JP4141332B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention belongs to the technical field of an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a facsimile machine, a printer, or a so-called multifunction machine having these functions.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, an image forming apparatus having functions of a plurality of personal computers (hereinafter also referred to as “personal computers”), a copier, a facsimile machine, and a printer constitutes a network. On the other hand, there is known a system capable of printing the document / graphics by transmitting image information of the document / graphics and a print command (hereinafter collectively referred to as “print data”). Such a system may be operated in, for example, one organization having each station / department. In such a case, the use of the image forming apparatus is managed / adjusted for each station / department. It is preferable that the function is provided in the system.
[0003]
Such a function, that is, a so-called department management function is realized as follows, for example. First, a unique number (department code) is registered for each department in the image forming apparatus. Further, the department code is inserted into the print data transmitted from the personal computer and transmitted. Thereby, in the image forming apparatus, only print data with a registered department code is processed and executed, and when there is no department code or print data with an unregistered department code is received, It becomes possible not to execute printing. In addition, by using such a function, it is possible to perform output number management, print charge management, and the like for each department. As an image forming apparatus having such a department management function, for example, those disclosed in Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, and Patent Document 3 are known.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-67457
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-19226
[Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-35866
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional image forming apparatus has the following problems. That is, first, using the above-mentioned department management function, for example, if an upper limit of output is set for each department (that is, paper that can be output as “500 sheets” in one department, “1000 sheets” in another department, etc. When a member belonging to a certain department makes an output request to the image forming apparatus, and the output request exceeds the output possible upper limit for the department, an error of exceeding the number of sheets The output request will be rejected. This itself is an indication that the department management function is operating normally. In this case, the occurrence of the excess number error itself is displayed on, for example, the operation panel of the image forming apparatus, and the user can grasp the situation by looking at this.
[0008]
However, the image forming apparatus that is executing the department management function normally has to deal with image information and the like sent from a plurality of departments or a plurality of user terminals as needed. The image forming apparatus cannot be stopped indefinitely. Therefore, in order to avoid such a problem, it is conceivable that the display of the error of exceeding the number of sheets is not left for a long time and the image forming apparatus is opened early.
[0009]
However, in this case, since the user who has generated the error is usually physically away from the image forming apparatus, when the output product is collected in the image forming apparatus, There is a possibility that the user may be confused because there is a possibility of encountering a situation where the error has already been canceled and no print output has been performed due to the error. become.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and when an error occurs during execution of a department management function, it is easy to deal with the error, so that image formation that is comfortable for the user is achieved. It is an object to provide an apparatus.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus of the present invention is an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet based on image data, and transmits image information for creating the image data. A plurality of user terminals classified for each department, storage means for storing the department code of the department, and results of comparison and comparison between the department code transmitted from the user terminal and the department code stored in the storage means And a control unit that executes a department management function that determines whether or not to form an image related to the image information transmitted from the user terminal, and if an error occurs during the execution of the department management function, the content of the error And a notification means for notifying at least one of the plurality of user terminals of the name of the department to which the user terminal that caused the error belongs. To have.
[0012]
According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, first, an image can be formed on a sheet based on image data. Here, “image data” is created based on “image information”, and this “image information” is, for example, an image on a document surface read from a scanner unit that can be attached to the image forming apparatus, or Information necessary for constructing an image transmitted from a user terminal such as a personal computer connected to the image forming apparatus. The “image” includes all forms such as documents and drawings.
[0013]
In the present invention, a department management function can be executed. Here, the department management function includes a department code stored in the storage unit of the image forming apparatus and a department code transmitted to the image forming apparatus as a part of print data (including the image information). On the other hand, in addition to the function of executing image formation (printing) if the two match, and rejecting the image formation if there is no match (an example of “determining whether or not to form an image”), for example, A function for managing, for each department, a print command or the like derived from the user terminal classified for each department. Here, specifically, for example, the “printable upper limit” is set for each department, or charging is performed for each department according to the number of times printing is performed, the number of sheets used, the total amount of toner used, etc. Say what to do.
