JP2013080122A - Image forming apparatus, control method of image forming apparatus, control program of image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus that can shut down power without leaving transfer paper that has been supplied in an image forming apparatus if abnormality occurs to a control unit that controls power shutdown processing after the image forming apparatus has received an instruction for shutting down power in the course of an image forming operation.SOLUTION: If abnormality occurs to a main controller 110 after an image forming apparatus 1 has received an instruction for shutting down power in the course of print processing and image data cannot be transmitted to an engine controller 210, the engine controller 210 determines that the main controller 110 cannot transmit the image data and puts the image forming apparatus into a power shutdown state without leaving transfer paper that has already been conveyed to a resist in the image forming apparatus.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, a control method for the image forming apparatus, and a control program for the image forming apparatus, and more particularly to transfer sheet discharge control of the image forming apparatus.

  In recent years, there has been a tendency to digitize information, and image processing apparatuses such as printers and facsimiles used for outputting digitized information and scanners used for digitizing documents have become indispensable devices. Such an image processing apparatus is often configured as a multifunction machine that can be used as a printer, a facsimile, a scanner, or a copier by providing an imaging function, an image forming function, a communication function, and the like.

  In such an image forming apparatus, in the middle of a series of image forming operations, the user presses the main power key in advance to instruct power shutdown, so that the power is shut off at the same time as the image forming operation is completed. There is a technology. In such an image forming apparatus, since it is not necessary for the user to instruct to shut off the power after completion of the image forming operation, if the user instructs to start the image forming operation and power off, the user can leave the image forming apparatus thereafter. There is an advantage. Further, even when the user leaves the image forming apparatus, the power is automatically shut off after the image forming operation is completed, which can contribute to energy saving.

  Further, in recent image forming apparatuses, when a user presses the main power key to instruct power shutdown in the middle of a series of image forming operations, the image forming operation is stopped halfway and the power is shut off. There is technology. In such an image forming apparatus, when the power shut-off process is performed, when the power shut-off is instructed, a new transfer paper is not fed after that, and the transfer paper that has already been fed is not performed. After the image forming process is performed, a power shutdown process is performed. Further, there is a technique in which when an instruction to turn off the power is given, an image forming operation is executed until the output of a series of documents, that is, a series of documents is completed, and then a power-off process is performed (for example, Patent Document 1). In such an image forming apparatus, when the user has to leave the image forming apparatus, it is possible to reserve the power-off of the image forming apparatus when the image forming operation is unlikely to be completed for a while, which is convenient for the user. It can contribute to the improvement of sex.

  By the way, such an image forming apparatus includes a paper feeding unit that feeds transfer paper, and an image forming processing unit that draws an image by performing image forming processing on the transfer paper fed by the paper feeding unit. And a controller for transferring the image data to the image forming processing unit, receiving a power-off process instruction, and controlling the power-off process.

  In the conventional image forming apparatus having such a configuration, when the user presses the main power key to stop the image forming operation during the image forming operation, the fed transfer paper is placed in the image forming apparatus. It may remain and cause a paper jam. This is because an abnormality occurs in the controller that has received a power-off instruction during the image forming operation, and the controller cannot transfer image data to the image forming processing unit. This is because the image forming processing unit continues to wait for image data while leaving

  The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and when an abnormality occurs in the control unit that controls the power-off process after receiving an instruction to turn off the power in the middle of the image forming operation, It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of shutting off the power supply so that no transferred transfer paper remains in the image forming apparatus.

