JP2010250207A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus capable of surely informing a user of condition information of the image forming apparatus by a proper informing method corresponding to the position of the user, when detecting the condition information of the image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A condition information detection part 19 detects occurrence of apparatus abnormality, etc., when power of the image forming apparatus 1 is turned on and then, the apparatus abnormality, paper jamming, etc. occur. Then, a range-finding sensor 18 measures a distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the user, an operation control part 20 controls a display part 16, to display the condition information of the image forming apparatus 1 detected by the condition information detection part 19, when the measurement value is below a predetermined value. The operation control part 20 controls an informing part 17, to inform the detection of the condition information of the image forming apparatus 1, when the measurement value is the predetermined value or more. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that informs a user of the image forming apparatus of status information of the image forming apparatus.

  Various methods for informing the user of abnormality of the image forming apparatus, paper jam, and the like have been proposed. For example, in Patent Document 1, an LED graphic display unit (unit) capable of displaying three colors of red, green, and orange is provided on the front surface of the image forming apparatus, and the state of the image forming apparatus is determined using the display unit. An image forming apparatus for displaying is disclosed. In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses an image processing apparatus in which a warning lamp such as a red lamp is provided in an image forming apparatus, and the red lamp is turned on when unauthorized printing is performed.

JP 7-312681 A JP 2007-251843 A

  In the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the user is at a position where the display unit of the image forming apparatus can be observed (side the image forming apparatus), status information such as an abnormality of the image forming apparatus or a paper jam is notified. However, if the user moves the display unit of the image forming apparatus to a position where it cannot be observed (away from the image forming apparatus), the state information cannot be notified.

  In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2, the state information can be notified even when the user is away from the image forming apparatus. However, when the user is near the image forming apparatus, the red lamp emits light. Very annoying.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and reliably conveys the state information of the image forming apparatus to the user by an appropriate notification method according to the position of the user when the state information of the image forming apparatus is detected. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can perform the above-described process.

  The first technical means includes a distance measuring sensor for measuring a distance between the image forming apparatus and a user who uses the apparatus, and status information of the image forming apparatus such as a paper jam, no recording paper, an apparatus abnormality, and forgetting to remove a document. A status information detection unit that detects the status information, a display unit that displays the status information of the image forming apparatus, a notification unit that notifies the detection of the status information, and when the status information is detected, the image forming apparatus and a user of the apparatus When the distance is less than a predetermined value, the display unit is controlled to display the status information of the image forming apparatus. When the distance is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the notification unit is controlled to control the image formation. An image forming apparatus comprising: the display unit; and an operation control unit that performs operation control of the notification unit so as to notify detection of status information of the apparatus.

  According to a second technical means, the operation control unit in the first technical means controls the notification unit when the distance between the image forming apparatus and the user of the apparatus is gradually shortened, and controls the state of the image forming apparatus. In addition to notifying information, the display unit is controlled to display status information of the image forming apparatus.

  According to a third technical means, the operation control unit in the first or second technical means changes the notification content of the notification unit based on a distance between the image forming apparatus and a user of the apparatus.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention conveys the state information of the image forming apparatus to the user by an appropriate notification method according to the position of the user at the time of detecting the state information of the image forming apparatus. The state information can be reliably transmitted without making it feel.

1 is an external view of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating state information notification processing and display processing executed by the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is an external view of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention. Reference numeral 11 denotes a document cover unit that covers the document table. The document cover unit is provided with an automatic document feeder (ADF) 12 for automatically transporting a document onto the document table. .
13 is an external paper feed cassette for accumulating recording paper fed to the image forming apparatus 1, and 14 is a paper discharge tray for collecting printed recording paper face down.

  Reference numeral 15 denotes an operation instruction unit for giving an operation instruction to the image forming apparatus 1 and includes a scan start key, a numeric keypad, and the like. Reference numeral 16 denotes a display unit that displays operation information, status information, and the like of the image forming apparatus 1. Here, the status information includes an apparatus abnormality, a paper jam, no recording paper in the external paper feed cassette 13, a user forgetting to remove a document placed on the document placing table or a document set on the ADF 12, This refers to a state in which the user has forgotten to remove the printed recording paper discharged to the paper tray 14.

  Reference numeral 17 denotes an informing unit for informing the detection of the state information, which is composed of an LED or the like that can be lit in color, and is provided at a place that can be easily recognized by a user away from the image forming apparatus 1. For example, when a device abnormality or a paper jam occurs, the notification unit 17 notifies the user that a device abnormality or a paper jam has occurred by lighting in red. In addition, when there is no recording paper in the external paper feeding cassette 13, it is lit in blue. In addition, when the user forgets to take a document placed on the document placing table or a document set on the ADF 12, it is lit yellow.

  Reference numeral 18 denotes a distance measuring sensor that measures the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and a user who uses the apparatus 1, and is provided in front of the image forming apparatus 1 and in the vicinity of the display unit 16. As the distance measuring sensor 18, various conventionally proposed sensors such as a sensor disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-288330 can be used.

Next, details of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus 1. Since the functions of the operation instruction unit 15, the display unit 16, the notification unit 17, and the distance measuring sensor 18 have been described with reference to FIG.
Reference numeral 19 denotes a state information detection unit that detects state information of the image forming apparatus 1.
Reference numeral 20 denotes an operation control unit. When the state information detection unit 19 detects the state information of the image forming apparatus 1, the display unit 16 notifies the user based on the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 measured by the distance measuring sensor 18 and the user. The operation of the unit 17 is controlled.

