JP2006352632A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming device in which only necessary image data can be stored without imposing trouble on users. <P>SOLUTION: During a predetermined storing period, all image data of a manuscript scanned by an image scanner 15 are stored in an image data storage 21 together with time data obtained by an RTC 20, and then the stored data are copied (S11 to S15). When it is judged that magnitude of a free space in the image data storage 21 is equal to or less than a given value (YES in S16), the image data which fit a prescribed condition such as being not copied again or the like are deleted automatically in chronological order from among the image data stored in the image data storage 21 (S17). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of storing image data, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus capable of performing re-copying using stored image data.

  In a conventional image forming apparatus, image data read by an image reading unit is temporarily stored in a storage medium such as a memory or a hard disk, and is stored without being read again when copying again. Some of them have a re-copy function that can be copied by using the image data. The recopy function is used for a manuscript that is often copied or a manuscript related to a standard document. In order to use the recopy function, the user sets the recopy function when the user scans the document in advance, and reads the document as a recopy document. Image data of a document read as a re-copy document is stored in a storage medium such as a memory of the image forming apparatus, and can be copied again using this image data.

  When the re-copy function is used, the image data stored in the memory or the like is accumulated one after another. As a result, there is a possibility that the free space of the memory is reduced and the image data cannot be stored. In this case, the user confirms the content of the image data newly accumulated in the memory via the display unit of the image forming apparatus, and selects image data that is less required to be stored from the accumulated image data. For example, it is necessary to secure an available memory capacity for storing image data by erasing data.

Here, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-94745 (Patent Document 1) discloses an image forming apparatus that reduces the burden of erasing image data by a user. According to Patent Document 1, the priority order of image data to be erased in advance depending on the type of image, such as a received image or transmitted image transmitted / received by a facsimile function, a copy image copied by a copy function, or a print image printed by a printer function Is set, and when the free space of the storage means decreases due to the accumulated image data, the image data is automatically deleted according to the set priority order.
JP 2001-94745 A (paragraph number 0011, FIG. 1 etc.)

  According to Patent Document 1, when the free space of the memory decreases, the image data accumulated in the memory can be automatically deleted. However, since the priority order for erasing is set according to the type of image data, and the image data is erased accordingly, the user has to set the priority order for erasing the image data in advance, which is troublesome.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can store only necessary image data without troublesome users.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a storage unit that stores image data, a determination unit that determines whether or not the free space of the storage unit is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and a free space that is equal to or less than a predetermined value by the determination unit. When it is determined that the image data is not, the image data stored in the storage means is automatically deleted. Here, the reuse means that the stored image data is used again, such as copying again using the stored image data, or facsimile transmission using the stored image data.

  Preferably, the erasing unit automatically erases the image data in the order of the stored time among the image data that has not been reused.

  More preferably, the erasing unit automatically erases the image data in the order of decreasing number of reuses.

  More preferably, the image data is copy data.

  Further, the image forming apparatus may include a reading unit that reads a document, and the storage unit may store the image data read by the reading unit.

  According to the present invention, when the free capacity of the storage means becomes a predetermined value or less, the image data not reused among the image data stored in the storage means is automatically deleted. In other words, if the stored image data is reused, it is not erased even when the free capacity of the storage means becomes a predetermined value or less.

  As a result, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can store only necessary image data without troublesome user.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a digital multifunction peripheral 10 when an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to the digital multifunction peripheral 10. Referring to FIG. 1, the digital multifunction peripheral 10 displays a control unit 11 that controls the entire digital multifunction peripheral 10, a DRAM 12 for writing and reading image data and the like, and information that the digital multifunction peripheral 10 has. An operation unit 13 that includes a display unit and serves as an interface with the user in the digital multifunction peripheral 10, a document feeder 14 that automatically transports a document to a predetermined document reading position, and a document that has been transported by the document feeder 14 An image reading unit 15 that reads the image at a predetermined reading position and operates as a reading unit, an image forming unit 16 that forms and outputs the image from a document read by the image reading unit 15, and image data Are connected to the hard disk 17 for storing the information etc. for a long time, the FAX communication unit 18 connected to the public line 40, and the network 50. A network IF (interface) unit 19 of the fit, has a clock function and a calendar function, and a RTC (Real Time Clock) 20 which time data such as time and date to the control unit 11 can be imparted.

  The control unit 11 compresses and writes the original data supplied from the image reading unit 15 in the DRAM 12, reads the data written in the DRAM 12, decompresses and encodes the data, and outputs the data by the image forming unit 16.

  The digital multi-function peripheral 10 operates as a copier by forming an image in the image forming section 16 via the DRAM 12 using the document read by the image reading section 15. In addition, the digital multi-function peripheral 10 forms an image in the image forming unit 16 via the DRAM 12 using image data transmitted from the personal computer 51 connected to the network 50 through the network IF unit 19, thereby serving as a printer. Operate. Further, the digital multi-function peripheral 10 forms an image in the image forming unit 16 through the DRAM 12 using the image data transmitted from the public line 40 through the FAX communication unit 18, and also by the image reading unit 15. The image data of the read original is transmitted to the public line 40 through the FAX communication unit 18 to operate as a facsimile machine.

  The DRAM 12 includes an image data storage unit 21 that stores all image data of a document read by the image reading unit 15. The digital multi-function peripheral 10 can re-copy using the image data stored in the image data storage unit 21. Here, regarding the storage of the image data for re-copying, since all the image data read by the image reading unit 15 is stored in the image data storage unit 21, no special operation or setting by the user is required. .

  When storing the image data, time data such as time and date acquired from the RTC 20 via the control unit 11 is associated with the read image data and stored as storage date / time data. The period for storing the image data is determined by the capacity of the image data storage unit 21 and the like, and the period is calculated based on the storage date / time data acquired by the RTC 20. If it is desired to permanently store the read image data, a process for permanently storing the image data may be performed, for example, the user himself / herself makes a setting for permanently storing the image data in the hard disk 17 via the operation unit 13.

  In FIG. 1, thick arrows indicate the flow of image data, and thin arrows indicate the flow of control signals or control data.

  FIG. 2 shows the operation of the control unit 11 when performing normal copying by the digital multi-function peripheral 10 shown in FIG. 1 and re-copying using the re-copy function that is a function of the digital multi-function peripheral 10. It is a flowchart which shows. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the operation of the control unit 11 when performing normal copying and re-copying will be described.

  First, the case of normal copying will be described. In the case of normal copying (NO in step S11 in FIG. 2), the document to be copied is set in the document feeder 14 (S12). When the copy start key is pressed, the document set by the image reading unit 15 is read (S13). Image data of the read document, that is, copy data is stored in the image data storage unit 21 (S14). Here, the control unit 11 and the image data storage unit 21 operate as a storage unit. When storing the image data, the image data is stored for a predetermined storage period. However, the image data is not deleted immediately after the storage period elapses, but is deleted by an erasing unit described later. The Thereafter, an image is formed by the image forming unit 16 using the image data of the read original and is copied (S15).

  Next, the control unit 11 determines whether or not the free space in the image data storage unit 21 is equal to or less than a predetermined value (S16). Here, the control unit 11 operates as a determination unit.

  When it is determined that the free space in the image data storage unit 21 is equal to or less than a predetermined value (YES in S16), a predetermined value such as whether the image data stored in the image data storage unit 21 has not been reused is determined. The image data corresponding to the above condition is erased (S17). The determination of whether the stored image data meets a predetermined condition will be described later. If it is determined that the free space in image data storage unit 21 is not less than the predetermined value (NO in S16), the process is terminated.

  Next, a case where re-copying is performed will be described. When copying again, the image reading unit 15 does not read the image data of the document to be output, and the image data stored in the image data storage unit 21 of the digital multi-function peripheral 10 is used. I do.

