JPH10285363A - Image-forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image-forming device where the utilizing efficiency of a storage device is improved and the operation control is facilitated, even in the case that a change in a storage capacity and an input data amount are unknown. SOLUTION: In the image-forming device having an image memory 66 that stores an image signal converted into a digital signal and a memory controller 65 that controls input/output of a signal to the image memory 66, a storage capacity required to store input data is calculated, when a main controller consisting of a CPU 68 issues a data input request to the memory 66. Furthermore, whether or not there is an idle capacity sufficient to store the input data is discriminated, based on the calculated storage capacity. When no idle capacity is available, 'no idle capacity' is informed to a request source and when an idle capacity is available, processing for the preparation required for data input is conducted and 'data entry execution preparation ready' is informed.

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 function of selecting and outputting a plurality of input image signals and applied to, for example, a digital multifunction peripheral.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image signal read by a scanner is temporarily stored in an image memory, and for the second and subsequent copies, the image signal read from the image memory is sent to a printer without operating the scanner to form an image. It has been known. Further, there is also known an image forming apparatus which performs an operation of forming the image data read from the image memory with a printer, reading the next original with a scanner during the image formation, and inputting the same with the image memory. Further, a device for controlling the order of input and output of the stored normal image data is known, but no consideration is given to controlling the operation according to the use situation of the storage device.

As related techniques, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Sho 52-108822 and 55-13
The invention described in JP 7540 is known.

[0004]

By the way, when the operation is controlled in accordance with the use information of the storage device as described above, that is, a plurality of input image data are stored and the order of the input is determined. Output in a different order,
If a plurality of input data are aggregated and output in one image output, the storage capacity required of the storage device for storing the image data increases in accordance with the amount of the image data to be processed. Therefore, by compressing and storing the input data, the storage capacity can be reduced and the amount of processed data can be improved. Therefore, when compressing the input data, if the data compression ratio is known as in the fixed-length compression method, the data amount after compression can be easily calculated based on the data size and the compression ratio at the time of data input. . Further, if the remaining amount of the storage device is known in advance, it is easy to predict whether or not data input can be executed based on the remaining amount, and to cancel the request. Therefore, the interface between the control means can be simplified by notifying the control means of the storage device of the execution request only when necessary, assuming that the notified operation can always be executed.

However, when the compression ratio is variable as in the variable length compression system or when the storage capacity can be increased as an additional function of the image forming apparatus, the data input request source determines whether or not the operation can be executed. It is not easy to make the determination, and it is expected that if the determination as to whether or not data input can be performed is made based on the remaining amount of memory, the accuracy will decrease and the utilization efficiency of the storage device will decrease.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which can improve the use efficiency of a storage device even when the storage capacity is changed or the input data amount is unknown, and which can easily control the operation. Is to do.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a first means converts an input signal into an image signal, visualizes the converted image signal, and outputs it.
In an image forming apparatus having means for storing an image signal converted into a digital signal and means for controlling input and output of signals to and from the storing means, when a data input request to the storing means is issued Means for calculating the storage capacity required for storing the input data, and means for determining whether there is sufficient free space for storing the input data based on the storage capacity calculated by the calculation means. Means for notifying the requester of the data input operation of the result of the judgment by the judging means.

The second means further includes means for judging whether to suspend or execute the requested operation based on the result of the judgment by the means for judging, and based on the judgment by the means for judging. Means for interrupting the requested operation, means for canceling the requested operation when the requested operation cannot be executed, and means for selecting and notifying an operation that can be executed again It is characterized by:

The third means further includes means for requesting the controlling means to delete the stored data from the second means, and deleting specified data from the storing means based on the request. Means for determining that the requested operation is not executable, and if there is unnecessary data, after deleting the unnecessary data, a request to execute the operation determined to be unexecutable is made again. Means.

