JPH09139825A - Multifunctional digital copy machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable copy without waiting the release of printing resources by temporarily storing image data provided by a scan operation in a storage device when performing copy and afterwards, printing the image data stored in the storage device later. SOLUTION: When a plotter 7 is not used in executing copy, a scanner 6 and the plotter 7 are possessed by a copy function control part 2, the image of original is read by this scanner 6, and the image data provided by this reading operation are directly dispatched to the plotter 7 and printed on transfer paper. Besides, when the plotter 7 is used by any other function at such a time, only the scanner 6 is possessed by the copy function control part 2, the image of original is read by this scanner 6, and the provided image data are stored in a storage device 8. When the plotter 7 is released, the image data stored in the storage device 8 are read out by an OS 9, dispatched to the plotter 7 and printed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multifunctional digital copying machine having a single digital copying function, a printer function, a facsimile function and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a copying machine for copying an original, a copying machine disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-264757 has been known. This copying machine has an image data storage means for temporarily storing the image data obtained by the scan operation, and the image forming means while temporarily storing the image data obtained by the scan operation in the image data storage means. An image corresponding to the image data is generated and printed on the photoconductor constituting the image forming device, and when a jam occurs in the scanning operation due to some cause, the image data is temporarily stored in the image data storage means. The print operation is continued by using the image data before jamming so that the image data of the document already scanned is not wasted. As a result, in this copying machine, even if a jam occurs, a jam occurs without performing the work of comparing the image on the transfer paper on the discharge tray with the contents of each document when the jam occurs. Copying is continued only by starting the scanning operation from the original document, and unnecessary work due to occurrence of jam is eliminated.

[0003]

By the way, in recent years, products in which functions such as a printer and a facsimile are added to a digital copying machine have been put on the market. This is a machine that saves space and integrates functions by combining the copier, printer, and facsimile machines, which were separate machines until now, by sharing the hardware parts such as the scanner and plotter. (Printer / Facsimile etc.) On the other hand, since resources such as a scanner and a plotter are shared, there are some inconveniences. One of the disadvantages is the problem of batting resource usage requests between functions. For example, if a function A uses a certain resource and tries to operate a function B that uses a similar resource, the function A waits until the resource is released or is interrupted by the function A. There is no choice but to release resources. Therefore, if the function B is the copy function, even if the operator comes to the front of the machine to perform the operation,
When a printing resource such as a plotter is being used by another function that is function A, until this function A releases the printing resource,
You have to wait in front of the machine.

However, when another function, which is the function A, is printing a long document such as a facsimile document output or a printer document output, it is difficult to predict how long it will wait before printing is completed. If
There was a problem that it was impossible to determine whether or not copying could be performed.

When it is necessary to make a copy in a hurry, an interrupt may be used to forcibly release the print resources used by another function so that the copy can be made. In many cases, it is not possible to judge whether or not it is possible to arbitrarily interrupt the printing currently being executed.
Such a problem occurs when you want to make a copy and the plotter is used by another function, but conversely, when the plotter is monopolizing the copy function, you use the plotter with another function. Since this is not possible, there is also a problem that, when using copy, of the functions other than the copy function, the function that uses the plotter cannot be used. In particular, when the amount of documents to be copied is huge, once copying is started, the plotter is monopolized by the copy function, making it virtually the same as a copy-only machine, making it a multifunctional digital copier. There was a problem that it ended up.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. In claim 1, the printing resource such as a plotter is used by other functions by storing the image of the original in a large-capacity storage device. Even when the print resource is released, the copy of the original can be started before the print resource is released, so that the copy can be performed comfortably without waiting for the print resource to be released in front of the machine. It is an object to provide a multifunctional digital copying machine that can be enabled. Further, according to the second aspect, even when the printing resource is available at the time of copying, the image data obtained by the scanning operation is stored in the large-capacity storage device without performing the immediate printing, and the priority is high. Provide a multi-function digital copying machine capable of giving priority to printing a document and printing the image data stored in the mass storage device in idle time, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of the machine. The purpose is to do. Further, according to claim 3, when a large number of low-priority documents are copied, printing is performed at midnight when the use frequency of the print resources is low, so that the print resources such as the plotter are not monopolized for a long time in the daytime. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multifunctional digital copying machine which can improve the utilization efficiency of the machine.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a multifunctional digital copying machine having at least one function among a facsimile function and a printer function in addition to a copy function. In the copying machine, when copying is performed by the copy function, the image data obtained by the scanning operation is temporarily stored in the storage device, and then the image data stored in the storage device is printed later. . According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the multifunctional digital copying machine according to the first aspect, the image data obtained by the scanning operation at the time of copying is printed immediately, or is temporarily stored in the storage device and then printed later. The feature is that it can be selected. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the multifunctional digital copying machine according to the second aspect, an operation of temporarily storing the image data obtained by the scanning operation at the time of copying in the storage device and then printing the image data later is selected. The feature is that the print start time can be specified when the printer is on.

