JPH08133579A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To visually provide the information for each bin of a sorter to a user. CONSTITUTION: The data after developed to a bit map data by a FAX part 1-5 issues 'sorter control command' for designating the bin position of a sorter 1-3 for discharging an output sheet and 'sorter information notifying command' for transmitting the date and time of the transmission and the name and telephone number of the transmitter before it is transferred to a digital copying machine 10 through a core part 1-8. The digital copying machine 10 changes the bin position every output sheet by receiving these two commands, and displays the bin information of the sorter 1-3 on an operation part 1-4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a facsimile function, a printer function, etc., for sorting copy recording sheets by a sorter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional copying machine is, for example, an analog copying machine in which a signal sent from a CCD (charge coupled device) which is a photoelectric conversion element is directly converted into a laser beam to form an electrostatic latent image. Is the main. However, in recent years, due to increasing demands for functions such as image editing and reversing, and faithful reproduction of original images including grayscale expression, the original image is
A digital copying machine that converts an electric signal into a digital electric signal and reproduces an image by turning on / off a laser has started to attract attention.

The main features of this type of digital copying machine are: (1) Since an image is processed digitally, editing such as inversion and rotation can be performed. (2) Since the read image can be edited, Generally, the image quality is better than that of an analog copying machine. (3) It is possible to add a function such as a printer or a facsimile to the copying machine so as to have expandability.

[0004]

However, since the above-mentioned conventional digital copying machine is provided with the multi-functions as described above, it occurs in the copying machine having only a single function of the copying function like the conventional copying machine. Various problems that I didn't get started to occur.

For example, in a copying machine that normally has only a single copy function, it is unlikely that output papers will be mixed, but if the copying machine has a facsimile function, a PDL printer function, etc., then various types of original output trays will be provided. Copy paper output related to various functions will be mixed.

As one means for solving this, effective use of a sorter can be considered. For example, in a certain type of copying machine (a copying machine having a plurality of sorter bins), the bin position of the sorter to which copy paper is output is determined by each function (facsimile, PDL).
It is possible to prevent confusion of copy paper by switching each printer.

However, with this method alone, the user must know in advance which function is assigned to which sorter, and even if he / she knows it, a copy is made on the bottom sorter. It is troublesome for the user to check whether or not paper is present.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to display information about a current sorter output sheet and provide a user with information for each bin of the sorter. A forming device is provided.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] and

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus for visually outputting print data from a plurality of function boards onto recording paper, dividing the recording paper into a plurality of bins, and outputting the bins. Based on the means for identifying the transfer source of the print data from among the plurality of function boards and the identification result,
The information processing apparatus further includes a unit that generates predetermined information about the transfer source bin and the output destination bin of the recording paper, a unit that stores the predetermined information, and a display unit that displays the stored predetermined information.

In the above arrangement, it functions to give the user information about the current sorter output sheet for each bin.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of an image forming system having an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, this system is composed of a digital copying machine 10, an external device 20, and a computer 1-9.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1-1 is a reader unit which is an image input device for converting an original document (not shown) into image data, and 1-2 is a plurality of types of recording paper cassettes, and an image is printed by a print command. A printer unit as an image output device that outputs data as a visible image on a recording sheet, 1-3 is a sorter that sorts the copy sheets output from the printer unit 1-2, and 1-4 is various settings and An operation unit for displaying the current device status and the like. These components are connected to the external device 20 by an external interface (not shown).

The external device 20 includes a FAX unit (1-5) for realizing a facsimile function and a computer interface unit (1- for connecting to a computer 1-9).
6), a formatter unit (1-7) for converting the information from the computer 1-9 into a visible image, and a core unit (1-8) for controlling the above functional units.

Computer interface section 1-6
Interface with the computer 1-9 connected to the external device 20 as described above, and the SCSI,
It has multiple interfaces based on RS-232C and Centronics specifications. Then, the data sent through these three types of interfaces is transferred to the core unit 1
Passed to -8.

The core unit 1-8 determines whether the data from the computer interface unit is data related to the FAX unit 1-5 or data related to the formatter unit 1-7. In this way, data and commands from outside the device are
The core unit 1-8 distributes the designated function (functional board). That is, in this system, the functions of each FAX, formatter and the like can be freely controlled from the computer 1-9.

The operation of the system according to this embodiment will be described in detail below. The sorter 1-3 of the digital copying machine according to the present embodiment may be a 10-bin sorter or a 20-bin sorter, but a 6-bin sorter will be taken as an example here for the sake of simplicity. Also, the bin settings for sorters 1-3 are copy-only for the first and second bins, and for the third and fourth bins.
The fifth bin is for fax only, the fifth and sixth bins are PD
It is assumed that the L printer is set for exclusive use. <Transmission of Facsimile Data> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the flow of data and commands when facsimile data is transferred via the telephone line in this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the data sent via the telephone line 30 is first received by the FAX unit 1-5, all the data is temporarily stored in the hard disk 2-1 and then sequentially.
The FAX unit 1-5 develops the bitmap data. Then, the data after completion of the expansion is transferred to the digital copying machine 10 via the core unit 1-8.

At this time, the core unit 1-8, prior to data transfer, specifies a bin position of the sorter 1-3 that discharges output sheets (sorter control command) (predetermines the bin position of the sorters 1-3). "Command to move to position" and "date and time of transmission, time of transmission, name of transmission source, telephone number, etc." (sorter information notification command) (operation unit 1-4, sorter 1-3
Command to display the information for each bin).