[0010] The fourth means is characterized in that, in the second or third means, if the requested operation cannot be executed as a result of the judgment by the judging means, the content is displayed. And

A fifth means is the first means, wherein the input signal is read by the image reading means,
The optical signal is converted into an electric signal by means for converting the read optical signal into an electric signal, and the image signal is formed from an image signal obtained by converting the converted electric signal into a digital signal.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, a document bundle placed on a document table 2 of an automatic document feeder (hereinafter, referred to as "ADF") 1 with its image side down is placed on an operation unit 30 (FIG. 2). When the start key 34 is pressed, the document at the lowest position is fed by the feed roller 3 and the feed belt 4 to the reading position of the process on the contact glass 6. After reading the image data of the document on the contact glass 6 by the reading unit 50, the read document is discharged by the feed belt 4 and the discharge roller 5. Further, when the document set detection sensor 7 detects that the next document is present on the document table 2, the document is fed onto the contact glass 6 in the same manner as the previous document. The feed roller 3, the feed belt 4, and the discharge roller 5 are driven by a transport motor 26 as shown in FIG.

The transfer sheets stacked on the first tray 8, the second tray 9, and the third tray 10 are fed by the first sheet feeding device 11, the second sheet feeding device 12, and the third sheet feeding device 13, respectively. ,
The sheet is transported by the vertical transport unit 14 to a position where it contacts the photoconductor 15. The image data read by the reading unit 50 is written on the photoconductor by the laser light from the writing unit 57, and passes through the developing unit 27 to form a toner image. The toner on the photoconductor 15 is transferred while the transfer paper is being conveyed by the conveyance belt 16 at the same speed as the rotation of the photoconductor 15. Thereafter, the image is fixed on the transfer sheet by the fixing unit 17, and the sheet is discharged to the finisher 100 of the post-processing device by the sheet discharge unit 18.

The finisher 100 normally transfers the transfer paper conveyed by the paper discharge unit 18 of the main body to the discharge rollers 1.
It can be guided in the 02 direction and the stapling section. Further, by switching the branch deflecting plate 101 upward, the sheet can be discharged to the sheet discharge tray (stacker tray) 104 via the transport roller 103. Further, by switching the branch deflecting plate 101 downward, the sheet can be conveyed to the staple tray 108 via the conveying rollers 105 and 107. The transfer paper stacked on the staple tray 108 is aligned with the jogger 109 for paper alignment every time one sheet is discharged, and a copy is completed and the stapler 106 binds the paper. The transfer paper group bound by the stapler 106 is stored in the stapling completed paper discharge tray (fall tray) 110 by its own weight.

On the other hand, a normal paper discharge tray 104 is a paper discharge tray that can move back and forth, and moves forward and backward for each paper discharge tray section, each document, or each copy sorted by the image memory, and is discharged. Sorts incoming copy paper easily.

When images are formed on both sides of the transfer paper,
The transfer paper fed and imaged from each of the paper feed trays 8 to 10 is not guided to the paper discharge tray 104 side, but the branching claws 112 for path switching are set on the upper side, so that the double-sided paper is once fed. Stock in the unit 111. Thereafter, the transfer paper stocked in the duplex paper supply unit 111 is re-fed from the duplex paper supply unit 111 in order to transfer the toner image formed on the photoconductor 15 again, and the branch claws 112 for path switching are moved. It is set on the lower side and guided to the paper discharge tray 104. The double-sided paper supply unit 111 is used for forming images on both sides of the transfer paper in this manner.

The photoconductor 15, the conveyor belt 16, the fixing unit 17, the paper discharging unit 18 and the developing unit 27 are driven by a main motor 25 (FIG. 4). The transmission is controlled by the paper feed clutches 22, 23, 24, respectively. The transmission of the driving force of the main motor 25 to the vertical transport unit 14 is controlled by the intermediate clutch 21.

FIG. 2 shows the operation unit 30. In the figure, an operation unit 30 includes a liquid crystal touch panel (display) 31, a numeric keypad 32, a clear / stop key 3
3, a print key 34, a mode clear key 35 and an initial setting key 38 are provided.
1 displays a mode setting function key 37, a message indicating the number of copies and the state of the image forming apparatus, and the like.

