JP6299632B2 - Image forming apparatus provided with visible image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having the visible image forming apparatus, and more particularly to a technique for forming a screen image showing the progress of the predetermined operation in the air as a visible image.

  Nowadays, a display device has been proposed that forms a visible image in the air and displays necessary information. For example, in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2, invisible laser light is intermittently emitted, and the laser light is collected by a lens, a mirror, or the like to generate plasma, and the visible light emitted from the plasma is used as a letter, A visible image forming apparatus that forms a visible image such as an image in the air is shown.

  Patent Document 3 below proposes a vehicle interior aerial display device that displays necessary information by forming a visible image in a space in an automobile. In this vehicle interior aerial display device, information necessary for a vehicle occupant can be displayed at a position that is easily visible to the occupant in a space in the vehicle interior instead of a display panel attached to the vehicle interior.

  Further, the optical imaging device disclosed in Patent Document 4 below receives and reflects light emitted from an object or a display device, and is positioned symmetrically with the object or display device with the optical imaging device interposed therebetween. An object image is formed in the air by converging the reflected light.

JP 2003-233339 A JP 2007-206588 A JP 2010-78623 A JP 2013-127625 A

  By the way, there is known an image forming apparatus as a multifunction machine having multiple functions such as a copy, a printer, a scanner, and a facsimile. Such an image forming apparatus includes a display unit, and displays a progress status and the like related to a predetermined operation on a screen of the display unit. For example, when images are continuously formed on a large number of recording papers, the number of recording papers on which image formation has been completed is sequentially displayed, and the progress of image formation is displayed. When a plurality of facsimile communication jobs (image communication processing) are overlapped, a queue for each communication job before the communication processing is displayed, and the progress of facsimile communication is displayed. Further, the LED may be turned on or blinked to display the end of image formation or facsimile communication.

  However, in such a progress situation, the user does not always look at the screen or LED near the image forming apparatus, but is not looking at them because they are moving away from or away from the image forming apparatus. There is. In addition, depending on the direction in which the screen or LED is viewed, it is difficult to visually recognize them, and thus the progress of the above operation may not be grasped.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus can print the progress status related to the above operation on a recording sheet and output it. However, in this case as well, the user cannot grasp the progress status from a remote location.

  Further, the progress status can be transmitted to the terminal device through the network, but the progress status can be confirmed only on the screen of the terminal device.

  On the other hand, Patent Documents 1 to 4 disclose techniques for displaying various kinds of information in the air, but do not mention application or effectiveness of the technique to the image forming apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has made it possible to visually recognize the progress of a predetermined operation for a plurality of people and users who are scattered apart from an image forming apparatus. The purpose is to enable easy notification.

An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus including a visible image forming apparatus and an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording sheet .
The visible image forming apparatus includes a visible image forming unit that forms a visible image in the air,
A progress detection unit that detects a progress related to a predetermined action;
A progress screen creation unit that creates a screen image of a progress screen indicating the progress detected by the progress detection unit;
A control unit that forms a visible image of the screen image showing the progress screen created by the progress screen creating unit in the air by the visible image forming unit ;
A facsimile communication unit for performing facsimile communication;
The progress detection unit detects a progress of facsimile communication by the facsimile communication unit as a progress related to the predetermined operation,
A receiving unit that receives a communication job for facsimile communication of an image from a plurality of terminal devices via a network;
The facsimile communication unit sequentially executes the plurality of communication jobs when a plurality of communication jobs received by the receiving unit overlap.
The progress detection unit detects a queue of communication jobs in which the plurality of communication jobs are arranged based on position information of each terminal device as a progress status related to the predetermined operation.

An another image forming apparatus according to one aspect, an image forming apparatus Ru and an image forming portion for forming a variable view forming apparatus, the images on the recording sheet of the present invention,
The visible image forming apparatus includes a visible image forming unit that forms a visible image in the air,
A progress detection unit that detects a progress related to a predetermined action;
A progress screen creation unit that creates a screen image of a progress screen indicating the progress detected by the progress detection unit;
A control unit that forms a visible image of the screen image indicating the progress screen created by the progress screen creation unit in the air by the visible image forming unit, and
A network interface unit that receives a screen image indicating the progress of a communication job for communicating an image through a network,
When the network interface unit receives a plurality of screen images of the communication job at the same time, the control unit may display a screen image of a part of the communication jobs as a visible image. A screen image of the remaining communication job that is not formed but formed in the visual image forming unit is transmitted from the network interface unit to another image forming apparatus through the network .

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to alert | report the progress status of predetermined operation | movement more easily than before with respect to the several people and user who are scattered apart from the apparatus.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process which forms the visible image which shows a progress condition at the time of image formation execution by an image formation part. (A)-(d) is a figure which shows the example of a display of the progress of image formation. It is a figure which shows the state in which a visible image is formed in the air. It is a flowchart which shows the process which forms the visible image which shows a progress condition at the time of detection of forgetting to remove a recording paper. (A)-(d) is a figure which shows the example of a display of the progress status of facsimile communication. (A) And (b) is a figure which shows another example of a display of the progress of facsimile communication. It is a figure which shows another example of a display of the progress of facsimile communication. It is a figure which shows another example of a display of a progress condition.

