JP5025518B2 - Image forming apparatus, environmental load reduction method, program, and recording medium - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming technique, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus, an environmental load reduction method, a program, and a recording medium that control service contents using a use history of the image forming apparatus.

  In recent years, image forming apparatuses have become highly functional and are connected to a network such as the Internet by a connectionless connection in addition to a public telephone network and ISDN. The image forming apparatus accesses an information processing apparatus such as a server installed in a center or the like remotely connected via a network, and executes log transmission of the operation history, data search, mail transmission, and the like.

  The server can also acquire apparatus information transmitted from the image forming apparatus and inspect the apparatus environment. The server is also known to calculate a usage fee according to the usage history of the image forming apparatus in the image forming apparatus and to perform point reduction based on the usage history.

  For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-165045 (Patent Document 1), the distribution cost to be charged to the distribution requester is calculated in accordance with the image forming performance in the image forming apparatus, and the number of outputs by the image forming apparatus is calculated. Accordingly, a management device that calculates a discount for the usage fee is disclosed.

  The image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 counts and accumulates the number of image formations for a certain period and sends it to the center to accumulate usage fees and points.

  Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-270022 (Patent Document 2) discloses an image forming apparatus that controls charging according to the quality of a copy result.

Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-25795 (Patent Document 3), in order to reduce the environmental load and perform image formation, data related to the image formation mode is sent to the server, and the server calculates the environmental points. Thus, a system for returning services according to environmental points is disclosed.
JP 2002-165045 A JP 2004-270022 A JP 2005-257993 A

  By the way, recent image forming apparatuses tend to use one copy sheet as efficiently as possible from the viewpoint of resource saving and cost reduction, and not only double-sided printing but also even pages on one or both sides of printing paper. Various image forming modes such as an aggregate print mode, a toner save mode, and a reduced copy mode are used.

  The image forming count of the image forming apparatus can correspond to different image forming modes by monitoring, for example, the number of image data corresponding to the page on which the image is formed. However, various image modes for achieving resource saving and cost reduction are rarely set as defaults at present. For this reason, in addition to saving the consumption of consumables such as printing paper and toner, the user is given an incentive to use a resource-saving and low-cost image forming mode, thereby using the resource-saving and low-cost mode. It is preferable to further promote the environmental load and more actively reduce the environmental load. Furthermore, it has been necessary to promote the use of a high-functional image forming mode implemented by the image forming apparatus and to further improve the utilization efficiency of hardware functions.

  In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 2, the charging process is changed depending on whether the copy result is good, not the image forming mode, and a specific image forming mode enabling resource saving and low cost is provided. It does not encourage the use.

  Furthermore, the system described in Patent Document 3 provides a service for consumable delivery according to the degree of environmental load reduction. However, since it is necessary to process the image formation history of the paging data and the points related to the image formation mode separately, it decreases depending on the image formation mode such as aggregate printing in addition to the program for counting the number of printed sheets. In order to accurately reflect the number of printed sheets in the usage history of the image forming apparatus, another processing program is required. Further, when performing collective printing, for example, when performing double-sided printing with 4 in 1, the use of the image forming apparatus is used for counting the number of print sheets even though the paging data output to one print sheet is 8 times. On the contrary, the points for returning the history to the user are reduced, and when the environmental points are added, it cannot be said that the incentive for prompting the user to use the function is sufficient.

  That is, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus, an environmental load reducing method, a program, and a recording medium that can promote resource saving and cost reduction by using a specific image forming mode of the image forming apparatus. The purpose is to provide.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus, an environmental load reduction method, a program, and a recording medium that enable efficient use of hardware resources mounted on the image forming apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, and provides an advantage to the user according to the use of a resource-saving and low-cost image forming mode. Instead of counting, points are assigned to image forming processing in a specific image forming mode. When image formation is performed in a specific image formation mode, the image forming apparatus acquires points assigned to the image formation mode in addition to the image formation count. The acquired points are sent to a server device installed in a center or the like. The server cumulatively calculates the sent points corresponding to the image forming apparatus or the like. As a result, the server can manage the reduction in environmental load by uniformly managing the usage history of a specific image forming mode in addition to the number of paging data having undergone image formation.

  The user of the image forming apparatus can periodically refer to the accumulated points accumulated in the server and receive a consumable service corresponding to the accumulated points, for example, toner, printing paper discount, and the like. In addition, when the server provides the consumable service corresponding to the accumulated point, the server subtracts the service point assigned to the consumable service from the accumulated point, and uses the specific image forming mode for the user thereafter. By prompting, an incentive to use the specific image forming mode is given.

  As described above, the present invention makes it possible to provide an incentive to promote the use of an image forming mode that enables resource saving and cost reduction, thereby efficiently reducing the environmental load caused by the use of an image forming apparatus. In addition, the hardware function of the image forming apparatus can be effectively used.

That is, according to the present invention, the point storing means for storing the points allocated for each image forming mode for forming an image on the printing paper,
Temporary storage means for registering the number of paging data that is generated for user-designated image formation mode and image printing and that indicates the number of image data that has undergone paging processing on the paper size to be used;
And the integrated value of the points corresponding to the image forming mode, said calculated using the number of paging data, the image forming mode enhanced et al is in response to the resource saving degree of the value greater than the number of paging data A point calculation means for calculating the occurrence point as
There is provided an image forming apparatus including at least network I / F means for transmitting the generation point via a network.

  The image forming mode can include at least resource saving print settings including aggregate printing, double-sided printing, reduced printing, or colorant saving mode for forming a plurality of page images on the same side of the printing paper.

  The image forming apparatus may include a selection unit that requests a cumulative point obtained by accumulating the generated points generated in time series via the network and selects a consumable discount service within the range of the cumulative points. .

  The image forming apparatus includes history registration means for registering the generated points generated in time series, the corresponding image forming mode, and the requested allocation point of the consumable discount service as a history in a persistent storage device. Can do.

  The image forming apparatus can provide a reduction in cost and a reduction in running cost by using the image forming mode corresponding to resource saving in parallel.

According to the present invention,
An environmental load reduction method for discounting consumables corresponding to an image forming mode used by an image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises:
Receiving the user-designated image formation mode data and the number of paging data generated to print the image and indicating the number of image data that has been subjected to the paging process for the paper size to be used,
Reading the points stored in the point storage means and corresponding to the image forming mode and set to be higher corresponding to the resource saving degree included in the image forming mode;
An image forming apparatus completing image formation according to the image forming mode;
It is calculated using the integrated value of the points corresponding to the image forming mode and the number of paging data, and is increased corresponding to the resource saving degree of the image forming mode, and is larger than the number of paging data. Calculating the point of origin;
Sending over a network to cause at least the point of occurrence to be used as a measure of the discount selection;
It is possible to provide a device-executable annular load reduction method that executes

Furthermore, in the present invention, a step of downloading a service list of a consumables discount service provided with the generated point as an accumulated point and the cumulative point as an upper limit via the network, and a consumable from the service list A consumables service step of transmitting a service identification value of a discount service via the network and selecting the cumulative point;
A step of reducing the cumulative points corresponding to the selected service identification value and reducing the scope of application of the consumables discount service.

  In the present invention, the step of registering the image forming mode corresponding to the generated points generated in time series and the requested allocation point of the consumable discount service as a history in the persistent storage device can be executed.

  The environmental load reduction method of the present invention can provide in parallel a cost reduction and a running cost reduction by using the image forming mode corresponding to resource saving.

  In the present invention, an apparatus-executable program for causing an image forming apparatus to execute each step described in any one of the above items can be provided. The present invention can provide a device-readable recording medium in which the program described in the above claims is recorded.