FIG. 3 shows a liquid crystal touch panel 31 of the operation unit 30.
It is a figure which shows an example of a display. As can be seen from the figure, when the operator touches a key displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 31, the key indicating the selected function is inverted to black. Further, when it is necessary to specify the details of a function such as a scaling value at the time of performing scaling, by touching a key, a detailed function setting screen is displayed. As described above, since the liquid crystal touch panel uses the dot display device, the optimum display at that time can be graphically performed.

FIG. 4 shows a control device centering on the main controller. Referring to FIG. 1, a main controller 20 controls the entire image forming apparatus. The main controller 20 includes an operation unit 30 for displaying to an operator and performing function setting input control from the operator.
A distributed control device such as an image processing unit (IPU) 49 and an automatic document feeder (ADF) 1 for controlling a scanner, writing an original image in an image memory, and performing image formation from the image memory is connected. ing. Each decentralized control device and the main controller 20 exchange machine status and operation commands as needed. Further, a main motor 25 and a conveyance motor 26 necessary for paper conveyance and the like, and various clutches 21 to 24 are also connected.

The operation of reading an image and forming a latent image on the recording surface of the photoreceptor in the image forming apparatus constructed as described above will be described below. Here, the latent image is a potential distribution generated by converting an image into optical information and irradiating the image on the photoreceptor surface.

First, the reading unit 50 includes a contact glass 6 on which a document is placed and an optical scanning system. The optical scanning system includes an exposure lamp 51, a first mirror 52, and a lens 5.
3, a CCD image sensor 54, a second mirror 55, a third mirror 56, and the like. The exposure lamp 51 and the first mirror 52 are fixed on a first carriage (not shown), and the second mirror 55 and the third mirror 56 are fixed on a second carriage (not shown). When reading a document, the first carriage and the second carriage are mechanically scanned at a relative speed of 2: 1 so that the optical path length does not change. This optical scanning system is driven by a scanner drive motor (not shown).

The original image is read by the CCD image sensor 54, and is converted from an optical signal to an electric signal and processed. The image magnification can be changed by moving the lens 53 and the CCD image sensor 54 left and right in FIG. That is, the position of the lens 53 and the CCD image sensor 54 in the left-right direction in the figure is set corresponding to the designated magnification.

The writing unit 57 comprises a laser output unit 58, an imaging lens 59 and a mirror 60.
Inside the laser output unit 58, there is provided a polygon mirror that rotates at a constant high speed by a motor and a laser diode as a laser light source.

The laser light emitted from the laser output unit 58 is deflected by the polygon mirror that rotates at a constant speed, passes through the imaging lens 59, is turned back by the mirror 60, and is condensed on the surface of the photoreceptor to form an image. . The deflected laser light is exposed and scanned in a so-called main scanning direction orthogonal to the direction in which the photoconductor 15 rotates.
4, the recording of the image signal output in line units is performed. An image, that is, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor by repeating main scanning at a predetermined cycle corresponding to the rotation speed and the recording density of the photoconductor.

The laser beam output from the writing unit 57 is applied to the photosensitive member 15 of the image forming system. Is provided. Based on the main scanning synchronization signal output from the beam sensor, control of image recording timing in the main scanning direction and generation of a control signal for input / output of an image signal described later are performed.

