JP5534210B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a function of transferring operation history information from a volatile memory to a nonvolatile memory when a failure occurs.

  When a failure occurs while the image forming apparatus is operating, failure analysis is performed based on the device log (operation history information). If the log remains in the volatile memory, the power is turned off. It may become impossible to check the log later. In order to solve this problem, it is already known to transfer a log from a volatile memory to a nonvolatile memory when a failure occurs.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, in an image forming apparatus, operation history information is transferred from a volatile memory to a non-volatile memory when a failure occurs. It describes that history information is transferred to the end.

  However, this conventional transfer method does not take into account which log is left (transferred) in the nonvolatile memory when there is no free space in the nonvolatile memory. For this reason, there is a possibility that another log may be overwritten in an area where a log necessary for failure analysis is stored. However, if the capacity of the nonvolatile memory is increased in order to avoid this overwriting problem, there is a problem that the cost increases.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problem that occurs when transferring the log stored in the first storage means to the second storage means. Even when there is no vacancy in the means, it is possible to avoid the increase in the memory capacity of the second storage means and leave a log necessary for failure analysis preferentially in the second storage means.

  The present invention is an image forming apparatus, and includes a first storage unit that temporarily stores a log of the image forming apparatus while the image forming apparatus is in operation, and a second unit that stores a log stored in the first storage unit. Storage means, log transfer means for assigning a priority to the log based on detection of a failure, and transferring the log from the first storage means to the second storage means, and the log transfer means transferring the log A storage area determination means for determining whether or not there is a free area for storing a transfer log transferred to the second storage means, and the storage area determination means determines that there is no free area in the second storage means. The storage position determining means for determining the storage position, the priority comparison means for comparing the priorities of the already stored log and the transfer log at the determined storage position, and the priority comparison means for the priority of the transfer log. The degree is higher than the stored log When it is determined, having a log storage means for storing the transfer log in said second storage means.

  While avoiding an increase in the memory capacity of the second storage means, it is possible to transfer a log required at the time of failure analysis from the first storage means and preferentially leave it in the second storage means.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. It is the figure which showed typically each function implementation | achievement means of CPU implement | achieved by the program stored in RAM, in order to perform the transfer process which concerns on each embodiment of this invention. It is the flowchart which concerns on 1st Embodiment which showed the log transfer flow from a volatile memory to a non-volatile memory. It is the flowchart which concerns on 2nd Embodiment which showed the log transfer flow from a volatile memory to a non-volatile memory. FIG. 10 is a flowchart according to a third embodiment showing a log transfer flow from a volatile memory to a nonvolatile memory or an external storage device. The correspondence between log priorities and types is shown in a table.

  In the present invention, a priority is given to a log, and when a log is transferred from a volatile memory to a nonvolatile memory when a failure occurs, a stored log (an already stored log) is stored when there is no free space in the nonvolatile memory. ) And the priority of the log to be transferred (referred to as transfer log), and by leaving the log with high priority in the non-volatile memory, the log required for failure analysis remains. .

Embodiments of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a control unit 10 of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment.
The control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101 that controls the entire apparatus including control of the sheet transport operation and the print head moving operation, and a ROM 102 that stores programs executed by the CPU 101 and other fixed data. A RAM 103 as a volatile memory that is a first storage means for temporarily storing image data and the like, and a rewritable second storage means that can hold data even when the power of the image forming apparatus is shut off. An NVRAM 104 as a non-volatile memory and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 105 that processes various signal processing and rearrangement for image data and other input / output signals for controlling the entire apparatus are provided. Yes.

The control unit 10 drives a host I / F (interface) 106 for transmitting / receiving data and signals to / from a host such as a PC (personal computer) and a recording head 23 carried on the carriage 22. And a main control motor 108 for outputting image data for selectively driving a pressure generating means (not shown) of the recording head 23 and various data associated therewith to the head driver 21 and a main scanning motor 24. A main scanning motor driving unit 109 for driving, a sub scanning motor driving unit 111 for driving the sub scanning motor 27, an AC bias supply unit 110 for supplying an AC bias to the charging roller 26, a linear encoder 25, and a wheel encoder. 29 for inputting detection pulses from 29 and detection signals from various other sensors (not shown). / O (input-output unit) 107, and a like conveyor belt 28 driven by the sub scanning motor 27.
The control unit 10 is connected to an operation panel 11 for inputting and displaying information necessary for the image forming apparatus. Further, a real time clock (RTC) 12 for acquiring time is also connected. In addition, the external storage device 13 can be connected.

