JP3342963B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus,
More specifically, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which is connected to another image forming apparatus or a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a communication line such as a LAN in a network, and efficiently transmits and receives image data of each image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a copier system for connecting a plurality of copiers online through a communication line, for example, a "copier management device" disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-186871 is known. . This is to calculate the amount of unprocessed work of another copying machine and its time based on the content of the request when a copying work request is made, and to notify the user of the optimum copying machine accurately.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-188662 discloses an "additional device for a copying machine". Here, the copiers connected online are centrally managed to collectively manage the operation of selecting the most appropriate copier and the tabulation work required for each copier. Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-1990 discloses a "copier system" that can access a plurality of copiers connected by a communication line and transmits data necessary for copy processing.

[0004]

However, in the conventional copying machine system as described above, the discharge capacity and the number of sheets of recording paper loaded in one copying machine are naturally limited. However, there is a problem in that it is not possible to efficiently cope with a large number of duplication operations because the copying process cannot be performed continuously.
Also, if the copying machine that is performing copying becomes unusable due to a jam, etc., the other copying machine can be selected immediately,
There is a problem that the work of setting or confirming the processing mode accurately is troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and in an image forming apparatus which is connected online with another image forming apparatus via a communication line, the processing capability of each connected image forming apparatus is maximized. The purpose is to make it possible to use it, to improve its operability, and to improve overall work efficiency.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is connected to one or more other image forming apparatuses via a network, and transmits and receives image data to and from the other one or more image forming apparatuses. in the image forming apparatus, display means for displaying the available information of the other image forming apparatus on standby, a concurrent copy mode input means for simultaneously copying process with another image forming apparatus, a copying process simultaneously performed other
To determine whether the user selects the image forming apparatus of
Disconnection means and other image forming in which the user performs the copying process simultaneously
And selecting means for selecting a device.
When the input signal of the
If the user decides to select
At the same time as the other image forming apparatus selected by the selecting means.
While executing the copying process, the user can be
If it is not determined to select, another image
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus for selecting a forming apparatus and executing a simultaneous copying process .

[0007]

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the display means displays the available information of another waiting image forming apparatus, selects another image forming apparatus based on the available information, and inputs a simultaneous copy mode. Based on the input signal of the means, a simultaneous copying process is performed with another available image forming apparatus.

[0008]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a copying machine system according to the present invention. In the figure, in this embodiment, four copying machines (A to D) 101 to 104 are connected to a LAN.
(Local area network) or other communication line 105
The communication line 105 is connected to each copier 10.
A management device 106 for centrally managing the printers 1 to 104 is connected to form a copier system. That is,
Regardless of the number of copying machines 101 to 104 connected to the management device 106, the management device 106 and the copying machines 101 to 104
Has a configuration in which bidirectional communication is possible, and the copiers are configured to be able to communicate with each other via the management device 106.
Note that all of the copying machines 101 to 104 may be of the same model or different models, and are provided with optional devices such as a sorter.

Next, an access operation from the copying machine in the above configuration to another copying machine will be described. Copier (A) 101
To other copiers (B) 102, (C) 103, (D) 1
04, the copier (A) 101 is set in the management device 106 by the other copiers (B) 102 and (C) 10.
The information that 3, (D) 104 is used is transmitted. The management device 106 that has received this information sets the copying machine (B) 10
Access to other copying machines is started in order from 2. At this time, if the copying machine (B) 102 is on standby, the copying machine (B)
The server 102 transmits to the management apparatus 106 that the apparatus 102 is on standby. Then, the management device 10 that has received the information that it is on standby
6 transmits to the copying machine (A) 101 that the copying machine (B) 102 is on standby, and further informs the copying machine (B) 102 that the user of the copying machine (A) 101 will use it. The received copier (B) 102 prohibits the use of another user.

