JP2013103402A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To cause an image forming apparatus to reliably execute a predetermined operation set at a predetermined date and time.SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 1 includes a timer acquiring means 11 for acquiring date and time information from a RTC 4 in the apparatus, and a module management means 12 for causing each of modules 6-8 in the apparatus to execute a predetermined operation at a preset date and time, on the basis of the date and time information acquired from the timer acquiring means 11. The apparatus further includes a network timer acquiring means 13 for acquiring substitute date and time information from a network 20. The module management means 12 causes the modules to execute the predetermined operation on the basis of the substitute date and time information obtained by the network timer acquiring means 13 when the predetermined operation is not executed after passing the predetermined date and time.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of registering execution of a predetermined operation at a set predetermined date and time.

  As an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile machine, a copying machine, or a complex machine of these, for example, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum as an image carrier, and the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum is developed with a developer. A visible image is developed by developing with a toner or the like, and the developed image is transferred onto a recording paper (also referred to as a paper or a recording medium) by a transfer device to carry the image, and is fixed on the recording paper by a fixing device using pressure or heat. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for fixing a toner image is known.

  Further, such an image forming apparatus has an energy saving function for switching to the energy saving mode when there is no operation for a predetermined time.

  As such an image forming apparatus, an apparatus capable of registering execution of a predetermined operation at a set predetermined date and time (hereinafter, including a predetermined time on every day, a predetermined date, a predetermined day of the week, etc.) is widely used. That is, the image forming apparatus has a timer module (such as a real-time clock (RTC)), and issues a timer event when a time arbitrarily set by the user elapses to start / shut down the apparatus, send / receive a facsimile, Transition to / return to the energy saving mode is executed.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus that arbitrarily sets the output time of FAX data received at night or automatically sets the history date and time and prints out the FAX data by the set time. Yes.

  However, in a conventional image forming apparatus that executes preset operations such as device startup / shutdown, facsimile transmission / reception, and transition / return to energy saving mode when a user-specified date and time has elapsed, a timer module is provided. There is a problem that the processing set at the set date and time is not executed in the case of not operating.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of executing a predetermined operation using an alternative unit even when a date and time set in advance by a user has elapsed and the set operation is not executed. Objective.

  In order to achieve such an object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a timer acquisition unit that acquires date information from a timer inside the apparatus, and a predetermined date and time set in advance based on the date information acquired from the timer acquisition unit. An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit that executes a predetermined operation on each module in the apparatus; and an alternative timer acquisition unit that acquires alternative date and time information from outside the image forming apparatus. If the predetermined operation is not executed when the predetermined date / time has elapsed, the predetermined operation is executed based on the alternative date / time information acquired by the alternative timer acquisition means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably execute a predetermined operation set at a predetermined date and time.

1 is a functional block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. It is a flowchart of the process which acquires alternative date information, and performs the set operation | movement. It is a flowchart of the process which acquires alternative date information, and performs the set operation | movement, and an error notification process. It is a flowchart which shows the process which sets whether an alternative timer is validated. It is a flowchart which shows the process which makes it not perform also about the other process registered into the said module, when the error has generate | occur | produced in the module.

  Hereinafter, the configuration according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiment shown in FIGS.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment is preset based on timer acquisition means (timer acquisition means 11) for acquiring date / time information from a timer (RTC4) inside the apparatus, and date / time information acquired from the timer acquisition means. Image forming apparatus including control means (controller unit 10 and module management means 12) for executing predetermined operations on each module (FAX module 6, power supply module 7, printing module 8) in the apparatus at a predetermined date and time. The apparatus (image forming apparatus 1) includes an alternative timer acquisition unit (network timer acquisition unit 13) that acquires alternative date and time information from outside the image forming apparatus (network 20), and the control unit performs a predetermined operation when the predetermined date and time elapses. If not, execute a predetermined action based on the alternative date and time information acquired by the alternative timer acquisition means. It is intended.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 includes an operation panel 2 as an operation / setting unit, a user notification unit 3 as a notification unit, a real time clock (RTC) 4, a CPU 5, a FAX module 6, a power supply module 7, a printing module 8, and a communication unit. A network interface (I / F) 9 and a controller unit 10 are provided. The image forming apparatus 1 is connected to a network 20 such as a LAN via a network I / F 9.

  Examples of the operation panel 2 include a touch panel format using an LCD display, and a device that performs input I / F in a button format. In addition, as the user notification unit 3 for notifying various setting contents and error contents to the user based on each command from the controller unit 10, for example, panel display by an LCD display (also used as the operation panel 2) In addition, there are LED lighting and buzzer sounds. The CPU 5 means a CPU clock, and the clock cycle is different from that of the RTC 4.

  The controller unit 10 as a control unit includes a timer acquisition unit 11, a module management unit 12, a network timer acquisition unit (alternative timer acquisition unit) 13, and the like.

  The timer acquisition unit 11 monitors the date and time when some operation is registered while acquiring the current date and time information (also referred to as time information) from the RTC 4. Further, when reaching the date and time when the operation is registered, a timer event is passed to the module management means 12.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes modules such as a FAX module 6 that realizes a facsimile function, a power supply module 7 that realizes startup / shutdown of a power supply, and a printing module 8 that realizes a printing function. With respect to each of these modules 6 to 8, the user can set an arbitrary date and time and operation content in advance through the operation panel 2.

  For information set according to the operation of the operation panel 2, for example, the set date and time and the operation content are registered in the module management unit 12, and the set date and time are registered in the timer acquisition unit 11. .

  As described above, when the set date / time is reached, the timer acquisition unit 11 notifies the module management unit 12 of a timer event. Receiving this, the module management unit 12 notifies the event to execute the registered operation to the module that is the target of the registered operation.

  Further, the controller unit 10 includes a network timer acquisition unit 13, and information about date and date (also referred to as alternative date information) from a network timer (alternative timer) on the network 20 outside the apparatus via the network I / F 9. ) The acquisition of alternative date / time information by the network timer acquisition unit 13 is periodically performed, and the network timer acquisition unit 13 periodically notifies the module management unit 12 of the alternative date / time information. Note that it is preferable that the user can arbitrarily set the acquisition interval and notification interval of the alternative date and time information via the operation panel 2.

  The acquisition destination of the alternative date and time information on the network 20 is not particularly limited, but may be an NTP server, a management information base for acquiring and managing log information related to the image forming apparatus 1 or the like. Good.

  Based on the alternative date information acquired from the network timer acquisition unit 13, the module management unit 12 compares the registered execution of the predetermined operation with the registered date. For example, when the registered date and time has passed but no timer event has been received from the timer acquisition unit 11, the module management unit 12 instructs the target module to perform the registered operation. This is notified to the user through the user notification unit 3.

  Further, the module management unit 12 receives the notification of the timer event from the timer acquisition unit 11, but notifies the user through the user notification unit 3 when the process registered in the corresponding module is not executed.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart of processing in the image forming apparatus 1 that is activated to acquire alternative date / time information from a network timer (alternative timer) outside the apparatus and perform an operation preset by the user.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is registered in advance so that a user designates an arbitrary date and time and executes a predetermined operation. In the present embodiment, the network timer acquisition unit 13 acquires current date information (alternative date information) from the network 20 (S101).

  Next, with respect to the alternative date information acquired by the network timer acquisition unit 13, the module management unit 12 passes the execution date and time of the predetermined operation set in the module management unit 12 (time and date of occurrence of the timer event by the timer acquisition unit 11). It is confirmed whether it is not (S102).

  If it has not elapsed (S102: No), the processing ends (no processing is performed), but if it has elapsed (S102: Yes), the error is inherently caused by an error of the timer 4 or the timer acquisition means 11, etc. Since this means that the process to be executed is not executed, the registered predetermined operation is executed by the module management means 12 (S103).

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment, processing for realizing each function is not executed, such as when a timer event cannot be received even when a date and time designated in advance by a user or the like has elapsed. Even when the current date and time is obtained from the date and time source as an alternative means, and the processing set by the user is executed based on the alternative date and time information, the registered operation can be surely executed. Become.

[Second Embodiment]
Hereinafter, other embodiments of the image forming apparatus will be described. In addition, the description about the same point as the said embodiment is abbreviate | omitted.

  In addition, if the operation registered at a predetermined time is not executed, an error such as whether the timer module (RTC 4 or timer acquisition means 11) is not operating or whether the modules 6 to 8 are not operating even when a timer event is received. There was a problem that the factor could not be identified.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the registered operation is not executed, an error factor of whether the error is on the timer side or the module side that received the event is specified, and the fact is notified to the user. It is a notification.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart of processing for acquiring alternative date / time information from a network timer outside the apparatus and performing an operation preset by the user and notifying the cause of the error.

  The image forming apparatus 1 is registered in advance so that a user designates an arbitrary date and time and executes a predetermined operation. In the present embodiment, the network timer acquisition unit 13 acquires current date information (alternative date information) from the network 20 (S201).

  Next, with respect to the alternative date information acquired by the network timer acquisition unit 13, the module management unit 12 passes the execution date and time of the predetermined operation set in the module management unit 12 (time and date of occurrence of the timer event by the timer acquisition unit 11). It is confirmed whether it is not done (S202).

  When the time has not elapsed (S202: No), the processing ends (no processing is performed). When the time has elapsed (S202: Yes), the module management unit 12 sets the date and time from the timer acquisition unit 11. A flag check (S203) is performed to determine whether a timer event notification has been received.

  When the flag is valid (S203: Yes), it is instructed to receive the timer event and perform the registered operation on the module side, but since it is not executed, there is an error on the module side that executes the operation. The user notification unit 3 is notified of the occurrence (S204).

  On the other hand, when the flag is invalid (S203: No), it means that the process that should be originally executed is not executed because the timer event cannot be received due to an error of the timer 4 or the timer acquisition unit 11, etc. The error notification on the timer side is notified to the user notification unit 3 (S205), and the registered predetermined operation is executed by the module management unit 12 (S206).

  According to the present embodiment, when a predetermined operation is not executed at the date and time set by the user, the cause of the error, that is, whether it is an error on the module side that executes the process or an error on the timer side , Can notify the user.

[Third Embodiment]
The image forming apparatus 1 preferably further includes a setting unit that can set the validity / invalidity of the network timer acquisition unit 13.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing for setting whether to use the network timer by the network timer acquisition means 13.

  First, the controller unit 10 displays a timer setting screen (date setting screen) on the operation panel 2 (S301). At this time, whether or not to use the alternative timer using the network timer acquisition means 13 is displayed in a selectable manner. Of course, it may be displayed separately from the date and time setting screen.

  When the use of the alternative timer is selected (S302: Y), the user notification unit 3 is notified of this, and thereafter, the network timer acquisition unit 13 is turned on (enabled) (S303). On the other hand, when it is selected not to use the alternative timer (S302: N), the fact is notified to the user notification unit 3, and thereafter, the network timer acquisition means 13 is turned off (invalid) (S304).

  According to the present embodiment, the user can select whether or not to operate the date designation process using the network timer.

[Fourth Embodiment]
FIG. 5 shows that when an error occurs in a module (FAX module 6, power supply module 7, printing module 8) that executes registered processing, other processing registered in the module is not executed. It is a flowchart which shows the process to make.

  Since S401 to S406 are the same processes as those of the second embodiment (S201 to S206 in FIG. 3), description thereof will be omitted.

  In the present embodiment, when the module that executes the process is the cause of the error (S404), the module management unit 12 searches the module for other date / time designation processes that are registered (S407). If other processing is registered for the module, all registered processing requests are deleted (S408).

  According to the present embodiment, when a module other than the timer module is the cause of the error, the process is erroneously executed in the same manner by deleting the process request registered for the corresponding module. It is possible to prevent unnecessary errors from occurring.

  The above-described embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

1 Image forming apparatus 2 Operation panel (operation / setting means)
3 User notification part (notification means)
4 Real time clock (RTC)
5 CPU
6 FAX module 7 Power supply module 8 Printing module 9 Network I / F
10 Controller (Control means)
11 Timer acquisition means 12 Module management means 13 Network timer acquisition means 20 Network

JP 2002-218120 A

Claims (4)

Timer acquisition means for acquiring date and time information from a timer inside the apparatus;
In an image forming apparatus comprising: control means for causing each module inside the apparatus to execute a predetermined operation on a predetermined date and time based on the date and time information acquired from the timer acquisition means.
An alternative timer acquisition means for acquiring alternative date and time information from outside the image forming apparatus;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the predetermined operation is not executed when the predetermined date and time have elapsed, the control unit causes the predetermined operation to be executed based on the alternative date and time information acquired by the alternative timer acquisition unit. The control means, when the predetermined operation is not executed when the predetermined date and time has elapsed,
Based on whether date / time information is acquired from the timer acquisition means, it is determined whether the error is on the timer acquisition means side or on each module side, and the determination result is notified. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. When the control means determines that the error is on each module side,
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when there is another predetermined operation set for the target module, the predetermined operation set for the target module is cleared.   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising setting means capable of setting validity / invalidity of the alternative timer acquisition means.

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