JP2016016608A - Image processing device and its control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mechanism which detects whether a person is present at a periphery of an image processing device, and switches control performed when a predetermined state occurs according to a detection result.SOLUTION: This image processing device photographs a periphery of the image processing device using a camera when an error such as a jam occurs, and detects whether a person is present according to whether a person is present within a predetermined range of the captured image. Then the image processing device gives notice of a jam etc., by alarming when a person is present at the periphery of the image processing device. When no person is present at the periphery of the image processing device, on the other hand, the image processing device gives notice of a jam etc., by electronic mail etc., to a predetermined external device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program.

  Conventionally, when an error such as a jam or out of toner has occurred in an image processing device, the status is displayed in text on the display unit provided in the image processing device, or the status is displayed by an alarm or sound. Control to notify is performed. In addition, in order to notify a user who is working by remote operation of the occurrence of an error, control such as notification of an alarm to a PC or the like via a network is performed. For example, in Patent Document 1, an alarm is notified to a management apparatus via a network when a jam state continues for a long time according to a jam occurrence state, and the operation rate and work of an image processing apparatus are notified. Technologies that improve efficiency have been proposed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-329298

  However, the above prior art has the following problems. For example, in the above prior art, when a jam occurs, the elapsed time of the jam state is measured, and when the elapsed time reaches the alarm notification level, an alarm signal is automatically output to the management device via the network. ing. Therefore, the jam state continues for the elapsed time set as the alarm notification level. Further, even when a person near the image processing apparatus misses the alarm sound when a jam occurs, an alarm is output via the network after the set elapsed time. Therefore, it is necessary for the person who received the alarm via the network to go to check the status of the image processing apparatus, and a person who is far away may perform jam maintenance.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and detects whether or not a person is present around the image processing apparatus, and switches control when a predetermined state occurs according to the detection result. The purpose is to provide a mechanism.

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a state detection unit that detects a state of the image processing apparatus in the apparatus, and a person around the image processing apparatus when the predetermined state is detected by the state detection unit. Detecting means for detecting whether or not the image processing apparatus is present; and when the detecting means detects the presence of the person in the vicinity of the image processing apparatus, the predetermined state detected by the state detecting means is set to a first state. And when the presence of the person is not detected in the vicinity of the image processing apparatus by the detection means, the predetermined state detected by the state detection means is different from the first method. Informing means for informing by a method is provided.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to detect whether or not there is a person around the image processing apparatus, and to switch control when a predetermined state occurs according to the detection result.

The figure which shows the structural example of the system which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the example of a control structure of the system which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows the internal mechanism structure of the system which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the image processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of an image processing apparatus according to a second embodiment. The figure which shows the detection range of the camera part 210 which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows the detection range of the camera part 210 which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments do not limit the present invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the present embodiments are not necessarily essential to the solution means of the present invention. .

<First Embodiment>
<System configuration>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 and FIG. First, a configuration example of a system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  The image processing system includes an image processing apparatus 101, a finishing unit 102, a reading apparatus 103, a print server 105, and client PCs 106 and 107. Each device is connected via a network 104 so as to be able to communicate with each other. The image processing apparatus 101 processes various input data (image data) and prints an image on a recording medium (paper or the like). The finishing unit 102 is connected to the image processing apparatus 101, and is a post-processing apparatus that sorts, staples, folds, and the like according to a desired output form. The finishing unit 102 may have a control configuration within the unit, or may be controlled by the control configuration of the image processing apparatus 101. In the following embodiment, a configuration example controlled by the image processing apparatus 101 will be described.

  As described above, the image processing apparatus 101 is connected to the print server 105 and the client PCs 106 and 107 via the network 104. Therefore, the user can create a print job to print an image and use the image processing apparatus 101 to execute a printing process in the client PC 106. Specifically, the print job generated by the client PC 106 is provided to the image processing apparatus 101 via the print server 105 or the network 104. The reading device 103 reads a document and acquires a document image.

