JP2001217975A - Image forming device and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device that selects any of a plurality of input means receiving image information depending on the priority, forms an image depending on the image information received from the input means and can process the image information form a plurality of the input means in a proper sequence in response to a change in a time or a date. SOLUTION: A holiday priority mode (copy priority of FAX priority) is set when time comes to twelve o'clock midnight on a holiday (S51, 52), and the holiday priority mode is released when time comes to twelve o'clock midnight on a next day of the holiday (S53, 54). Furthermore, a daytime priority mode (copy priority or FAX priority) is set from a start to an end of the daytime of a day (S55-58), and a night priority mode is set for a time from start to an end of a night time (S59-512).

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 plurality of input means for inputting image information and a control method therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a digital copying machine using a laser beam recording system or the like has a facsimile function. In such a device, the timing of the copying operation and the timing of the facsimile receiving operation may overlap, but in the conventional device, if a facsimile reception is performed during the copying operation, the recording output of the facsimile reception image indicates the end of the copying operation This is done later.

However, in the prior art, when facsimile reception is performed during copying, the copying operation during execution is prioritized. Therefore, even if the user wants to immediately view the recording output of facsimile reception, the copying operation is not performed. The disadvantage was that you had to wait for it to finish.

The above problem is not limited to the copying apparatus having the facsimile function as described above, but is common to an image forming apparatus having a plurality of input means for inputting image information.

Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, it is possible to set a priority order for each input means by an operation unit or the like, and to sequentially process image information from a plurality of input means in accordance with the set priority order. It is being proposed.

[0006]

However, even if the above-described method of sequentially processing image information from a plurality of input means in accordance with the set priorities is employed, it is necessary to adapt to changes in time or date. However, image information from a plurality of input means cannot be processed in an appropriate order. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable an image forming apparatus of this type to process image information from a plurality of input units in an appropriate order in response to a change in time or date.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, in an image forming apparatus, a plurality of input means for inputting image information and one of the input means is selected in accordance with a priority order. Selecting means, image forming means for forming an image on a sheet in accordance with image information input from the input means selected by the selecting means, and priority of selection of the selecting means according to at least one of time and date And a changing means for changing the order.

Further, in the present invention, a control method of the image forming apparatus corresponding to the above configuration is employed.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings. Hereinafter, a configuration of a copying apparatus having a facsimile function will be exemplified as an image forming apparatus having a plurality of input units for inputting image information.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a copying apparatus having a facsimile function employing the present invention. The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a reader unit A for reading a document image, and a printer unit B including a laser beam printer mechanism for recording and outputting the read image on a recording medium such as paper. The reader unit A is provided with an operation unit A1 described later.

As shown in FIG. 2, the original is placed with its image-bearing surface (original surface) facing down on the original platen glass 3 and pressed onto the original platen glass 3 by the original cover 4 so that the original surface becomes fluorescent. The light is illuminated by a lamp 2, and the reflected light is transmitted through mirrors 5 and 7 and a lens 6 to a CCD 1 as a reading sensor.
Is collected.

The mirror 5 is controlled to move in the scanning direction at a relative speed of 2: 1. The image signal serially processed by the reader unit A for each pixel bit of the CCD 1 is input to the laser scanning optical system 25 of the printer unit B. The scanning optical system unit 25 includes a semiconductor laser unit, a collimator lens, a polygon mirror, an F-θ lens, a correction optical system, and the like. That is, the leader unit A
Is supplied to a unit 25, where the image signal is subjected to electro-optical conversion, irradiated onto a polygon mirror rotating at high speed via a collimator lens, and the reflected light is input to the photoconductor 8.

Around the photoreceptor 8, a pre-static eliminator 9, a pre-static elimination lamp 10, a primary charger 11, a secondary charger 12, a pre-exposure lamp 13, and a developing device, similarly to a known electrophotographic recording system. The unit 14, a paper supply cassette 15, a paper supply roller 16, a paper supply guide 17, a registration roller 18, a transfer charger 19, a separation roller 20, a conveyance guide 21, a fixing device 22, a paper discharge tray 23 and the like are arranged. The speed of the photoconductor 8 and the transport system is set to 180 mm / s. It goes without saying that a configuration other than the laser beam printer may be used for the printer unit B. In the figure, reference numeral 26 indicates a facsimile communication unit.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the operation unit A1. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 100 denotes a copy start key for instructing the start of copying, 102 denotes a copy stop key for designating the stop of copying, 101 denotes a reset key for returning the copy mode to the standard state, 103 denotes a numeric keypad group of 0 to 9; This is a setting key provided with a “C” key for clearing the set number of copies and a “*” key for inputting numerical data such as a trimming area.