In the above structure, in the first aspect, in the multi-function digital copying machine having at least one of the facsimile function and the printer function in addition to the copy function, the copy function is used to copy. When the image data obtained by the scanning operation is temporarily stored in the storage device, the image data stored in the storage device is printed later so that the plotter or the like can be printed by a function other than the copy function. Even when the resource is being used, start copying the original before the printing resource is released so that the copying is done without waiting for the printing resource to be released in front of the multi-function digital copier. And comfortable to use.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the multi-function digital copying machine according to the first aspect, the image data obtained by the scanning operation at the time of copying is printed immediately or after being temporarily stored in the storage device. By making it possible to select whether to print with, the image data obtained by the scanning operation is stored in the large-capacity storage device without immediate printing even when the printing resources are available at the time of copying. Then, the printing of the high-priority document is given priority, and the image data stored in the mass storage device is printed in the idle time, thereby improving the utilization efficiency of the machine.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the multi-function digital copying machine according to the second aspect, the image data obtained by the scanning operation at the time of copying is temporarily stored in the storage device and then printed later. When selected, the print start time can be specified so that when a large number of low-priority documents are copied, printing is performed at midnight when print resources are rarely used, and during daytime, etc. Improves machine utilization efficiency by preventing printing resources such as plotters from being monopolized for a long time.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the form of a multifunctional digital copying machine according to the present invention. First, the configuration of the form example will be described. The multifunctional digital copying machine 1 shown in this figure has an operation panel 5 operated by an operator.
When the copy function is selected by the operation panel 5, a copy function control unit 2 that controls each part of the apparatus to copy a document, and when the facsimile function is selected by the operation panel 5 or a facsimile document It is necessary to perform printing by the FAX function control unit 3 that controls each part of the apparatus to perform facsimile transmission / reception when receiving a message, and the copy function control unit 2 when the printer function is selected by the operation panel 5. A printer function control unit 4 is provided to control each unit of the apparatus to print image data when the document received by the FAX function control unit 3 needs to be printed. Further, the multi-function digital copying machine 1 is provided as a shared resource of the copy function control unit 2, the FAX function control unit 3, and the printer function control unit 4, and a scanner 6 that scans a set document to generate image data. And a plotter 7 which is provided as a shared resource of the copy function control unit 2, the FAX function control unit 3, and the printer function control unit 4, and prints the supplied image data on a transfer paper, the copy function control unit 2, and the FAX function control. A large-capacity storage device 8 provided as a shared resource of the unit 3 and the printer function control unit 4 and serving as a storage location of image data, the copy function control unit 2, the FAX function control unit 3, and the printer function control unit 4 for the scanner. Operating system (OS), which is a basic program required when using 6, plotter 7, and storage device 8.
9 and 9.

Next, the overall operation of the embodiment is as follows. When the operation panel 5 is operated or a facsimile document is received, any one of the copy function control unit 2, the FAX function control unit 3, and the printer function control unit 4 makes the scanner 6, the plotter 7, the storage device 8 and the like common. When one of the resources is used, a usage request is issued to OS9,
If the resource is in the unused state at that time, use of the resource designated by the OS 9 is permitted. At this time, if the requested resource is being used by another function, the OS 9 issues a resource use permission to a function having a high priority, and a function having a low priority is issued. When the page-wise operation of the high-priority function in the waiting state is completed, the resource is released to the low-priority function.

<Operation of Claim 1> As a result, when the plotter 7 is not in use at the time of copying, the copy function control unit 2 acquires the scanner 6 and the plotter 7, and the image of the original document is obtained by the scanner 6. Is read, and the image data obtained by this reading operation is directly
It is passed to the plotter 7 and printed on the transfer paper. Further, at this time, if the plotter 7 is used by another function, only the scanner 6 is acquired by the copy function control unit 2 and the image of the original is read by this scanner 6 and obtained by this reading operation. The stored image data is stored in the storage device 8. When the plotter 7 is released, the image data stored in the storage device 8 is read by the OS 9, passed to the plotter 7, and printed on the transfer paper.

