JPH07152506A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To evade such a case where the image forming/recording jobs are interrupted after the data are transferred to a host device by transferring the data received from a host to a communicatable image forming device to continue the output of data after detecting a form shortage state. CONSTITUTION:When the presence of the recording paper is detected by a paper detecting sensor 13, the document data are sent to a host I/F 2 from a computer l in the form of codes. The document data received by the I/F 2 are stored in a page memory 3 for each page. When the sensor 13 detects the absence of the recording medium to be sent to an engine part, a main control part 6 transfers the data stored in the memory 3 to another printer 12 under the control of a network interface 11. Thus the data can be continuously outputted with no interruption even if a form shortage state occurs during output of the data.

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 for inputting document data or the like to be recorded from a host computer or the like and recording it on a recording medium such as a recording device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus of this type inputs data such as a document to be recorded from a host computer or a host computer such as an external personal computer, a facsimile, a printer, a copying machine or the like to a microprocessor of a controller. The image forming / recording is performed on a recording sheet or the like supplied by a sheet feeding cassette or the like.

[0003]

However, in the conventional apparatus, when the supply of recording paper or the like is insufficient, the lack of recording paper or the need for paper feeding is simply output by voice or LED, and the input data However, there was a problem that the image formation and recording were interrupted.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and detects a paper out occurrence state, transfers data received from a host to a communicable image forming apparatus, and continues output. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of avoiding a situation in which image forming / recording is interrupted after the upper apparatus finishes transferring data.

[0005]

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a host communication unit that communicates with a host device, a storage unit that stores data received via the host communication unit, and another image forming apparatus. Data communication means for data communication with the image forming means, image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium based on the data stored in the storage means, and detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the recording medium fed to the image forming means. And a control means for controlling the data communication means so as to transfer the data stored in the storage means to the other image forming apparatus based on the detection result of the detection means.

[0006]

According to the present invention, when the detecting means detects that there is no recording medium to be fed to the image forming means, the control means transfers the data stored in the storing means to another image forming apparatus. Since the communication means is controlled, even if the paper runs out during the data output, it is possible to continuously output the data without stopping the data output.

[0007]

1 is a block diagram showing the control arrangement of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a host computer for communicating document data and the like, and 2 is a host I.
/ F, 3 is page memory, 4 is font memory (RO
M), 5 is a bitmap memory, 7 is a printing unit I / F, 1
Reference numeral 0 is a sensor unit I / F, 11 is a network I / F, and the above-mentioned units are connected to the main control unit 6 by a system bus to exchange data.

Reference numeral 8 is an operation panel, 9 is an LBP engine control unit, and 12 is another printer connected on the network. When the paper detection sensor 13 detects that there is a recording paper, the host computer 1 sends the document data to the host I / F 2 in the form of a code.
The sent data is stored in page memory 13 page by page.

When the document data for one page is stored, the character (font) corresponding to the code is read from the font ROM 4 and developed on the bitmap memory 5. When one page has been expanded on the bitmap memory 5, the main control unit 6 sends a print start signal to the print unit I / F 7. A signal is sent from the printing unit I / F 7 to the LBP engine control unit 9, and the document is printed and recorded on the recording paper.

In the image forming apparatus thus constructed, when the paper detection sensor 13 detects that there is no recording medium to be fed to the engine section, the main control section 6 changes the data stored in the page memory 3 to another. Since the network interface 11 is controlled to transfer to the printer 12 of
Even if the paper runs out during the data output, it is possible to continuously output the data without stopping the data output.

The data transfer may be performed by generating an intermediate code from a control command and transferring the intermediate code, or by generating a bitmap image from the intermediate code and transferring image data. Good. In addition, the control command received from the host is directly transmitted to another printer 1
You can transfer it to 2, check the control command of another printer 12, execute the emulation program,
The converted control command may be transferred to another printer 12.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a first output control procedure in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. Note that (1) and (2) indicate each step.