  Hereinafter, an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  An image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a facsimile communication function, a copy function, a printer function, and a scanner function. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an apparatus main body 2, an image reading unit 5 disposed above the apparatus main body 2, and a connecting unit provided between the image reading unit 5 and the apparatus main body 2. 3.

  A housing 7 that forms the outline of the image forming apparatus 1 accommodates a plurality of constituent devices for realizing various functions of the image forming apparatus 1. For example, the housing 7 accommodates the image reading unit 5, the image forming unit 12 (shown in FIG. 2), the fixing unit, the paper feeding unit 30, and the visible image forming unit 50 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Has been.

  The image reading unit 5 is an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) having a document conveyance unit 6 and a scanner that optically reads a document conveyed by the document conveyance unit 6 or a document placed on a contact glass (not shown). is there. The image reading unit 5 acquires image data that is an image forming target by reading one document at a time for facsimile transmission.

  The image forming unit 12 includes a photosensitive drum, a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device, and a transfer device. The image read by the image reading unit 5 and print target data sent from a network-connected personal computer. Is used to form (print) an image on a record supplied from the paper supply unit 30. The recording paper on which the image has been formed is discharged to the discharge tray 4 after undergoing fixing processing by the fixing unit.

The visible image forming unit 50 forms a visible image in the air. (1) The visible image forming unit 50 intermittently emits invisible laser light, condenses the laser light with a lens, a mirror, or the like to generate plasma, and the visible light emitted from the plasma produces characters, A visible image such as an image is formed in the air (the visible image forming method is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2003-233339 and 2007-206588). Alternatively, (2) the visible image forming unit 50 includes an optical imaging device, receives and reflects light emitted from the display device, and is symmetrical with the display device with the optical imaging device interposed therebetween. An object image is formed in the air by converging the reflected light at a position (a visible image forming method is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-127625). Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, description will be made assuming that the visible image forming unit 50 has the configuration (1).

  The operation unit 47 includes, for example, a start key for instructing execution of various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 1, a determination key (enter key) for confirming an operation input, and a numerical value input for performing numerical value input. Keys are provided, and for various operations and processes, execution instructions such as image forming operations and image reading operations are received from the operator.

  Next, the configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the main internal configuration of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 10. The control unit 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM, a ROM, a dedicated hardware circuit, and the like.

  The image reading unit 5 includes a reading mechanism having a light irradiation unit, a CCD sensor, and the like under the control of the control unit 10. The image reading unit 5 irradiates the original with the light irradiating unit and receives the reflected light with the CCD sensor, thereby reading the image from the original.

  The image processing unit 31 performs image processing on the image data of the image read by the image reading unit 5 as necessary. For example, the image processing unit 31 performs predetermined image processing such as shading correction in order to improve the quality after the image read by the image reading unit 5 is formed by the image forming unit 12.

  The image memory 32 is an area for temporarily storing document image data obtained by reading by the image reading unit 5 and temporarily storing data to be image-formed by the image forming unit 12.

  The image forming unit 12 performs image formation such as print data read by the image reading unit 5 and print data received from the computer 200 connected to the network.

  The operation unit 47 receives instructions from the operator regarding various operations and processes that can be executed by the image forming apparatus 1.

  The visible image forming unit 50 forms a visible image in the air under the control of the control unit 100. In the present embodiment, the visible image forming unit 50 intermittently emits invisible laser light, collects the laser light with a lens, a mirror, or the like to generate plasma, and uses visible light emitted from the plasma. Visible images such as letters and images are formed in the air. The visible image forming unit 50 includes at least a laser light source unit 51, a formation position calculation unit 52, and a laser light source control unit 53.

  The laser light source unit 51 emits the invisible laser beam under the control of the laser light source control unit 53. The laser light source unit 51 includes a laser light source that emits a laser beam, a lens or mirror that collects laser light from the laser light source to generate plasma, and a scan that scans the laser light source and the lens or mirror. Mechanism.

  The formation position calculation unit 52 forms a visible image indicating the screen image received from the control unit 100 at a predetermined visible image formation position (position coordinates on a predetermined three-dimensional space coordinate system). In addition, the laser light emission direction and emission position by the laser light source unit 51 are calculated. That is, the formation position calculation unit 52 calculates the visible image formation position at which the laser light source unit 51 generates plasma.

  The laser light source control unit 53 controls the laser light source unit 51 in order to cause the gas existing in the laser light emission direction and emission position calculated by the formation position calculation unit 52 to emit plasma. Since the visible image is generated by the bright spot generated at the intersection of the two laser beams, the laser light source control unit 53 sets the position of the bright spot to a position corresponding to each pixel constituting the screen image, for example. The laser light source 51 is driven and controlled while adjusting the timing of emitting the two laser beams.