[0014]
In the present invention, in particular, during execution of the department management function, the notifying means assigns the content of the error and the name of the department to which the user terminal that caused the error belongs to among a plurality of user terminals. At least one is notified. Thereby, for example, when the notification is transmitted to all of the plurality of user terminals, all users using the image forming apparatus can know the department that caused the error. Therefore, it is easy to identify the error, and it is possible to easily deal with the error, thereby providing an image forming apparatus that is comfortable for the user.
[0015]
Such an operation and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments described below.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.
[0017]
In FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus includes a control unit 1, a printer unit 2, a storage device 3, a fax interface (hereinafter referred to as “FAX I / F”) 4, a network I / F 5, a scanner unit 6, and an operation unit 7. It is configured.
[0018]
Of these, the printer unit 2 is set based on image information sent from, for example, the personal computers S11,..., S33, or read by the scanner unit 6 and further received by the FAX I / F 4. Process a print job. Note that the print job processing mainly means printing characters / drawings and the like based on the image information on paper or the like previously stored in the printer unit 2. The storage device 3 stores a print job scheduled to be executed or being executed, a print job in which an error has occurred, and the like. The FAX I / F 4 is connected to a device outside the network (not shown) via a telephone line, and transmits and receives image information using a FAX function. The network I / F 5 is connected to the network and transmits and receives data within the network. For example, image information sent from the personal computers S11,..., S33 is taken into the image forming apparatus via the network I / F 5. The scanner unit 6 includes a platen, a light source unit, a CCD camera, and the like (not shown), and scans a document surface placed on the platen to read image information. The operation unit 7 is a user interface for the user to send various commands to the image forming apparatus.
[0019]
The control unit 1 controls the entire image forming apparatus through the above-described elements. The control unit 1 is composed of a CPU that issues a control command, a ROM that stores a control program, a RAM that temporarily stores data, and an NVRAM that stores nonvolatile data.
[0020]
The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment has a department management function. As shown in FIG. 1, in the case where a plurality of user terminals such as personal computers S11,..., S33 connected via the network I / F 5 are divided into departments S1, S2 and S3, The printing that is transmitted from the personal computers S11,..., S33 to the image forming apparatus and executed is a function managed for each of the departments S1, S2, and S3. Here, specifically, for example, for each of the departments S1, S2, and S3, “upper limit for printing” is set, and charging is performed according to the number of times of printing, the number of sheets used, the total amount of toner used, etc. Say to do. Here, the “printable upper limit” means, for example, that each member (members belonging to the section, in other words, the personal computers S11,..., S33) prints using the image forming apparatus during a certain period. The number of sheets allowed to be used (however, it is also possible to set a standard other than the number of sheets such as the number of times of execution of printing and the amount of toner used). For example, in section S1, a printable upper limit of “500 sheets” is set, and in section S2, a printable upper limit of “1000 sheets” is set (in addition, the printing set for each section is set). Any request for a print request that exceeds the maximum allowed will be rejected.)
[0021]
Such a department management function registers a unique number, that is, a department code for each of the departments S1, S2, and S3 in the storage device 3 or NVRAM, and prints transmitted from the personal computers S11,. This can be realized by inserting the department codes corresponding to the departments S1, S2 and S3 to which the user belongs into the data and transmitting them. As a result, the image forming apparatus processes and executes only the print data to which the registered department code is added, and prints if no department code is received or print data to which an unregistered department code is added is received. It becomes possible not to execute. In addition, the storage device 3 or NVRAM records the printable upper limit for each of the departments S1, S2, and S3, and the number of used papers based on the printing that is performed as needed is for each of the departments S1, S2, and S3. (Counter counter).
[0022]
Furthermore, the storage device 3 or NVRAM according to the present embodiment records a notification destination of who is notified of the content of the error that occurred during the execution of the department management function, as will be described later with reference to FIG. Can be kept. This notification destination registration operation or setting may be performed on the operation unit 7 or the personal computers S11,. The registration operation or setting method includes, for example, a method using a key or panel operation of the operation unit 7, a method of transmitting a specific control command from the personal computers S11,..., S33, etc., and a network via SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol). The method of registering with can be raised. Specific examples of notification destinations include, for example, all of the personal computers S11,..., S33 shown in FIG. 1 or personal computers S11, S21 and S31 used by the administrator, which will be described later, or the cause of the error. For example, a personal computer other than the personal computer in the department to which the personal computer that has sent the print data belongs can be listed.
[0023]
Incidentally, in the present embodiment, for each of the departments S1, S2, and S3, there is an administrator for managing the department, and there are personal computers S11, S21, and S31 used by the administrator ( In the figure, they are shown surrounded by a square.) The personal computers S11, S21, and S31 are usually set as transmission targets of main signals issued in the department management function on behalf of the department. In addition, each administrator has authority to determine matters related to the whole of the departments S1, S2, and S3 (for example, department counter clear described later) on behalf of the departments S1, S2, and S3. It is normal.
[0024]
In addition, in FIG. 1, the case where there are three departments and there are eight personal computers is illustrated, but in realizing the department management function, the number of departments and the number of personal computers are irrelevant to their essence. Needless to say, there can be any number of departments and computers.
[0025]
The image forming apparatus having such a configuration is operated as shown in FIG. 2 , for example, and as a result, the following effects can be obtained. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing that is performed when an over-number error or a department code error (the meaning of which will be described later) occurs while the department management function is being executed. .
[0026]
First, in order to be able to execute the department management function, it is necessary to register the error notification destination in advance. Here, it is assumed that a personal computer S13 shown in FIG. 1 as a constituent of the department S1 is newly added to the department S1. Note that the personal computer S13 or a user who uses the personal computer S13 is managed as belonging to the department S1.
[0027]
Based on the above premise, in the present embodiment, characteristic processing as shown in FIG. 2 is executed while the department management function is being executed. Before the processing of FIG. 2 , print data is transmitted from the personal computers S11,..., S33 belonging to any of the departments S1, S2, and S3, and based on this, the image forming apparatus starts or will start the printing processing. However, it is assumed that some kind of error has occurred. The process of FIG. 2 is executed when the error occurs.
[0028]
In FIG. 2 , it is first determined whether or not the department management function is being executed (step S20 in FIG. 2 ). If the department management function is not being executed, normal error processing is performed (step S200 in FIG. 2 ). Here, the normal error processing is not the characteristic error processing described below but general error processing that has been widely performed conventionally.
[0029]
On the other hand, when the department management function is being executed, subsequently, whether or not the error is a printable upper limit excess error, for example, when print data is received from the personal computer S12, before receiving the print data, Alternatively, whether or not the printable upper limit of the department S1 is exceeded is determined based on the print data (step S22 in FIG. 2 ). Here, “when the print data is received... Exceeds the printable upper limit”, for example, when the printable upper limit of the department S1 is “500 sheets”, when the print data is transmitted from the personal computer S12. In this case, the total count of used paper has already reached “500 sheets”. In this case, the image forming apparatus rejects the print data. On the other hand, “the printable upper limit is exceeded by the print data” is used when, for example, the printable upper limit of the department S1 is “500 sheets” and the print data is transmitted from the personal computer S12. When the total count of finished paper is 480 sheets, this means that the print data is printing that requires 50 sheets. In this case, during the image formation based on the print data, when the 20th sheet is processed, the printable upper limit is reached, and the subsequent image formation is stopped (the remaining 30 sheets). Will be rejected.)