The configuration of the image processing unit (IPU) 49 will be described with reference to FIG. Illumination light emitted from the exposure lamp 51 irradiates the document surface and is reflected by the document surface. The reflected light is imaged by an imaging lens (not shown), enters the light receiving surface of the CCD image sensor 54, is photoelectrically converted, and is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 61. The image signal converted into the digital signal is subjected to shading correction by a shading correction unit 62, and then MTF correction and γ correction are performed by an image processing unit 63. Then, the selector 64 selects the destination of the image signal to either the scaling unit 71 or the image memory controller 65. The image signal that has passed through the scaling unit 71 is scaled according to the scaling factor and sent to the writing unit 57. The image memory controller 65 and the selector 64 are configured to be able to bidirectionally input and output image signals. Although not explicitly shown in FIG. 5, the image processing unit 49 has a plurality of data input / output selections so that image data supplied from an external source as well as image data input from the reading unit 50 can be processed. There is also a function to perform. The image data supplied from the outside is data output from a data processing device such as a personal computer. Therefore, the input signal includes an input signal from an external device in addition to a signal read by the scanner. The image processing unit 49 includes a CPU 68 that performs settings for the image memory controller 65 and the like, controls the reading unit 50 and the writing unit 57,
ROM 69 for storing programs and data of CPU 68
And a RAM 70. The CPU 68 can write and read data in the image memory 66 via the image memory controller 65. Each of these units communicates with the outside via an I / O port 67.

Here, an image signal for one page in the selector 64 will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. / FGATE represents the effective period of one page of image data in the sub-scanning direction.

/ LSYNC is a main scanning synchronizing signal for each line, and an image signal becomes valid at a predetermined clock after this signal rises. A signal indicating that the image signal in the main scanning direction is valid is / LGATE. These signals are synchronized with the pixel clock VCLK, and data of one pixel is sent for one cycle of VCLK. The image processing unit 49 has separate / FGATE, / LSYNC, / LGATE, VC for image input and image output respectively.
It has an LK generation mechanism and enables various combinations of image input / output.

The memory controller and the image memory in FIG. 5 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The memory controller 65 includes an input data selector 701, an image synthesizer 7,
02, a primary compression / expansion unit 703, an output data selector unit 704, and a secondary compression / expansion unit 705. The setting of the control data in each section is performed by the CPU 68. The addresses and data in FIG. 5 are for image data, and the data and addresses connected to the CPU 68 are not shown.

The image memory 66 includes primary and secondary storage devices 706 and 707. Primary storage device 706
Is to write data to a specified area of the memory or read data from the specified area of the memory when outputting an image, in substantially synchronism with the data transfer rate required when inputting / outputting image data. Like for example DRAM
For example, a memory that can be accessed at high speed is used. In addition, the primary storage device 706 includes an interface unit with a memory controller (not shown) so that input and output of image data can be executed in parallel for each of a plurality of areas divided into a predetermined size.

The secondary storage device 707 is a large-capacity memory for storing data for synthesizing and sorting input images. If the primary storage device 706 has a sufficient capacity for processing image data, data is not input / output to / from the secondary storage device 707. If the secondary storage device 707 can write / read data substantially in synchronization with the data transfer rate required at the time of image input / output, it is possible to directly write the input / output image data to the secondary storage device 707, Reading from the storage device 707 is also possible. It is also possible to perform data processing without distinction between primary and secondary. If the secondary storage device 707 cannot write or read data substantially in synchronization with the data transfer rate required at the time of image input / output, a recording medium such as a hard disk or a magneto-optical disk is stored in the secondary storage device 707, for example. Even when used, data input / output to / from the secondary storage device 707 is performed by the primary storage device 706.
, The processing can be performed according to the data transfer capability of the secondary storage device 707.

With such a configuration, it is possible to select a storage element in accordance with the image data processing speed of the image forming apparatus, and a method in which the compression ratio and the expansion ratio differ depending on the image data, in other words, depending on the type of data. Even if a method in which the data access speed to the memory is different is adopted, it is possible to cope with it. If the compression ratio and the expansion ratio are variable, the capacity of the storage device can be saved in some cases.

The operation of the memory controller 65 will be briefly described. The operation is divided into image input, image output, and image input / output. Therefore, these will be individually described. 1. Image input (storage in image memory) The input data selector 701 selects image data to be written into the image memory (primary storage device 706) from a plurality of data. The image data selected by the input data selector 701 is supplied to the image synthesizing unit 702, and can be synthesized with the data already stored in the image memory. The image data processed by the image synthesis unit 702 is compressed by the primary compression / decompression unit 703, and the compressed data is written to the primary storage device 706. The data written to the primary storage device 706 is
After being further compressed by the secondary compression / expansion unit 705 as necessary, the image data is stored in the secondary storage device 707.