  When re-copying (YES in S11), image data to be re-copied is selected from the image data stored in the image data storage unit 21 of the digital multi-function peripheral 10 (S18). In this case, the file name associated with the image data or the thumbnail image may be displayed and selected on the display unit configured by a liquid crystal panel or the like included in the operation unit 13. Next, when the start key for starting copying is pressed, the selected image data is acquired from the image data storage unit 21, and the recall counter is incremented by one (S19 to S20). Here, the recall counter is one piece of information stored in association with stored image data, similar to the above-mentioned stored date / time data, and is counted when the stored image data is reused. It is a number. The recall counter is incremented by one each time it is reused, so that it can be determined whether the image data has been reused and how many times the image data has been used.

  In this case, the acquired image data is continuously stored in the image data storage unit 21, but the re-copied date and time is acquired by the RTC 20, and the storage period from this time is set again. Therefore, the storage period of the re-copied image data is automatically extended. Thereafter, an image is formed by the image forming unit 16 using the acquired image data and copied again, and the process ends (S21).

  Next, a case where image data corresponding to a predetermined condition is deleted from the stored image data in S17 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit 11 when it is determined whether the stored image data satisfies a predetermined condition and the image data is deleted. Here, as the predetermined condition, it is determined whether or not the three conditions of whether the permanent storage is not set, the re-copying is not performed, or the storage period of the image data has passed, is satisfied, A case will be described in which image data is erased from the corresponding image data in chronological order.

  Referring to FIG. 3, first, image data stored in image data storage unit 21 is selected (S31), and it is determined whether permanent storage is set for the image data (S32). If permanent storage is set (NO in S32), other image data stored in the image data storage unit 21 is selected (S31). If the permanent storage is not set (YES in S32), it is next determined whether or not the image data has been copied again (S33). Whether or not re-copying has been performed can be determined by the recall counter described above. If it has been copied again (NO in S33), the process returns to S31 to select other image data. If it has not been copied again (YES in S33), it is next determined whether or not the image data storage period has elapsed (S34). If the storage period has not elapsed (NO in S34), the process returns to S31 to select other image data. If the storage period has elapsed (YES in S34), an erase flag is turned on as image data to be erased (S35). Here, the erasure flag is information stored in association with image data, similar to the storage date / time data and recall counter described above, and is turned on for image data that satisfies a predetermined condition. In this way, it is determined whether or not the erase flag is turned on for all the image data stored in the image data storage unit 21 (S36).

  Here, information used to determine whether or not the predetermined condition is satisfied will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a part of an information list of image data stored in the image data storage unit 21. Referring to FIG. 4, the image data stored in the image data storage unit 21 is calculated from the storage date / time and storage date / time acquired by the RTC 20, and has a storage period extended by reuse and a permanent storage setting. Permanent storage setting flag indicating whether the image has been reused, the number of times of recall indicating the number of times it has been reused, the deletion flag indicating the image data to be deleted, and the priority order in which the storage date and time are assigned from the oldest among the image data with the deletion flag turned on Are stored in association with each other. In FIG. 4, when the permanent storage is set and when the erase flag is turned on, it is indicated by “◯”, and when it is not permanently saved and when the erase flag is not turned on, “×” ".

  Returning to FIG. 3, after determining whether or not the erasure flag is turned on for all the image data stored in the image data storage unit 21, the image data is stored in the priority order, that is, the stored date and time. Erase in order from the oldest (S37). In this case, the image data A having the highest priority is deleted. Here, the control unit 11 operates as an erasing unit. After erasing the image data A, it is determined whether or not the free space is equal to or less than a predetermined value (S38). If it is not equal to or less than the predetermined value (NO in S38), the image data with the second highest priority is determined. C is deleted, and it is determined again whether or not the free capacity is equal to or less than a predetermined value. In this way, the image data with the erase flag turned on is erased in order of priority until the free space becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value.

