JP4863451B2 - Image forming system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus system, and more particularly to an interface with an apparatus connected to an image forming apparatus.

  In the communication interface between a conventional image forming apparatus and a plurality of external devices, each device is sequentially connected to the image forming apparatus by a bus so that a predetermined process from the image forming apparatus can be recognized simultaneously by a plurality of external apparatuses. In some cases, the external device is configured to operate. For example, see Reference 1.

  Also, there is a configuration in which an interface is established by sequentially notifying a higher-level device of a change in internal state in a lower-level device among a plurality of external devices (see, for example, Reference 2).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 08-008935 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 02-333028

  In the above prior art, it is possible to reduce the number of communications related to commands from the apparatus main body. However, when monitoring the status of a plurality of external devices added, a command requesting status data (for example, sensor information) indicating the status of the external device is transmitted from the device main body to the external device, and each external device transmits a command. Needed to get individual status information. For this reason, since the apparatus main body monitors the paper conveyance state of the entire apparatus, it is necessary to perform communication for the number of external apparatuses added, and there is a problem that the communication load increases.

  Also, as in Patent Document 2, when providing a signal for notifying internal information of the device, a signal line is necessary for this notification, and the external device that has changed after recognizing the internal change of the device body is specified. In order to do so, commands that request status data must be sent sequentially. For this reason, there is a problem that the status of the entire apparatus cannot be confirmed unless the status is received for all the added external apparatuses. As such an external device, in the case of an image forming apparatus, there is an external apparatus as a paper feed option. In order to achieve maximum performance in an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of external apparatuses can be mounted, image forming is performed. The device needs to be able to monitor the status of all paper feeders.

  The invention according to the present application has been made in view of the above prior art. That is, it is possible to recognize the state of the entire image forming system in a short time and to improve the reliability of communication without increasing the number of signal lines other than the data signal line and clock signal line necessary for clock synchronous serial communication. It is said.

  In order to achieve such an object, an image forming system of the present invention includes an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material, and a plurality of supply devices that are connected to the image forming apparatus and supply the recording material to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes: an identification setting transmission unit configured to transmit a setting command for setting identification information to each of a plurality of connected supply apparatuses; and a supply apparatus configured with the identification information. A request transmitting means for transmitting a request command for requesting internal information, an information receiving means for receiving information from the supplying apparatus including internal information and error code data of the supplying apparatus according to the request command, and a supplying apparatus by the information receiving means A communication error is determined based on the error code data included in the information received from each of the devices, and the operation state of the supply device is managed based on the internal information of the supply device. The supply device includes a command receiving unit that receives a command transmitted from the image forming apparatus, a transfer unit that transfers the command received by the command receiving unit to another connected supply device, and an image forming unit. An information transmitting means for transmitting information on a command transmitted from the apparatus; an identification information setting means for setting unique identification information when the setting command is first received in a state where the identification information is not set in the supply apparatus; Transfer control means for controlling the transfer means so that the command received by the command receiving means is not transferred to another supply apparatus until the unique identification information is set, and the error code data is stored in each of the plurality of supply apparatuses. Send one bit at a time, and combine it with the following one bit, the maximum number of supply devices that can be connected to the image forming device n + 1 bits When the information is transmitted to the image forming apparatus, the supply apparatus writes 0 data to the bits assigned to each of the image forming apparatuses. Among the received error code data, when the bit data assigned to all the supply devices for which identification information is set is 0 and the data of bits other than the assigned bits is 1, the supply device It is determined that the communication is normally performed.