  The control unit 10 includes a control unit 100, a progress situation detection unit 101, a progress screen creation unit 102, and a forgetting detection unit 103. The control unit 10 functions as a control unit 100, a progress status detection unit 101, a progress screen creation unit 102, and a forgetting detection unit 103 by operations according to a visible image formation control program installed in the HDD 92. However, the control unit 100, the progress detection unit 101, the progress screen creation unit 102, and the forgetting detection unit 103 are each configured by a hardware circuit regardless of the operation according to the visible image formation control program by the control unit 10. It is also possible.

  The control unit 100 includes an image reading unit 5, a document conveying unit 6, an image processing unit 31, an image memory 32, an image forming unit 12, an operation unit 47, a facsimile communication unit 71, a network interface unit 91, an HDD (hard disk drive) 92, In addition, it is connected to the visible image forming unit 50 and the like, and performs drive control of these units. The control unit 100 controls the visible image forming unit 50 to form a visible image of the progress screen image created by the progress screen creating unit 102 in the air.

  The progress detection unit 101 detects a progress related to a predetermined operation.

  The progress screen creation unit 102 creates a progress screen image indicating the progress status detected by the progress status detection unit 101.

  The forgetting detection unit 103 detects forgetting to remove the recording paper after the image forming unit 12 finishes forming the image.

  The facsimile communication unit 71 includes an unillustrated encoding / decoding unit, modulation / demodulation unit, and NCU (Network Control Unit), and performs facsimile transmission using a public telephone network.

  The network interface unit 91 includes a communication module such as a LAN board, and transmits / receives various data to / from the computer 200 in the local area via a LAN connected to the network interface unit 91. Actually, a plurality of computers 200 are connected to the image forming apparatus 1.

  The HDD 92 is a large-capacity storage device that stores document images and the like read by the image reading unit 5. The HDD 92 stores a plurality of screen images that are targets of visible image formation by the visible image forming unit 50.

  The driving motor 70 is a driving source that applies a rotational driving force to each rotating member and the conveyance roller pair of the image forming unit 12.

  In such a configuration, for example, when the control unit 100 receives a copy instruction by operating the operation unit 47, the image reading unit 5 reads the image of the document, and the image data indicating the image of the document is stored in the image memory. 32 or the HDD 92, the image data is input to the image forming unit 12, and the image corresponding to the image data is recorded on the recording paper by the image forming unit 12.

  When the print data from the computer 200 is received by the network interface unit 91, the control unit 100 temporarily stores the print data in the HDD 92 and causes the image forming unit 12 to input the image data included in the print data. The image forming unit 12 records an image corresponding to the image data on a recording sheet.

  Further, when the facsimile communication data from the computer 200 is received by the network interface unit 91, the control unit 100 temporarily stores the facsimile communication data in the image memory 32 or the HDD 92 and causes the facsimile communication data to be input to the facsimile communication unit 71. Then, the facsimile communication unit 71 calls the terminal device of the communication partner and transmits the image data included in the facsimile communication data to the terminal device.

  When the facsimile communication unit 71 receives an incoming call and the facsimile communication unit 71 receives image data, the control unit 100 temporarily stores the image data in the HDD 92 and causes the image forming unit 12 to input the image data. Then, the image corresponding to the image data is recorded on the recording paper by the image forming unit 12.

  Further, when an instruction to display the progress of the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 is given by the operation of the operation unit 47 or from the computer 200 through the network interface unit 91, the progress detection unit 101 is designated by the instruction. Detect the current progress of the operation. The progress screen creation unit 102 reads a screen image corresponding to the detected current progress status from the HDD 92, processes the screen image as appropriate, and creates a screen image indicating the progress screen according to the current progress status. . The control unit 100 inputs the created screen image to the visible image forming unit 50. Under the control of the control unit 100, the visible image forming unit 50 rotates the visible image around the virtual vertical axis while forming the screen image as a visible image in the air above the image forming apparatus 1. Change the orientation of the visible image.

The predetermined operation is, for example, image formation by the image forming unit 12, factory communication by the facsimile communication unit 71, or the like. That is, the progress status relating to the predetermined operation is, for example, the progress status of image formation by the image forming unit 12, the progress status of factory communication by the facsimile communication unit 71, and the like. Since the screen image corresponding to various progress statuses is stored in advance in the HDD 92 for both the image formation progress status and the progress status of the factory communication, the progress screen creation unit 102 corresponds to the current progress status. screen image can be read by selecting, by processing the screen image as appropriate, and is it possible to accurately reflected by the screen image of the current advance Hakado situation.