<Operation of Claim 2> Further, when the scanner 6 and the plotter 7 are currently released and the display showing that the "normal copy mode" can be selected is displayed by the operation panel 5, When the "normal copy mode" is selected by the operation, the copy function control unit 2 acquires the scanner 6 and the plotter 7, and the scanner 6 reads the image of the original and obtains it by this reading operation. The image data is directly transferred to the plotter 7 and printed on the transfer paper. Also, if the operation panel 5 is operated and the "memory copy mode" is selected,
The copy function control unit 2 controls the scanner 6 and the storage device 8.
Is acquired, the image of the original is read by the scanner 6, and the image data obtained by this reading operation is stored in the storage device 8. When the operation panel 5 is operated and a print request is made, the copy function control unit 2
The image data stored in the storage device 8 is read out, passed to the plotter 7, and printed on the transfer paper.

<Operation of claim 3> When the operation panel 5 is operated and the "memory copy mode" is selected, if the print start time and the like are specified, the copy function control section 2 prints. The scanner 6 and the storage device 8 are acquired while the start time and the like are managed, the image of the document is read by the scanner 6, and the image data obtained by this reading operation is stored in the storage device 8. When the managed print start time comes, the image data stored in the storage device 8 is read by the copy function control unit 2, passed to the plotter 7, and printed on the transfer paper.

<Effect of Embodiment> As described above, in this embodiment, when the copy is executed, if the plotter 7 is used by another function, the image of the original is stored in the large-capacity storage device 8. As a result, even when the printing resource such as the plotter 7 is being used by another function, the copy of the original can be started before the printing resource is released, and thus the front of the multi-function digital copying machine 1 can be started. It is possible to make a copy and perform a comfortable use without waiting until the print resource is released. Further, in the above-described example of the form, the "normal copy mode" and the "memory copy mode" are made selectable, and the plotter 7 can be used when the operation panel 5 is operated and the "memory copy mode" is selected. In this state, the image data obtained by the scanning operation is stored in the storage device 8 without performing the immediate printing. Therefore, the printing of the document having a high priority is given priority, and the storage device 8 later. The image data stored in the printer is printed, so that the utilization efficiency of the multi-function digital copying machine 1 can be improved. Further, in the above-described example of the form, when the operation panel 5 is operated and the “memory copy mode” is selected, if the print start time and the like are designated, the image data obtained by the scanning operation is stored in the storage device 8. Since the printing resources are stored in the middle of the night, and printing is performed at midnight when the printing resources are rarely used, the printing resources such as the plotter 7 are prevented from being monopolized for a long time in the daytime, and a large number of documents with low priority are printed. Can be copied into the multi-function digital copying machine 1 and the efficiency of use of the multi-function digital copying machine 1 can be improved.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, in claim 1, the printing resource such as the plotter is used by the other function by storing the image of the document in the large-capacity storage device. Sometimes, you can start copying a document before the printing resources are released, which allows you to make a copy without having to wait for the printing resources to be released in front of the machine. can do. Further, in claim 2, even when the printing resource is in a usable state at the time of copying, immediate printing is not performed,
Storing the image data obtained by the scanning operation in a large-capacity storage device, prioritizing the printing of high-priority documents, and printing the image data stored in the large-capacity storage device in idle time. This makes it possible to improve the utilization efficiency of the machine. Further, according to claim 3, when a large number of low-priority documents are copied, printing is performed at midnight when the use frequency of the print resources is low, so that the print resources such as the plotter are not monopolized for a long time in the daytime. Then, the utilization efficiency of the machine can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a form example of a multi-function digital copying machine according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 multi-function digital copying machine, 2 copy function control unit, 3
FAX function control unit, 4 printer function control unit, 5 operation panel, 6 scanner, 7 plotter, 8 storage device

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A facsimile function in addition to the copy function,
In a multi-function digital copying machine having at least one of printer functions, when copying by the copy function, after temporarily storing the image data obtained by the scanning operation in the storage device,
A multi-function digital copying machine, which prints image data stored in the storage device. 2. The multifunctional digital copying machine according to claim 1, wherein the image data obtained by the scanning operation at the time of copying is immediately printed or whether the image data is once stored in the storage device and then printed. A multi-function digital copying machine characterized by being able to select. 3. The multifunctional digital copying machine according to claim 2, wherein the image data obtained by the scanning operation at the time of copying is temporarily stored in the storage device and then the printing operation is selected, A multi-function digital copying machine characterized by being able to specify the print start time.