[0030]
If it is determined in step S22 that the printable upper limit has been exceeded, all the members belonging to the department are notified that an over-number error has occurred (step S221 in FIG. 2 ). Then, the name of the department to which the personal computer causing the error belongs is notified (step S28 in FIG. 2 ). For example, when the excess number error is caused by the personal computer S12 belonging to the department S1 as in the above example, the excess number error occurs in the other personal computers S11 and S13 belonging to the department S1 in addition to the personal computer S12. And “S1”, which is the department name, are notified. This notification is possible based on the setting of the notification destination registered in the storage device 3 or the like.
[0031]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S22 that the error is not an over-number error, it is then determined whether the department counter has been cleared (step S24 in FIG. 2 ). Here, as described above, the department counter is, for example, the number of sheets used by printing based on the print data transmitted from the personal computers S11,. This is calculated for each of the departments S1, S2, and S3 (however, values other than the number of sheets such as the number of times of printing and the amount of toner used can also be added). Note that the authority to clear the department counter belongs to the managers of the departments S1, S2, and S3 as described above, and general users usually do not have the authority. In this step S24, if it is determined that the department counter in a certain department S1, S2 and S3 has been cleared by the administrator of the department S1, S2 and S3, the configuration belonging to the department S1, S2 and S3 All members are notified of this (step S241 in FIG. 2 ) and the name of the department concerned (step S28 in FIG. 2 ). Thereby, the users belonging to the departments S1, S2 and S3 can know that they will not receive the number excess error (for a while).
[0032]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step S24 that the department counter is not cleared, it is subsequently determined whether or not the error is a department code error (step S26 in FIG. 2 ). Here, the department code error means that print data is sent from a user terminal that is not managed by the department management function or that is subject to the department management function but is prohibited from using the image forming apparatus for some reason. It is an error that occurs when it has been. In this case, naturally, the acceptance of the print data is rejected. When this department code error occurs, for example, transmission source information such as the IP address of the user terminal is added, and the registered notification destination when the error occurs is notified that the error has occurred. (Step S261 in FIG. 2 ). If the user terminal belongs to a department subject to the department management function, the name of the department is also notified (step S28 in FIG. 2 ). Here, the notification destination is all of the personal computers S11,..., S33 shown in FIG. 1 or the personal computers S11, S21 and S31 used by the administrator, as described above. Thereby, the user who has received the notification can know that an unauthorized print request has been made. In addition, since the transmission source information is included in this notification, it is possible to easily identify the user who made the unauthorized print request.
[0033]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, first, the name of the department that has caused the error that occurred during the execution of the department management function can be known (step S28 in FIG. 2 ). Therefore, it becomes easy to identify the error and easily cope with it.
[0034]
Further, in the present embodiment, the notification destination can be changed according to the content of the error that has occurred, so that the information regarding the error can be quickly and without omission for a specific user. The information can be notified. For example, in the above, since the fact that the number excess error has occurred is peculiar to each department in its nature, it is considered to be significant information for the department that caused the error, but for other departments Not so important information. Rather, the notification of the information to users belonging to other departments requires an extra effort such as understanding the significance of the information and determining whether it is important. It is even useless in the sense that it is imposed (whether a department has exceeded its printable limit for a department is basically irrelevant whether a user in that department can print). In step S221 of FIG. 2 , in view of this, the notification destination is “all members belonging to the department”.
[0035]
Furthermore, in this embodiment, when there is an illegal print request, the transmission source information of the user terminal that has made the print request is notified to the appropriate notification destination ( FIG. 2 ). In step S261), the user terminal can be easily identified. If this is possible, for example, in the case where an unauthorized person intends to perform unauthorized use such as executing printing within the printable upper limit of a certain department and charging a certain department for the fee, In addition to being able to prevent, it is possible to easily identify the unauthorized person.