On the other hand, in the above, the copying machine (B) 102
Is in use or unavailable, the management device 106 accesses the copier (C) 103 and executes the same processing as described above. Therefore, when an available copying machine is selected and confirmed, the management device 106 does not communicate with any other than the selected copying machine.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the paper discharge unit of the copying machine. In the drawing, reference numeral 201 denotes a discharge roller for discharging the copied recording paper, 202 denotes a discharge tray for stacking the copied recording paper, and 203 denotes a discharge tray 202
This is a sensor for detecting the number of discharged sheets for detecting the stacking amount (discharge limit amount) of the recording sheets discharged above.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the main configuration of the operation panel of the copying machine. In the figure, reference numeral 301 denotes a start key to be pressed at the start of copying, 302 denotes a numeric key for inputting the number of copies, etc., 303 denotes an enter key for confirming each mode setting, and 304 denotes a copy mode such as a correspondence table. 305 is a simultaneous copy mode key used to execute the same copy as other copiers. 306 displays the status of own machine and other machines, and can be operated by touch panel. Operation display unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control operation example 1 according to the present invention. In the figure, when the control is started, first, it is checked whether or not the recording paper is present in the copying machine being used (in this case, the copying machine A is used), that is, whether or not the paper end is reached. Is determined (S401). Here, when it is determined that the copying machine A is at the paper end, the processing after step S406 is executed. In step S406, since the recording paper of the copying machine A is empty, the copying process by the copying machine A is stopped.

Then, it is determined via the management device 106 whether or not there is a copy machine (empty copy machine) waiting (S40).
7). If it is determined that there is a copy machine in standby, the input mode is transmitted to the copy machine B in standby (S408), and the image data is transmitted (S40).
9). Next, after data is received by the copying machine B in standby,
The copying process is started, and after the copying is completed, an end signal is transmitted to the copying machine A. Therefore, copier A receives a copy end signal from copier B (S410), and displays the copy status of copier B on operation display unit 306 of copier A (S411).

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S401 that the currently used copying machine A is not the paper end, it is further determined whether or not the copying machine A has exceeded the number of sheets to be discharged (S402). Note that the determination of the number of discharged sheets is made based on whether or not the level of the recording sheets stacked on the discharge tray 202 is detected by the discharged sheet number detection sensor 203. Then, the above step S402
, When it is determined that the number of discharged sheets has exceeded the limit,
The process moves to step S406, and the subsequent processing is executed in the same manner.

If it is determined in step S402 that the number does not exceed the number of discharged sheets, it is determined whether to copy more copies than the number of bins that can be used by the sorter (S403). If it is determined that the number of copies equal to or larger than the number of bins that can be used by the sorter is determined, the process proceeds to step S4.
The process proceeds to step 06, and the subsequent processing is executed in the same manner. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S403 that the number of copies equal to or greater than the number of bins that can be used by the sorter is not to be copied, it is further determined whether or not the copying machine A is in a copy disabled state due to a jam (paper jam) or the like (S404). ). Here, if it is determined that the copy is disabled, the process proceeds to step S406, and the subsequent processing is executed in the same manner.
If it is determined in step S404 that the copy is not in the copy-disabled state, it is determined whether or not the copy is completed (S405). When it is determined that the copying has been completed, the present control is terminated. Conversely, when it is determined that the copying has not been completed, the above-described step S40 is performed.
Returning to step 1, the same control is repeatedly executed.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show control operation examples 2 according to the present invention.
It is a flowchart which shows. In the figure, first, the simultaneous copy mode key 305 is turned ON (S501), and a transmission request signal of usable copy information is transmitted to the management device 106 (S502). Next, the management device 106 transmits the information to the copying machine (S503). Thus, the usage status of the copying machine is received (S504), and it is determined whether or not all other copying machines are unusable (S505). Here, when it is determined that all the other copying machines are unusable, the fact that the copying machine is unusable is displayed on the operation display unit 306 (S50).
6) The control enters a ready state and the present control is terminated.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S505 that all other copying machines are not unusable,
Further, it is determined whether or not the user selects another copying machine (S507). If it is determined that the user does not select another copying machine, a copying machine automatic selection process for automatically selecting a copying machine is executed (S508). And
In FIG. 6, the mode of the copying machine to be selected is set (S
509), the enter key 303 is turned on (S510),
The user designates a copying machine selected by the copying machine being used (S511), and the apparatus enters the ready state. As a result, the copying process can be simultaneously executed in different modes by other copying machines.