The image forming system of the present invention is an image forming system including an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material, and a plurality of additional devices connected to the image forming apparatus. A setting transmission means for transmitting a setting command for setting identification information to each of the plurality of additional devices, a request transmission means for transmitting a request command for requesting internal information of the additional device in which the identification information is set, and a request command Information receiving means for receiving information from the additional device including the internal information and error code data of the additional device according to the communication error, and a communication error based on the error code data included in the information received from each of the additional devices by the information receiving means. Management means for determining and managing the operating state of the additional apparatus based on internal information of the additional apparatus, and the additional apparatus includes a frame transmitted from the image forming apparatus. A command receiving means for receiving a command, a transfer means for transferring the command received by the command receiving means to another connected additional device, an information sending means for sending information on the command sent from the image forming apparatus, When a setting command is received when no identification information is set in the additional device, the identification information is set, and control is performed so that the received command is not transferred to another additional device until the identification information is set. Information from the additional device is transmitted by each of the additional devices one bit at a time, and is received as code data by the image forming device together with the subsequent one bit. The communication state with the additional apparatus is determined based on the data.
Furthermore, an image forming system of the present invention is an image forming system including an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material, and a plurality of supply devices that are connected to the image forming apparatus and supply the recording material to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes: a first transmission unit configured to transmit a setting command for setting identification information to each of a plurality of connected supply apparatuses; and a request command for requesting internal information of the supply apparatus; And a first receiving unit that receives a status including internal information transmitted from the first receiving unit, and the supply device includes a second receiving unit that receives a setting command and a request command transmitted from the first transmitting unit, and an identification When a setting command is received in a state where information is not set, the identification information is set without being transmitted to another supply device, and the setting command is set in a state where the identification information is set. Is transmitted to another supply device, and when a request command is received, the image forming apparatus includes a second transmission unit that transmits a status including internal information. A request command for requesting internal information to each of the supplying devices by the transmitting means, and receiving the internal information from all the supplying devices according to the request command as one status by the first receiving means. To do.
The image forming system of the present invention is an image forming system including an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material, and a plurality of additional devices connected to the image forming apparatus. A first transmission means for transmitting a setting command for setting identification information to each of the plurality of additional devices to be transmitted, a request command for requesting internal information of the additional devices, and a status including the internal information transmitted from the additional devices The additional device is configured to set the second receiving means for receiving the setting command and the request command transmitted from the first transmitting means, and the identification information is not set. When the command is received, the identification information is set without being transmitted to other additional devices, and when the setting command is received in the state where the identification information is present, the identification information is assigned to another device. And a second transmission unit that transmits a status including the internal information when the request command is received. The image forming apparatus transmits the internal information to each of the additional devices by the first transmission unit. A request command to be requested is transmitted, and internal information from all the additional devices corresponding to the request command is received as one status by the first receiving means.

  In the present invention, when a setting command is first received in a state where unique identification information is not set in the additional device, the unique identification information is set and received by the command receiving means until the unique identification information is set. The transfer means is controlled not to transfer the command. As a result, the state of the entire image forming system can be recognized in a short time and the communication reliability can be improved without increasing the number of signal lines other than the data signal lines and clock signal lines necessary for clock synchronous serial communication. it can.

Hereinafter, an image forming system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system shown in FIG. 1 includes a printer engine main body 100 that is an image forming apparatus, a toner cartridge 101 that can be attached to and detached from the printer engine, and a photosensitive drum 102 that is an electrostatic carrier. Further, a rotary polygon mirror 105 that is rotated by a semiconductor laser 103 as a light source and a scanner motor 104 is provided. Further, a laser beam 106 that scans the photosensitive drum 101 is emitted from the semiconductor laser 103. The charging roller 107 is for uniformly charging the photosensitive drum 102, and the developing unit 108 is for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 102 with toner. is there. The toner image developed by the developing unit 108 is transferred to a predetermined recording sheet by the transfer roller 109, and the toner transferred to the recording sheet by the fixing heater 110 and the fixing film 111 of the fixing unit is fused by heat.