By receiving the above two commands, the digital copying machine 10 changes the bin position for each output sheet and displays the bin information of the sorter 1-3 on the operation unit 1-4. The sorter 1-displayed on the operation unit 1-4
The bin information of No. 3 is switched to the original copy screen at an arbitrary timing generated by the panel switching unit (not shown) after being displayed for a certain period of time. <Data Transfer from Host Computer> FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a data flow when data is transferred from the host computer 1-9. As described above, the computer interface unit 1-9 includes the Centronics,
It has a plurality of interfaces of the SCSI and RS-232C specifications, and the data sent via any one of them is first of all the formatter unit 1.
-7, where it is developed into bitmap data.

The expanded data is transferred to the digital copying machine 10 via the core unit 1-8. At this time, the core unit 1-8 ejects the output paper before transferring the data. "Sorter control command" that specifies the bin position of the sorter to be used (as in the case of the above facsimile data,
Command to move the bin position of the sorter to a predetermined position),
A "sorter information notification command" (command for displaying information for each bin of the sorter on the operation unit 1-4) that conveys the date and time of transmission, the name of the sender, the telephone number, etc. is issued.

By receiving these two commands, the digital copying machine 10 changes the bin position for each output sheet and displays the bin information of the sorter on the operation unit 1-4. Here, also, the bin information of the sorter displayed on the operation unit 1-4 is switched to the original copy screen at an arbitrary timing generated by a panel switching unit (not shown) after being displayed for a certain period of time.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the exchange of commands when the user displays bin information of the sorter on the operation unit at any timing in the system of this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the appearance of the operation panel of the digital copying machine that constitutes the system according to the embodiment.

First, when the user presses the "sorter information" switch 51 in the operation unit 1-4, the digital copying machine 1
0 issues a “sorter information request command” to the external device 20. Core part that received this command 1-
8 reads the contents of the sorter information recording unit 2-4 in which the sort information for each bin is stored, and the current sorter information is sent by the "sorter information notification command" to the digital copying machine 10
Let us know.

Upon receiving the "sorter information notification command", the digital copying machine 10 changes the sort bin information into a predetermined format and displays it on the display panel 5 of the operation unit.
Display on 2. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, in addition to the type of function board that has output, the number of output copies, the output time, the telephone number of the sender, for example, the current usage status of the device, the name of the output person, etc. are displayed. .

The data recorded in the sorter information recording section 2-4 is not erased until the output paper placed in the sorter bin is taken out. That is, the sorter is provided with a sensor (not shown), and it is possible to know whether or not the recording paper is pulled out by this sensor.
When the output paper placed on the sorter is removed, the digital copying machine 10 informs the core unit 1-8 that the output paper has been removed. Then, the core unit 1-8 erases the bin information of the predetermined sorter from the sorter information recording unit 2-4.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
The user can know the information for each bin of the sorter by displaying the information about the output paper of the current sorter on the panel of the operation unit of the digital copying machine at any timing from the panel switching means. It is possible to prevent confusion between plural kinds of output sheets in the sorter.

In the above embodiment, the panel on the operation unit of the digital copying machine 10 is used as the display panel for displaying the sort bin information. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and, for example, as shown in FIG. You may make it perform using the display part attached to a sorter.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, next to each bin (bin 1 to bin 6) of the sorter 60, a display section (display means 1 to display means 6) showing the current status of the sorter is provided. -When the copy original is output, the display is turned on in red.-When the facsimile original is output, the display is turned on in blue. When the printer original is output, the display is turned on. Turn on “yellow”. If no display is turned on when no document is output, the user can glance at the bin information of the current sorter.

Also here, when the document is pulled out from the sorter, the display which is lit on the display unit is turned off.

As described above, even if the digital copying machine itself does not have an operation unit for displaying bin information of the sorter, information having almost the same content as that displayed on the panel of the operation unit is displayed in the sorter. It is possible to provide it to the user using the attached display unit.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By displaying the information about the output sheets of the current sorter, the user can be provided with the information for each bin of the sorter, and it is possible to avoid the confusion of plural kinds of copy recording sheets.

[0033]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming system including an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow when transferring facsimile data.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow at the time of transferring PDL print data.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow when switching display contents on the operation unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a panel configuration of an operation unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a sorter is provided with a display unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-1 Reader unit 1-2 Printer unit 1-3, 60 sorter 1-4 Operation unit 1-5 FAX unit 1-6 Computer interface unit 1-7 Formatter unit 1-8 Core unit 1-9 Computer 10 Digital copying machine 20 external device 40 partner facsimile device

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for visually outputting print data from a plurality of function boards onto recording paper, dividing the recording paper into a plurality of bins, and outputting the plurality of bins. Means for identifying the transfer source, means for generating predetermined information regarding the transfer source and the output destination bin of the recording paper based on the identification result, means for storing the predetermined information, and the stored information. And a display unit for displaying the predetermined information. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising means for detecting the presence / absence of the recording paper in the plurality of bins, wherein the display means displays the detection result together with the predetermined information. Image forming apparatus. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit displays the predetermined information and the detection result at a predetermined timing. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the display unit displays the predetermined information and the detection result according to a predetermined display request to the image forming apparatus. 5. The display unit is provided in the vicinity of an operation unit on the image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus according to item 1. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is provided in the vicinity of the plurality of bins. 7. The display means is a lamp display corresponding to the plurality of function boards.
The image forming apparatus according to item 1. 8. The predetermined information includes the type of the function board, the output time of the print data, the usage state of the image forming apparatus, the name of the print data output person, and the telephone number of the print data output person. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output quantity of the recording paper is included.