If it is determined in step S507 that the user selects another copying machine, another usable copying machine is displayed on the operation display unit 306 (S51).
2). Further, a copying machine to be used is selected (S513),
Move to the process of FIG. In FIG. 7, information such as the recording paper size and setting conditions of the selected copying machine is displayed (S5).
14) It is determined whether the information such as the recording paper size of the selected copying machine is good (S515). If it is determined that the confirmation result of the selected copying machine is good, the mode of the selected copying machine is set (S516), and the enter key 3 is pressed.
03 is turned on (S517), the mode is transmitted to the selected copying machine (S518), and the process returns to step S507. If the result of the check on the selected copying machine has a problem in step S515, the process returns to step S507.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a simultaneous copy process according to the present invention. This process is a process in the case where the document A and the document B are respectively copied as the corresponding format copy C as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG.
First, the simultaneous copy mode key 305 is turned on (S80).
1) The user or the management device 106 is a copier A to D
Is selected (S802). Next, the corresponding format copy key 304 is pressed to set the corresponding format copy mode (S8).
03), the originals A and B are set on the selected copying machine (S
804). With the above processing, for example, a copy processing in a correspondence table format as shown in FIG. 9 can be executed.

[0021]

As described above, the image forming method of the present invention
Device, a network to be connected to one or a plurality of other image forming apparatus, an image forming apparatus for transmitting and receiving said one or a plurality of other image forming apparatus and the image data, other image forming apparatus on standby performing a display means for displaying the available information, the concurrent copy mode input means for simultaneously copying process with another image forming apparatus, a copying process at the same time
Determine whether the user selects another image forming apparatus
Judgment means and other image types for which the user performs copying at the same time
Selecting means for selecting a forming device.
When the input signal of the copy mode input means is input,
When it is determined that the user has selected by the determining means
The same as the other image forming apparatus selected by the selecting means.
While performing the time copying process,
If is not determined to be selected, another image is automatically
Since the simultaneous copying process is executed by selecting the forming apparatus , the user can easily select another copying machine for performing the simultaneous copying, and the copying efficiency can be remarkably improved. The processing capability of each image forming apparatus can be maximized, the operability thereof can be improved, and the overall work efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a copying machine system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a paper discharge unit of the copying machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a main configuration of an operation panel of the copying machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control operation example 1 according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control operation example 2 according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation example 2 according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control operation example 2 according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a simultaneous copy process according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of copy processing in a correspondence table format according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 to 104 Copiers A to D 105 Communication line 106 Management device 203 Number of discharged sheets detection sensor 303 Enter key 304 Corresponding format copy key 305 Simultaneous copy mode key 306 Operation display unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-6-119286 (JP, A) JP-A-5-304575 (JP, A) JP-A-2-16628 (JP, A) JP-A-4-164 62565 (JP, A) JP-A-1-303271 (JP, A) JP-A-62-281560 (JP, A) JP-A-7-297967 (JP, A) JP-A-7-221890 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 21/00 370-540 G03G 21/14 G03G 15/00 303 H04N 1/00-1/00 108 G06F 3/09-3/12

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An image forming apparatus connected to one or more other image forming apparatuses via a network for transmitting and receiving image data to and from the other one or more image forming apparatuses, wherein the other image forming apparatus is in a standby state. The user selects display means for displaying the usable information of the apparatus, simultaneous copy mode input means for performing a copying process simultaneously with another image forming apparatus, and another image forming apparatus performing the copying process simultaneously.
Determination means for determining whether or not to perform the copying , and the user selects another image forming apparatus which performs the copying process at the same time
Comprising selection means for, an input signal of the concurrent copy mode input means is inputted
In this case, it is determined by the determining means that the user makes a selection.
If any other image has been selected by the selection means,
While executing the simultaneous copying process with the device,
If it is not determined that the user has selected,
An image forming apparatus, wherein another image forming apparatus is selected to execute a simultaneous copying process .