2. Image Output (Read from Image Memory) At the time of image output, image data stored in the primary storage device 706 is read. When the image to be output is stored in the primary storage device 706, the image data in the primary storage device 706 is expanded by the primary compression / expansion unit 703, and the data after expansion or the data after expansion is expanded. The output data selector 704 selects and outputs data after image synthesis of the input data and the input data. The image synthesizing unit 702 includes:
Processing such as combining the data in the primary storage device 706 with the input data and selecting the output destination of the combined data is performed. In addition,
The synthesizing has a function of adjusting the phase of the image data. In the selection, image output, write-back to the primary storage device 706, and simultaneous output to both output destinations are set. If the image to be output is not stored in the primary storage device 706, the image data to be output stored in the secondary storage device 707 is converted to the secondary compression / expansion unit 70.
5, and the data after expansion is written to the primary storage device 706, and then the above-described image output operation is performed.

FIG. 8 is a main flowchart showing the operation procedure in this embodiment. Hereinafter, the main operation procedure will be described with reference to this flowchart.

In the following description of the operation, the “storage device” refers to the secondary storage device 107 in FIG. 7 unless otherwise specified. The data input is a process of inputting data to the secondary storage device 107 via the primary storage device 106,
The determination of the free space is made based on the remaining capacity of the secondary storage device 207 when data is input to the secondary storage device 107 via the primary storage device 106. This is because the primary storage device 106 must reliably process the data from the image input device as described above, and thus a space corresponding to the maximum data input capacity is guaranteed.

In this process, first, it is determined whether there is a data input request to the storage device (step 80).
1). If there is no data input request, the process returns as it is. If there is a data input request, the input data capacity is calculated (step 802). The input data capacity is (input data size) × (minimum primary compression ratio) × (2
(Input minimum data size: data size input from the image input unit to the memory controller) Minimum primary compression ratio: compression ratio when no compression is performed on the primary storage device → "1" when the capacity does not increase at all by the compression operation; "2", the minimum value of the secondary compression rate: the compression rate when no compression is performed on the secondary storage device. In this case, it is calculated by “1”. Here, since it is necessary to determine that data is input to the storage device even when the compression ratio is the minimum at the time of data input, the maximum value of the input data capacity is calculated. Since the input of the maximum data must be guaranteed for the primary compression, a method that does not increase the capacity in the compression operation or a method that fixes the compression ratio is often used.

When the data has been calculated, the free space of the storage device is compared with the input data size to determine whether or not the storage device has free space for the input data size (step 8).
03). If the result of the determination is that there is no free space, the request source is notified of "no free space" (step 808) and the routine returns. If there is free space, after performing processing for preparation necessary for data input (step 804),
Notification of completion of data input execution preparation (step 80)
5).

After the completion of the data input execution preparation is notified, a data execution request from the request source is waited for (step 806). If there is an execution request, the data input operation is executed and the process is terminated. If there is no execution request, monitoring is continued until there is a data execution request.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 9 shows a processing procedure of control means (hereinafter referred to as "main controller") for issuing an operation request to a memory controller in an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment. It is a flowchart. Note that the processing of the image forming apparatus and its components shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 and the processing of the memory controller shown in FIG. 8 are the same as those of the first embodiment, and a duplicate description will be omitted.

When the processing is started, the main controller notifies the memory controller of a data input request (step 901), and monitors the presence or absence of notification of the determination result from the memory controller (step 902). Then, at the time when the notification is given, it is determined whether or not the requested operation can be executed based on the determination result (step 903). If the operation can be executed, a subroutine for a data input execution request is executed (step 9).
04) When the process is completed and there is a notification from the memory controller that there is no free space, it is determined that data input is not possible, and an executable operation such as processing of already input data is selected (step 905). ) Finish the process.