  The paper is stored in the paper feed cassette 桶 112, and the cassette size sensor 113 detects the paper size of the cassette stored in the cassette 桶 112 (where it can also be determined whether or not the cassette 桶 is loaded). The cassette loading sensor 114 confirms whether or not the cassette bag 112 is stored, and the cassette sheet presence / absence sensor 115 detects whether or not a sheet is loaded on the cassette sheet. The pickup roller 116 makes one rotation to feed the paper from the paper feed cassette 112 and sends it out to the transport path. The roller pair 117 is for reliably separating the sheet picked up by the pickup roller 116 into one sheet and sending it out to the transport path. The intermediate roller 118 is for conveying the sheet fed from the cassette to the image forming unit, and the pre-feed sensor 119 is for detecting the leading edge and the trailing edge of the sheet conveyed by the intermediate roller 118. is there. The pre-transfer roller 120 feeds the conveyed paper to the photosensitive drum 102, and the top sensor 121 writes an image (recording / printing) on the photosensitive drum 102 when the paper is fed, and synchronizes the paper conveyance. Then, the length of the fed paper in the transport direction is measured. The fixing sensor 122 detects the presence or absence of a sheet after fixing, the conveyance roller 123 discharges the fixed sheet to the sheet discharge conveyance path, and the sheet discharge roller 124 discharges the sheet conveyed from the discharge roller to the sheet discharge tray 125. Rotate forward to do.

  The optional paper feed cassette 126 is the first stage that can be attached to and detached from the printer, and the cassette mounting sensor 128 detects that the optional paper feed cassette basket 127 is mounted. The optional cassette paper size sensor 129 detects the size of the paper loaded on the optional paper feed cassette 桶 127 (in addition, it can be detected that the optional cassette 桶 127 is not mounted). The optional cassette paper presence / absence detection sensor 130 detects whether or not there is paper in the optional paper cassette 桶 127, and the optional cassette pickup roller 131 feeds and conveys paper from the optional paper cassette 桶 127 by one rotation. Send to the road. The roller pair 132 is for reliably separating the paper picked up by the optional cassette pick-up roller 131 into one sheet and feeding it to the transport path.

  The optional paper cassette 133 is a second-stage cassette that can be attached to and detached from the optional paper cassette 126. The optional paper cassette 134 stores paper, and the cassette mounting sensor 135 has the optional paper cassette 134 mounted. Detect that The option cassette paper size sensor 136 detects the size of the paper loaded on the optional paper feed cassette 桶 2 (and can also detect that the optional cassette オ プ シ ョ ン 134 is not installed). The optional cassette paper presence / absence detection sensor 137 detects whether or not there is paper in the optional paper feed cassette 、 134, and the option cassette pickup roller 138 rotates and feeds paper from the optional paper feed cassette 桶 134 for conveyance. Send to the road. The roller pair 139 is for reliably separating the paper picked up by the optional cassette pick-up roller 138 into one sheet and sending it out to the conveyance path.

  The optional paper feed cassette 140 is a third-stage cassette that can be attached to and detached from the optional paper feed cassette 2, the optional paper feed cassette 桶 141 stores paper, and the cassette mounting sensor 142 is attached with the optional paper feed cassette 装着 141. Detect that The optional cassette paper size sensor 143 detects the size of the paper loaded on the optional paper feed cassette ridge 141 (and can also detect that the optional cassette ridge 141 is not mounted). The optional cassette paper presence / absence detection sensor 144 detects whether or not there is paper in the optional paper feed cassette 桶 141, and the option cassette pickup roller 145 feeds and conveys paper from the optional paper feed cassette 桶 141 by one rotation. Send to the road. The roller pair 146 is for reliably separating the paper picked up by the optional cassette pick-up roller 145 into one sheet and sending it out to the conveyance path.

  FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a circuit configuration of a control system that controls such a mechanism unit. In FIG. 2, a printer controller 201 develops image code data sent from an external device such as a host computer (not shown) into bit data necessary for printer printing, and reads printer internal information and displays it. It is. The printer engine control unit 202 controls the printing operation of each unit of the printer engine in accordance with an instruction from the printer controller 201 and notifies the printer controller 201 of internal printer information. The high voltage control unit 203 performs high voltage output control in each process such as charging, development, and transfer in accordance with an instruction from the printer engine control unit 202. The optical system control unit 204 controls driving / stopping of the scanner motor 104 and lighting of the laser beam in accordance with an instruction from the engine control unit 202. The fixing device control unit 205 drives / stops energization of the fixing heater in accordance with an instruction from the printer engine control unit 202.

  The sensor input unit 206 is for informing the engine control unit 202 of the paper presence / absence states of the pre-feed sensor 119, the top sensor 121, and the paper discharge sensor 122 and the detection result of the paper feed cassette detection sensor 115. The paper transport control unit 207 drives / stops a motor (not shown), a roller, and the like for transporting the recording paper according to an instruction from the printer engine control unit 202. The sheet conveyance control unit 207 also controls driving / stopping of the paper feed roller 116, the feed retard roller 117, the intermediate roller 118, the pre-transfer roller 120, the fixing film 111, the discharge roller 124, and the like in FIG. The option cassette control unit 209 drives the option cassette paper feed roller 131 and the feed retard roller 132 in accordance with instructions from the engine control unit 202. At the same time, the control unit 202 is notified of the size of the recording paper, the paper presence / absence information, and the mounting state of the optional paper cassette 桶 127 via serial communication (not shown). The option cassette control unit 211 drives the option cassette paper feed roller 138 and the feed retard roller 139 in accordance with instructions from the engine control unit 202. At the same time, the engine control unit 202 is notified of the size of the recording paper, paper presence / absence information, and the installed state of the optional paper feed cassette ridge 134. Further, the option cassette control unit 213 drives the option cassette paper feed roller 145 and the feed retard roller 146 in accordance with instructions from the engine control unit 202. At the same time, the option cassette control unit 213 notifies the engine control unit 202 of the size of the recording paper, the paper presence / absence information, and the mounting state of the optional paper feed cassette basket 134.

  FIG. 3 determines the electrical connection related to serial communication between the engine control unit 202 and the option cassette control units 209, 211, and 213 and unique information (hereinafter referred to as device ID) that is identification information of each option cassette. It is a block diagram explaining a method. In FIG. 3, the engine control CPU 301 controls the engine control unit 202, and the option cassette control CPU 302 controls the option cassette control unit 209. The option cassette control CPU 303 controls the option cassette control unit 211, and the option cassette control CPU 304 controls the option cassette control unit 213.

  Data transmission / reception between the engine control CPU 202 and each option cassette control CPU is performed by a common clock synchronous serial signal line including a clock signal line 305 (hereinafter referred to as a CLK signal line) output from the engine control CPU 301. The clock synchronous serial signal line also includes a command signal line 306 (hereinafter referred to as a CMD signal line) for the engine control CPU 301 to transmit data to each option cassette control CPU 302-304. Further, the clock synchronous serial signal line includes a status signal line 307 (hereinafter referred to as an STS signal line) through which the engine control CPU 301 receives status data from each option cassette control CPU (302 to 304).

  The CMD signal line 306 is branched in the option cassette control unit 209, and one of the branched CMD signal lines 306 is connected to the option cassette control CPU 302. The other end of the branched CMD signal line 306 is connected to a switch 308 (hereinafter referred to as a CMD signal switch). The CMD signal switch 308 electrically switches connection / disconnection with respect to the option cassette downstream of the CMD signal line 306 according to an instruction from the option cassette control CPU 209.

  When the CMD signal switch 308 is in the connected state, the CMD signal line 306 is connected to the option cassette control unit 211 downstream. Therefore, the command data transmitted from the engine control CPU 301 via the CMD signal line 306 is transmitted to the option cassette control CPU 302 and the option cassette control CPU 303. When the CMD signal switch 308 is not connected, the command data transmitted by the engine control CPU 301 via the CMD signal line 306 is not transmitted to the option cassette control CPU 303. The same applies to the CMD signal switches 309 and 310.