  Below, the said operation control of the operation control part 20 is demonstrated concretely. For example, when a paper jam occurs in the image forming apparatus 1 after the user gives a copy instruction, the status information detection unit 19 detects that a paper jam has occurred. Then, the distance measuring sensor 18 measures the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the user. Next, when the measured value is less than the predetermined value, for example, when the user is waiting in front of the image forming apparatus 1 until the end of copying, the operation control unit 20 reads “Because a paper jam has occurred, remove it. Please indicate "or the like is displayed on the display unit 16 that a paper jam has occurred.

  In addition, when a paper jam occurs in the image forming apparatus 1 as described above, the operation control unit 20 performs the above-mentioned distance, for example, when the user is away from the image forming apparatus 1 after performing a copy instruction. When the measured value is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the notification unit 17 is used to notify that a paper jam has occurred. When the notification unit 17 is an LED lamp, it is controlled to light up in red as described above.

  In addition, similarly, when the user forgets to take a document placed on the document placement table or a document set on the ADF 12, the display unit 16 and the notification unit 17 are also based on the measurement values output from the distance measuring sensor 18. The operation control is executed. In this case, according to the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the user, the display unit 16 displays “forgetting to take a document” or the notification unit 17 is lit in yellow.

  Returning to the description of the functional blocks in FIG. Reference numeral 21 denotes a network I / F that provides an interface function to the network N such as the Internet or a local network, and transmits / receives data to / from a facsimile machine (not shown) and a PC (not shown) connected to the network N. Execute.

  A scanner unit 22 having an ADF 12 and the like scans a document and generates document image data.

  Reference numeral 23 denotes an image processing unit that performs image processing based on printing parameters set by the user on document image data generated by the scanner unit 22, and reference numeral 24 includes a photosensitive drum, a charger, a developing unit, a cleaner unit, and the like. The image forming unit.

  Reference numeral 25 denotes a memory for storing various control information, message OSD data, and the like. Reference numeral 26 denotes an original image data generated by the scanner unit 22, an HDD for recording print job data transmitted from a facsimile apparatus, a PC, and the like. Is a control unit for controlling each functional block.

Hereinafter, status information notification and display processing executed by the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3.
If an apparatus abnormality or a paper jam occurs after the image forming apparatus 1 is turned on, the state information detection unit 19 detects the occurrence of the apparatus abnormality (state information). The same applies when there is no recording paper in the external paper feed cassette 13 and when the user forgets to take a document placed on the document table or a document set on the ADF 12.

  When the status information detection unit 19 detects status information such as device abnormality (step S1 / YES), the distance measuring sensor 18 measures the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the user and outputs the measurement value to the operation control unit 20. (Step S2).

When the measured value is less than the predetermined value (step S3 / YES), the operation control unit 20 that has received the measured value controls the display unit 16 to detect the image forming apparatus 1 detected by the state information detecting unit 19. Is displayed (step S4).
When the measured value is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (step S3 / NO), the operation control unit 20 controls the notification unit 17 to notify the detection of the state information of the image forming apparatus 1 (step S5).

  By doing in this way, when the user is away from the image forming apparatus 1, by operating a notification unit such as an LED lamp that can be easily recognized from a remote place, the image forming apparatus is directed to the user. The state information of 1 can be surely notified. Further, when the user is beside the image forming apparatus 1 such as when the user is operating the image forming apparatus 1, the notification unit is not operated and the display unit such as a display panel does not operate the image forming apparatus 1. Since the status information is displayed, unnecessary notification is not executed. Further, since unnecessary notification is not executed, energy saving is achieved.

(Other)
After the notification by the notification unit 17, when the distance measuring sensor 18 detects that the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the user gradually decreases (the user approaches the image forming apparatus 1), the operation control unit 20 The notification unit 17 may be controlled to notify the status information of the image forming apparatus 1, and the display unit 16 may be controlled to display the status information of the image forming apparatus 1.

The operation control unit 20 may change the notification content of the notification unit 17 based on the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the user.
For example, when the notification unit 17 is an LED, when the user approaches the image forming apparatus 1, the LED is switched from being turned on to blinking the LED. ).

  Further, the operation control unit 20 may operate the display unit 16 and the notification unit 17 simultaneously when the measured value of the distance between the image forming apparatus 1 and the user is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

  In addition, the notification unit 17 may be configured by sound output means such as a buzzer. In this case, when the user approaches the image forming apparatus 1, the sound output volume is gradually reduced. When the user approaches the image forming apparatus 1, the sound output is stopped.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus, 11 ... Document cover part, 12 ... ADF, 13 ... External paper feed cassette, 14 ... Paper discharge tray, 15 ... Operation instruction part, 16 ... Display part, 17 ... Notification part, 18 ... Ranging sensor , 19 ... status information detection unit, 20 ... operation control unit, 21 ... network I / F, 22 ... scanner unit, 23 ... image processing unit, 24 ... image forming unit, 25 ... memory, 26 ... HDD, 27 ... control unit .

Claims (3)

A distance measuring sensor for measuring a distance between the image forming apparatus and a user using the apparatus;
A status information detection unit that detects status information of the image forming apparatus such as paper jam, no recording paper, device error, forgetting to take a document,
A display unit that displays status information of the image forming apparatus, and a notification unit that notifies detection of the status information;
When the state information is detected, if the distance between the image forming apparatus and the user of the apparatus is less than a predetermined value, the display unit is controlled to display the state information of the image forming apparatus, and the distance is predetermined. The display unit and an operation control unit for controlling the operation of the notification unit so as to notify the detection of the state information of the image forming apparatus by controlling the notification unit when the value is equal to or greater than the value. A featured image forming apparatus.   When the distance between the image forming apparatus and the user of the apparatus is gradually shortened, the operation control unit controls the notification unit to notify the status information of the image forming apparatus and also controls the display unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein status information of the image forming apparatus is displayed.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation control unit changes notification contents of the notification unit based on a distance between the image forming apparatus and a user of the apparatus.

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