JP2021141465A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To prevent a reduction in processing speed of a job due to expansion memory.SOLUTION: In an image forming apparatus 1, an arithmetic processing unit 17 comprises an on-board memory 31 and can be connected to an expansion memory module 41. A memory operation condition setting unit 22 is configured to set, when the expansion memory module 41 is connected: a first memory operation mode (a) if only the on-board memory 31 is not sufficient for a storage area required for the execution of a job; and a second memory operation mode (b) if otherwise. The first memory operation mode uses the expansion memory module 41 and the on-board memory 31 at a first memory operation frequency, and the second memory operation mode does not use the expansion memory module 41 but uses the on-board memory 31 at a second memory operation frequency higher than the first memory operation frequency.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

Some complex machines have a resident memory that should be accessed with a 32-bit bus width, and when an additional memory accessible with a 64-bit bus width is connected, the capacity of the additional memory is more than twice the capacity of the resident memory. If there is, the additional memory is accessed with a 64-bit bus width, and if not, the resident memory and the additional memory are accessed with a 32-bit bus width (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-13949

As mentioned above, there are various types of memory modules (DIMM (Dual Inline Memory Module), etc.) used for the expansion memory as described above, and no matter what type of expansion memory is connected, the onboard memory (onboard memory). It is difficult to perform a memory access operation under the same operating conditions as in the case of only (permanent memory) (that is, without additional memory). Therefore, in a certain image forming apparatus, it is lower than the memory operating frequency (for example, 667 MHz) that is possible only with the onboard memory so that the memory access operation is properly executed even when any additional memory is connected. The memory access operation is performed at a frequency (for example, 533 MHz).

By doing so, the memory access operation is performed stably regardless of whether or not the additional memory is connected, but the memory operating frequency is set lower than the memory operating frequency that is possible when only the onboard memory is used. , The processing speed of the job becomes low.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an image forming apparatus that suppresses a decrease in job processing speed due to additional memory.

The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an internal device, an arithmetic processing unit having an onboard memory and to which an additional memory module can be connected, and a job that accepts a job request and executes the job of the job request using the internal device. When the management unit and the additional memory module are connected, (a) when the onboard memory is insufficient for the storage area required for executing the job, the first memory operation mode is set as the memory operation mode. (B) When the onboard memory is sufficient for the storage area required for executing the job, the memory operating condition setting unit for setting the second memory operation mode as the memory operation mode is provided. Then, the first memory operating mode uses the additional memory module and the onboard memory at the first memory operating frequency, and the second memory operating mode uses the additional memory module at the second memory operating frequency. The onboard memory is used without being used, and the operating frequency of the second memory is higher than the operating frequency of the first memory.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an image forming apparatus that suppresses a decrease in job processing speed due to additional memory.

The above or other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be further clarified from the following detailed description along with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an on-board memory and an additional memory module as RAM used in the arithmetic processing unit 17 in the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a memory operation mode and a memory map in the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 at the time of activation. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 during job execution.

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

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a printing apparatus 11, a facsimile apparatus 12, an image reading apparatus 13, a storage apparatus 14, a communication apparatus 15, an operation panel 16, and an arithmetic processing apparatus 17.

The printing device 11 is an internal device that prints an image page by page on printing paper based on the printed image data, for example, by an electrophotographic method. The facsimile machine 12 is an internal device that transmits and receives an image as a facsimile signal by a modem via a public telephone line or the like. The image reading device 13 is an internal device that optically reads a document image from a document and generates an image data file thereof.

The storage device 14 is a non-volatile storage device, and stores programs, data, and the like executed by the arithmetic processing unit 17.

The communication device 15 is, for example, a network interface, which is an internal device connected to a network and performing data communication with another device (user terminal device or the like) connected to the network.

The operation panel 16 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display that displays various information to the user, and an input device such as a touch panel and a hard key that accepts user operations.

Further, the arithmetic processing device 17 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like, loads a program from the storage device 14, the ROM, and the like into the RAM, and loads the program into the CPU. By executing with, various processing units are realized.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an on-board memory and an additional memory module as RAM used in the arithmetic processing unit 17 in the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG.

The arithmetic processing unit 17 includes an onboard memory 31 and can be connected to an additional memory module 41. Specifically, the onboard memory 31 in FIG. 2 is fixedly installed on the substrate on which the arithmetic processing unit 17 is provided. Further, the arithmetic processing unit 17 is provided with a connection portion 17a (connection terminal, socket, etc.) to which the additional memory module 41 can be electrically and mechanically connected. The additional memory module 41 is connected to the processing device 17.

The onboard memory 31 includes, for example, one or more DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) chips. The additional memory module 41 is, for example, a DIMM and includes one or a plurality of rank DRAM chips.

Further, the arithmetic processing unit 17 includes a memory controller 32 and a main controller 33. The memory controller 32 executes access (read or write) to the onboard memory 31 and the additional memory module 41 via the pattern wiring on the board and the connection portion 17a. The main controller 33 is, for example, the CPU (Central Processing Unit) described above, and operates as a job management unit 21 and a memory operating condition setting unit 22.

The job management unit 21 is an internal device (printing device 11, facsimile machine 12, image reading device 13, communication device 15, etc.) based on the job request received by the communication device 15 or the job request received by the operation panel 16. Use to execute the job requested by the job request (print job, scan job, copy job, fax send job, scan to send job, etc.). At that time, the job management unit 21 secures a storage area (work memory) required for the job in the onboard memory 31, the additional memory module 41, or both the onboard memory 31 and the additional memory module 41.

The onboard memory 31 and the additional memory module 41 belong to one clock domain, and the onboard memory 31 and the additional memory module 41 operate with clocks having the same memory operating frequency.

The memory operating condition setting unit 22 detects whether or not the additional memory module 41 is connected to the connection unit 17a, and if the additional memory module 41 is connected, is requested for (a) execution of the job. When the onboard memory 31 is not enough for the storage area (of the RAM), the first memory operation mode (here, referred to as the low speed mode) is set as the memory operation mode (of the RAM used by the arithmetic processing device 17). (B) When the onboard memory 31 is sufficient as the storage area required for executing the job, a second memory operation mode (here, referred to as a memory limitation mode) is set as the memory operation mode.

Here, the first memory operating mode uses the additional memory module 41 and the onboard memory 31 at the first memory operating frequency, and the second memory operating mode uses the additional memory module 41 at the second memory operating frequency. The onboard memory 31 is used without. The second memory operating frequency (for example, 667 MHz) is higher than the first memory operating frequency (for example, 533 MHz).

Further, when the additional memory module 41 is connected at the time of starting the image forming apparatus 1, the memory operating condition setting unit 22 (a) has the memory of the additional memory module 41 and the onboard memory 31 at the second memory operating frequency. When the test is executed and (b1) the memory test is not passed, the first memory operation mode or the second memory operation mode (here, the second memory operation mode) is set as the initial memory operation mode, and (b2). ) When the memory test is passed, the third memory operation mode (here, referred to as high-speed mode) is set as the initial memory operation mode.

Here, in the third memory operation mode, the additional memory module 41 and the onboard memory 31 are used at the second memory operation frequency regardless of the storage area required for executing the job.

Further, the memory operating condition setting unit 22 sets the second memory operating mode as the memory operating mode when the additional memory module 41 is not connected.

Whether or not the additional memory module 41 can be used is set in the memory map. That is, the memory map is set according to the memory operation mode, and the accessible storage area is set by the memory map.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a memory operation mode and a memory map in the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. For example, when the onboard memory 31 is a memory module of 1 rank at 1 GB and the additional memory 41 module is a memory module of 2 ranks at 2 GB, it is turned on in the memory limitation mode as shown in FIG. The board memory 31 operates and is used at 667 MHz, and the additional memory module 41 is not used. In that case, as shown in FIG. 3, in the low speed mode, the onboard memory 31 and the additional memory module 41 operate and are used at 553 MHz. Further, in that case, as shown in FIG. 3, in the high-speed mode, the onboard memory 31 and the additional memory module 41 operate and are used at 667 MHz. That is, in the memory limitation mode, access to the additional memory module 41 is prohibited (impossible) by the memory map.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described.

(A) Operation at startup of the image forming apparatus 1

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 at the time of activation.

When the image forming apparatus 1 is started, the memory operating condition setting unit 22 executes a memory test of the onboard memory 31 and the additional memory module 41 at the second memory operating frequency (667 MHz in this case), and based on the pass / fail of the memory test. , It is determined whether or not to set the memory operation mode to the high-speed mode (step S2).

If the memory test is passed, the memory operating condition setting unit 22 sets the memory operating mode to the high-speed mode (step S3), and if the memory test is not passed, the memory operating condition setting unit 22 sets the memory operating mode. Set to the memory limit mode (step S4). That is, since the onboard memory 31 alone operates properly at the second memory operating frequency, if the additional memory module 41 does not operate properly at the second memory operating frequency, the memory test is not passed and the calculation is performed. The RAM used by the CPU in the processing device 17 is limited to the onboard memory 31.

In this way, the initial memory operation mode at startup is set.

(B) Operation of the image forming apparatus 1 during job execution

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 during job execution.

The memory operation condition setting unit 22 monitors whether or not the job management unit 21 has accepted the job request (step S11), and when the job request is accepted, whether or not the current memory operation mode is the memory limit mode. (Step S12).

When the current memory operation mode is the memory limit mode, the memory operation condition setting unit 22 determines whether or not the job to be executed based on the job request is a large-capacity job (that is, the storage area required for the job). Whether or not the size is larger than the free space of the onboard memory 31 at the present time) is determined (step S13).