  The engine control CPU 301 assigns a device ID to each option cassette control CPU in order to communicate with all connected option cassettes. This is performed by transmitting a device ID specifying command specifying a device ID (for example, device ID = 1).

  At this time, since the option cassette control CPU 302 has not connected the CMD signal switch 308, the device ID designation command is not transmitted to the option cassette control CPU 303. When the option cassette control CPU 302 receives a device ID command with no device ID set, the option cassette control CPU 302 registers the specified device ID (device ID = 1) as its own ID. Then, as a return status to the device ID designation command, the engine control CPU 301 is notified that the device ID = 1 is confirmed, and the CMD signal switch 308 is set in the connected state.

  When the engine control CPU 301 confirms that a device ID (device ID = 1) has been set in the connected optional sheet cassette 126, a device ID designation command designating another ID number (for example, device ID = 2). Send. At this time, since the CMD signal switch 308 is in a connected state, the device ID designation command is transmitted to the option cassette control CPU 302 and the option cassette control CPU 303.

  The option cassette control CPU 302 ignores the device ID designation (device ID = 2) command because the ID has already been determined. The option cassette control CPU 303 registers device ID = 2 as its own ID because the device ID is not set. Then, as a return status to the device ID designation command, the engine control CPU 301 is notified that the device ID = 2 has been determined, and the CMD signal switch 309 is brought into a connected state. As described above, the engine control CPU 301 transmits device ID designation commands with different device IDs until the return status from the optional sheet cassette to the device ID designation command cannot be received. Thus, a unique device ID can be set for all the connected optional sheet cassettes.

  After determining the device IDs of all the connected optional paper feed cassettes, the engine control unit 202 can transmit command data by designating the device IDs to the option cassettes to be operated. This makes it possible to individually control all devices using a common clock synchronous serial communication line.

  In the present embodiment, as a response to one command, only one status data to which an individual data area for each device ID is assigned can be transmitted. As a result, the engine control unit 202 can capture the unique data of all the optional paper feed cassettes in one communication operation. Furthermore, in this embodiment, it is possible to improve data reliability by adding a desired error confirmation code to one status data in which individual data areas are allocated for each device ID.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a timing chart of the common data return status in this embodiment. In FIG. 4, the engine control CPU 301 transmits a signal through the CLK signal line 305 when transmitting a command. At this time, data is transmitted bit by bit to the option cassette control CPU (302 to 304) in synchronization with the falling edge of the signal on the CLK signal line 305. The option cassette control CPUs 302 to 304 receive data bit by bit in synchronization with the rising edge of the signal on the CLK signal line 305.

  The command data includes an ID designation code portion of C0 to C1 and a data code portion of D0 to D13. The ID code is C0 = "0", C1 = "1" is a command to the optional paper cassette 126, C0 = "1", C1 = "0" is a command to the optional paper cassette 134, C0 = "1" “, C1 =“ 1 ”indicates a command to the optional paper feed cassette 141. When both C0 and C1 are “1”, this means a command for requesting a common return status for all option sheet cassettes. In this case, each option cassette control CPU (302 to 304) will be described later. To work.

  The option cassette control CPU 302 synchronizes with the falling edge of the signal on the CLK signal line 305 output from the engine control CPU 301, and the first 4-bit data (S0 to S3) allocated as the data area for the option paper feed cassette 127. ) And data in which the first bit of the error detection code is “0” are output to the signal line 311. The option cassette control CPU 303 synchronizes with the falling edge of the signal on the CLK signal line 305 output from the engine control CPU 301, and 4-bit data S4 to S7 allocated as a data area for the option paper feed cassette 134; Data in which the second bit of the error detection code is “0” is output to the signal line 312. The option cassette control CPU 304 outputs 4-bit data S8 to S11 allocated as a data area for the option paper feed cassette 141 in synchronization with the falling edge of the signal on the CLK signal line 305 output from the engine control CPU 301. To do. Similarly, data in which the third bit of the error detection code is “0” is output.