  As described above, since all the originals read by the image reading unit 15 are stored in the image data storage unit 21, it is not necessary for the user to make a re-copy setting before reading the original, and the user's trouble can be saved. Become.

  Further, since the image data stored in the image data storage unit 21 is re-copied, the storage period of the image data is set again from the date and time of the re-copy. The storage period is automatically extended, eliminating the need for the user to make settings for extending the storage period.

  On the other hand, image data that is not re-copied or image data that is used infrequently is stored in the image data storage unit 21 for a predetermined period and then satisfies a predetermined condition, and the free space in the image data storage unit 21 is predetermined. If the value is equal to or less than this value, it is automatically deleted from the image data storage unit 21, so that the user's trouble of deleting unnecessary image data can be saved.

  As a result, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can store only necessary image data without troublesome user.

  In the above embodiment, the DRAM 12 has the image data storage unit 21. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image data storage unit 21 is external to the DRAM 12, for example, the hard disk 17 is the image data storage unit 21. You may decide to have.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the predetermined condition for erasing the image data is limited to the condition that the setting for permanent storage is not set or that the image data is not copied again. Only the fact that it is not copied again may be set as a predetermined condition, or other conditions, for example, that the image data is not being used by other functions of the digital multi-function peripheral 10, specifically, image data storage. The predetermined condition may include that the image data stored in the unit 21 is not transmitted by facsimile. Furthermore, the number of recall counters may be included in the predetermined condition. Specifically, priorities are assigned in ascending order of reuse. In this way, stored image data can be erased more appropriately according to the usage situation.

  In the above embodiment, when copying, all the image data of the original read by the image reading unit 15 is stored in the image data storage unit 21. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The image data transmitted from the personal computer 51 connected to the network 50 through 19 and printed, and the image data for facsimile received from the public line 40 through the FAX communication unit 18 are all stored in the image data storage unit 21. You may decide. By doing so, for example, the image data can be re-outputted without transmitting image data to be printed from the personal computer 51 again.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, a case where image data is stored with respect to image data input to the digital multi-function peripheral 10 and the stored image data is automatically deleted or the storage period is extended will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various configurations such as erasing various data stored in the personal computer 51 may be configured in this way. For example, the data stored in the personal computer 51 can be deleted when there is no access for a certain period of time, or conversely, the storage period of the data can be extended when there is regular access. To do. By doing so, it is possible to save the user from accessing the data that is not accessed, that is, to delete the data that is not used, and to automatically extend the storage period of the data used periodically.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described with reference to drawings, this invention is not limited to the thing of embodiment shown in figure. Various modifications and variations can be made to the illustrated embodiment within the same range or equivalent range as the present invention.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a digital multifunction peripheral 10 when an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to the digital multifunction peripheral 10. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a control unit 11 when performing normal copying and re-copying using the digital multi-function peripheral 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the control part 11 when it is judged whether the stored image data corresponds to predetermined conditions, and erases applicable image data. 4 is a diagram showing a part of an information list of image data stored in an image data storage unit 21. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Digital multifunction device, 11 Control part, 12 DRAM, 13 Operation part, 14 Document feeder, 15 Image reading part, 16 Image formation part, 17 Hard disk, 18 FAX communication part, 19 Network IF part, 20 RTC, 21 Image data Storage unit, 40 public lines, 50 networks, 51 personal computers.

Claims (5)

Storage means for storing image data;
Determination means for determining whether or not the free capacity of the storage means is equal to or less than a predetermined value;
An erasure unit that automatically erases image data that has not been reused among the image data stored in the storage unit when the determination unit determines that the free space is equal to or less than a predetermined value; An image forming apparatus. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the erasing unit automatically erases the image data in the order of stored time among the image data that has not been reused. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the erasing unit automatically erases the image data in order of decreasing number of reuses. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data is copy data. The image forming apparatus includes a reading unit that reads a document,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores image data read by the reading unit.

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