JPH11242412A - Image processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device constituted so that weather can be also forecasted by using a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor set for monitoring ink concentration. SOLUTION: This image forming device is provided with a temperature sensor 2, a humidity sensor 3, an air pressure sensor 4 and a display part. Besides, it is provided with a recording part 5 periodically measuring and storing the outputs of the respective sensors 2, 3 and 4 and a storage part 6 statistically storing relation between the temporal change of temperature, humidity and air pressure and the weather change. By periodically measuring the humidity and the air pressure and comparing the temporal change thereof with the statistics of the storage part 6, the weather change is predicted. Then, the predicted weather information is displayed at the display part 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus capable of predicting weather using various sensors of an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in some image forming apparatuses, the ink density varies depending on the humidity and temperature of the environment.
By measuring humidity and temperature deeply related to ink density,
Some devices are equipped with a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor so that the change in the ink density can be estimated without directly measuring the ink density and the change in the density can be dealt with.

[0003]

However, in the prior art, the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor are used only for the purpose of adjusting the ink density, and only the functions are used because the cost and the space are devoted. The absence is inefficient.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem and to use a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor for applications other than an ink density sensor.

[0005]

An image processing apparatus according to the present invention is an image processing apparatus comprising a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor, wherein the ink density is adjusted based on the temperature information and the humidity information. A pressure sensor installed in the vicinity, a measuring unit for measuring the outputs of the humidity sensor, the temperature sensor and the pressure sensor at predetermined time intervals,
A storage unit that statistically stores the relationship between the time variation of the temperature and the atmospheric pressure and the weather change, and a display unit that informs a user of predetermined information about the device, are provided with the humidity, the temperature, and the The atmospheric pressure is measured by the measuring unit, the weather is predicted from the storage unit, and the predicted weather information is displayed on the display unit.

According to the configuration of the present invention, the time change of these sensors is determined from the pressure sensor installed in the image forming apparatus and the outputs of the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor conventionally used for the purpose of indirect monitoring of the ink density. By measuring and comparing them with statistical records that record the weather change relationship,
An image forming apparatus capable of predicting a weather change can be provided.

[0007] In this way, the conventional imaging apparatus can only take an ex post measure against the environmental humidity change. However, the user predicts the humidity change in advance and takes a precautionary measure against the paper etc. becoming wet. Coping is also possible.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The humidity sensor 2 is a sensor that measures humidity from the atmosphere or the like, and the temperature sensor 3 is a sensor that measures temperature from the atmosphere or the like. The pressure sensor 4 is a sensor that measures the atmospheric pressure of the atmosphere. Reference numeral 5 denotes a time variation recording unit that records the time variation of the sensor outputs of the humidity sensor 2, the temperature sensor 3, and the atmospheric pressure sensor 4 measured periodically or according to a request.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a weather change statistical storage unit in which the relationship between the time change of atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature and the weather change is statistically stored. Reference numeral 7 denotes a printing unit that performs printing, and 8 denotes a display unit that displays a state of the image forming apparatus, a result determined by the control unit 10, and the like. Reference numeral 9 denotes an ink density adjusting unit. The ink density adjustment amount is determined based on the output of the humidity sensor 2 or the temperature sensor 3, and the 9 ink density adjusting unit is driven via the control unit 10 to adjust the ink density.

The control unit 10 is a control unit for the entire image forming apparatus, has a time counter therein, and measures the humidity sensor 2, temperature sensor 3, and atmospheric pressure sensor 4 periodically or as required. To the recording unit 5
To record. Further, it is collated with the weather change statistical storage unit 6. Further, the collation result is displayed on the display unit 8,
The collation result may be printed via a printing unit of the image forming apparatus. In addition, the ink density is predicted from the outputs of the humidity sensor and the temperature sensor, and the ink density is monitored and controlled indirectly without directly measuring the ink density.

Next, the operation in such a configuration will be described. Humidity sensor 2, temperature sensor 3, barometric pressure sensor 4
Receives an instruction from the control unit 10, and periodically measures humidity, temperature, and pressure from the atmosphere or the like. The measurement result is recorded in the time variation recording unit 5. The control unit 10 compares this with the data or pattern in the weather change statistical storage unit 6 to determine the weather change and causes the display unit 8 to output it. In addition, the printing unit 7 is made to print.

Further, the configuration of the present invention may be improved to make the following. Instead of using all of the humidity sensor 2, the temperature sensor 3, and the atmospheric pressure sensor 4, the weather judgment may be performed from some of the outputs. Humidity sensor 2, temperature sensor 3,
A plurality of barometric pressure sensors 4 may be provided, and the sensors 2, 3, and 4 are always operated, and the data is taken into the time variation recording unit periodically or appropriately only when requested by the control unit. You may do.

The sensors 2, 3, and 4 may be activated only when requested by the control unit.
The sensors 3 and 4 may shorten the measurement interval when the time variation is rapid, or may increase the measurement interval when the time variation is slow.

The time change record of the time change recording section 5 may be reset as appropriate. The number of time-change records recorded by the time-change recording unit 5 may be set as appropriate. Further, the time change recording interval is configured to be set as appropriate. The statistics of the statistical change storage unit 6 are obtained by patterning the relationship between atmospheric pressure, humidity, temperature time and weather change based on past statistics. Further, the weather change statistical storage section 6 can be updated. The display on the display unit 8 may be a character indicating the weather or a probability display. Further, it is configured to graphically display changes over time in atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature.

The prediction result of the weather change and the time change of the humidity, temperature, and pressure may be printed via the printing unit of the image forming apparatus. The humidity, temperature, pressure, and time change state are encoded into a barcode or the like. Printing. The control unit 10 may have a learning function for determining the weather change.

[0016]

As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, the pressure sensor installed in the image forming apparatus, the output of the humidity sensor and the output of the temperature sensor conventionally used for the purpose of the indirect monitoring of the ink density are obtained. Therefore, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of predicting a weather change by measuring a time change of these sensors and comparing the measured time change with a statistical record in which a weather change relationship is recorded.

[0017] In this way, the conventional imaging apparatus can only take an ex post measure against a change in environmental humidity. However, the user predicts a change in humidity in advance and takes precautionary measures against paper or the like becoming wet. Coping is also possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Image forming apparatus 2: Humidity sensor 3: Temperature sensor 4: Barometric pressure sensor 5: Time variation recording section 6: Weather change statistical storage section 7: Printing section 8: Display section 9: Ink density adjustment section 10: Control section

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising a humidity sensor and a temperature sensor and configured to adjust the ink density based on the temperature information and the humidity information, wherein an air pressure sensor is installed at or near the image forming apparatus. A measuring unit for measuring the output of the temperature sensor and the atmospheric pressure sensor at predetermined time intervals, a storage unit for statistically storing the relationship between the temporal variation of humidity, temperature, and atmospheric pressure and the weather change; And a display unit for informing the user that the current humidity, temperature, and pressure are measured by the measurement unit, the weather is predicted from the storage unit, and the predicted weather information is displayed on the display unit. Image forming device. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to print the expected weather.