing apparatuses 30a, 30b and 30c can be shared.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a main body side non-contact communication circuit 11 in which a first information reading unit and an information writing unit are installed in common, and a main body side non-contact as a second information reading unit. A communication circuit 12, a disposal space 13, an operation display panel 14, a paper feeding unit 15, a paper ejection unit 16, an image forming unit 17, an ADF 18, and the like are provided.

  The main body side non-contact communication circuit 11 is provided in the paper feed unit 15 that stores the transfer paper 40 for image formation so as to be supplied, and reads the transfer paper information from the RFID chip 41 incorporated in the transfer paper 40 in a non-contact manner. The print job information is written to the RFID chip 41 in a non-contact manner. In this way, the main body side non-contact communication circuit 11 combines both the functions of reading and writing information with respect to the RFID chip 41 to be shared.

  The main body side non-contact communication circuit 12 is provided in the paper discharge unit 16 that discharges the transfer paper 40 after image formation, and the main body side non-contact communication circuit 11 is written on the RFID chip 41 of the transfer paper 40. Information is read without contact.

  The discard space 13 is a space provided in a part of the image forming unit 17, where the user removes and discards the RFID chip 41 incorporated in the transfer paper 40 after collecting the transfer paper 40. This waste space 13 is for preventing leakage of print job information written on the RFID chip 41, and by enabling the RFID chip 41 to be collected, security management of the RFID chip 41 after use is improved. be able to.

  The operation display panel 14 is used by the user of the image forming apparatus 10 to perform various settings and operations using a touch panel or a numeric keypad, or to display various setting information and operation information on a display unit.

  The image forming unit 17 forms a desired image on the transfer paper 40 by executing a requested print job using an electrophotographic process or the like. The transfer paper 40 after image formation is discharged to the paper discharge unit 16.

  When there is a print job for copying a plurality of paper documents, the ADF 18 can read the document image while automatically feeding the paper documents one by one only by setting the paper documents together.

  FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a non-contact communication circuit that reads and writes information in a non-contact manner with respect to an RFID chip having a nonvolatile memory. As shown in FIG. 3, the RFID chip 41 includes a nonvolatile memory 42, an RFID-side non-contact communication circuit 43, a transmitting antenna 44, a receiving antenna 45, and the like. The RFID-side non-contact communication circuit 43 further includes a reception circuit 430, a demodulation circuit 431, a control circuit 432, a modulation circuit 433, a transmission driver 434, a power supply circuit 435, and the like.

  The main body side non-contact communication circuit 11 and the main body side non-contact communication circuit 12 are configured to be connected to a common CPU 403 on the main body side. The power supply circuit 435 supplies power by rectifying the electromagnetic waves of the receiving antenna 45.

  The RFID side non-contact communication circuit 43 and the main body side non-contact communication circuits 11 and 12 in FIG. 3 have the same circuit configuration. A signal output from the CPU 403 on the main body side is modulated into a predetermined signal for transmission by the non-contact communication circuit 11 on the main body side, and received by the receiving antenna 45 of the RFID chip 41 when sent from a transmitting antenna (not shown). The reception signal is amplified by the reception circuit 430 and sent to the demodulation circuit 431. The demodulating circuit 431 demodulates the signal into a predetermined signal for transmission and then sends it to the control circuit 432. The control circuit 432 transmits the signal stored in the nonvolatile memory 42 to the nonvolatile memory 42. If the signal received from the main body side is a command for transmitting information stored in the nonvolatile memory 42, the control circuit 432 transmits the information in the nonvolatile memory 42 to the modulation circuit 433. The modulation circuit 433 modulates the signal to a predetermined signal for transmission and sends it to the transmitting antenna 44.

  The main body side non-contact communication circuit 11 amplifies a received signal received by a receiving antenna (not shown) by a receiving circuit (corresponding to 430) and sends it to a demodulating circuit (corresponding to 431). The demodulating circuit demodulates the signal into a predetermined signal for transmission, and then sends it to a control circuit (corresponding to 432) and sends it to the CPU 403 on the main body side.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an installation example of the main body-side non-contact communication circuit provided in the paper feeding unit. As shown in FIG. 4, reading of transfer paper information between the RFID chip 41 incorporated in the transfer paper 40 set in the paper supply unit 15 and the main body side non-contact communication circuit 11, and print job information are performed. Can be written. The transfer paper 40 set in the paper feeding unit 15 is fed out one by one by the feeding roller 19 and fed.