Reference numeral 108 denotes a density key for setting the copy density, and the setting result is displayed on the display unit 112. 10
4 and 105 turn on / off the document position coordinate detection function
Key and its display, 111 is a copy number display section, 113 is an error message display section, 109 and 1
Reference numeral 14 denotes a key for turning on / off the automatic density adjustment function and its display, and reference numerals 110 and 115 each denote a dither processing function for reading a halftone original image such as a photograph.
A key for ON / OFF and its display, and 116, a key for controlling the paper feeding and automatic paper selection functions,
The paper feed stage is displayed at 17, and the paper size is displayed at the display 118. An operation display unit 122 has preset keys for presetting and calling a copy mode, and a display unit for the keys. 123 is, for example, a 5 × 7 dot matrix
This is a soft key for selecting a desired mode from a copy mode composed of 32 digits. Reference numeral 125 denotes a key for performing output priority setting, which will be described later in detail.

FIG. 4 shows the key group denoted by reference numeral 125 in FIG. 3 in detail. Reference numerals 126 and 127 are keys for setting which of the copy and facsimile operations is to be prioritized, and 128 and 129 are indicators for monitoring the operation states of the keys 126 and 127, respectively. Key 1
When the copy operation priority is set by 26, the copy operation is continued even if facsimile reception is performed during copying, and the facsimile is recorded and output after the copy operation is completed. Conversely, when the facsimile operation is prioritized by the key 127, if the facsimile is received during copying, the copy operation being executed is interrupted and the facsimile is recorded and output. Then, after the facsimile recording and output, the copying operation is performed from the middle.

FIG. 5 shows a control procedure of a copy process performed by the main control unit of the apparatus. In FIG. 5, the copy operation is performed in a loop of steps S1, S2, and S6. In step S1, it is determined whether or not all designated copy operations have been completed. If not, it is determined in step S2 whether facsimile reception is being performed by the facsimile communication unit 26. If there is no facsimile reception, a copy process is performed on one document in step S6, and the process returns to step S1.

When facsimile reception is detected in step S2, the operation proceeds to step S3, where keys 126 and 127 shown in FIG.
Is checked to determine whether copy priority or facsimile priority. If the copy priority is set, a flag indicating that there is a facsimile reception image is set in step S4. If the facsimile priority is set, the copy operation is interrupted in step S5 to record and output the facsimile reception image. .

When the end of copying is confirmed in step S1, it is determined in step S7 whether or not a flag is set in step S4. If there is a facsimile reception image, the reception image is recorded and output in step S8.

According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to set which of the copying operation and the facsimile operation is prioritized. When the facsimile operation is prioritized, the recording of the facsimile reception image is performed even during the copying operation. Can be performed first.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, it is assumed that the priority mode is set in advance before the copy operation is started. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, if a facsimile is received during copying, the user is notified. And the priority mode can be determined at that time.

Steps S11, S12 and S18 in FIG. 6 correspond to steps S1, S2 and S6 in FIG.
Steps S9 and S20 correspond to steps S7 and S8, respectively.
Steps S15 to S17 correspond to steps S3 to S17 in FIG.
This corresponds to S5. 5 are different from FIG. 5 in steps S13 and S14. Here, when facsimile reception is detected, a buzzer is first sounded to notify the user of the reception, and in step S14, the priority mode is determined. The keys 126 and 127 in FIG. 4 are used to determine the priority mode.

As described above, when a facsimile is received during copying, the user can set the priority mode of the copying operation or the facsimile operation as necessary.
If the priority mode is not set in step S14, it is conceivable to wait for a predetermined time and then select either the facsimile or the copy operation by default.

FIG. 7 shows a modification of the priority mode setting means of FIG. In this embodiment, the key 126 or 127 is used.
When either copy or facsimile operation is prioritized, the respective recording colors are set, and a key 128 is used to set each color of black, red, blue, green, and brown for use in facsimile recording output. It is. Key 12
Reference numeral 9 denotes a key for automatically selecting colors other than those used for copying.

FIG. 8 shows a control procedure when the configuration shown in FIG. 7 is used. The basic structure of the control is almost the same as that of the above-described flowchart, except for the processing in steps S31, S32, and after step S35 when facsimile reception is performed. In step S31, the key 126 shown in FIG.
Alternatively, 127 is used to determine whether copying or facsimile operation is prioritized. In the present embodiment, keys 128 and 129 are used to determine the recording color in each mode.