<System control configuration>
Next, control blocks for controlling the image processing apparatus 101 and the finishing unit 102 will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 201 in FIG. 2 denotes an image forming controller included in the image processing apparatus 101. Reference numeral 202 denotes a network. In the present embodiment, a LAN (Local Area Network) is assumed (hereinafter referred to as a LAN). A LAN 202 corresponds to the network 104 in FIG. 1 and is connected to the print server 105 and the client PC 106 to perform LAN communication.

  The image forming controller 201 includes a LAN control unit 203, a RIP processing unit 204, an operation unit 205, an image formation control unit 206, a memory unit 207, a print image processing unit 208, a mechanism process control unit 209, a camera unit 210, and a speaker unit 211. Is provided. The LAN control unit 203 controls LAN communication with the LAN 202. That is, image data (for example, PDL data) input via the LAN 202 is received, and various image data and device information in the system are transmitted via the LAN 202. The RIP processing unit 204 decodes the input PDL data and develops it into bitmap data.

  The operation unit 205 is a user interface including an operation panel for a user to perform various operations and a display for displaying operation information. The operation unit 205 may include, for example, a touch panel type liquid crystal display unit and an input interface such as a power switch. The image forming control unit 206 is a processing unit that controls each unit of the image forming controller 201, and includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

  In the image processing apparatus 101, the memory unit 207 also has a control memory for the image forming control unit 206 to perform various controls and a program memory that stores a control program. The memory unit 207 is also used for storing an image during image formation. The memory unit 207 includes, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and the like.

  The print image processing unit 208 performs image processing for printing such as screen processing on the bitmap data developed by the RIP processing unit 204 and converts the bitmap data into print data. For example, when printing an image on a sheet such as paper, the mechanism process control unit 209 controls the image processing apparatus 101 and the finishing unit 102 in FIG. 1 to perform printing control and paper conveyance control. In the printing process in the image processing apparatus 101 and the discharge process in the finishing unit 102, the printing control on the sheet and the sheet transport mechanism control are all controlled by the mechanism process control unit 209.

  The camera is an example of a person detection unit, and images the periphery of the image processing apparatus 101 using the camera to detect a user (person) in the vicinity. Further, the feature points of the user's face may be stored in the memory unit 207 in advance, and the user standing in front of the camera may be photographed to perform user face authentication. The speaker unit 211 notifies a user in the vicinity of the state of the image processing apparatus 101 using a speaker. For example, when the user operates the operation unit 205, a sound is output to notify the user that the operation has been performed. Further, when a jam or toner out occurs during image formation in the image processing apparatus 101, an alarm sound may be output to notify a user in the vicinity of the image processing apparatus 101 that a predetermined state has occurred. it can.

<Internal mechanism of system>
Next, a configuration example of the internal mechanism in the image processing apparatus 101 and the finishing unit 102 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a cross section of each device. The image processing apparatus 101 includes a laser exposure unit 302, a rotary polygon mirror (polygon mirror) 303, an image forming unit 304, a photosensitive drum 305, and a conveyance belt 306. Here, the laser exposure unit 302 causes a light beam such as a laser beam modulated according to print image data to enter a rotating polygon mirror (polygon mirror) 303 that rotates at a constant angular velocity, and irradiates the photosensitive drum 305 as reflected scanning light. To do.

  In the image forming unit 304, the photosensitive drum 305 is rotated and charged by a charger in the image forming unit 304, and the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 305 is developed with toner. Then, the toner image is transferred to a sheet, and at that time, the minute toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 305 without being transferred is collected. The image processing apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment includes four development units (development stations) related to these electrophotographic processes. In other words, the four development units arranged in the order of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) have a predetermined time after the start of cyan station image formation, magenta, yellow, The black image forming operation is executed sequentially. With this timing control, a full color toner image without color misregistration is transferred to the sheet. The image processing apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment assumes color image printing. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and in the case of monochrome image printing, only a black development unit is mounted. do it.

  Next, the fixing unit 308 includes a combination of a roller and a belt, and includes a heat source such as a halogen heater. The toner on the sheet on which the toner image is transferred by the image forming unit 304 is melted and fixed by heat and pressure. Is. The conveyance belt 307 conveys the sheet from the image forming unit 304 to the fixing unit 308. The paper supply unit 309 includes a storage unit 310 that stores a recording medium such as paper. As the storage section 310, a recording paper cassette or a paper deck can be applied. The storage unit 310 may include only one, or in order to use a plurality of types of sheets, the storage unit 310 may include a plurality of storage units 310 so that various types of sheets can be stored. When printing is performed, one sheet is separated from the sheet stored in the storage unit 310, and is fed into the apparatus.

  The conveyance roller 311 is a roller that conveys the sheet pulled out from the storage unit 310 to the image forming unit 304. A paper feed sensor is provided in the vicinity of the transport roller 311, and by managing the output of the paper feed sensor, the image formation control unit 206 has information on how many sheets are being fed. . A paper discharge roller 312 discharges a sheet on which an image has been formed from the image processing apparatus 101. The sheet pulled out from the storage unit 310, image-formed by the image-forming unit 304, transferred by toner, and fixed by the fixing unit 308 is discharged by a paper discharge roller 312.

  Next, the finishing unit 102 will be described. The paper feed roller 320 receives a sheet discharged from the image processing apparatus 101 and feeds it to the finishing unit 102. The paper discharge separator 321 cuts out the paper discharge destination tray when discharging the sheet. The paper discharge destination tray includes a first paper discharge roller 322 and a first paper discharge tray 323. The other paper discharge destination tray includes a second paper discharge roller 324 and a second paper discharge tray 325.

  In the finishing unit 102, the paper discharge destination is separated by the paper discharge separator 321 when paper is discharged. As a result, the discharge destination is discharged when discharged to the first discharge tray via the first discharge roller 322 and when discharged to the second discharge tray 325 via the second discharge roller 324. Can be switched. The printing and sheet control in the image processing apparatus 101 and the finishing unit 102 described here are all performed by the mechanism process control unit 209 in FIG.

<Processing procedure>
Next, a processing procedure when a print job is input and image formation is performed will be described with reference to FIGS. The processing described below is realized by the image formation control unit 206 reading and executing a control program stored in the memory unit 207 in advance. When a user inputs a print job, print image data is transmitted from the client PC 106 to the print server 105, and transmitted to the image processing apparatus 101 via the LAN 202 and the LAN control unit 203. The transmitted print image data is controlled by the image formation control unit 206, developed into bitmap data by the RIP processing unit 204, and temporarily stored in the memory unit 207. The stored bitmap data is controlled by the image formation control unit 206 and subjected to print image processing by the print image processing unit 208, and then printed as a print image on paper.

  FIG. 4 illustrates a notification method when a jam (paper jam in the in-machine conveyance path) occurs during image formation in the image processing apparatus 101 during such print processing. When a jam occurs when printing a print image on a sheet, a jam sensor, which is an example of a state detection unit, is provided in the vicinity of the image forming unit 304, the fixing unit 308, and the like in the mechanism shown in FIG. Is provided so that a paper jam can be detected.

  In step S401, the image formation control unit 206 determines whether a jam has occurred. Specifically, when a jam is detected by the jam sensor, the image formation control unit 206 receives a notification that a jam has occurred from the mechanism process control unit 209 and determines that a jam has occurred. In step S <b> 402, upon receiving a notification that a jam has occurred, the image formation control unit 206 uses the camera unit 210 to detect whether a user exists around the image processing apparatus 101.

  As a method of performing detection, as shown in FIG. 7, a detection range 702 for detecting a user is set for an imaging range 701 of a camera provided in the camera unit 210. Accordingly, it is possible to detect the user by determining whether or not the user exists inside the detection range 702 in the captured image at the time of occurrence of the jam. Here, the detection range 702 is set by the administrator user confirming the imaging range 701 at the time of setup or standby, and setting the range within which the user is detected. It is desirable that the imaging range 701 is displayed on the print server 105 via the operation unit 205 or the network, so that the management user sets the detection range 702 while confirming the imaging range 701. The set detection range 702 is stored in the memory unit 207, and is read out by the image formation control unit 206 when an error such as a jam occurs. Further, the image processing apparatus 101 may store characteristic information of a predetermined user in the memory unit 207 in advance. In this case, the image formation control unit 206 can detect whether or not a predetermined user exists around the image processing apparatus 101 by comparing the feature information with the captured image. The feature information may be a captured image when the predetermined user is captured in advance.

  Returning to the description of FIG. In step S <b> 403, the image formation control unit 206 determines whether the camera unit 210 has detected a user around the image processing apparatus 101 based on the detection result in step S <b> 402. If detected, the process proceeds to S404, and the image formation control unit 206 notifies the detected peripheral user that a jam has occurred by sounding an alarm from the speaker unit 211 as a first method. At the same time, a message indicating that a jam has occurred is displayed on the operation unit 205. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S403 that no alarm has been detected, the process advances to step S405. As a second method, the image formation control unit 206 sends an alarm message to the print server 105, PC 106, 107, or the like via the LAN 202 as an e-mail. Notice. This notifies the user who has performed printing that an error such as a jam has occurred.

  FIG. 5 shows a method of notifying the alarm again when the error has not been resolved even after a predetermined time has elapsed after the image processing apparatus 101 notifies that an error such as a jam has occurred in the flow of FIG. First, in step S <b> 501, the image formation control unit 206 detects whether a user exists around the image processing apparatus 101 using the camera unit 210. This process is the same as the process of S402. In step S <b> 502, the image formation control unit 206 determines whether the camera unit 210 has detected a user around the image processing apparatus 101. If detected, the process proceeds to S503, and the image forming control unit 206 notifies the detected peripheral user that a jam has occurred by sounding an alarm from the speaker unit 211, and the process proceeds to S504. On the other hand, if there is no user in the vicinity of the image processing apparatus 101, the process proceeds to S504 without performing notification by sounding an alarm.

  In step S504, the image formation control unit 206 determines whether or not the jam has been resolved. If the jam is resolved, the image forming control unit 206 returns to a normal operation. On the other hand, if the jam is not resolved, the process returns to S501 to detect the user again. When it is detected that the user exists in the vicinity of the image processing apparatus 101, a notification is generated by sounding an alarm. Do.

  Note that the alarm notification of the present embodiment assumes a case where a jam has occurred, but is not limited to this, and when maintenance by the user is required, such as out of toner, no paper, waste toner replacement, etc. Can be applied.

  As described above, the image processing apparatus 101 according to the present embodiment can change the alarm notification method depending on whether a user exists around the image processing apparatus 101 when a jam occurs. Specifically, when an error such as a jam occurs, the image processing apparatus 101 captures the periphery of the image processing apparatus 101 using a camera, and whether or not a predetermined user exists in a predetermined range of the captured image. The presence of the user is detected by Thereafter, the image processing apparatus 101 notifies the occurrence of a jam by an alarm or the like if a predetermined user exists around the image processing apparatus 101. On the other hand, if the predetermined user does not exist around the image processing apparatus 101, the occurrence of a jam or the like is notified to a predetermined external apparatus by e-mail or the like. In order to determine whether or not the person included in the captured image is a predetermined user, information indicating the characteristics of the predetermined user is stored in advance, and the information is compared with the imaging result. You may judge. The information may be, for example, image information obtained by photographing the first user. Further, when the jam condition continues, when the user approaches the image processing apparatus 101, notification by the alarm is performed again, so that the user can be notified of the jam accurately. .

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, with reference to FIG. 6, an alarm notification method when a jam occurs in the image processing apparatus 101 will be described. The processing described below is realized by the image formation control unit 206 reading and executing a control program stored in advance in the memory unit 207. Here, parts different from the first embodiment will be mainly described. 6 is different from the first embodiment (FIG. 4) in that the detection range of the user by the camera unit 210 when a jam occurs is changed. In FIG. 6, the same processes as those in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same step numbers and description thereof is omitted.

  In step S <b> 601, the image formation control unit 206 uses the camera unit 210 to set a detection range for a user around the image processing apparatus 101. Here, the detection range can be enlarged or reduced as compared with the normal operation. The setting is performed based on parameters related to the image processing apparatus 101 when a jam occurs, parameters related to the print job being executed, and the like. For example, as a method of enlarging the detection method, control may be performed such that the detection range is set at normal times and abnormal times, and is set so that the detection range is wider than that at normal times when a jam occurs. Here, to change the detection range between normal and abnormal conditions, it is only necessary to capture the front of the image processing apparatus 101 in order to authenticate the user during normal times. This is because it is necessary to capture the user more widely than usual.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the normal detection range 802 is set for the imaging range 801 of the camera, and the abnormal detection range 803 is set in advance. It is possible to detect a user who is walking in the passage of FIG. 8 by expanding the detection range 803 at the time of abnormality not only in front of the image processing apparatus 101 but also in the horizontal direction. Alternatively, in a camera that can capture the surroundings, such as a panorama camera, the angle to be detected during normal times and abnormal times is set, and 45 degrees in front of the image processing apparatus 101 during normal times and 360 degrees during abnormal times. The detection range can be expanded with. The image formation control unit 206 according to the set detection range performs the determination of S403 and executes the subsequent processing.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, by setting the detection range of the camera unit 210 when a jam occurs, it is easy to detect or make it difficult to detect a user near the image processing apparatus 101. Can do. Therefore, it is possible to accurately notify the user of a jam according to a case such as when an error such as a jam occurs or when maintenance or the like is required. Note that whether or not a user is present in the vicinity of the image processing apparatus 101 is not limited to the method of detecting by the camera unit 210, but may be determined using a human body detection sensor.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

  101: Image processing apparatus, 102: Finishing unit, 103: Scanner unit, 104: LAN, 105: Print server, 106, 107: Client PC

Claims (11)

An image processing apparatus,
State detection means for detecting a state in the image processing apparatus;
Person detecting means for detecting whether or not a person exists in the vicinity of the image processing apparatus;
When the predetermined state is detected by the state detection unit and the presence of the person is detected around the image processing apparatus by the person detection unit, the predetermined state detected by the state detection unit is set as the first state. When the predetermined state is detected by the state detection unit and the presence of the person is not detected around the image processing apparatus by the state detection unit, the state detection unit detects the presence of the person. An image processing apparatus comprising: an informing means for informing a predetermined state by a second method different from the first method. The notification means includes
As the first method, sounding means for outputting an alarm sound indicating the predetermined state around the image processing device;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a notification unit that notifies the external apparatus capable of communicating with the image processing apparatus of information indicating the predetermined state as the second method.   When the predetermined time elapses after the notification means notifies the predetermined state by the first method or the second method, the person detection means determines whether the person exists around the image processing apparatus. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the presence of the person is detected around the image processing apparatus, the predetermined state is notified by the first method. . The person detecting means is
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a changing unit that changes a detection range for detecting a person in accordance with a state detected by the state detecting unit.   5. The person detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the person detection unit includes a camera, and detects whether or not the person is present in a captured image obtained by photographing the periphery of the image processing apparatus using the camera. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1. And further comprising storage means for storing the feature information of the person,
The person detecting means detects whether or not the person exists in the captured image by comparing the characteristic information of the person stored in the storage means with the captured image. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5.   The said person detection means is equipped with a human body detection sensor, and detects whether the said person exists using the detection result by the said human body detection sensor, The any one of Claim 1 thru | or 4 characterized by the above-mentioned. The image processing apparatus described.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the state detection unit detects a state that requires maintenance of the image processing apparatus as the predetermined state.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the state requiring maintenance is a jam that occurs during image formation. A control method for an image processing apparatus, comprising:
A state detection unit for detecting a state in the image processing apparatus;
A person detecting unit that detects whether a person is present around the image processing apparatus when a predetermined state is detected in the state detecting step;
In the case where the presence of the person is detected in the vicinity of the image processing apparatus in the person detection step, the notification unit notifies the predetermined state detected in the state detection step by the first method, and the person detection A notification step of notifying the predetermined state detected in the state detection step by a second method different from the first method when the presence of the person is not detected around the image processing device in the step; The control method of the image processing apparatus characterized by performing these.   A computer-readable program for causing a computer to function as the image processing apparatus according to claim 1.

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