First, the recording paper is detected by the paper detection sensor 13.
It is determined whether or not it has been detected (1), and NO
In the case of, the normal output processing is continued, and if YES, the document data sent from the host computer 1 to the host I / F 2 is output via the network I / F 11 together with the output page information for all pages after the interruption. Printer 1
Transfer to 2 (2), and the process ends.

The document data transferred to the other printer 12 is printed and recorded on the recording paper by the same procedure as described above.

With the above configuration and control, the paper detection sensor 1
3 detects that there is no recording paper, the document data sent from the host computer 1 to the host I / F 2 is transferred to another printer 12 via the network I / F 11 and is recorded on the recording paper. Since it is printed and recorded, it can be avoided that the image formation / recording is suspended.

In the above embodiment, the case where the document data is transferred to another printer 12 when the paper detection sensor 13 detects that the recording paper is "absent" has been described.
As will be described later, it may be controlled to notify the host of the paper shortage and instruct the paper replenishment, or to let the user select the output of the document data by another printer 12.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a second output control procedure in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. Note that (1) to (7) indicate each step.

The recording paper is "absent" by the paper detection sensor 13.
It is determined whether or not (1), if NO, the normal output process is continued, and if YES, when out of paper is detected,
It is sent that there is no recording paper in the host I / F 2 and the host computer 1 via the system bus (2).

Next, on the host computer 1, since the printer to be printed / recorded does not have a recording sheet, another printer can continue printing / recording, or the recording sheet can be replenished to the same printer. It waits for the user to select whether to continue printing / recording (3), and when selecting to continue printing / recording to another printer, transfers the received document data and output page information (4 ), The continuous output is performed from the page interrupted by the paper exhaustion (5), and the process ends.

On the other hand, when replenishment of recording paper is selected in step (3), the replenishment of paper is awaited (6), and when it becomes possible to feed the paper, the interrupted next page to the last page is output. Is restarted (7), and the process ends.

As a result, under the control of the host computer 1, when there is no recording paper, whether to continue printing / recording on another printer or to replenish the recording paper and continue printing / recording on the same printer. Since the selection can be made, it is possible to increase the selectivity rather than avoiding the interruption of printing and recording as in the above-described embodiment.

According to the above embodiment, when the data such as a document to be recorded is input from the upper position and the image is formed on the recording medium based on the data, the detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of the recording medium, In an image forming apparatus provided with a transfer unit for transferring data such as a document to be recorded to another image forming apparatus connected to a network such as a LAN, the transfer unit detects that there is no recording medium by the detecting unit. In such a case, data such as a document to be recorded is transferred to another image forming apparatus connected on the network to perform image formation / recording, so when the recording medium runs short in the image forming apparatus to be recorded, It is possible to avoid the situation where the image formation / recording is interrupted.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the printer engine is the laser beam printer has been described, but the application of the present invention is not hindered even if the printer is of another recording type, for example, an ink jet type.

Further, the method of communicating with other printers may be via a network, and even if the printer is directly transferred to a subordinate printer via a communication interface, the application of the present invention is hindered. is not.

The present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices or an apparatus including a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the detection unit detects that there is no recording medium to be fed to the image forming unit, the control unit controls the data communication unit to transfer the data stored in the storage unit to another image forming apparatus. Even if the paper runs out during the output, it is possible to continue the output without stopping the data output.

Therefore, there is an effect that it is possible to avoid a situation in which image formation / recording is interrupted after the upper device finishes transferring data.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a first output control procedure in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a second output control procedure in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Host Computer 2 Host Interface 3 Page Memory 4 Font ROM 5 Bitmap Memory 6 Main Control Section 7 Printing Section Interface 8 Operation Panel 9 LBP Engine Control Section 10 Sensor Section Interface 11 Network Interface 12 Other Printer 13 Paper Detection Sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Host communication means for communicating with a host device,
Storage means for storing data received via the host communication means, data communication means for data communication with another image forming apparatus, and image for forming an image on a recording medium based on the data stored in the storage means Forming means, detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of a recording medium fed to the image forming means, and data stored in the storing means based on the detection result of the detecting means is transferred to the other image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising: a control unit that controls the data communication unit to