  When a screen image indicating the current progress is created as described above, and the control unit 100 causes the visible image forming unit 50 to form a visible image of this screen image in the air above the image forming apparatus 1, The control unit 100 can cause the visible image forming unit 50 to display the visible image at a high position and increase the display size of the visible image. For this reason, the operator of the image forming apparatus 1 and people located in the vicinity can visually recognize the visible image regardless of whether it is near, away from, or moving away from the image forming apparatus 1. The current progress of the operation by the forming apparatus 1 can be grasped. Further, since the visible image forming unit 50 rotates the visible image around the virtual vertical axis and changes the orientation of the visible image, a plurality of people and operators scattered around the image forming apparatus 1 can The visible image can be easily visually recognized, and the current progress status can be grasped with the operation of the image forming apparatus 1.

Next, the formation of a visible image that indicates the progress of such image processing will be described in detail.
<Display of image formation progress>

  First, display of a visible image indicating the progress of image formation by the image forming unit 12 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process of displaying a visible image indicating a progress situation when the image forming unit 12 executes image formation.

  For example, it is assumed that an instruction to form an image on five recording sheets based on print data transmitted from the computer 200 to the network interface unit 91 is given. It is assumed that display of the progress of image formation is instructed from the computer 200 through the network interface unit 91 together with the print data.

  In this case, first, the control unit 100 temporarily stores the print data in the image memory 32 or the HDD 92 (S1). The control unit 100 causes the image forming unit 12 to input image data included in the print data, and starts image formation on the recording paper by the image forming unit 12 (S2). Then, at the start of image formation, the progress screen creation unit 102 reads a screen image corresponding to the start of image formation from the HDD 92, and this is a screen that is a progress screen at the start of image formation with the contents shown in FIG. Process like image G11 (S3). Here, for example, if the identification information “A” of the user of the computer 200 is preliminarily given to the print data, the progress screen creation unit 102 acquires the identification information “A” from the print data and obtains a screen image. Fill in column gb of G11. Further, the progress screen creation unit 102 enters “5” in the field ga of the screen image G12 as the number of recording sheets before image formation. Then, the control unit 100 inputs the screen image G11 to the visible image forming unit 50, and causes the visible image forming unit 50 to form a visible image of the screen image G11 (S4).

  At this time, in the visible image forming unit 50, the formation position calculating unit 52 causes the laser light source unit 51 to emit a laser beam so that the visible image of the screen image G11 is formed at an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1. And the emission position is calculated. The laser light source control unit 53 controls the laser light source unit 51 in order to cause the gas existing in the laser light emission direction and emission position calculated by the formation position calculation unit 52 to emit plasma.

  Further, the formation position calculation unit 52 rotates 360 degrees around the virtual vertical axis J at regular intervals (constant periods) as shown in FIG. The laser light source is formed so as to be rotated, that is, the visible image D having an angle rotated by the certain angle is sequentially formed at each aerial position rotated by the certain angle with a time difference. The laser beam emission direction and emission position in the XYZ directions of FIG. 5 by the unit 51 are repeatedly calculated and updated. The laser light source control unit 53 controls the laser light source unit 51 so that the gas existing in the laser light emission direction and the emission position emits plasma whenever the laser light emission direction and the emission position are updated. The laser light source control unit 53 controls the scanning mechanism of the laser light source unit 51 to move the lens in the laser irradiation direction (Z direction in FIG. 5), thereby emitting plasma in the laser irradiation direction (Z direction). Change the position.

  Thus, the visible image forming unit 50 forms the screen image G11 as a visible image D as shown in FIG. 5 at an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1, and the visible image D is centered on the virtual vertical axis J. And rotated by a certain angle. The visible image D is formed with a size of, for example, 400 mm long × 600 mm wide. Further, the visible image D is rotated by a constant angle by the visible image forming unit 50 and reciprocally rotated within a specified angle range α. Alternatively, the visible image D may be continuously rotated in one direction by a certain angle.

  For example, depending on the laser light source unit 51 of the visible image forming unit 50 arranged at the position shown in FIG. 5, when the visible image is rotated around the virtual vertical axis J, the visible image is formed. If there is an angle where it is difficult to do so, the formation position calculation unit 52 does not calculate each spatial position for rotating the visible image 360 degrees around the virtual vertical axis J, but instead of calculating the laser of the visible image formation unit 50. The spatial position at which a visible image is formed is calculated only at an angle at which the light source 51 can form a visible image.

  Therefore, a plurality of people and users scattered around the image forming apparatus 1 can easily see the screen image G11 of the visible image D. Further, the user of the computer 200 can know that the processing of his / her print data has started by looking at his / her identification information “A”.

  In this state where the display of the visible image D is started and continued, the progress detection unit 101 sequentially detects the progress of image formation by the image forming unit 12 (S5). When the progress status detected by the progress status detection unit 101 transitions, the progress screen creation unit 102 reads a screen image corresponding to the progress status from the HDD 92, processes the screen image, and updates the screen image as the progress screen. (S6). Then, the control unit 100 inputs the updated screen image to the visible image forming unit 50, and transmits the updated screen image to the laser light source unit 51, the formation position calculation unit 52, and the laser light source control unit 53. Is formed at an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1 and rotated (S7).

  For example, when the progress status detected by the progress status detection unit 101 indicates that the number of image-formed recording sheets has reached 3, the screen image G12 in the middle of image formation as shown in FIG. Is read from the HDD 92, the number of image-recorded recording sheets “3” is entered in the field ga of the screen image G12, and the user identification information “A” is entered in the field gb of the screen image G12. An updated screen image G12 is created, and a visible image D of the updated screen image G12 is displayed. When the number of recording sheets on which image formation has been performed becomes one, and whenever the number of recording sheets increases, the number of fields ga in the screen image G12 is rewritten, and the visible image D of the screen image G12 is displayed. Or you may update.

  When the number of recording sheets on which the image has been formed becomes five and the image formation is completed, the progress screen creation unit 102 uses the screen image read from the HDD 92 as shown in FIG. Like the screen image G13 at the end of image formation, the number “5” of the recording sheets on which image formation has been completed is entered in the column ga of the screen image G13, and the user identification information “A” is the screen image G13 in the column gb. The entered screen image G13 is created. The control unit 100 causes the visible image forming unit 50 to form the visible image D of the updated screen image G13.

  Therefore, a plurality of people scattered around the image forming apparatus 1 can know the progress and end of the image forming process by looking at the visible image D. Further, the user of the computer 200 can know the progress and end of the processing of his / her print data by looking at his / her identification information “A”, and further to the image forming apparatus 1 at the end timing, Five formed recording sheets can be taken out from the discharge tray 4.

  Next, a process for forming a visible image indicating the progress status when detecting forgetting to remove the recording paper will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process for forming a visible image indicating the progress status when detecting forgetting to remove the recording paper.

  Subsequently, the forgetting detection unit 103 determines the presence or absence of recording paper on the discharge tray 4 based on the detection output of a sensor (not shown) provided on the discharge tray 4 (S11). That is, the forgetting detection unit 103 detects whether an image-formed recording sheet remains without being taken out from the discharge tray 4. If the forgetting detection unit 103 determines that there is a recording sheet on the discharge tray 4 (YES in S11), the progress screen creation unit 102 continues this determination for a certain period of time (YES in S12). A screen image G14 in which the recording paper is forgotten as shown in FIG. 4D is read from the HDD 92 and created (S13).

  The control unit 100 inputs the screen image G14 to the visible image forming unit 50, and the visible image forming unit 50 rotates the visible image D of the screen image G14 to an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1. Form (S14).

Therefore, a plurality of people and users around the image forming apparatus 1 can see that the image-formed recording paper remains on the discharge tray 4 by looking at the visible image D.
<Display of progress of facsimile communication>

  Next, display of a visible image indicating the progress of facsimile communication by the facsimile communication unit 71 will be described. For example, it is assumed that the facsimile communication data transmitted from the computer 200 to the network interface unit 91 instructs the transmission of the identification information (telephone number) of the communication partner terminal device and five images. It is assumed that the computer 200 is instructed to display the progress status of factory communication through the network interface unit 91 together with the facsimile communication data.

  In this case, the control unit 100 temporarily stores the facsimile communication data in the image memory 32 or the HDD 92, inputs the facsimile communication data to the facsimile communication unit 71, and starts facsimile communication by the facsimile communication unit 71.

  At the start of facsimile communication, the progress screen creation unit 102 reads the screen image corresponding to the start of facsimile communication from the HDD 92, and the number of images before transmission is five. Therefore, the contents shown in FIG. Like the screen image G21 at the start of the facsimile communication, the number of images before transmission “5” is entered in the column ga of the screen image G21 and processed. If the identification information “A” of the user of the computer 200 is preliminarily given to the facsimile communication data, the progress screen creation unit 102 acquires the identification information “A” of the user from the facsimile communication data and displays the screen. Fill in column gb of image G21.

  Then, the control unit 100 inputs the screen image G21 to the visible image forming unit 50. The visible image forming unit 50 forms the screen image G21 as a visible image D as shown in FIG. 5 at an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1, and rotates the visible image D.

  Therefore, a plurality of people and users scattered around the image forming apparatus 1 can easily see the visible image D. Also, the user of the computer 200 can know that his / her facri communication has started by looking at his / her identification information “A”.

  In the state where the display of the visible image D is started and continued in this way, the progress detection unit 101 detects the progress of facsimile communication in a timely manner. The progress screen creation unit 102 reads a screen image corresponding to the progress status from the HDD 92, processes the screen image, and updates the screen image. Then, the control unit 100 causes the visible image forming unit 50 to form and rotate the updated visible image D of the screen image at an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1.

  For example, when the progress status detection unit 101 detects that the number of transmitted images in facsimile transmission has become two, the progress screen creation unit 102 reads the corresponding screen image G22 from the HDD 92 and has already transmitted “2/5” indicating the number of images and the total number of images to be transmitted is entered in the field ga of the screen image G22, and user identification information “A” is entered in the field gb of the screen image G22. A screen image G22 updated according to the progress is created. The control unit 100 causes the visible image forming unit 50 to form the updated visible image D of the screen image G22. When the number of transmitted images becomes one and every time the number of images increases, the progress detection unit 101 rewrites the number in the field ga of the screen image G22, and under the control of the control unit 100, The visible image forming unit 50 may form the visible image D of the screen image G22.

  When the progress detection unit 101 detects that the number of transmitted images has reached 5 and facsimile communication has been completed, the progress screen creation unit 102 reads the screen image G23 from which transmission has been completed from the HDD 92. As shown in FIG. 7C, the number of transmitted images “5” is entered in the column ga of the screen image G23, and the identification information “A” of the user is entered in the column gb of the screen image G23. The screen image G23 updated according to the progress status is created. Under the control of the control unit 100, the visible image forming unit 50 forms a visible image D of the updated screen image G23.

  Therefore, a plurality of people scattered around the image forming apparatus 1 can know the progress and termination of the facsimile communication by looking at the visible image D. Also, the user of the computer 200 can know the progress and termination of his / her own facsimile communication by looking at his / her identification information “A”.

  When the progress detection unit 101 detects that an error has occurred in the facsimile communication by the facsimile communication unit 71, the progress screen creation unit 102 reads the error screen image G24 from the HDD 92 and processes the error screen image G24. A screen image G24 as shown in (d) is created. The control unit 100 inputs the screen image G24 to the visible image forming unit 50. The visible image forming unit 50 forms a visible image D indicating the screen image G24 at an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1 and rotates it. The control unit 100 may cause the visible image forming unit 50 to form a page of an image in which an error has occurred as a visible image of the screen image G24.

Therefore, a plurality of people and users around the image forming apparatus 1 can know that an error has occurred in the facsimile communication by looking at the visible image D.
<Another display of the progress of facsimile communication>

  Next, when a plurality of facsimile communication data is transmitted and received from a plurality of computers 200 to the network interface unit 91 at the same time, and transmission processing (communication jobs) of the plurality of facsimile communication data is overlapped, the progress of the factory communication is suitable. Another display of status will be described.

  For example, it is assumed that the respective facsimile communication data is transmitted from the two computers 200 and received by the network interface unit 91 of the image forming apparatus 1 at the same time. It is assumed that display of the progress status of factory communication is instructed from at least one of the computers 200 through the network interface unit 91.

  In this case, the control unit 100 temporarily stores each facsimile communication data in the image memory 32 or the HDD 92, inputs the first received facsimile communication data to the facsimile communication unit 71, and performs facsimile communication by the facsimile communication unit 71. Let it begin. Further, the progress detection unit 101 detects that the communication job for the first received facsimile communication data is started and the communication job for the second received facsimile communication data is waiting. At this time, the progress screen creation unit 102 creates screen images G31 and G32 indicating the progress of facsimile communication as shown in FIG. 8A, and creates a screen image G300 composed of these screen images G31 and G32. Two are arranged in the vertical direction. At this time, the progress screen creation unit 102 arranges the two screen images G31 and G32 in close contact with each other without a gap. Then, the progress screen creation unit 102 assigns the lower screen image G31 to the first communication job, and indicates the number of transmitted images and the total number of transmitted images for the first communication job. 5 ”is entered in the column ga of the lower screen image G31, and the identification information“ A ”of the user of the computer 200 previously assigned to the first facsimile communication data is entered in the column gb of the lower screen image G31. To do. In addition, the progress screen creation unit 102 assigns the upper screen image G32 to the second communication job, and sets the number of images “10” before transmission for the second communication job in the field ga of the upper screen image G32. At the same time, the identification information “B” of the user of the computer 200 acquired from the facsimile communication data is entered in the field gb of the upper screen image G32.

  Then, the control unit 100 inputs a screen image G300 including two screen images G31 and G32 arranged in the vertical direction to the visible image forming unit 50. The visible image forming unit 50 forms a screen image G300 (FIG. 8) composed of two screen images G31 and G32 as a visible image D as shown in FIG. 5 at an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1. The visible image D is rotated.

  Accordingly, as the two communication jobs are moved in the vertical direction and the execution order of the communication jobs is delayed, the visible image D of the screen images G31 and G32 indicating the queue of communication jobs in which the communication jobs are arranged upward is formed. .

  When the first communication job is completed, the control unit 100 inputs the second received facsimile communication data to the facsimile communication unit 71 and starts facsimile communication by the facsimile communication unit 71. Further, since the control unit 100 starts only the second communication job and starts the communication job of the second received facsimile communication data, the progress screen creation unit 102, as shown in FIG. The number of images before transmission “10” is entered in the column ga of the screen image G33 and the identification information “B” of the user is entered in the column gb of the screen image G33 to create an updated screen image G33. (That is, a screen image corresponding to the communication job indicated by the screen image G31 is not created). The control unit 100 inputs the screen image G33 to the visible image forming unit 50. The visible image forming unit 50 forms only the screen image G33 indicating the second communication job as a visible image D as shown in FIG. 5 at an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1, and this visible image D Rotate.

  Further, when the second communication job is completed, the control unit 100 stops the display of the visible image D by the visible image forming unit 50.

In this way, a queue of communication jobs is obtained by arranging a plurality of communication jobs in the vertical direction and upward as the execution order of the communication jobs becomes slower, and each communication job arranged in this queue is arranged. By forming the screen image as a visible image D, a plurality of users can see the waiting state, start, progress, and end of each communication job by looking at the visible image D.
<Modification of display of progress of facsimile communication>

  Here, when a plurality of communication jobs are overlapped, a queue of communication jobs in which the communication jobs are arranged in the vertical direction is obtained based on the position information of each computer 200 that has transmitted the communication jobs. Thus, a screen image of each communication job arranged in this queue is formed as a visible image D.

  For example, each computer 200 transmits facsimile communication data to the image forming apparatus 1 together with position information of its own computer 200. When each facsimile communication data is received by the network interface unit 91, the control unit 100 temporarily stores the facsimile communication data in the image memory 32 or the HDD 92 and obtains position information of each computer 200. The progress screen creation unit 102 compares the position information of each computer 200 with the position information of the image forming apparatus 1, arranges screen images indicating the respective communication jobs in the vertical direction, and transmits the communication job. As the position of the computer 200 moves away from the image forming apparatus 1, a screen image in which screen images indicating the communication job are arranged upward is created.

  For example, when facsimile communication data and position information are sent from the three computers 200 to the image forming apparatus 1, the progress screen creation unit 102 is the computer that is farthest from the image forming apparatus 1 according to the position information. A screen image G51 (FIG. 9) showing the progress status of (Mr. “A” 's computer) is arranged at the uppermost position, and immediately below it is located farther from the image forming apparatus 1 than the Ms. “A” computer. A screen image G52 indicating the progress status of the computer (Mr. “B” 's computer) is arranged, and is located further away from the image forming apparatus 1 than the computer of “B” just below the screen image G52. Screen image G50 on which a screen image G53 showing the progress of the computer ("C" 's computer) is arranged To create a. The control unit 100 inputs the screen image G500 to the visible image forming unit 50. As shown in FIG. 9, the visible image forming unit 50 forms a screen image G500 as a visible image D at an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1 and rotates the visible image D.

  For example, a distance from the image forming apparatus 1 is associated with the IP address of each computer, and the IP address and the corresponding distance information are used as position information. The progress screen creation unit 102 detects the separation distance from the image forming apparatus 1 for each computer based on the position information accompanying each communication job sent from a plurality of computers, and moves the screen image in the vertical direction. Determines the order of arrangement in.

  Therefore, the further the position of the computer 200 is away from the image forming apparatus 1, the higher the progress of the communication job transmitted from the computer 200 is displayed, and the user of the computer 200 can display the communication job. It is possible to easily visually check the progress status.

  It is also possible to implement a modification of the progress display as follows.

When a large number of communication jobs are transmitted to the image forming apparatus 1 at the same time, it becomes difficult to form screen images of all the communication jobs as visible images D in the space above the image forming apparatus 1. Even if screen images of all communication jobs are formed and shown as a visible image D, it is difficult to visually recognize them.

  In view of this, the image forming apparatus 1 controls the screen images of the remaining communication jobs not to be formed by causing the visible image forming unit 50 to form a part of the screen image indicating the communication job as the visible image D. The unit 100 transmits from the network interface unit 91 to another image forming apparatus 1 via a LAN or the like. As shown in FIG. 10, when the other image forming apparatus 1 receives the screen images of the remaining communication jobs, the control unit 100 and the visible image forming unit 50 of the other image forming apparatus 1 In the same manner as described above, an image is formed in the air as a visible image D and rotated.

  In this way, if screen images of a large number of communication jobs are distributed to a plurality of image forming apparatuses 1 and each visible image D is formed by the visible image forming unit 50 of each image forming apparatus 1, the progress of all communication jobs Can be displayed in a state where it can be easily viewed.

  Further, since the control unit 100, the visible image forming unit 50, and the facsimile communication unit 71 are also provided in the other image forming apparatuses 1, the remaining communication jobs themselves are transmitted to the other image forming apparatuses and distributed. In the other image forming apparatus 1, it is also possible to execute the remaining communication jobs, create screen images of the remaining communication jobs, and form these screen images as visible images D. is there.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the computer 200 is instructed to display the progress status relating to the image processing is described. However, the image processing is also performed when the operation section 47 is instructed to display the progress status. It is also possible in the image forming apparatus 1 to create a screen image showing the progress status relating to the image, and to form and rotate the visible image D showing the screen image at an aerial position above the image forming apparatus 1.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1, when print data or facsimile communication data is transmitted / received from the computer 200 to the network interface unit 91, a screen image indicating the progress status is created, and the visible image of the screen image is set in the air. In the image forming apparatus 1, an image of the original is read by the image reading unit 5, and the read image of the original is printed on a recording sheet by the image forming unit 12 or from the facsimile communication unit 71. Even when it is transmitted, it is possible to create a screen image showing the progress and form a visible image of the screen image in the air.