Here, the control unit 10 transmits print data generated by a printer driver 14 of a host such as an information processing device such as a PC, an image reading device such as an image scanner, an imaging device such as a digital camera, etc. via a cable or a network. Received by the host I / F 106. Further, a command from the external terminal 15 of the host PC can be received by the host I / F 106.
The CPU 101 of the control unit 10 reads and analyzes the print data in the reception buffer included in the host I / F 106, performs necessary image processing, data rearrangement processing, and the like in the ASIC 105 and transfers them to the head control unit 108. Then, image data or a drive waveform is output from the head controller 108 to the head driver 21 at a required timing.

  The generation of dot pattern data for image output may be performed, for example, by storing font data in the ROM 102, or the image data is expanded into bitmap data by the printer driver 14 on the host side. You may make it forward to. In the present embodiment, the printer driver 14 generates the dot pattern data.

The drive waveform generation unit (not shown) of the head control unit 108 includes a D / A converter and an amplifier that perform D / A conversion on drive pulse pattern data stored in the ROM 102 and read out by the CPU 101. A drive waveform composed of a drive pulse or a plurality of drive pulses is output to the head driver 21.
The head driver 21 drives the drive waveform that is provided from the drive waveform generation unit of the head control unit 108 based on image data (dot pattern data) corresponding to one row of the recording head 23 that is input serially. A pulse is selectively applied to a pressure generating means (not shown) of the recording head 23, thereby driving the recording head 23.

  The head driver 21 is not shown, for example, a shift register that inputs serial data that is a clock signal and image data, a latch circuit that latches a register value of the shift register with a latch signal, and an output of the latch circuit Includes a level conversion circuit (level shifter) that changes the level of the value and an analog switch array (switch means) whose on / off is controlled by this level shifter, and is included in the drive waveform by controlling the on / off of the analog switch array The required drive pulse is selectively applied to the pressure generating means of the recording head 23.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing each function realizing unit of the CPU 101 realized by a program stored in the RAM 103 in order to execute a transfer process according to each embodiment of the present invention described below.
In other words, the CPU 101 has, as the function realizing means, a storage area determination means 101A for determining whether or not there is a free area for storing the log, a storage position determination means 101B for determining the storage position of the transfer log, and the stored log and transfer The priority comparison unit 101C for comparing the respective priorities of the log, the log is read from the first storage unit which is a volatile memory, the priority is given, and the generation time of the log based on the time acquired from the RTC 12 A log transfer unit 101D that performs processing to transfer the log to the second storage unit that is a non-volatile memory with information added, and a process that stores the transferred log in the storage position determined by the storage position determination unit 101B Log storage means 101E and log size comparison means 101F for comparing the size of the transfer log with the storable size at the storage position; It is.
The program stored in the RAM 103 can be recorded on any known or well-known recording medium that can be read by a computer.

First Embodiment FIG. 3 is a flowchart according to a first embodiment showing a log transfer flow from a volatile memory to a nonvolatile memory.
This flowchart shows the difference in operation performed depending on whether or not the nonvolatile memory is available when transferring the log in the volatile memory to the nonvolatile memory when a failure occurrence is detected. The log is given a priority at the time of generation, and is transferred and stored in the nonvolatile memory with the priority given.

  In FIG. 3, when the occurrence of a failure is detected by various sensors or the like (S101), the storage area determination unit 101A determines whether or not there is a free space in the nonvolatile memory (S102). When the determination is made (S102, YES), the storage position determination means 101B determines the storage position of the transfer log (S103), and the log storage means 101E stores (stores) the transfer log in the determined storage position (S110). .

In step S102, when the storage area determination unit 101A determines that there is no free space in the non-volatile memory (S102, NO), the storage location determination unit 101B determines the transfer log storage location (in this case, in the non-volatile memory). The storage position where the log with the lowest priority is stored is determined (S104), and the priority comparison unit 101C determines the priority of the already stored log at the determined storage position and the priority of the log to be transferred. Compare (S105).
If it is determined in step S105 that the priority of the log transferred by the priority comparison unit 101C is lower (S105, YES), the storage position determination unit 101B must confirm all the storable positions in the nonvolatile memory. If (S106, NO), the process returns to step S104, the procedure from step S104 is repeated, and if all the storable positions of the nonvolatile memory have been confirmed (S106, YES), the transfer log transfer process is terminated.

  If it is determined in step S105 that the priority of the log transferred by the priority comparison unit 101C is higher (S105, NO), the log size comparison unit 101F can store the entire log transferred to that position. (S107, YES), the log storage means 101E stores the transfer log at the storage location (S110).

If it is determined in step S107 that the log size comparison unit 101F cannot store the entire log to be transferred to that location (S107, NO), the storage location determination unit 101B stores the transfer log storage location that cannot be stored. Therefore, the priority comparison unit 101C compares the priority of the stored log with the priority of the transfer log (S109), and the log priority at the storage position is equal to or higher than that of the transfer log. If so (S109, YES), the process returns to step S108 and is repeated. When the priority comparison unit 101C determines that the priority of the log at the storage position is lower than that of the transfer log (S109, NO), the process returns to step S107 to repeat the processing operation.
Finally, the log transfer unit 101D determines whether or not another log exists in the volatile memory (S111). When it is determined that the log does not exist (S111, NO), the transfer process is terminated as it is, When it is determined that another log exists (S111, YES), the process returns to step S102 and the transfer process is repeated again.

  As described above, if there is an empty space in the nonvolatile memory, the transfer log is stored in an empty storage location in the nonvolatile memory. Otherwise, the priorities of the log already stored in the nonvolatile memory and the transfer log are compared, and it is determined whether or not to store the transfer log according to the priority level. When the priority of the transfer log is lower than the stored log, the transfer log is compared with the log of the next storage position. This operation is repeated to transfer logs in all volatile memories.

If the size of the log to be transferred is larger than the size of the log at the storage location, another storage location is determined, and the amount that the transfer log could not be stored is stored there. By repeating this, a transfer log having a large size is stored.
However, when all the logs in the nonvolatile memory have a priority higher than the transfer log, the transfer log is not stored in the nonvolatile memory.

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described.
In this embodiment, in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3, processing is added when the nonvolatile memory is full of logs that are higher than the transfer log priority.
That is, when the non-volatile memory is full of logs with a transfer log priority or higher, the transfer log priority is equal to the transfer log priority, and the log storage means 101E stores the contents in the non-volatile memory based on the generation date and time attached to the log. The transfer log is stored at the location where the oldest log is stored.
Even in this case, if the size of the log to be transferred is larger than the size of the log at the storage location, another storage location is determined as in the first embodiment, and the transfer log cannot be stored there. Store the amount.
Further, when a log having the same priority as the transfer log does not exist in the nonvolatile memory, the transfer log is not stored in the nonvolatile memory.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart according to the second embodiment showing a log transfer flow from the volatile memory to the nonvolatile memory.
In FIG. 4, when the occurrence of a failure is detected (S201), the storage area determination unit 101A determines whether or not there is a free space in the nonvolatile memory (S202), and when it is determined that there is a free space in the nonvolatile memory. (S202, YES), the storage position determination means 101B determines the storage position of the transfer log (S203), and the log storage means 101E stores (stores) the transfer log in the storage position (S214).

In step S202, when the storage area determination unit 101A determines that there is no free space in the nonvolatile memory (S202, NO), the storage location determination unit 101B determines the transfer log storage location (the highest priority in the nonvolatile memory). (S204), the priority comparison unit 101C compares the priority of the already stored log at the storage position with the priority of the transfer log (S205).
When the priority of the transfer log is lower than that of the already stored log as a result of the comparison of the priorities (S205, YES), the storage position determination means 101B must confirm all the storable positions in the nonvolatile memory. If (S206, NO), it returns to step S204 and repeats the procedure from step S204.