  In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus includes an overall control unit that controls the entire apparatus and an image forming operation control unit that controls an image forming operation, wherein the overall control unit controls the image forming operation control. An image data transmission unit that transmits image data to the unit; and an operation stop instruction that stops the image forming operation in response to a user operation during execution of the image forming operation. An image forming operation stop instruction notifying unit for notifying the image forming operation control unit, and when the image forming operation control unit receives the operation stop instruction during execution of the image forming operation, the image data transmitting unit sends an image to the image data transmitting unit. An inquiry is made as to whether or not data transmission is possible, and the transferred transfer paper is discharged when it is determined that the image data cannot be transmitted based on the result of the inquiry. And features.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control program for an image forming apparatus including an overall control unit that controls the entire apparatus and an image forming operation control unit that controls an image forming operation, wherein the overall control unit includes: A step of transmitting image data to the image forming operation control unit; and an operation stop instruction received when an operation stop instruction for stopping the image forming operation is received in response to a user operation during the execution of the image forming operation. To the image forming operation control unit, and when the image forming operation control unit receives the operation stop instruction during execution of the image forming operation, inquires the image data transmitting unit whether image data can be transmitted, The step of discharging the transferred transfer paper when it is determined that transmission of the image data is impossible based on the result of the inquiry Characterized in that to execute the location.

  According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for an image forming apparatus including an overall control unit that controls the entire apparatus and an image forming operation control unit that controls an image forming operation. When the image forming operation control unit transmits image data and receives an operation stop instruction for stopping the image forming operation in response to a user operation during the execution of the image forming operation, the received operation stop instruction is received. When the image forming operation control unit receives the operation stop instruction during execution of the image forming operation, the image forming operation control unit inquires of the image data transmitting unit whether or not image data can be transmitted. When it is determined that transmission of the image data is impossible based on the result, the conveyed transfer paper is discharged.

  According to the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in the control unit that controls the power-off process after receiving the power-off instruction in the middle of the image forming operation, the already-transferred transfer paper remains in the image forming apparatus. Thus, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of shutting off the power without being interrupted.

1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure from when the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention receives a print processing stop request until the print processing is stopped.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present exemplary embodiment, as an example of an image forming apparatus, an image is formed on a transfer sheet by feeding the transfer sheet and forming an image on the transferred transfer sheet. An image forming apparatus that discharges the image will be described as an example.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) that can be used as a printer, a facsimile, a scanner, and a copying machine by including an imaging function, an image forming function, a communication function, and the like. In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 executes image forming output based on an input print job. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured by units of a plotter device U1, transfer paper storage devices U2 to U3, and image-formed transfer paper post-processing devices U4 to U6.

  The plotter device U1 is composed of an electrophotographic recording device or an ink jet recording device, and draws an image on the transfer paper by feeding the transfer paper and performing an image forming process based on the image data. Further, the plotter device U1 conveys the image-formed transfer paper to any one of the image-formed transfer paper post-processing devices U2 to U3. The transfer paper storage devices U2 to U3 are devices for storing transfer paper. For example, a relatively small-capacity storage device connected to the lower side of the plotter device U1 as U2 shown in FIG. 1, or a relatively large-capacity storage connected side by side with the plotter device U1 as U3. There is a device. These storage devices are provided with paper feed stages for storing transfer sheets for different sizes, and transfer sheets of the same size are stored in the respective paper feed stages, and the transfer sheets are conveyed to the plotter device U1.

  The image-formed transfer paper post-processing devices U4 to U6 are devices that perform post-processing on the image-formed transfer paper discharged from the plotter device U1. A plurality of image-formed transfer paper post-processing devices can be connected to the plotter device U1. The image-formed transfer paper post-processing device U4 is an insertion device for inserting, for example, a bookbinding cover or a slip sheet, and U5 is a punching device for performing a punching process, for example, or folding a sheet for bookbinding. The folding device. The image-formed transfer paper post-processing device U6 is, for example, a stapling device for performing a stapling process on a paper, a tape binding, a ring binding, a bookbinding device for performing a bookbinding, or a designated size of the bound transfer paper. It is a cutting device that cuts to make it easy.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment also includes consumables such as a stapler processing staple (not shown), an adhesive for saddle stitching, a tape for tape binding, a ring for ring binding, a bind strip for sure binding, and the like. A consumables storage unit for storing products is provided. In the stapling process, staple chips are generated when cutting the staples depending on the number of printed sheets. In the punching process, punch chips are generated when punch holes are made in the printing paper. In this case, cutting waste is generated. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a collection unit for storing these wastes.