  Hereinafter, although this invention is demonstrated with embodiment, this invention is not limited to embodiment. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 100. In the image forming apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of hardware modules are interconnected by a bus 138, and execute image reading, image formation, facsimile transmission / reception, network communication, and the like. The image forming apparatus 100 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 102, an NVRAM 104, a ROM 106, and a RAM 108 as hardware modules. The CPU 102 manages the operation of the entire image forming apparatus 100 and can operate an operating system such as UNIX (registered trademark), LINUX (registered trademark), WINDOWS (registered trademark), or VXWorks.

  In addition, the ROM 106 and the NVRAM 104 register firmware and data used when the image forming apparatus 100 performs initial setting, and the image forming apparatus 100 can perform processing based on the setting data. The RAM 108 provides an execution space for the CPU 102 to execute various programs, and also functions as a buffer memory for data and the like. Note that a dedicated buffer having the same function as that of the RAM 108 can be provided by the microphone and the processor of each control unit.

  Hereinafter, the buffer memory used as the temporary storage seed means will be described as a generic term for the RAM 108 or a buffer memory having a function equivalent to the RAM 108 and managed by the microprocessor of the control unit. The image forming apparatus 100 further includes a writing control unit 110 and a writing unit 112. The write controller 110 controls the drive timing of the semiconductor laser, the photosensitive drum, and the print nozzle. The writing unit 112 includes a semiconductor laser and a printing nozzle, and forms an image in response to a drive signal from the writing control unit 110.

  The UI processing unit 114 includes a touch panel, a liquid crystal display, a display device driven by the VGA standard, an input key, a keyboard, and the like, and is a function processing unit that provides a user interface. A user of the image forming apparatus 100 inputs an image formation command, settings, and the like from the UI processing unit 114 and commands image formation. In addition, the user can confirm various service information transmitted from the server on a display device such as a touch panel, a liquid crystal display, or a display device.

  The HDD device 116 stores various programs, image data, operation history, and the like, and functions as a rewritable persistent storage device. In the present embodiment, the rewritable persistent storage device may include NVRAM and ROM.

  The image forming apparatus 100 further includes a paper supply / discharge conveyance control unit 118. The paper supply / discharge conveyance control unit 118 controls the drive motor, the clutch, and the like to supply and convey the printing paper to the outside of the image forming apparatus 100 in order to form an image on the photosensitive drum or the printing paper by the inkjet method. The paper is ejected.

  The image forming apparatus 100 also includes a font data storage unit 120, and outputs an image using a page description language (PDL) such as PostScript (registered trademark), which is configured to include a raster image and font data. It is possible. The image forming apparatus 100 performs various corrections such as γ correction, shading correction, and level correction on the document reading unit 122 configured to include a line CCD and the data acquired by the document reading unit 122, and converts the image data into And an image processing unit 124 to be generated. For the image data formed by the image processing unit 124, the image editing unit 126 generates and edits image data for outputting points given in accordance with the image forming mode, and executes processing for editing. The image memory 128 is configured as, for example, a FIFO buffer, and is used exclusively for processing image data. The image memory 128 prevents memory overflow due to the image data being occupied by the execution space of the CPU 102, and also allows high-speed image data. It is set to have an appropriate address configuration for processing.

  A network I / F 130 connects the image forming apparatus 100 to an external network 134 such as a public telephone network or the Internet. The network I / F 130 is connected to a public telephone network or ISDN. 34, etc., an analog modem A digital line is used by a modem / DSU of a standard such as 90, etc., and is connected to the external network 134 by connection-type communication to enable communication with the server 136 installed in the center. The network I / F 130 is referred to as a so-called NIC, and can communicate with the server 136 installed in the center using connectionless communication using the TCP / IP protocol. Further, the RTC 132 is a time measurement processing unit, and generates a time stamp when registering operation history, point generation, and the like in response to an image forming operation by a user.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an embodiment of point generation processing executed by the image forming apparatus 100. The process shown in FIG. 2 starts from the time when the image forming apparatus 100 is powered on in step S200. In step S201, the image forming apparatus 100 reads point data from a rewritable persistent storage device and sets the point data in the RAM as a lookup table. If the ROM 106 or the NVRAM 104 has already been stored as a lookup table, step S201 can be omitted.

  In step S202, the image forming apparatus 100 acquires data such as a user ID code, an image forming mode, and the number of copies through the UI unit according to a user operation, and stores the data in the buffer memory. The user ID code may be a user ID or a code uniquely assigned to the image forming apparatus. The user ID code may be any value as long as the image forming apparatus and the billing destination for the image forming apparatus can be identified. Can do.

  Thereafter, in step S203, an image formation command is received from the user, and image formation is executed using the buffered data. Note that the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment does not clear the buffer memory immediately after the image forming process is completed, but uses the buffered data to calculate points in step S204. In step S204, the setting of the image forming mode is read from the buffer memory, the points assigned to each mode are obtained by referring to the lookup table, and the generated points generated by the image forming process are calculated. In the present embodiment, the generation point can be calculated using the following formula (1).

上記式（１）中、ｍは、ユーザが指定したモードの種類であり、ｐ_ｍは、モードｍに設定されたポイント値であり、Ｎは、印刷条件で設定されたページング処理された画像データ単位でのページングデータ数（原稿枚数×印刷部数）である。すなわち、本実施形態では、ページングデータ数Ｎは、使用する用紙サイズにページング処理した画像データ数に対応するものであり、物理的に出力された印刷用紙の枚数ではない。

The formula (1), m is the modes designated by the user, p _m is the set point value in mode m, N is set by the printing condition paging image data This is the number of paging data in units (number of originals × number of printed copies). That is, in the present embodiment, the number of paging data N corresponds to the number of image data that has been subjected to paging processing for the paper size to be used, and is not the number of physically output printing paper.

  In step S205, the generation point, user ID code use date and time, image formation mode setting, and number of paging data calculated in step S204 are registered in the persistent storage device. In step S206, at least the contents of the buffer memory in which the image formation mode, the number of copies, etc. are registered are cleared, and it is possible to respond to the input of the next image formation processing command regardless of the state of data transmission via the network. It is said. In step S208, in parallel with the buffer memory clear process, the data copied to the HDD device 116 is copied to the transmission buffer, and the occurrence point, user ID code, use date and time, image formation mode setting registered in step S205, The number of paging data N for which image formation has been performed is transmitted to the server.

  In the server 136, the transmitted generated points are integrated in association with, for example, a user ID code or a device identification value, and managed as accumulated points. As a result, data used for consumables delivery of the image forming apparatus 100 is redundantly recorded and can be used for later inspections.

  In step S207, it is determined whether or not there is a next image formation command. If there is no next image formation command (no), the process is waited in step S207. When the next image formation command is received (yes), the image forming apparatus 100 returns from the energy saving mode or the like, returns the processing to step S202, and repeats the processing from step S202 to step S207 again.

  With the processing illustrated in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 100 can generate a generation point corresponding to each image forming mode performed by the user, and can reflect the use history of the image forming mode to the point.

  FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a lookup table (LUT) 300 registered by the image forming apparatus 100. The LUT 300 can be registered in the NVRAM 104, the ROM 106, or the HDD device 116 of the image forming apparatus 100. When the image forming apparatus 100 starts processing, data is read from the rewritable persistent storage device to the RAM 108 and initialization is performed. When the ROM 106 or the NVRAM 104 has a sufficient access speed, the LUT 300 may be configured as firmware in the NVRAM 104 or the ROM 106 instead of configuring the LUT in the RAM 108.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the LUT 300 includes a field 302 for setting an image forming mode and a field 304 for registering points assigned in accordance with the image forming mode. Note that “p” shown in the point field 304 is a reference value of the set point, and has a positive integer. The points assigned to each image forming mode are set so that the assigned points become higher each time the resources for toner, ink, and paper are saved. Further, in the case of normal single-sided printing in which one image is printed on one side per sheet of printing paper, the point p = 0 is set. In this case, the occurrence point is 0, and charging or service corresponding to the number of print sheets is performed.

On the other hand, in the image formation mode of double-sided integration 4 in 1, which enables resource saving, 8p points are given, and higher points than the points given by the number of paging data N are generated. In addition to the double-sided integration 4in1 mode,
When the toner save mode is designated, the total points are calculated as 8.5p points, and high points are generated cumulatively by designating the resource-saving and low-cost image forming mode according to the above equation (1). In the present invention, points can be assigned and registered in any image forming mode other than the image forming mode shown in FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an embodiment of processing executed by the server 136 installed in the center. The server process starts from step S400, and in step S401, a point balance request including a user ID code and a device identification value is received from the image forming apparatus 100. In step S402, an accumulated point is acquired using the apparatus identification value as a search key, and the accumulated point is returned to the requesting image forming apparatus 100 by downloading it.

  After confirming the accumulated points by the user, the image forming apparatus 100 receives a service menu inquiry request instructed by the user by a key operation or the like, and transmits it to the server 136. In step S403, the server 136 receives the service menu inquiry request, and returns the service menu list by downloading the requesting image forming apparatus. At this stage, when the user of the image forming apparatus 100 specifies a desired service, the image forming apparatus 100 transmits a service identification value to the server 136.

  Note that the image forming apparatus 100 can also record or output a log together with the transmission of the service identification value, the service content, the time stamp, etc. for subsequent confirmation. The image forming apparatus 100 requests the user to input a password, a user ID, and the like for processing such as confirmation of accumulated points and setting of service identification values, and the password and user ID match the system administrator. Only in some cases may access to the server be allowed.

  When the server 136 acquires the service identification value from the image forming apparatus 100 in step S404, the server 136 searches the point table managed by the server 136 for the service identification value, and acquires the allocated point assigned to the service identification value. In step S405, it is determined whether the allocated points are equal to or less than the accumulated points. If the accumulated point is less than the allocated point (no), the process branches to step S404 and a re-input or service request end is issued to the image forming apparatus 100.

  If the accumulated point is greater than or equal to the allocated point in step S405, the allocated point value is updated by subtracting the allocated point corresponding to the service identification value in step S406. Thereafter, in step S407, allocation points, service identification values, and the like are registered for the user ID or device identification value, associated with the image forming mode, and a consumable discount calculation is executed. In step S408, the process ends.

  For example, the consumable management server that has received the notification from the server 136 notifies the person in charge of providing the service specified by the service identification value, and supplies the consumable according to the cumulative number of points registered for the device identification value. Charge discount, reduction of charge per count, etc. are performed. As a result, the selection of a resource-saving and low-cost mode as the image forming mode further provides a reduction in the running cost of the image forming apparatus 100. Therefore, the environmental load can be reduced more efficiently. It becomes possible.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus reduces the image forming cost of the image forming apparatus beyond the reduction of the consumption of the printing paper and the toner by the history of using the resource saving / low cost mode. It is possible to provide the user with an incentive to actively use the resource saving / low cost mode.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the usability of the high-function mode mounted on the image forming apparatus can be increased in association with a reduction in printing cost, and the hardware resources of the image forming apparatus itself can be effectively used. .

  The above functions of the present embodiment can be realized by a device executable program described in a legacy programming language such as assembler, C, C ++, Java (registered trademark), Java (registered trademark), or an object-oriented programming language. Can be stored and distributed on a device-readable recording medium such as a hard disk device, CD-ROM, MO, flexible disk, EEPROM, EPROM, etc., and transmitted over a network in a format that other devices can use. it can.

  Although the present embodiment has been described so far, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and other embodiments, additions, changes, deletions, and the like can be conceived by those skilled in the art. It can be changed, and any aspect is within the scope of the present invention as long as the effects and effects of the present invention are exhibited.

1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus. 6 is a flowchart of an embodiment of point generation processing executed by the image forming apparatus. 3 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a lookup table (LUT) registered by the image forming apparatus. FIG. The flowchart of embodiment of the process which the server 136 installed in the center performs

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Image forming apparatus, 102 ... CPU, 104 ... NVRAM, 106 ... ROM, 108 ... RAM, 110 ... Write control part, 112 ... Write part, 114 ... UI processing part, 116 ... HDD apparatus, 118 ... Feed / discharge Transport control unit 120 ... Font data storage unit 122 ... Document reading unit 124 ... Image processing unit 126 ... Image editing unit 128 ... Image memory 130 ... Network I / F, RTC ... Real time clock 134 ... Network, 136 ... server, 300 ... look-up table,

Claims (11)

Point storage means for storing points assigned for each image forming mode for forming an image on printing paper;
Temporary storage means for registering the number of paging data that is generated for user-designated image formation mode and image printing and that indicates the number of image data that has undergone paging processing on the paper size to be used;
It is calculated using the integrated value of the points corresponding to the image forming mode and the number of paging data, and is increased corresponding to the resource saving degree of the image forming mode, and is larger than the number of paging data. Point calculation means for calculating occurrence points;
An image forming apparatus comprising: network I / F means for transmitting at least the generation point via a network.   2. The image forming mode according to claim 1, wherein the image forming mode includes at least resource saving print setting including aggregate printing, double-sided printing, reduced printing, or colorant saving mode for forming a plurality of page images on the same side of the printing paper. Image forming apparatus.   The image forming apparatus includes a selection unit that requests a cumulative point obtained by accumulating the generated points generated in time series via the network and selects a consumable discount service within the range of the cumulative points. The image forming apparatus according to 1 or 2. The image forming apparatus includes a history registration unit that registers the generated points generated in time series, the corresponding image forming mode, and the requested allocation point of the consumable discount service as a history in a persistent storage device.
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cost reduction and a running cost reduction by using the image forming mode corresponding to resource saving are provided in parallel. An environmental load reduction method for discounting consumables corresponding to an image forming mode used by an image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises:
Receiving the user-designated image formation mode data and the number of paging data generated to print the image and indicating the number of image data that has been subjected to the paging process for the paper size to be used,
Reading the points stored in the point storage means and corresponding to the image forming mode and set to be higher corresponding to the resource saving degree included in the image forming mode;
An image forming apparatus completing image formation according to the image forming mode;
And the integrated value of the points corresponding to the image forming mode, said calculated using the number of paging data, the image forming mode enhanced et al is in response to the resource saving degree of the value greater than the number of paging data calculating a generation point as,
Sending over a network to cause at least the point of occurrence to be used as a measure of the discount selection;
An apparatus that can execute the annular load reduction method. A step of downloading a consumables discount service service list provided by using the accumulated point at the present time as an upper limit and the consumables discount service service list provided as an upper limit through the network; The consumables service step of selecting the cumulative points,
The environmental load reducing method according to claim 6, further comprising: reducing the cumulative point corresponding to the selected service identification value and reducing an application range of the consumables discount service.   The environment according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the step of registering the image forming mode corresponding to the generated points generated in time series and the requested allocation point of the consumable discount service as a history in a persistent storage device is executed. Load reduction method.   The environmental load reduction method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the environmental load reduction method provides a reduction in cost and a reduction in running cost in parallel by using the image forming mode for resource saving. .   An apparatus-executable program for causing an image forming apparatus to execute each step according to any one of claims 6 to 9.   A device-readable recording medium on which the program according to claim 10 is recorded.

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