If facsimile reception is performed during the copy operation, it is determined in step S35 whether or not copy priority is given. If this is denied, and if facsimile reception priority is given, recording color is changed in step S37, and step S38 is performed. The facsimile reception image is recorded in a color corresponding to the settings of the keys 128 and 129. Other controls are the same as in the above-described embodiment.

According to the above-described control, when the image is recorded and output with priority given to facsimile reception during copying, the recording color can be changed. Therefore, even if the discharged recording paper is mixed, the facsimile image can be easily obtained. And copy images.

FIG. 9 shows still another modification of the priority mode setting means. Here, an example is shown in which the priority mode of the copy operation or the facsimile operation is automatically set according to the time zone.

In FIG. 9, the keys 128 and 129 can be used to set the daily time, and the key 130 can be used to set the date. And when you set the date, only key 1
The settings of 28 and 129 can be canceled or selected. Press the key 128 as the setting method and enter the time using the setting key 10
This operation is performed by using "0" to "9" (numeric keys) of No. 3. Thereafter, the priority mode of the keys 126 and 127 is selected. At 130, two types of input methods, a date and a day of the week, can be set, and the priority mode is selected.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a flowchart of this embodiment. In the figure, a holiday priority mode is set in step S52 according to the determination of whether it is midnight on a holiday in step S51. Step S53 is a holiday end determination branch for canceling the holiday priority mode in step S54.

Steps S55 to S512 are configured to set one of the day priority mode and the night priority mode in each of day and night time zones.

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the priority mode is automatically switched according to, for example, whether the current time belongs to the daytime or the night time zone. The day and night time zone setting mode is changed depending on whether it is not. This makes it possible to appropriately automatically set which of the copy operation and the facsimile operation is prioritized in accordance with the working state.

FIG. 11 shows a configuration for temporarily releasing the priority mode. The keys 126 and 127 in FIG. 11 are the same priority mode setting keys as those in FIG.
0 is an LED for monitoring these key presses. Sign 1
Reference numeral 40 denotes a temporary release key for the priority mode. When a key is to be copied during facsimile reception, a copy operation can be started by pressing this key.

FIG. 12 shows the control in the configuration of FIG. 11, in which the facsimile priority mode set during facsimile reception is canceled. Whether or not facsimile reception is in progress is confirmed in step S61. If reception is in progress, the state of the temporary release key 140 is checked in step S62. At this time, a display for notifying the user during the copying operation of the receiving operation may be performed.

In step S62, the temporary release key 1
When 40 is ON, copy processing is permitted in step S63, and after this copy is completed, facsimile communication is performed in step S64. If the temporary release key 140 is OFF, the facsimile reception and output processing of step S64 is given priority and continued.

According to the configuration shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the priority mode setting during the copy operation is facsimile priority, facsimile reception is performed. At this time, when the user wants to copy, the copy processing is performed. This allows the user to return to the facsimile output after the copy operation is completed.

It is needless to say that the configuration of the present invention is not limited by the configuration of the image input path and the output path.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention,
An image forming apparatus that selects any one of a plurality of input means for inputting image information according to the priority order and forms an image in accordance with the input image information, and selects the input means according to at least one of time and date By changing the priority order, it is possible to perform image formation by selecting an input unit with an appropriate priority according to time or date, and adapt to a change in time or date, and Image information can be processed in an appropriate order.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a copying apparatus employing the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an operation unit of the apparatus in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a priority mode setting operation unit.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of copy and facsimile recording output.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure for copy and facsimile recording output.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a priority mode setting operation unit.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure for copy and facsimile recording output.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a priority mode setting operation unit.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure for copy and facsimile recording output.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a priority mode setting operation unit.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure for copy and facsimile recording output.

[Explanation of symbols]

 125 Priority mode setting key 126 Copy priority mode key 127 Facsimile priority mode key 128 Day priority mode key 129 Night priority mode key 140 Temporary release key

Claims (2)

[Claims] A plurality of input means for inputting image information; a selection means for selecting one of the input means according to a priority order; and a plurality of input means for inputting image information according to the image information input from the input means selected by the selection means. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet; and a changing unit that changes a priority of selection by the selecting unit according to at least one of time and date. 2. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus having a plurality of input means for inputting image information, the method comprising: selecting one of the input means in accordance with a priority order; A control step of forming an image on a sheet in accordance with image information input from the input means, and a changing step of changing a priority of selection in the selection step in accordance with at least one of time and date. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising: