JP2013198049A - Image forming apparatus and program for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which can more easily customize a function by detaching a device compared to a conventional case.SOLUTION: A controller of an image forming apparatus functions as installation type acquiring means (S101) for acquiring a type of a scanner which is electrically installed in a body by performing an image forming apparatus program stored in a storage section, device control means for controlling the scanner using a scanner control component included in the image forming apparatus program, and a use component determining means (S102) for determining the scanner control component used by the device control means. The use component determining means determines the scanner control component corresponding to the type of the scanner, which is acquired by the installation type acquiring means, among a plurality of scanner control components stored in the storage section, as the scanner control component used by the device control means.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus whose function can be customized by attaching and detaching a device.

  As conventional image forming apparatuses, there are known a printer dedicated machine for a printing function, a multifunction machine having not only a printing function but also a function other than a printing function such as a copying function and a FAX function (for example, a patent) Reference 1 (see FIGS. 1 and 8). For example, a printer-dedicated machine and a multifunction machine may have the same type of printing device as a printing device that performs a printing function.

JP 2008-268250 A

  However, even if a conventional printer-only machine is equipped with the same type of printing device as the multifunction machine, the program for controlling the printer-only machine itself is different from the program for controlling the multifunction machine. If a new device such as a device or a FAX device is simply electrically connected, there is no program for controlling the newly connected device, and therefore it cannot operate as a multifunction peripheral. Therefore, when the function of a conventional image forming apparatus is customized by attaching and detaching a device, a program for controlling the image forming apparatus itself must be manufactured for each model.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus whose functions can be easily customized by attaching and detaching devices.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a main body in which a device can be electrically attached and detached, a computer provided in the main body, and a program storage unit that stores a program for an image forming apparatus executed by the computer. The image forming apparatus program includes a plurality of device-specific program parts each of which is a program part for controlling the device and provided for each type of the device. By using the image forming apparatus program stored in the unit to acquire the type of the device that is electrically mounted on the main body, the mounting type acquisition unit that uses the device-specific program component Device control means for controlling the device, and used by the device control means. At least functions as a used component determining unit that determines the device-specific program component, and the used component determining unit is the mounting type acquiring unit among the plurality of device-specific program components stored in the program storage unit. The device-specific program component corresponding to the type of the device acquired by the step is determined as the device-specific program component used by the device control means.

  With this configuration, the image forming apparatus of the present invention acquires the type of the device that is electrically attached to the main body, automatically determines the program component for each device corresponding to the acquired device type, and determines the determined device-specific Since the device is controlled by using the program parts, the function can be easily customized by attaching and detaching the device.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the program for the image forming apparatus may include a part for realizing the mounting type acquisition unit and a part for realizing the device control unit in a separable manner.

  With this configuration, when the model is changed, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention can change the device as a program for the image forming apparatus if the part for acquiring the type of the device electrically attached to the main body is changed. Since it is not necessary to change the part for controlling the device by using another program part, it is possible to facilitate the change of the model as compared with the configuration in which the entire program for the image forming apparatus needs to be changed. it can.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the image forming apparatus program may include a part that realizes the mounting type acquisition unit and a part that realizes the used component determination unit in a separable manner.

  With this configuration, when the model is changed, the image forming apparatus of the present invention only needs to change the part for acquiring the type of the device that is electrically attached to the main body as the program for the image forming apparatus. Therefore, the model change can be further facilitated.

  The program for an image forming apparatus of the present invention is a program for an image forming apparatus that is executed by the computer of the image forming apparatus that includes a main body to which a device can be electrically attached and detached, and a computer provided in the main body. A plurality of device-specific program parts provided for each type of device, each of which is a program part for controlling the device, and obtains the type of the device electrically mounted on the main body. At least the computer as a mounting type acquisition means for performing, a device control means for controlling the device using the device-specific program parts, and a used part determining means for determining the device-specific program parts used by the device control means And the used component determining means Of the plurality of device-specific program components stored in the memory storage unit, the device-specific program component corresponding to the device type acquired by the mounting type acquisition unit is used by the device control unit. It is determined as a separate program part.

  With this configuration, the image forming apparatus that executes the program for the image forming apparatus of the present invention acquires the type of the device that is electrically attached to the main body, and automatically acquires the device-specific program component corresponding to the acquired type of device. Since the device is controlled by using the determined device-specific program component, the function can be easily customized by attaching and detaching the device.

  The program for an image forming apparatus of the present invention may include a part for realizing the mounting type acquisition unit and a part for realizing the device control unit in a separable manner.

  With this configuration, the program for an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is a device-specific program if the type of the device that is electrically attached to the main body is changed when the type of the image forming apparatus is changed. Since it is not necessary to change the part for controlling the device using the parts, it is possible to facilitate the change of the type of the image forming apparatus as compared with the configuration in which all the parts need to be changed.

  The program for an image forming apparatus according to the present invention may include a part that realizes the mounting type acquisition unit and a part that realizes the used component determination unit in a separable manner.

  With this configuration, when the type of the image forming apparatus is changed, the image forming apparatus program of the present invention only needs to change the part that acquires the type of the device that is electrically attached to the main body. The type of the image forming apparatus can be further facilitated.

  The function of the image forming apparatus of the present invention can be easily customized by attaching and detaching a device.

1 is a front view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus program shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a correspondence relationship between the type of scanner shown in FIG. 2 and the type of scanner control component. It is a figure which shows the correspondence of the kind of FAX communication apparatus shown in FIG. 2, and the kind of FAX control component. It is a block diagram of the function of the controller shown in FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 when determining a scanner control component to be used. 2 is a flowchart of the operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 when determining a FAX control component to be used.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of an image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a main body 20 to which a device can be electrically attached and detached, a scanner 51 that is a device electrically connected to the main body 20, and a base that supports the main body 20 and the scanner 51. 60.

  The scanner 51 is a reading device that reads an image from a sheet.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the image forming apparatus 10.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a FAX communication device 52 that is a device electrically connected to the main body 20. The FAX communication device 52 is a FAX device that performs FAX transmission / reception.

  The image forming apparatus 10 includes a controller 30 that is a computer that controls the entire image forming apparatus 10 and a display device that is connected to the controller 30 and displays various information, such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). Unit 41, an operation unit 42 such as a button that is connected to the controller 30 and inputs various operations by a user, and an external unit (not shown) such as a PC (Personal Computer) that is connected to the controller 30 A communication interface 43 for communicating with the apparatus directly or via a network, a printer 44 that is connected to the controller 30 and executes printing on paper, and a scanner 5 that is connected to the controller 30 There is provided with a scanner for the connector 45 to be electrically connected, and a FAX communication unit for a connector 46 which FAX communication device 52 is connected to the controller 30 are electrically connected.

  The controller 30, the display unit 41, the operation unit 42, the communication interface 43, the printer 44, the scanner connector 45 and the FAX communication device connector 46 are provided in the main body 20.

  The controller 30 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31 that controls the printer 44, the scanner 51, and the FAX communication device 52, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 32 that stores programs and various data in advance, and a work area of the CPU 31. And a RAM (Random Access Memory) 33 which is a rewritable volatile storage device. The CPU 31 is an arithmetic processing device that operates the controller 30 by executing a program stored in the ROM 32. The RAM 33 temporarily stores programs and various data when the CPU 31 executes the programs.

  The ROM 32 stores the image forming apparatus program 11 and constitutes the program storage unit of the present invention.

  The printer 44 receives print data received from an external device via the communication interface 43, image data generated by the scanner 51 electrically connected to the scanner connector 45, and is electrically connected to the FAX communication device connector 46. Printing is performed on paper based on data such as FAX data received by FAX from an external facsimile apparatus via the FAX communication apparatus 52 connected to.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the image forming apparatus program 11.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus program 11 includes a fixed portion 12 that is not changed for each type of the image forming apparatus 10 and a type dependent portion 15 that is changed for each type of the image forming apparatus 10. Yes. The fixed portion 12 and the type dependent portion 15 are configured to be separable from each other.

  The fixed portion 12 is a group of scanner control parts 13 that is a group of scanner control parts that are program parts for controlling the scanner 51 and a group of FAX control parts that are program parts for controlling the FAX communication device 52. And a FAX control component group 14.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a correspondence relationship between the type of the scanner 51 and the type of the scanner control component.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the scanner control component group 13 includes a plurality of scanner control components such as a scanner control component A and a scanner control component B. Each scanner control component of the scanner control component group 13 is provided for each type of scanner 51 as shown in FIG. 4, and constitutes a device-specific program component of the present invention. The types of the scanner 51 can be classified by various functional differences such as a readable color difference and a reading speed difference of a monochrome scanner and a color scanner, for example. In FIG. 4, a scanner control component Z is a scanner control component used when the scanner 51 is not electrically connected to the scanner connector 45.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a correspondence relationship between the types of the FAX communication device 52 and the types of FAX control components.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, the FAX control component group 14 includes a plurality of FAX control components such as a FAX control component A and a FAX control component B. Each FAX control component of the FAX control component group 14 is provided for each type of FAX communication apparatus 52 as shown in FIG. 5, and constitutes a device-specific program component of the present invention. The types of the FAX communication device 52 can be classified according to various functional differences. In FIG. 5, a FAX control component Z is a FAX control component used when the FAX communication device 52 is not electrically connected to the FAX communication device connector 46.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram of functions of the controller 30.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the CPU 31 of the controller 30 executes the image forming apparatus program 11 stored in the ROM 32 to acquire the type of device that is electrically attached to the main body 20. The device control unit 30b that controls the scanner 51 and the FAX communication device 52 using the unit 30a, the scanner control component, and the FAX control component, respectively, and the scanner control component and the FAX control component that are used by the device control unit 30b are determined. It functions at least as the used component determining means 30c.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the image forming apparatus program 11, a part that realizes the mounting type acquisition unit 30 a is included in the type-dependent part 15. Further, in the image forming apparatus program 11, a part that realizes the device control unit 30 b and the used component determination unit 30 c is included in the fixed part 12.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 will be described.

  First, the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 at startup will be described.

  When the image forming apparatus 10 is activated, the controller 30 executes the operation shown in FIG.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 when the scanner control component to be used is determined.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the mounting type acquisition unit 30a of the controller 30 acquires the type of the scanner 51 that is electrically mounted on the main body 20 based on the signal received via the scanner connector 45 (S101). ).

  Next, the used component determining means 30c of the controller 30 selects a scanner control component (see FIG. 4) corresponding to the type of the scanner 51 acquired in S101 among the plurality of scanner control components stored in the ROM 32. It determines as a scanner control component used by the control means 30b (S102), and complete | finishes the operation | movement shown in FIG.

  Therefore, the device control unit 30b controls the scanner 51 using the scanner control component determined in S102 among the plurality of scanner control components stored in the ROM 32.

  Further, when the image forming apparatus 10 is activated, the controller 30 also executes the operation shown in FIG.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 when determining the FAX control component to be used.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the attachment type acquisition means 30 a of the controller 30 determines the type of the FAX communication device 52 that is electrically attached to the main body 20 based on the signal received via the FAX communication device connector 46. Obtain (S121).

  Next, the used component determining means 30c of the controller 30 selects a FAX control component (see FIG. 5) corresponding to the type of the FAX communication device 52 acquired in S121 among the plurality of FAX control components stored in the ROM 32. Then, it is determined as a FAX control component to be used by the device control means 30b (S122), and the operation shown in FIG.

  Therefore, the device control unit 30b controls the FAX communication apparatus 52 using the FAX control component determined in S122 among the plurality of FAX control components stored in the ROM 32.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 when the scanner 51 electrically connected to the scanner connector 45 is changed will be described.

  When the scanner 51 electrically connected to the scanner connector 45 is changed, the controller 30 performs an operation similar to the operation shown in FIG. That is, the mounting type acquisition unit 30 a of the controller 30 acquires the type of the scanner 51 that is electrically mounted on the main body 20 based on the signal received through the scanner connector 45. Then, the used component determining unit 30c of the controller 30 corresponds to the scanner control component corresponding to the type of the scanner 51 acquired by the mounting type acquiring unit 30a among the plurality of scanner control components stored in the ROM 32 (see FIG. 4). ) Is determined as a scanner control component used by the device control means 30b.

  Therefore, the device control unit 30b controls the scanner 51 using the scanner control component determined by the used component determination unit 30c among the plurality of scanner control components stored in the ROM 32.

  Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 10 when the FAX communication device 52 electrically connected to the FAX communication device connector 46 is changed will be described.

  When the FAX communication device 52 electrically connected to the FAX communication device connector 46 is changed, the controller 30 performs an operation similar to the operation shown in FIG. That is, the attachment type acquisition unit 30 a of the controller 30 acquires the type of the FAX communication device 52 that is electrically attached to the main body 20 based on the signal received through the FAX communication device connector 46. Then, the used component determining means 30c of the controller 30 includes a FAX control component corresponding to the type of the FAX communication device 52 acquired by the mounting type acquiring means 30a among the plurality of FAX control components stored in the ROM 32 (FIG. 5). Is determined as the FAX control component used by the device control means 30b.

  Therefore, the device control unit 30b controls the FAX communication apparatus 52 using the FAX control component determined by the used component determination unit 30c among the plurality of FAX control components stored in the ROM 32.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 10 acquires the types of the scanner 51 and the FAX communication device 52 that are electrically attached to the main body 20 (S101, S121), and acquires the acquired scanner 51 and FAX communication device 52. The scanner control component and the FAX control component corresponding to the type are automatically determined (S102, S122), and the scanner 51 and the FAX communication device 52 are controlled using the determined scanner control component and FAX control component. The function can be easily customized by attaching and detaching the FAX communication device 52 as compared with the related art.