  If all the storable positions in the nonvolatile memory have been confirmed in step S206 (S206, YES), the priority comparison unit 101C determines whether or not a log having the same priority as the transfer log exists in the nonvolatile memory. However, if it exists (S207, YES), the storage location determination means 101B stores the oldest log in the nonvolatile memory that has the same priority as the transfer log from the generation date and time attached to each log. The position is determined (S208). Next, the log size comparison unit 101F determines whether or not the entire transfer log can be stored in the determined storage position (S209). When it is determined that the transfer log can be stored (S209, YES), the log storage unit 101E stores the transfer log. Is stored in the storage position (S214).

  In step S205, when the priority comparison unit 101C determines that the priority of the transfer log is not lower than that of the stored log (S205, NO), the log size comparison unit 101F It is determined whether or not the entire transfer log can be stored at the storage position (S211). When the log size comparison unit 101F determines that the entire transfer log cannot be stored (S211, NO), the storage position determination unit 101B determines the transfer log storage location that cannot be stored (S212), and the priority level. Here, the comparison unit 101C again compares the priority of the transfer log with the priority of the stored log (S213), and determines that the priority of the transfer log is lower than the priority of the stored log (S213, YES) Returning to step S212, conversely, when it is determined that the priority of the transfer log is not lower than the priority of the stored log (S213, NO), the process returns to step 211 and the subsequent processing is repeated.

When the priority comparison unit 101C determines in step S207 that a log having the same priority as the transfer log does not exist in the nonvolatile memory (S207, NO), the processing of the transfer log ends. If it is determined in step S209 that the entire transfer log cannot be stored in the storage position acquired by the log size comparison unit 101F (S209, NO), the storage position determination unit 101B determines that the transfer log cannot be stored. Is stored (S210), and the determination in step S209 is repeated.
Finally, the log transfer unit 101D determines whether or not another log exists in the volatile memory (S215). When it is determined that the log exists (S215, YES), the process returns to step 202, and Execute the transfer process. When it is determined that it does not exist (S215, NO), the log transfer process is terminated.

Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment will be described.
In the present embodiment, processing is added in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3 when the non-volatile memory is full of logs that are higher than the transfer log priority.
When the nonvolatile memory is full of logs with a priority higher than the priority of the transfer log, the CPU 101 determines whether an external storage device is attached to the image forming apparatus. When the external storage device is attached, the transfer destination is changed from the nonvolatile memory to the external storage device, and the storage position in the external storage device is determined and stored.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart according to the third embodiment showing a log transfer flow from a volatile memory to a nonvolatile memory or an external storage device.
When the occurrence of a failure is detected (S301), the storage area determination unit 101A determines whether there is an empty area in the nonvolatile memory (S302), and when it is determined that there is an empty area in the nonvolatile memory (S302, YES), the storage position determining means 101B determines the storage position of the transfer log (S303), and the log storage means 101E stores (stores) the transfer log in the storage position (S312).

  In step S302, when the storage area determination unit 101A determines that there is no free space in the nonvolatile memory (NO in S302), the storage position determination unit 101B determines that the storage location of the transfer log (the highest priority in the nonvolatile memory). The storage position where the low log is stored is determined (S304), and the priority comparison unit 101C compares the priority of the already stored log at the storage position with the priority of the transfer log (S305). If the priority of the transfer log is lower than the priority of the stored log as a result of the priority comparison (S305, YES), the storage position determination means 101B must confirm all the storable positions in the nonvolatile memory. If (S306, NO), the process returns to step S304, and the process from step S304 is repeated.

  In step S306, if the storage position determination unit 101B has confirmed all the storable positions of the nonvolatile memory (S306, YES), the CPU 101 (storage area determination unit 101A) attaches an external storage device to the image forming apparatus. (S307, YES), the storage position determination means 101B determines the external storage position of the transfer log (S308), and the transfer log Store in the storage position (S312). If the storage area determination unit 101A determines in step S307 that the external storage device is not attached (S307, NO), the log transfer process is terminated.

  In step S305, when the priority comparison unit 101C determines that the transfer log priority is not lower (S305, NO), the log size comparison unit 101F can store the entire transfer log in the position (area). When it is determined (S309, YES), the log storage means 101E stores the transfer log at the storage location (S312). When the log size comparison unit 101F determines that the entire transfer log cannot be stored at that position (S309, NO), the storage position determination unit 101B determines the transfer log storage position that cannot be stored (S310), When the priority comparison unit 101B determines that the priority of the transfer log is lower than the priority of the already stored log at the storage location (S311: YES), the process returns to step S310, and the priority comparison unit 101B determines the priority of the transfer log. When it is determined that the degree is not lower than the priority of the stored log at the storage position (S311: NO), the process returns to step S309 and the subsequent processing is repeated again.