  Data output from each of the option cassette control CPUs 302 to 304 is combined as status data 401 on the STS signal line 370. As a result, the first 4 bits of the status data 401 are the status data of the optional paper feed cassette 127, and subsequently, the status data of the optional paper feed cassette 134 and the status data of the optional paper feed cassette 141 are every 4 bits. The last 4-bit error detection code data is “0”, “0”, “0”, “1”. In the 4-bit error detection code part, the first bit is an error detection area of the optional paper feed cassette 127, the second bit is an error detection area of the optional paper feed cassette 134, and the third bit is an error detection of the optional paper feed cassette 141. It is an area. Here, the fourth bit of the error detection code portion is a “1” area where none of the option cassette control CPUs are operated.

  Usually, serial communication may cause a bit shift due to external noise (not shown). In the case of the status data described above, for example, if a bit shift of 1 bit occurs for some reason in the option cassette 1, the value of the 4-bit error detection code part is “1”, “0”, “0”, “1”. It becomes. If the value of the error detection code part of the status data 401 is a value other than “0”, “0”, “0”, “1”, the engine control CPU 301 determines a communication error and resends command data, etc. Perform recovery.

  By adopting the status data structure as described above, it is possible to recognize the state of the entire image forming system in a short time and to improve communication reliability.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the circuit structure of the control system which controls the mechanism part which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical connection related to serial communication between an engine control unit and an option cassette control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a method for determining unique information that is identification information of each option cassette. is there. It is a figure which shows the timing chart of the common data return status in this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

100 Printer Engine Main Body 127, 134, 141 Option Paper Feed Cassette 201 Printer Controller 202 Engine Control Units 301-304 CPU
305-307 signal line

Claims (9)

