JPH10232750A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device with which how many times a plotting command in a plotting command storage part is used or how many times an option to be connected is used is exactly grasped and presented as an improvement item for the next machine type. SOLUTION: This device is composed of a host I/F part 2, bit image generating part 4, CPU 5, video RAM 6, video signal transmitting part 7, operation display part 8, printing processing part 9, I/D part 10 with the option and history storage part 11 and the history storage part 11 stores how many times each plotting command stored in the plotting command storage part 4 is used and/or how many times each option connected to the I/F part 10 with the option is used.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus connected to a personal computer or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG.
Drawing command storage unit 14, CPU 15, video RAM1
6, a video signal transmitting section 17, an operation display section 18, a print processing section 19, and an optional I / F section 20. The host I / F section 12 receives image data from an external device such as a personal computer, The generation unit 13 converts the bit image data into bit image data by referring to the drawing command in the drawing command storage unit 14, and converts the bit image data into printable data via the video RAM 16 and the video signal transmission unit 17. Printing was in progress. In addition, I / O
The F section 20 is a connection portion for providing an optional function.

[0003]

Conventionally, as for the image forming apparatus, a service technician regularly performs inspections and adjustments when a failure occurs or the like. Although the part to be improved can be grasped, the software part, specifically, the exact number of times of using the drawing command in the drawing command storage unit 14, or the option attached to the I / F unit 20 with the option There was a problem that it was not possible to identify it as an improvement item for the next model, because it was not possible to grasp the exact number of times it was used.

Incidentally, the option in the present invention means a mechanism such as an IC card for expanding the function of the image forming apparatus 1 or a stacker or a sorter for accommodating the transfer paper after the printing process. The exact number of times the option is used means that the option is the I / F unit 2 for the option.
It means the number of connections to 0.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has been made in view of the above circumstances. In the image forming apparatus that converts the print command into a print command, the number of times each drawing command is used and / or
Alternatively, the image forming apparatus is provided with a storage unit for storing the number of times each option is used.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 includes a host I / F unit 2, a bit image generating unit 3, a drawing command storage unit 4, a CPU 5, a video RAM 6, and a video. It comprises a signal transmission unit 7, an operation display unit 8, a print processing unit 9, an optional I / F unit 10, and a history storage unit 11.

[0008] The host I / F 2 is a part connected to an external device such as a personal computer via a cable, and receives image data from the external device.

The drawing command storage unit 4 is a part in which drawing commands are stored.

[0010] The bit image generator 3 is provided with a host I / F.
This is a part for generating a bit image by referring to the drawing command in the drawing command storage unit 4 based on the image data received by the unit 2.

The CPU 5 controls the entire image forming apparatus 1.

The video RAM 6 and the video signal transmitting section 7
This section converts the bit image generated by the bit image generation section 3 into printable data. For example, in the case of a laser printer, the black signal is “1” and the white signal is “0”.
After the signal is generated for each line, an electric field control is performed on the photosensitive drum so that the toner is placed on the position corresponding to the "1" signal and the toner is not placed on the position corresponding to the "0" signal. Generate a signal for

The operation display section 8 is a section having an operation section composed of buttons and the like and a display section such as a liquid crystal panel. The user can instruct the operation of the image forming apparatus 1, and the current processing status and the user For displaying a warning (e.g., paper feed, toner replacement, etc.).

The print processing section 9 is a section for performing print processing of the data converted to be printable on the transferred transfer paper, and includes a photosensitive drum, a fixing device, and the like.

An option I / F unit 10 is a connection portion for providing an option. The option to be connected includes an IC for expanding the function of the image forming apparatus 1.
There are mechanisms such as a card, for example, a card with a built-in network compatible program, and a stacker or a sorter for accommodating transfer paper after printing processing.

The history storage unit 11 is a unit that stores the number of times each drawing command stored in the drawing command storage unit 4 is used and the number of times each option that is connected to the I / F unit 10 with the option. .

With such a configuration, the information stored in the history storage unit 11 is printed by the operation display unit 8 and printed by the print processing unit 9, or stored in the history storage unit 11 by the operation display unit 8. The displayed information can be displayed by issuing a display command, and information on the number of times each drawing command and each option can be used can be extracted.

[0018]

As described above, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, by providing the storage unit for storing the number of times of use of each drawing command and / or the number of times of use of each option, each drawing of the user can be performed. Since the number of times commands are used and the number of times each option is used can be grasped, improvements to the next model include the removal and improvement of drawing commands and optional functions that are used less frequently, making images easier to use. A forming device can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram illustrating a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Image forming apparatus 2, 12: Host I / F section 3, 13: Bit image generation section 4, 14: Drawing command storage section 5, 15: CPU 6, 16: Video RAM 7, 17: Video signal transmission section 8 , 18: operation display section 9, 19: print processing section 10, 20: I / F section with option 11: history storage section

Claims (1)

[Claims] An image forming apparatus to which an option can be given and which converts external image data into bit image data by referring to an internal drawing command and prints the bit image data, and / or the number of times each drawing command is used and / or An image forming apparatus comprising a storage unit for storing the number of times each option is used.