These processes will be specifically described with reference to a sorting operation using a memory as an example. In this example, five sets of image data are input, sorted, and two sets are output.
In the case of normal operation, 1-1 input of image data 1 (output to memory at the same time as output) 1-2 input of image data 2 (output to memory at the same time as output) 1-3 input of image data 3 (output to memory at the same time as input) 1-4 Image data 4 input (output to memory at the same time as output) 1-5 Image data 5 input (output to memory at the same time as output) 1-6 Image data 1 output (stored when there is no data in storage device 1) 1-7 Image data 2 output (if there is no data in storage device 1, read from storage device 2) 1-8 Image data 3 output (if there is no data in storage device 1, storage device 2) 1-9 Output of image data 4 (If there is no data in storage device 1, read from storage device 2) 1-10 Output of image data 5 (If there is no data in storage device 1, read data from storage device 2 Read out from), and two sets of sorted outputs are obtained.

If there is no free space in the storage device at the time of inputting the image citation example data 5, 2-1 image data 1 input (output simultaneously with input to memory) 2-2 image data 2 input (input to memory 2-3 Simultaneous output 2-3 Image data 3 input (output simultaneously to memory) 2-4 Image data 4 input (simultaneously output to memory) (Because there is no free space for the data input request of image data 5) 2-5 Output of image data 1 (if there is no data in storage device 1, read from storage device 2) 2-6 Output of image data 2 (interrupt processing and select executable output of data 1) 2-7 Image data 3 output (when there is no data in the storage device 1, read from the storage device 2) 2-8 Image data 4 output (when there is no data in the storage device 1) (If there is no data in the storage device 1, the data is read from the storage device 2.) 2-9 Image data 5 output 2-10 Image data 5 output And split into output.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation in response to a data deletion request in the memory controller, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing another processing operation of the main controller.

As shown in FIG. 10, the main controller checks whether or not there is a data deletion request when the process is started (step 1001). If there is no deletion request, the main controller returns and terminates the process. . If there is a request, reference is made to input data or data for managing a data group (step 100).
2). At the time of this reference, since data such as an input data number, a storage location, and a storage capacity are stored in the management data, the data is also referred to when data is read, and as a result of the data reference, there is data to be deleted. It is checked whether or not there is no data to be deleted (step 1003). If there is no data to be deleted, the process returns to the end, and if there is data to be deleted, the data or management data to be deleted is deleted. Is deleted (step 1004), and the process ends.

On the other hand, when the processing is started, the main controller notifies the memory controller of a data input request (step 1101), and monitors the presence or absence of notification of the determination result from the memory controller (step 1102). Then, at the time of the notification, it is determined whether or not the requested operation can be performed based on the determination result (step 1103). If the requested operation can be performed, a data input execution request subroutine is executed (step 1104), and the process ends. .

On the other hand, if it cannot be executed in step 1103, it is checked whether or not there is any data unnecessary in the overall operation of the image forming apparatus and stored in the image memory 66 (step 1105). As a result of the check, if unnecessary data exists, the memory controller 6
5 is notified of a data deletion request (step 1107),
Returning to step 1101 again, a data input request is notified, and the subsequent processing is executed. Step 1
If there is no unnecessary data in the check at 105, a process that can be executed at present, such as a data process that has already been input, is selected (step 1106), and the process ends.

With this operation, it is possible to minimize the division of the output in the above-described sorting operation, and it is possible to reduce the burden of the operator integrating the divided outputs after the output.

If the execution suspension processing is performed for a single requested operation, the output result for a series of operations requested to the image forming apparatus is different from the result obtained when the interruption processing is performed. In other words, the data is divided into a plurality of outputs instead of a series of outputs, but when it is determined that a single operation cannot be performed, unnecessary data is stored from the storage device so that the operation can be performed. Can be controlled so that the output result is as required as possible.

When deleting unnecessary data in this manner, for example, an operator operates an automatic document feeder (AD
F) The original is read without using step F).
When an attempt is made to input the image data 5 in the steps 1 to 2-10, that is, when the operation after the step 2-5 is automatically performed after the step 2-4, the operator is not required to input the image data 5. It is possible that you may not know if it was done. Therefore, the image memory as shown in FIG. 12 is full and the operator is notified that the input operation cannot be performed, and the subsequent operation of the image forming apparatus can be selected.

Even when the operation is automatically performed, if the output is divided, it is necessary to integrate the divided output after the output. Therefore, the fact is displayed and the operation is continued. By displaying in this manner, the productivity, operability, and reliability of the image forming output of the image forming apparatus can be improved without causing confusion for the operator.

[0053]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to determine whether or not the data input operation can be executed before executing the data input operation. You don't have to. Also, it is determined whether there is enough free space to store the input data, and the result of the determination is notified to the request source of the data input operation.
The operation control of the entire image forming apparatus can be efficiently performed, and the productivity of image forming output can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the requested single operation can be interrupted, and another executable operation can be executed. Therefore, the operation can be executed without stopping the operation of the entire image forming apparatus. Operation control can be performed within a possible range, thereby improving the productivity of image formation output.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the specified data is deleted from the storage means, and if the requested operation is determined to be unexecutable and there is unnecessary data, the unnecessary data is deleted. After the data is deleted, the execution request of the operation determined to be unexecutable is made again, so that the output result can be as requested as possible, whereby the operator can output the divided output result. Reduce the steps required to integrate and get the output you want,
Thus, productivity and usability can be improved.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the requested operation cannot be executed, there is provided a means for displaying the content of the request operation. This makes it possible to prompt the subsequent operation determination of the apparatus and does not cause confusion for the operator.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a device excellent in usability when applied to a digital copying machine can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an operation unit of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display state of a liquid crystal touch panel of the operation unit in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a control device of the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating details of an image processing unit in FIG. 4;

6 is a timing chart showing the timing of an image signal in the selector of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing details of a memory controller and an image memory in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a main flowchart illustrating a main operation procedure of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a main controller in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the memory controller of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment in response to a data deletion request.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating another processing operation of the main controller of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a display example when there is no free space in an image memory in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 main controller 30 operation unit 49 image processing unit (IPU) 54 CCD 57 writing unit 61 A / D converter 62 shading correction unit 63 image processing unit 64 selector 65 memory controller 66 image memory 68 CPU 69 ROM 70 RAM 71 scaling unit 72 Editing unit 701 Input selector 702 Image synthesis unit 703 Primary compression / expansion unit 704 Output data selector 705 Secondary compression / expansion unit 706 Primary storage device 707 Secondary storage device

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A means for converting an input signal into an image signal, visualizing and outputting the converted image signal, a means for storing an image signal converted into a digital signal, and a means for storing the image signal An image forming apparatus having means for controlling the input / output of the signal of (a), a means for calculating a storage capacity required for storing input data when a data input request to the storing means is issued, and Means for determining whether there is enough free space to store the input data based on the storage capacity calculated by the means; and means for notifying the requester of the data input operation of the determination result by the determining means. An image forming apparatus comprising: 2. A means for determining whether to suspend or execute a requested operation based on a determination result of the determining means, a means for interrupting a requested operation based on a determination by the determining means, 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: means for canceling the requested operation when the requested operation cannot be executed; and means for selecting and notifying an operation that can be executed again. Image forming apparatus. 3. A means for requesting the controlling means to delete stored data, a means for deleting specified data from the storing means based on the request, and a requested operation is not executed. Means for determining, if there is unnecessary data and unnecessary data, deleting unnecessary data and then requesting the execution of the operation determined to be unexecutable again. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for displaying the content of the request if the result of the determination by the determination means indicates that the requested operation cannot be executed. . 5. An image obtained by reading the input signal by image reading means, converting the read optical signal into an electric signal by an electric signal converting means, and converting the converted electric signal into a digital signal. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a signal.