An image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material; and a plurality of supply devices that are connected to the image forming apparatus and supply the recording material to the image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus includes: an identification setting transmission unit that transmits a setting command for setting identification information to each of the plurality of connected supply apparatuses; and a request for requesting internal information of the supply apparatus in which the identification information is set A request transmitting means for transmitting a command; an information receiving means for receiving information from the supplying apparatus including internal information and error code data of the supplying apparatus according to the request command; and each of the supplying apparatuses by the information receiving means. Management means for determining a communication error based on error code data included in the information received from, and managing the operating state of the supply device based on internal information of the supply device,
The supply device includes a command receiving unit that receives a command transmitted from the image forming apparatus, a transfer unit that transfers a command received by the command receiving unit to another connected supply device, and the image forming apparatus. An information transmitting means for transmitting information on the command transmitted from the terminal, and an identification information setting means for setting unique identification information when the setting command is first received in a state where the identification information is not set in the supply device. When the up unique identification information is set saw including a transfer control means for controlling the transfer means so as not to forward the command received in the command receiving unit to the other feed device,
It said error code data, wherein each of the plurality of supply device transmits one bit in sequence, together with the subsequent 1-bit, the maximum number n + 1 bit successive code data of a plurality of supply apparatus connectable to the image forming apparatus As received by the image forming apparatus ,
When the supply device transmits information to the image forming device, the supply device writes data of 0 in each assigned bit,
In the image forming apparatus, of the error code data received by the information receiving unit, the bit data allocated to all the supply apparatuses in which the identification information is set is 0, and other than the allocated bits when data bits are 1, images formed system that is characterized in that communication with the supply device is determined to have been normally performed. The request transmitting means requests internal information to all the supply devices set with the identification information by one request command, and the information receiving means sets the identification information by a response to the one request command. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein information from all supply apparatuses is received. An image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material; and a plurality of additional devices connected to the image forming apparatus,
The image forming apparatus includes: a setting transmission unit that transmits a setting command that sets identification information to each of the plurality of additional devices connected; and a request command that requests internal information of the additional device in which the identification information is set. Request transmitting means for transmitting the information, information receiving means for receiving information from the additional apparatus including the internal information and error code data of the additional apparatus according to the request command, and the information receiving means from each of the additional apparatuses Management means for determining a communication error based on error code data included in the received information and managing the operation state of the additional device based on internal information of the additional device;
The additional apparatus includes a command receiving unit that receives a command transmitted from the image forming apparatus, a transfer unit that transfers a command received by the command receiving unit to another connected additional apparatus, and the image forming apparatus. Information transmitting means for transmitting information on the command transmitted from the device, and when the setting command is received in a state where the identification information is not set in the additional device, the identification information is set and the identification information is set until viewed contains a control means for controlling so as not to forward the command received in the command receiving unit to the other additional device,
The information from the additional device, each of the plurality of additional device transmits one bit sequentially received as code data by the image forming apparatus together with subsequent 1 bit,
Wherein the image forming apparatus, images formed system that is characterized in that to determine the state of communication with the additional device based on the code data. The request transmitting means requests internal information to all the supply devices set with the identification information by one request command, and the information receiving means sets the identification information by a response to the one request command. The image forming system according to claim 3, wherein information from all supply apparatuses is received. An image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material; and a plurality of supply devices that are connected to the image forming apparatus and supply the recording material to the image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus includes: a first transmission unit configured to transmit a setting command for setting identification information to each of the plurality of connected supply devices; and a request command for requesting internal information of the supply device; First receiving means for receiving a status including internal information transmitted from the supply device,
The supply device receives a setting command and a request command transmitted from the first transmission unit, and receives the setting command when the identification information is not set. If the identification information is set without being transmitted to another supply apparatus, and the setting command is received in a state where the identification information is set, the identification information is transmitted to another supply apparatus, and the request command is A second transmission means for transmitting a status including the internal information when received,
The image forming apparatus transmits a request command for requesting the internal information to each of the supply apparatuses by the first transmission unit, and sets the internal information from all the supply apparatuses according to the request command as one An image forming system receiving the status by the first receiving means.   The image forming system according to claim 5, wherein the status includes error code data for detecting a communication error. The error code data is transmitted continuously by each of the plurality of supply devices one bit at a time, and is combined with the subsequent one bit, and the continuous code data of the maximum number n + 1 bits of the plurality of supply devices connectable to the image forming apparatus. As received by the first receiving means,
The supply device writes data of 0 in each bit assigned as the error code data,
In the image forming apparatus, of the error code data received by the first receiving unit, the bit data assigned to all of the supply devices is 0, and the data of bits other than the assigned bits is 1 The image forming system according to claim 6, wherein it is determined that communication with the supply device has been normally performed. An image forming system comprising: an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material; and a plurality of additional devices connected to the image forming apparatus,
The image forming apparatus includes: a first transmission unit that transmits a setting command that sets identification information to each of the plurality of additional devices connected; and a request command that requests internal information of the additional device; First receiving means for receiving a status including internal information transmitted from the additional device,
The additional device receives the setting command and the request command transmitted from the first transmitting unit, and receives the setting command when the identification information is not set. When identification information is set without being transmitted to another additional device, and the setting command is received in a state where the identification information is present, the identification information is transmitted to another additional device and the request command is received. And a second transmission means for transmitting a status including the internal information,
The image forming apparatus transmits a request command for requesting the internal information to each of the additional devices by the first transmission unit, and sets the internal information from all the additional devices according to the request command to one An image forming system receiving the status by the first receiving means. Each of the plurality of additional devices transmits the status one bit at a time, and is received as code data by the first receiving means together with the subsequent one bit,
9. The image forming system according to claim 8, wherein the image forming apparatus determines a communication state with the additional apparatus based on the code data received by the first receiving unit.

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