When the job is a large-capacity job, the memory operating condition setting unit 22 changes the memory operation mode to the low-speed mode (step S14), and the job management unit 21 executes the job in the low-speed mode (step S15). .. On the other hand, if the job is not a large-capacity job, the memory operating condition setting unit 22 does not change the memory operation mode, and the job management unit 21 executes the job in the memory limitation mode (step S15).

If the current memory operation mode is not the memory limit mode, the memory operation condition setting unit 22 determines whether or not the current memory operation mode is the low speed mode (step S16).

Then, when the current memory operation mode is the low-speed mode, the memory operation condition setting unit 22 determines whether or not the job to be executed is a large-capacity job based on the job request (step S17).

If the job is not a large-capacity job, the memory operating condition setting unit 22 changes the memory operating mode to the memory limited mode (step S18), and the job management unit 21 executes the job in the memory limited mode (step). S15). In this case, when the estimated processing time of the job (estimated processing time in the specific memory operation mode) is shorter than the predetermined threshold value, the job management unit 21 does not change the memory operation mode, and the job management unit 21 performs the estimated processing time in the low speed mode. The job may be executed. In other words, if the time required to change the memory operation mode is longer than the difference between the processing time in the low-speed mode and the processing time in the memory limit mode, the job should be executed in the low-speed mode without changing the memory operation mode. It may be.

On the other hand, when the job is a large-capacity job, the memory operation condition setting unit 22 does not change the memory operation mode, and the job management unit 21 executes the job in the low speed mode (step S15).

Further, when the current memory operation mode is not the low speed mode in step S16 (that is, when the current memory operation mode is the high speed mode), the memory operation condition setting unit 22 does not change the memory operation mode and manages the job. The unit 21 executes the job in the high-speed mode (step S15).

After that, when the job is completed, the job management unit 21 determines whether or not there is another waiting job (step S19), and if there is another waiting job, the waiting job is selected. The job to be executed next is selected (step S20), the process returns to step S12, and the job management unit 21 and the memory operating condition setting unit 22 execute the same processing for that job.

On the other hand, if there is no waiting job, the process returns to step S11, and the job management unit 21 returns to the acceptance monitoring state.

As described above, according to the above embodiment, the arithmetic processing unit 17 is provided with the onboard memory 31 and can be connected to the additional memory module 41. The job management unit 21 receives the job request and executes the job of the job request by using the internal device. When the additional memory module 41 is connected, the memory operating condition setting unit 22 sets the first memory operating mode as (a) when the onboard memory 31 is insufficient for the storage area required for executing the job. The memory operation mode is set, and (b) when the onboard memory 31 is sufficient as the storage area required for executing the job, the second memory operation mode is set as the memory operation mode. Then, in the first memory operation mode, the additional memory module 41 and the onboard memory 31 are used at the first memory operating frequency, and in the second memory operating mode, the additional memory module 41 is used at the second memory operating frequency. Instead, the onboard memory 31 is used, and the second memory operating frequency is higher than the first memory operating frequency.

As a result, even if an error occurs when the additional memory module 41 connected by the user or the like is used at the second memory operating frequency, whether or not the additional memory module 41 can be accessed and the memory operating frequency are determined according to the job. By setting together, the decrease in job processing speed due to the additional memory can be suppressed.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the intent and scope of the subject and without diminishing the intended benefits. That is, such changes and amendments are intended to be included in the claims.

The present invention is applicable to, for example, an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction device.

1 Image forming device 11 Printing device (an example of internal device)
12 Facsimile equipment (an example of internal equipment)
13 Image reader (an example of internal device)
15 Communication device (an example of internal device)
16 Operation panel 17 Arithmetic processing unit 21 Job management unit 22 Memory operating condition setting unit 31 Onboard memory 41 Additional memory module

Claims (3)

With internal equipment
An arithmetic processing unit that has on-board memory and can be connected to an additional memory module,
A job management unit that accepts a job request and executes the job of the job request using the internal device,
When the additional memory module is connected, (a) when the onboard memory is insufficient for the storage area required for executing the job, the first memory operation mode is set as the memory operation mode. (B) When the onboard memory is sufficient as the storage area required for executing the job, a memory operating condition setting unit for setting the second memory operation mode as the memory operation mode is provided.
The first memory operating mode is the first memory operating frequency, using the additional memory module and the onboard memory.
The second memory operation mode is the second memory operation frequency, and the onboard memory is used without using the expansion memory module.
The second memory operating frequency is higher than the first memory operating frequency.
An image forming apparatus characterized by. When the additional memory module is connected when the image forming apparatus is started, the memory operating condition setting unit (a) performs a memory test of the additional memory module and the onboard memory at the second memory operating frequency. When (b1) the memory test is not passed, the first memory operation mode or the second memory operation mode is set as the initial memory operation mode, and (b2) the memory test is passed. Set the third memory operation mode as the initial memory operation mode,
In the third memory operation mode, the expansion memory module and the onboard memory are used at the second memory operation frequency regardless of the storage area required for executing the job.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the memory operating condition setting unit sets a second memory operating mode as the memory operating mode when the additional memory module is not connected.

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