  Next, a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The image forming apparatus 1 includes an engine for realizing a scanner, a printer, and the like in addition to the hardware configuration shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a configuration similar to that of a general server or PC. That is, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 20, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 30, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 40, and an I / F 50. 80 is connected. Further, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 60 and an operation unit 70 are connected to the I / F 50.

  The CPU 10 is a calculation unit and controls the operation of the entire image forming apparatus 1. The RAM 20 is a volatile storage medium capable of reading and writing information at high speed, and is used as a work area when the CPU 10 processes information. The ROM 30 is a read-only nonvolatile storage medium and stores a program such as firmware. The HDD 40 is a non-volatile storage medium that can read and write information, and stores an OS (Operating System), various control programs, application programs, and the like. In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the HDD 40 and the RAM 20 function as a job information storage unit.

  The I / F 50 connects and controls the bus 80 and various hardware and networks. The LCD 60 is a visual user interface for the user to check the state of the image forming apparatus 1. The operation unit 70 is a user interface such as a keyboard and a mouse for the user to input information to the image forming apparatus 1.

  In such a hardware configuration, a program stored in a storage medium such as the ROM 30, the HDD 40, or an optical disk (not shown) is read into the RAM 20, and the CPU 10 performs an operation according to the program loaded into the RAM 20, whereby the software control unit Is configured. A functional block that realizes the functions of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured by a combination of the software control unit configured as described above and hardware.

  Next, the functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a main device unit 100 and an engine function unit 200. The main device unit 100 includes a main controller 110, a display panel 120, a network I / F 130, a serial interface. It has I / F140. The engine function unit 200 includes an engine controller 210, an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) 221, a scanner unit 222, a paper discharge tray 223, a paper feed table 231, a print engine 232, a paper discharge tray 233, and a serial I / F 240. Have

  The main controller 110 includes a main control unit 111, an operation display control unit 112, a job control unit 113, an apparatus control unit 114, a network control unit 115, and an input / output control unit 116 connected to a bus 117. The engine controller 210 is configured by connecting a main controller 211, an engine controller 212, and an input / output controller 213 to a bus 214. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured as a multifunction machine having a scanner unit 222 and a print engine 232. In FIG. 3, the electrical connection is indicated by a solid arrow, and the flow of a sheet or a document bundle is indicated by a broken arrow.

  The main control unit 111 plays a role of controlling each unit included in the main controller 110 and gives a command to each unit of the main controller 110. The operation display control unit 112 displays information on the display panel 120 or notifies the device control unit 114 of information input via the display panel 120. In addition, the operation display control unit 112 notifies the job control unit 113 of a print job input via the display panel 120. The job control unit 113 determines a printing process condition based on the print job notified from the operation display control unit or the network control unit 114. Further, the job control unit 113 generates drawing information based on image information to be printed out. The drawing information is information for drawing an image to be formed in the image forming operation by the print engine 232 as an image forming unit.

  The apparatus control unit 114 includes various information for the image forming apparatus 1 such as information input from the operation display control unit 112 via the display panel 120 and information input via the network control unit 115 via the network I / F 130. Accept information and requests. The network control unit 115 inputs information input via the network I / F 130 to the device control unit 114. Further, the network control unit 115 notifies the job control unit 113 of a print job input via the network I / F 130. The input / output control unit 116 inputs information input from the engine controller 210 via the serial I / F 140 to each unit of the main controller 110.

  The display panel 120 is an output interface that visually displays the state of the image forming apparatus 1, and as a touch panel, when the user directly operates the image forming apparatus 1 or inputs information to the image forming apparatus 1. It is also an input interface. That is, the display panel 120 includes a function for displaying an image for receiving an operation by the user. The display panel 120 is realized by the LCD 60 and the operation unit 70 shown in FIG.

  The network I / F 130 is an interface for the image forming apparatus 1 to communicate with other devices such as a client terminal (not shown) via the network, and uses an Ethernet (registered trademark) or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface. The network I / F 130 is realized by the I / F 50 shown in FIG. The serial I / F 140 is an interface for the main controller 110 to communicate with the engine controller 210, and is realized by the I / F 50 shown in FIG.

  The main control unit 211 plays a role of controlling each unit included in the engine controller 210 and gives a command to each unit of the engine controller 210. The engine control unit 212 serves as a drive unit that controls or drives the scanner unit 222, the print engine 232, and the like.

  The input / output control unit 213 inputs information input from the main controller 110 via the serial I / F 240 to each unit of the engine controller 210. The serial I / F 240 is an interface for the engine controller 210 to communicate with the main controller 110.

  The main controller 110 and the engine controller 210 are configured by a combination of software and hardware. For example, in the case of the main controller 110, specifically, a control program such as firmware stored in a ROM 30, a nonvolatile memory, and a nonvolatile storage medium such as the HDD 40 or an optical disk is stored in a volatile memory (hereinafter referred to as a memory) such as a RAM 20. The main controller 110 is composed of a software control unit configured by the CPU 10 performing operations according to the programs and hardware such as an integrated circuit. The main controller 110 controls the main device unit 100, and the engine controller 210 controls the engine function unit 200.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 operates as a printer, first, the network control unit 115 receives a print job including image data via the network I / F 130. The network control unit 115 transfers the received print job to the job control unit 113. When the job control unit 113 acquires a print job, the job control unit 113 generates drawing information based on document information or image information included in the print job. The input / output control unit 116 transmits the drawing information generated by the job control unit 113 to the engine controller 210 via the serial I / F 140.

  When the input / output control unit 213 receives the drawing information transmitted via the serial I / F 240, the input / output control unit 213 transfers the received drawing information to the engine control unit 212. Upon receiving the drawing information, the engine control unit 212 controls the print engine 232 to convey the transfer paper from the paper feed table 231 to a resist (not shown), and further transfers the transfer paper conveyed to the resist based on the generated drawing information. Then, the print engine 232 performs image formation. Here, the resist is a mechanism provided at a transfer paper stop position for stopping the transfer paper once and adjusting the timing in order to align the front end of the transfer paper and the front end of the image. As a specific mode of the print engine 232, an image forming mechanism using an ink jet method, an image forming mechanism using an electrophotographic method, or the like can be used. The transfer paper on which image formation has been performed by the print engine 232 is discharged to a discharge tray 233.

  In such an image forming apparatus 1, the gist of the present embodiment is that an abnormality occurs in the main controller 110 after receiving a power-off instruction during execution of printing processing, and image data cannot be transmitted to the engine controller 210 side. In this case, the engine controller 210 determines that the main controller 110 cannot transmit image data, so that the transfer sheet that has already been transported to the resist does not remain in the image forming apparatus 1 and shifts to a power-off state. There is. As a result, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can prevent a paper jam caused by the paper conveyed to the resist when an abnormality occurs in the main controller 110 and image data cannot be transmitted to the engine controller 210 side. it can. Details will be described below. In the present embodiment, the power shutdown state refers to a power saving state in which most of the image forming apparatus 1 is not energized in order to reduce power consumption of the image forming apparatus 1.

  A process from when the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment receives a print process stop request until the print process is stopped will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure from when the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment receives a print processing stop request until the print processing is stopped. When the user operates the display panel 120 and presses the print process stop button or the power key while the image forming apparatus 1 is executing the print process, the operation display control unit 112 first prints the print process input via the display panel 120. A stop request is notified to the device control unit 114. Upon receiving the print processing stop request notification, the apparatus control unit 114 instructs the job control unit 113 to stop the print processing. Here, the print processing stop request is a signal for causing the image forming apparatus 1 to shift to a power-off state after stopping the printing process being executed by the image forming apparatus 1 halfway.

  Upon receiving the print processing stop instruction, the job control unit 113 determines how much of the currently executed print processing is executed to stop the print processing (S401). The timing for stopping the printing process includes, for example, a break between copies, that is, a timing at which a series of document output is completed. The job control unit 113 executes the image forming operation until the determined printing process, and thereafter transmits an execution stop instruction to stop the printing process to the engine controller 210 via the input / output control unit 116 and the serial I / F 140. To do. The input / output control unit 213 receives the execution stop instruction transmitted via the serial I / F 240 and transfers it to the engine control unit 212. (S402).

  The engine control unit 212 notified of the execution stop instruction makes an inquiry to the job control unit 113 as to whether image data can be transmitted (S404) when the transfer sheet is conveyed from the paper feed table 231 to the registration (S403). When the job control unit 113 cannot transmit image data (S405 / NO), the job control unit 113 does not respond and the engine control unit 212 does not respond from the job control unit 113 within a predetermined time. Therefore, the job control unit 113 determines that image data cannot be transmitted (S410). Note that here, the job control unit 113 cannot transmit image data by transmitting image data transmission disabled from the job control unit 113 or another control unit on the main controller 100 side to the engine control unit 212. It may be configured to notify the engine control unit 212.

  If the job control unit 113 determines that the image data cannot be transmitted, the engine control unit 212 discharges the transfer sheet conveyed to the registration in the process of S403 to the discharge tray 233 as a blank sheet (S411). Then, the apparatus control unit 114 controls a power supply unit (not shown) to shift the image forming apparatus 1 to the power cut-off state (S412). Here, the case where the job control unit 113 cannot transmit image data is, for example, a case where an abnormality occurs in the main controller 110 and control becomes impossible.

  On the other hand, when the job control unit 113 can transmit image data (S405 / YES), the job control unit 113 notifies the engine control unit 212 that image data can be transmitted (S406), and transmits the image data. (S407). In this case, the image data transmission may be replaced with a notification that the image data can be transmitted. That is, the process of S406 may be omitted and the image data transmission of S407 may be replaced with a notification that image data can be transmitted.

  The engine control unit 212 executes an image forming operation based on the received image data (S408). If the engine control unit 212 determines that the image forming operation has been executed up to the printing process determined by the job control unit 113 in the process of S401 (S409 / YES), the main control unit 110 is not illustrated. The power supply unit is controlled to shift the image forming apparatus 1 to the power cutoff state (S412). On the other hand, when the engine control unit 212 determines that the image forming operation has not been executed up to the printing process determined by the job control unit 113 in the process of S401 (S409 / NO), the image forming apparatus 1 The processes of S403 to S409 are repeated until the image forming operation is executed until the printing process determined by the job control unit 113 in the process of S401.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has a case where an abnormality occurs in the main controller 110 after receiving an instruction to turn off the power during execution of the printing process, and image data cannot be transmitted to the engine controller 210 side. The engine controller 210 determines that the main controller 110 cannot transmit image data, and discharges the transfer paper that has already been transported to the registration as a blank sheet. As a result, even if an abnormality occurs in the main controller 110 and image data cannot be transmitted to the engine controller 210 side, the transfer paper that has already been transported to the resist is not left in the image forming apparatus before the power is supplied. Since the blocking state is established, it is possible to prevent the transfer paper conveyed to the resist from being jammed.

  Note that the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has been described as transitioning to the power-off state (power saving state) when the printing process is stopped, but is configured to shift to another state when the printing process is stopped. May be. Here, the other state is, for example, a power saving state having a plurality of stages based on the level of power consumption, and is a state set in advance among the power saving states of the plurality of stages.

  In this embodiment, the tray on which the transfer paper on which image formation has been normally performed is discharged and the tray on which the white paper is discharged are described as the same tray. However, these trays are provided separately. It may be configured. As a result, it is possible to prevent white paper from being mixed into a bundle of transfer papers that have been normally printed, which can be more convenient for the user.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the main controller 110 is an overall control unit, the engine controller 210 is an image forming operation control unit, the job control unit 113 is an image data transmission unit, and the apparatus control unit 114 is an image forming operation stop instruction notification. It functions as a part.

1 Image forming apparatus 10 CPU
20 RAM
30 ROM
40 HDD
50 I / F
60 LCD
70 Operation Unit 80 Bus 100 Main Device Unit 110 Main Controller 111 Main Control Unit 112 Operation Display Control Unit 113 Job Control Unit 114 Device Control Unit 115 Network Control Unit 116 Input / Output Control Unit 117 Bus 120 Display Panel 130 Network I / F
140 Serial I / F
200 Engine Function Unit 210 Engine Controller 211 Main Control Unit 212 Engine Control Unit 213 Input / Output Control Unit 214 Bus 221 ADF
222 Scanner unit 223 Paper discharge tray 231 Paper feed table 232 Print engine 233 Paper discharge tray 240 Serial I / F

JP 2000-56655 A

Claims (7)

An image forming apparatus comprising an overall control unit for controlling the entire apparatus and an image forming operation control unit for controlling an image forming operation,
The overall controller is
An image data transmission unit for transmitting image data to the image forming operation control unit;
An image forming operation stop instruction that notifies the image forming operation control unit of the received operation stop instruction when an operation stop instruction to stop the image forming operation is received in response to a user operation during the execution of the image forming operation. And a notification unit,
When the image forming operation control unit receives the operation stop instruction during execution of the image forming operation, the image forming operation control unit inquires of the image data transmitting unit whether or not image data can be transmitted, and based on the result of the inquiry, the image data transmission is An image forming apparatus that discharges a conveyed transfer sheet when it is determined that the transfer is impossible.   When the image forming operation control unit receives the operation stop instruction during execution of the image forming operation, the image forming operation control unit inquires of the image data transmitting unit whether or not image data can be transmitted. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if there is no response from a transmission unit, it is determined that the image data cannot be transmitted.   When the image forming operation control unit receives the operation stop instruction during execution of the image forming operation, the image forming operation control unit inquires of the image data transmitting unit whether or not image data can be transmitted, and notifies the image control unit from the overall control unit side. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus determines that the transmission of the image data is impossible. A tray on which the transfer paper subjected to the image forming process is discharged and a white paper discharge tray;
4. The image forming operation control unit according to claim 1, wherein when the image forming operation control unit determines that the image data cannot be transmitted, the image forming operation control unit discharges the transferred transfer paper to the blank paper discharge tray. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.   5. The image formation according to claim 1, wherein the overall control unit shifts the image forming apparatus to a power saving state when the image forming operation control unit discharges the transfer sheet. 6. apparatus. A control program for an image forming apparatus comprising an overall control unit for controlling the entire apparatus and an image forming operation control unit for controlling an image forming operation,
The overall control unit
Transmitting image data to the image forming operation control unit;
A step of notifying the image forming operation control unit of the received operation stop instruction when an operation stop instruction for stopping the image forming operation is received in response to a user operation during the execution of the image forming operation;
When the image forming operation control unit receives the operation stop instruction during execution of the image forming operation, the image data transmitting unit inquires of the image data transmitting unit whether the image data can be transmitted, and the transmission of the image data is performed based on the result of the inquiry. A control program for an image forming apparatus, which causes the image forming apparatus to execute a step of discharging the transferred transfer paper when it is determined that the transfer is not possible. An image forming apparatus control method comprising: an overall control unit that controls the entire apparatus; and an image forming operation control unit that controls an image forming operation.
The overall control unit
Send image data to the image forming operation control unit,
When an operation stop instruction for stopping the image forming operation is received in response to a user operation during the execution of the image forming operation, the received operation stop instruction is notified to the image forming operation control unit,
When the image forming operation control unit receives the operation stop instruction during execution of the image forming operation, the image data transmitting unit inquires of the image data transmitting unit whether the image data can be transmitted, and the transmission of the image data is performed based on the result of the inquiry. A control method for an image forming apparatus, comprising: discharging a transferred transfer sheet when it is determined that the transfer sheet is impossible.

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