  Finally, the log transfer unit 101D determines whether or not another log exists in the volatile memory (S313). If it is determined that the log exists (S313, YES), the process returns to step S302 to transfer the log. Execute. When it is determined that it does not exist (S313, NO), the log transfer process is terminated.

Next, priority in each of the above embodiments will be described.
FIG. 6 is a table showing the correspondence between log priorities and types.
As shown in FIG. 6, it is assumed that the log has the highest priority, here the system is down, jam (JAM) and serviceman call (SC) are set in the middle, and other logs are defined as low. Yes.
In other words, the log priority is highest when the system of the image forming apparatus is down, so the system down log is preferentially stored in the nonvolatile memory, and then the log for JAM or SC is stored. Is done. Other logs have the lowest priority and are stored only when the non-volatile memory is not full of high and medium logs.
JAM indicates that the machine stops due to a paper jam in the image forming apparatus, and SC indicates an error that requires maintenance by a service engineer.

The reset of the log stored in the nonvolatile memory is controlled by the failure analyst from the external terminal 15 of the host PC via the host I / F 106 in FIG. The log in the non-volatile memory can be reset by sending a reset command to the unit 10.
In the above embodiment, the second storage unit has been described as a non-volatile memory. However, any rewritable storage unit that can hold data while the power source of the image forming apparatus is shut off may be used. May be a volatile memory.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Control part, 11 ... Operation panel, 12 ... RTC, 13 ... External storage device, 14 ... Printer driver, 21 ... Head driver, 22 ... Carriage, 23. ..Recording head, 24 ... main scanning motor, 25 ... linear encoder, 26 ... charging roller, 27 ... sub-scanning motor, 28 ... conveying belt, 29 ... wheel encoder, 101 , CPU, 101A, storage area determination means, 101B, storage position determination means, 101C, priority comparison means, 101D, log transfer means, 101E, log storage means, 101F ..Log size comparison means, 102 ... ROM, 103 ... RAM, 104 ... NVRAM, 105 ... ASIC, 107 ... I / O, 108 ... head control unit, 09 ... main scanning motor driving unit, 110 ... AC bias supply unit, 111 ... sub-scanning motor driving unit.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-088466

Claims (5)

First storage means for temporarily storing a log of the image forming apparatus during operation of the image forming apparatus;
Second storage means for storing a log stored in the first storage means;
Log transfer means for assigning priority to the log based on detection of failure occurrence and transferring the log from the first storage means to the second storage means;
A storage area determination means for determining whether or not there is a free area for storing a transfer log transferred to the second storage means when the log transfer means transfers the log;
A storage position determination means for determining a storage position when the storage area determination means determines that there is no free area in the second storage means;
Priority comparison means for comparing the priorities of the stored log and the transfer log at the determined storage position;
Log storage means for storing the transfer log in the second storage means when the priority comparison means determines that the priority of the transfer log is higher than the stored log;
An image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
The log transfer means gives generation time information to the transfer log,
Based on the comparison result of the priority comparison means, when the storage area determination means determines that the second storage means is full with a stored log having a priority higher than the priority of the transfer log, the storage position determination means Based on the priority comparison result and the generation time point information, among the stored logs stored in the second storage unit, the stored log that is the same as the transfer log priority and has the oldest generation time is stored. An image forming apparatus in which a storage position is determined as a storage position of the transfer log, and the log storage unit stores the transferred log in the determined storage position. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
Have log size comparison means,
The log size comparing means determines whether the storage position determined by the storage position determining means can store all the transfer logs, and determines that it is impossible to store all the transfer logs, the storage position An image forming apparatus that determines another storage position for storing a transfer log portion that cannot be stored. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
Having external storage means,
Based on the comparison result of the priority comparison unit, when the storage area determination unit determines that the second storage unit is full with a stored log having a priority higher than the priority of the transfer log,
The log storage unit is an image forming apparatus that transfers a transfer log to the external storage unit. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
An image forming apparatus comprising means for erasing a transfer log stored in the second storage means or the external storage device.

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