  Therefore, the user of the image forming apparatus 10 removes the scanner 51 and the FAX communication device 52 that are electrically attached to the main body 20 from the main body 20, and electrically connects the new scanner 51 and the FAX communication device 52 to the main body 20. The scanner 51 and the FAX communication device 52 can be changed simply by mounting them. That is, the user of the image forming apparatus 10 can change the scanner 51 and the FAX communication apparatus 52 that are electrically attached to the main body 20 without calling a service person.

  Of the image forming apparatus program 11, the part that acquires the type of the scanner 51 and the FAX communication apparatus 52 that are electrically mounted on the main body 20, that is, the part that implements the mounting type acquisition unit 30 a is the type-dependent part 15. Included. In the image forming apparatus program 11, a part for controlling the scanner 51 and the FAX communication apparatus 52 using the scanner control part and the FAX control part, that is, a part for realizing the device control unit 30 b is included in the fixed part 12. include. Therefore, in the image forming apparatus 10, when the model is changed, the part for realizing the device control unit 30 b is changed as the image forming apparatus program 11 if the part for realizing the attachment type acquisition unit 30 a is changed. Therefore, it is possible to easily change the model as compared with the configuration in which the entire image forming apparatus program 11 needs to be changed.

  Of the image forming apparatus program 11, a part that implements the used component determining unit 30 c is included in the fixed part 12. Therefore, when the model is changed, the image forming apparatus 10 acquires, as the image forming apparatus program 11, a part that acquires the types of the scanner 51 and the FAX communication apparatus 52 that are electrically attached to the main body 20, that is, Since it is only necessary to change the part that implements the mounting type acquisition means 30a, the change of the model can be further facilitated. Note that the part that implements the used component determining means 30 c may be included in the model-dependent part 15.

  In this embodiment, the image forming apparatus 10 corresponds to a scanner 51 and a FAX communication apparatus 52 as devices that can be electrically attached to and detached from the main body 20. However, the image forming apparatus 10 may correspond to a device other than the scanner and the FAX communication apparatus as a device that can be electrically attached to and detached from the main body 20. For example, the image forming apparatus 10 may correspond to a storage device such as an optional RAM or HDD (Hard Disk Drive) as a device that is electrically detachable from the main body 20.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 11 Program for image forming apparatus 13 Scanner control parts group (Program parts by several devices)
14 FAX control parts group (program parts for multiple devices)
20 body 30 controller (computer)
30a Wearing type acquisition means 30b Device control means 30c Used parts determination means 32 ROM (program storage unit)
51 Scanner (device)
52 FAX communication device (device)

Claims (6)

A device having a device that is electrically detachable; a computer provided in the device; and a program storage unit that stores a program for an image forming apparatus executed by the computer,
The image forming apparatus program is a program component for controlling the device, and includes a plurality of device-specific program components provided for each type of the device,
The computer, by executing the image forming apparatus program stored in the program storage unit, acquires a type of the device that is electrically mounted on the main body, and a device type acquisition unit. At least functions as device control means for controlling the device using program parts, and used part determination means for determining the device-specific program parts used by the device control means;
The used component determining means includes a device-specific program part corresponding to the device type acquired by the mounting type acquiring means among the plurality of device-specific program parts stored in the program storage unit. An image forming apparatus, characterized in that it is determined as the device-specific program component used by the control means.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus program includes a part that realizes the mounting type acquisition unit and a part that realizes the device control unit in a separable manner.   3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming apparatus program includes a part that realizes the mounting type acquisition unit and a part that realizes the used component determination unit in a separable manner. . A program for an image forming apparatus executed by the computer of an image forming apparatus comprising a main body on which a device can be electrically attached and detached, and a computer provided on the main body,
A program component for controlling the device, including a plurality of device-specific program components provided for each type of the device,
Used by a mounting type acquisition unit that acquires the type of the device that is electrically mounted on the main body, a device control unit that controls the device using the device-specific program component, and the device control unit Causing at least the computer to function as a used component determining means for determining the device-specific program component;
The used component determining means includes a device-specific program part corresponding to the device type acquired by the mounting type acquiring means among the plurality of device-specific program parts stored in the program storage unit. A program for an image forming apparatus, wherein the program is determined as the device-specific program component used by the control means.   5. The program for an image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a part for realizing the mounting type acquisition unit and a part for realizing the device control unit in a separable manner.   6. The program for an image forming apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a part for realizing the mounting type obtaining unit and a part for realizing the used part determining unit in a separable manner.

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