[0036]
In addition, in the above and FIG. 2 , although the process regarding the case where the number excess error and the department code error occur is described and illustrated, the present invention is not limited to such a form. Other errors, such as a paper jam error, a paper exhaustion error (the paper to be printed has been used up), a staple exhaustion error (during staple printing, the staples to be printed on the paper have been used up), a print quality error ( For example, in the case of occurrence of toner etc., a notification destination is set according to the content of the error, and the content of the error and the name of the department that caused the error are notified. It can be configured as follows.
[0037]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist or concept of the invention that can be read from the claims and the entire specification, and an image forming apparatus with such a change. Is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, when an error occurs during the execution of the department management function, the content of the error and the name of the department to which the user terminal that caused the error belongs are assigned. Since the notification is made to a predetermined notification destination including at least one of the user terminals, the error can be easily identified, and the countermeasure can be easily taken.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing flow when an error occurs during execution of a department management function.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Control part 2 ... Printer part 3 ... Memory | storage device 4 ... FAX I / F
5 ... Network I / F
6 ... scanner unit 7 ... operation unit S1, S2 and S3 ... department S11, ..., S33 ... personal computer

Claims (10)

An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet based on image data,
A plurality of user terminals divided for each department for transmitting image information for creating the image data;
Storage means for storing a department code of the department;
A department that determines whether or not to form an image related to the image information transmitted from the user terminal according to a comparison result between the department code transmitted from the user terminal and the department code stored in the storage unit. Control means for performing management functions;
When an error occurs during execution of the department management function, the contents of the error and the name of the department to which the user terminal that caused the error belongs are notified to at least one of the plurality of user terminals. A notification means ,
The department management function compares an image formable upper limit as an executable upper limit of the image formation determined for each department and the number of executions of the image formation for each department for each department. If the latter exceeds the former in the relevant department, it includes a function to prohibit new image formation for the relevant department, and conversely, if it does not exceed the former, it is determined whether the number of executions of the relevant department has been cleared. An image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the prohibition is canceled, the notification unit automatically notifies the user terminal belonging to the department to that effect.   An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet based on image data,
  A plurality of user terminals divided for each department for transmitting image information for creating the image data;
  Storage means for storing a department code of the department;
  A department that determines whether or not to form an image related to the image information transmitted from the user terminal according to a comparison result between the department code transmitted from the user terminal and the department code stored in the storage unit. Control means for performing management functions;
  When an error occurs during execution of the department management function, the contents of the error and the name of the department to which the user terminal that caused the error belongs are notified to at least one of the plurality of user terminals. A notification means,
  The department management function determines whether or not the number of executions of the image formation of the department has been cleared. If not, the department management function stores the department code transmitted from the user terminal and the storage unit. An image forming apparatus comprising: comparing with the department code to determine whether the error is a department code error.   The image according to claim 3, wherein the notifying unit notifies the source information related to the user terminal that transmitted the department code together with the content of the department code error to at least one of the user terminals. Forming equipment. The department code error is
When the department code is not transmitted from the user terminal, as a result of the comparison with the department code recorded in the storage means, there is no match between the two, or
The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising an error that occurs when the department code transmitted from the user terminal corresponds to a section code for which use of the image forming apparatus is prohibited. The department management function compares an image formable upper limit as an executable upper limit of the image formation determined for each department and the number of executions of the image formation for each department for each department. If the latter exceeds the former in the relevant department, it includes a function to prohibit new image formation for the relevant department, and conversely, if it does not exceed the former, it is determined whether the number of executions of the relevant department has been cleared. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5. Said notification means in accordance with the content of the error, the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that to change the notification destination for notifying the contents of the error. A notification destination setting means for setting the notification destination;
Wherein the storage unit, the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the storing the notification destination. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the storage unit stores a plurality of notification destinations for each department and stores a representative notification destination for each department. The notification destination is
All of the plurality of user terminals;
In a department to which the user terminal that caused the error belongs, at least one of user terminals other than the user terminal, and
The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises at least one user terminal, wherein the user terminal has become the cause of error occurrence is used by the administrator belongs department.

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