  Further, the main body side non-contact communication circuit 12 as the second information reading means provided in the paper discharge unit 16 shown in FIG. 2 uses only the reading function, but the configuration itself is the main body side non-contact communication circuit. 11 is the same as FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. A full-color digital copying machine as an image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 5 includes a system controller board 500 that controls the entire apparatus, an operation unit control board 510 that controls an operation panel, and a large-capacity storage unit that stores various program data and image data. HHD 520, a scanner 550 that reads a document image, and a printer 590 that prints image data on paper.

  A scanner 550, a printer 590, and an operation unit control board 510 are connected to the system controller board 500, and an in-house LAN (Local Area Network) to which a PC (personal computer) or the like is connected and a LAN interface board 530 are connected. It is connected. Communication with the plurality of information processing apparatuses 30a, 30b, and 30c in the present embodiment is performed via the LAN interface board 530. For example, it notifies the information processing apparatus that issued the print job to collect the transfer sheet on which the image has been formed, or receives setting information from the information processing apparatus. Further, the system controller board 500 is connected to the printer 590 via a PCI bus, and is connected to an FCU (facsimile control unit) 540 connected to a telephone line (facsimile communication line) via the PCI bus. .

  The printer 590 includes an engine control board 560, an LDB (laser diode board) 570 for performing optical writing by projecting image light represented by image data onto a photosensitive drum, and the like. A PSU (power supply unit) 580 is a unit that supplies power to control the image forming apparatus. When the main SW 582 is turned on (closed), commercial power is supplied, and the commercial power is supplied to the AC control circuit 581. Commercial AC is supplied.

  The system controller board 500 includes a CPU 501 constituting notification means, an SRAM 503 that is a working memory used by the CPU 501, a lithium battery and the like, an NV-RAM 502 as a clock means incorporating a backup of the SRAM 503 and a clock, a system controller board The ROM 504 stores a program for controlling 500, the system bus control of the system controller board 500, the frame memory control, the ASIC 505 for controlling the CPU periphery such as FIFO, the work memory 506, the frame memory 507, and the like.

  The system controller board 500 has a plurality of application functions such as a scanner application, a facsimile application, a printer application, and a copy application, and controls the entire system. Further, the system controller board 500 decodes the input from the operation unit control board 510 and displays the setting of this system and the contents of the state on the display unit of the operation unit control board 510.

  The operation unit control board 510 includes an ASIC (LCDC) 511 for controlling the LCD and key input, a CPU 512 for controlling the operation unit control board 510, a RAM 513 as a working memory used by the CPU 512, and inputs of the operation unit control board 510. A ROM 514 in which a control program for the operation unit control board 510 for controlling reading and display output is written. Although not shown, the operation unit control board 510 has an input unit that allows the user to input system settings by operating the panel through communication with the system controller board 500, and the system setting contents and status to the user. And a display unit for displaying the input, and controls input.

  The HDD 520 is used as an application database for storing system application programs and device activation information of printers and image forming process devices, or as an image database for storing image data as image data of read images and write images, and document data. It is done. Along with the physical interface and the electrical interface, the system controller board 500 is connected by an interface conforming to ATA / ATAPI-4.

  The scanner 550 includes a color CCD 551 and an SBU (Sensor Board Unit) 552. The color CCD 551 is a three-line color CCD and generates R, G, B image signals of EVENch (even pixel channel) / ODDch (odd pixel channel) and inputs them to analog ASICs (Application Specific ICs) 553 to 555 of the SBU552. Is done. The SBU 552 includes analog ASICs 553 to 555, a timing generation circuit / control circuit 556 that generates driving timing of the analog ASIC, and an output I / F 557. The output of the color CCD 551 is sampled and held by a sample hold circuit inside the analog ASICs 553 to 555, A / D converted to R, G, B image data, shading corrected, and output I / F (interface) ) 557 through an image data bus to an image data processor (IPP: Image Processing Processor; hereinafter simply referred to as IPP) 561 of an engine control board 560 described later.

  The engine control board 560 mainly performs image formation control of image formation, the CPU 403 as information management means, the IPP 561 that performs image processing, the NV-RAM 562, the ROM 566 that incorporates a program necessary for controlling copying and printout, An SRAM 563, I / O ASICs 564 and 565, and an interface circuit 567 necessary for control are provided.

  The NV-RAM 562 includes an SRAM and a memory that detects the power-off and stores the contents of the SRAM in the EEPROM. In addition, I / OASICs 564 and 565 having a serial interface that transmits and receives signals to and from the CPU 403 that performs other control are connected to an I / O (solenoid, clutch, motor, etc.) in the vicinity where the engine control board 560 is mounted. ASIC to be controlled.

  The IPP 561 is a programmable arithmetic processing unit that performs image processing, and performs gradation processing and the like. The image data transferred from the SBU 552 to the IPP 561 is corrected by the IPP 561 for signal deterioration due to quantization of the optical system and the digital signal (signal deterioration of the scanner system), and is written in the frame memory 507.

  The interface circuit 567 is an interface circuit for accessing the non-contact type RFID chip 41 set in or discharged from the paper feeding unit 15 or the paper discharge unit 16. When a contact type memory tag is used, the memory tag such as a process cartridge may be accessed via the interface circuit 567.

  The main body side non-contact communication circuit 11 is an interface for reading and writing information with a non-contact type RFID chip 41 incorporated in the transfer paper 40 set in the paper feeding unit 15. The main body side non-contact communication circuit 12 is an interface for reading information from the non-contact RFID chip 41 incorporated in the transfer paper 40 discharged to the paper discharge unit 16.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation display panel of FIG. An operation display panel 14 shown in FIG. 6 includes an operation display unit 140 for displaying information such as an operation state and a processing status, an input numeric keypad 141, a start key 142 for starting a copy operation, and canceling or canceling a copy process. A clear / stop key 143 is provided.

  FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating an example of a message for notifying the print job issuer to collect the image-formed transfer paper. FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating the transfer paper set by the user and the transfer paper in the paper feeding unit. FIG. 7C is a diagram illustrating an example of an unusable message when previous print job information is written on the transfer sheet in the sheet feeding unit. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation according to the present embodiment. The operation of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  First, as shown in FIG. 8, in the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, the presence / absence of security setting is determined (step S100). The security setting here refers to documents that require security (documents that people do not want to see), such as salary details and shipping slips, where the format of the transfer paper is determined to some extent. Since the transfer sheet has a predetermined format, if the user has set the transfer sheet, it is determined that there is security setting. The reason for determining the presence or absence of security settings is that there is no need to apply security to all transfer sheets, and these processes can be omitted for transfer sheets that do not require security settings. In addition, although the user can select a transfer sheet on which security settings are to be made, this can further improve the ease of use for the user.

  Subsequently, the main body-side non-contact communication circuit 11 installed in the paper feeding unit 15 in FIG. 2 reads the transfer paper information stored in the nonvolatile memory of the RFID chip 41 incorporated in the transfer paper 40 (step). S101). Therefore, the CPU 403 and the CPU 501 compare the setting contents of the transfer paper from the user with the transfer paper information read from the RFID chip 41 of the transfer paper 40 in the paper supply unit 15 to determine whether or not they match. Is determined (step S102).

  In step S102, if the set transfer paper matches the read transfer paper information, the main body side non-contact communication circuit 11 of the paper supply unit 15 determines the transfer paper 40 set in the paper supply unit 15. Print job information is written to the RFID chip 41 (step S103). The print job information written at this time includes job issuer information, image forming apparatus identification information, print number information, print stacking order information, print execution time information, job completion information, and the like. As described above, since these pieces of information are included in the print job information, various controls can be performed by reading from the transfer paper after paper discharge.

  Then, the transfer paper is fed out from the paper supply unit 15 in FIG. 2 and conveyed to the image forming unit 17 to perform image formation based on the print job, and the transfer paper 40 after image formation is discharged to the paper discharge unit 16. (Step S104). Since the main body side non-contact communication circuit 12 is installed in the paper discharge unit 16, the print job information is read from the RFID chip 41 of the transfer paper 40 after the paper discharge (step S105).

  The CPU 501 of the system controller board 500 shown in FIG. 5 specifies the print job issuer based on the print job information read by the main body side non-contact communication circuit 12, and the information processing devices (30a, 30b) that are the job issuer. 30c), the identification information of the image forming apparatus that performed the output, the number of printed sheets, the print stacking order information, the completion information of the print job, and the like are notified and displayed, and the transfer paper 40 is quickly displayed. To collect it (step S106). In this way, collection information is notified to the user of the information processing apparatus that is the job issuer based on the print job information read from the discharged transfer paper, so that information necessary for collection is notified accurately and reliably. Can do. As an example of a message for performing a collection notification to the print job issuer, for example, a message as shown in FIG. 7A can be displayed.

  The main body side non-contact communication circuit 12 corresponds to an anti-collision function here. The anti-collision function is a collision prevention function that enables the RFID chip reader / writer to receive replies simultaneously from a plurality of RFID chips within the detection range, and a transfer paper in which a plurality of RFID chips are incorporated is discharged. Even if they are on paper, they can be batch processed. For this reason, the job completion / transfer sheet collection notification to the job issuer can be made to an information processing apparatus that is a plurality of job issuers.

  Further, when the print job information is read from the transfer paper 40 discharged by the main body side non-contact communication circuit 12 of the paper discharge unit 16 and it is confirmed that the transfer paper 40 after image formation is discharged, the inside of the image forming apparatus The image data stored in is deleted (step S107). For this reason, there is no possibility that information on the transfer paper set with security is leaked to others. As will be described later, the image data is not erased during a normal print operation without security settings.

  Whether or not the transfer paper 40 is discharged to the paper discharge unit 16 and the user has come to collect the transfer paper after the transfer paper collection notification is made is determined by the main body side non-contact communication circuit 12 of the paper discharge unit 16 of the transfer paper 40. It can be determined whether the print job information can be read (step S108). When collection is completed, a return is returned.

  In step S108, after the transfer paper 40 is discharged, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has passed by the NV-RAM 502 of the system controller board 500 having a clock function (step S109). It is determined whether or not the collection of 40 has been completed (step S110).

  In step S110, if the transfer paper 40 has not yet been collected, the job issuer is notified again (step S111), and then it is determined whether or not the transfer paper 40 has been collected (step S111). In step S112), if the collection is not completed, it is determined whether or not a collection notification has been performed a predetermined number of times (step S113). If the collection notification has not reached the predetermined number of times, the process returns to step S111, and the transfer paper collection notification is repeated until the predetermined number of times is reached. Note that the notification interval time and the number of collection notifications performed for the job issuer can be set from the operation display panel 14 of the image forming apparatus 10 or the information processing apparatuses 30a, 30b, and 30c. is there. In this way, since the user can freely set the notification interval time and the number of notifications, it is possible to create an easy-to-use situation according to the user's situation. It is also possible to set not to notify transfer paper collection.

  In step S113, if the transfer paper 40 is not recovered even after a predetermined number of collection notifications, not the job issuer (information processing apparatus side) but the administrator of the image forming apparatus is notified that the transfer paper is not recovered. Is performed (step S114). As a notification method, for example, the operation display unit 140 of the operation display panel 14 of the image forming apparatus 10 may be notified that the security document has not been collected, or may be notified using an e-mail.

  If the transfer sheet set by the user and the transfer sheet information written on the RFID chip 41 do not match in step S102, and the previous transfer job information is included in the read transfer sheet information. (Step S115), the CPU 501 of the system controller board 500 determines that the back sheet of the transfer sheet is set security, stops the printing operation, and notifies the user who issued the job to discard the transfer sheet. (Step S117). As described above, when the transfer paper once set with security is used as the backing paper, it can be easily detected. In this case, the printing operation is stopped and the transfer paper set with security is discarded. Thus, security can be improved. As the notification method, for example, a message as shown in FIG. 7C is displayed on the display unit of the information processing apparatus.

  If the transfer paper set by the user does not match the transfer paper information written on the RFID chip 41 in step S102, and the previous transfer job information is not included in the read transfer paper information. In step S115, since image formation cannot be performed based on the security setting, error information is displayed from the CPU 501 of the system controller board 500 to the user who issued the job (step S116), and the transfer paper is regenerated. Prompt the user for settings. As described above, when the transfer sheet set by the user is different from the actual transfer sheet, an error is notified to the user so as to prompt the user to change the transfer sheet setting or replace the transfer sheet. Is possible. As the notification method, for example, a message as shown in FIG. 7B is displayed on the display unit of the information processing apparatus.

  In step S100, when it is not necessary to perform security setting, transfer paper is not set. At this time, the print job information is not written to the nonvolatile memory of the RFID chip 41 incorporated in the transfer paper 40 or the transfer paper collection notification after the transfer paper is discharged, and the normal print operation is performed ( Step S118). Therefore, it is possible to improve the operability when security setting is unnecessary.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment is provided with a disposal space 13 for collecting used RFID chips 41 as shown in FIG. For this reason, by removing the RFID chip 41 from the transfer paper 40 after use set with security and collecting it in the disposal space 13, it is possible to prevent leakage of information written in the RFID chip 41.

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, it is possible to select whether or not to perform security setting of the transfer paper using the RFID chip incorporated in the transfer paper. Even in the case of performing the operation, the main body side non-contact communication circuit for exchanging information with the RFID chip only needs to be installed at two places of the paper feed unit and the paper discharge unit. can do.

  Further, according to the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, the main body side non-contact communication circuit 11 provided in the paper feeding unit includes an information reading function for reading transfer paper information from the RFID chip of the transfer paper, and the RFID chip. Since the information writing function for writing the print job information is shared, the cost can be further reduced.

  Furthermore, according to the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, the security setting can be performed using the RFID chip incorporated in the transfer paper, so that the security of the transfer paper can be improved.

1 is a system configuration diagram in which an image forming apparatus according to the present invention and a plurality of information processing apparatuses are connected via a network. It is a schematic block diagram of the image forming apparatus of FIG. It is a block diagram of the non-contact communication circuit which reads / writes information in non-contact with respect to the RFID chip | tip which has a non-volatile memory. It is a figure which shows the example of installation of the main body side non-contact communication circuit provided in the paper feed part. 1 is a configuration block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation display panel of FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a message for notifying a print job issuer to collect an image-formed transfer sheet. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an error message when a transfer sheet set by a user is different from a transfer sheet in a sheet feeding unit. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an unusable message when previous print job information is written on transfer paper in a paper feed unit. It is a flowchart explaining the operation | movement concerning this Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 11 Main body side non-contact communication circuit 12 Main body side non-contact communication circuit 13 Waste space 14 Operation display panel 15 Paper feed part 16 Paper discharge part 17 Image formation part 40 Transfer paper 41 RFID chip 403 CPU
500 System controller board 501 CPU
502 NV-RAM
510 Operation unit control board 520 HDD
550 Scanner 560 Engine control board 590 Printer

Claims (10)

An image forming apparatus that receives print job information from a plurality of information processing apparatuses via a network,
In the paper supply unit that supplies transfer paper for image formation,
A first information reading means for reading the transfer paper information in a non-contact manner from an RFID chip having a non-volatile memory incorporated in the transfer paper;
Information writing means for writing print job information in a non-contact manner onto an RFID chip having a non-volatile memory incorporated in the transfer paper;
Are shared,
In the paper discharge unit that discharges the transfer paper after image formation,
A second information reading unit is provided for the information writing unit to read the print job information written on the RFID chip having a non-volatile memory of the transfer paper in a non-contact manner;
Information management means for managing the transfer paper information read by the first information reading means and the print job information read by the second information reading means;
A notification means for notifying the information processing apparatus that issued the print job via the network to collect the image-formed transfer paper based on the print job information managed by the information management means;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The print job information includes job issuer information, image forming apparatus identification information, print number information, print stacking order information, print execution time information, and job completion information. Image forming apparatus.   2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notifying unit notifies the information processing apparatus that is an issuer of the print job of image forming apparatus identification information, print number information, print stacking order information, and job completion information. Image forming apparatus.   The transfer paper for writing the print job information, the transfer paper for reading the print job information, and the transfer paper for performing collection notification based on the read print job information are set from the operation panel of the apparatus main body or the information processing apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is selectable. When the information management means determines that the transfer sheet set from the operation panel of the apparatus main body or the information processing apparatus is different from the transfer sheet in the sheet feeding unit based on the information to be managed,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the notification unit notifies an error to an information processing apparatus that is an issuer of the print job. It has a clock means to measure time,
When the transfer paper is discharged to the paper discharge unit and the second information reading unit cannot confirm the collection even after a predetermined time has passed by the clock unit,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notifying unit makes a collection notification again a predetermined number of times to the issuer of the print job of the transfer paper.   If the transfer means is not collected even if the notification means makes a collection notification again to the issuer of the print job a predetermined number of times, display that the transfer paper is not collected on the display unit of the operation panel of the apparatus body, The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image forming apparatus notifies a manager of the apparatus main body.   The setting of the number of notifications by which the notifying unit makes a collection notification again to the print job issuer can be set from an operation panel of the apparatus main body or on the information processing apparatus. Image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a space for discarding an RFID chip having a nonvolatile memory incorporated in the transfer paper is provided in the apparatus main body. The first information reading means reads the transfer paper information in a non-contact manner from an RFID chip having a nonvolatile memory incorporated in the transfer paper of the paper feed unit,
The information management means, when previous print job information is written in the transfer paper information read by the first information reading means,
The notification means determines that the security document is used as a backing paper, and notifies the information processing apparatus that issued the print job that the transfer paper is unusable. Item 4. The image forming apparatus according to Item 1.

Images