  Further, the number of visible image forming units 50 is increased, and a plurality of visible image forming units 50 are selectively used according to the rotation angle of the visible image D, or a plurality of visible image forming units 50 are displayed according to the number of visible images D. It is also possible to use the image forming unit 50 properly.

  In the above embodiment, a color multifunction peripheral is described as an embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. However, this is merely an example, and a monochrome multifunction peripheral or other electronic device such as a printer is used. Other image forming apparatuses such as a copying machine and a facsimile machine may be used.

  Furthermore, in the said embodiment, the structure and process which were shown by the said embodiment using FIG. 1 thru | or FIG. 10 are only one Embodiment of this invention, and are not the meaning which limits this invention to the said structure and process.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 10 Control unit 100 Control part 101 Progress condition detection part 102 Progress screen creation part 103 Forgetting detection part 12 Image formation part 71 Facsimile communication part 50 Visible image formation part 51 Laser light source part 52 Formation position calculation part 53 Laser Light source controller

Claims (6)

An image forming apparatus comprising a visible image forming apparatus and an image forming unit that forms an image on recording paper ,
The visible image forming apparatus includes a visible image forming unit that forms a visible image in the air,
A progress detection unit that detects a progress related to a predetermined action;
A progress screen creation unit that creates a screen image of a progress screen indicating the progress detected by the progress detection unit;
A control unit that forms a visible image of the screen image indicating the progress screen created by the progress screen creation unit in the air by the visible image forming unit , and
A facsimile communication unit for performing facsimile communication;
The progress detection unit detects a progress of facsimile communication by the facsimile communication unit as a progress related to the predetermined operation,
A receiving unit that receives a communication job for facsimile communication of an image from a plurality of terminal devices via a network;
The facsimile communication unit sequentially executes the plurality of communication jobs when a plurality of communication jobs received by the receiving unit overlap.
The progress status detection unit is an image forming apparatus that detects a queue of communication jobs in which the plurality of communication jobs are arranged based on position information of each terminal device as a progress status related to the predetermined operation. An image forming apparatus comprising a visible image forming apparatus and an image forming unit that forms an image on recording paper ,
The visible image forming apparatus includes a visible image forming unit that forms a visible image in the air,
A progress detection unit that detects a progress related to a predetermined action;
A progress screen creation unit that creates a screen image of a progress screen indicating the progress detected by the progress detection unit;
A control unit that forms a visible image of the screen image indicating the progress screen created by the progress screen creation unit in the air by the visible image forming unit, and
A communication unit for performing communication;
The progress detection unit detects a progress of communication by the communication unit as a progress related to the predetermined operation,
A receiving unit that receives a communication job for communicating an image from a plurality of terminal devices through a network,
The communication unit sequentially executes the plurality of communication jobs when a plurality of communication jobs received by the receiving unit overlap.
The progress status detection unit is an image forming apparatus that detects a queue of communication jobs in which the plurality of communication jobs are arranged based on position information of each terminal device as a progress status related to the predetermined operation. An image forming apparatus comprising a visible image forming apparatus and an image forming unit that forms an image on recording paper ,
The visible image forming apparatus includes a visible image forming unit that forms a visible image in the air,
A progress detection unit that detects a progress related to a predetermined action;
A progress screen creation unit that creates a screen image of a progress screen indicating the progress detected by the progress detection unit;
A control unit that forms a visible image of the screen image indicating the progress screen created by the progress screen creation unit in the air by the visible image forming unit, and
The screen image showing the progress of communication jobs for communicating an image, a network interface unit for receiving via the network,
When the network interface unit receives a plurality of screen images of the communication job at the same time, the control unit may display a screen image of a part of the communication jobs as a visible image. An image forming apparatus that transmits a screen image of a remaining communication job that is not formed but is formed in a visual image forming unit from the network interface unit to another image forming apparatus through a network. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit causes the visible image forming unit to rotate the visible image in the air to change the orientation of the screen image . 5. The image formation according to claim 1, wherein the progress detection unit detects the occurrence of an error related to the predetermined operation as the progress state related to the predetermined operation. 6. apparatus. A detection unit for detecting forgetting to remove the recording paper after completion of image formation by the image forming unit;
6. The progress screen creation unit creates an image of the progress screen based on the progress status when the detection unit detects that the recording paper is forgotten to be removed . the image forming apparatus according to any one.

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