JP2004222003A - Image forming system and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming system for controlling a connected job with high efficiency by efficiently operating a slave unit and evading the deadlock of both sides. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming system is provided with: a job management means for managing the job of an image forming processing by the combination of a read job and a printing job; a job reservation means for reserving a second printing single job while a first printing job is operating, or operating the read job of a second job in advance and reserving the second printing job while the first printing job is operating; and an order management means for forming images in the order of supplied jobs. The time to register the printing job of a second image forming device to the order is synchronized with the printing job start of a first image forming device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming system and an image forming apparatus that use a plurality of electrically connectable image forming apparatuses to share a printing function and enable linked printing.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus capable of reserving a job while a reading unit or an image memory is available during execution of the job has been considered. On the other hand, a technique is known in which a plurality of digital copying machines are functionally connected and used. The connection mode is selected on the parent device side, the read image is shared by the connected child devices, and the printing operation is performed in parallel, thereby improving the performance. For example, when copying 100 originals, if there are two image forming apparatuses in a connected state, the printing time can be reduced by performing the printing operation for 50 sheets per one.
[0003]
As an example of the related art, there is an “image forming apparatus, an information processing system, an image forming method, and a storage medium” having a job reservation and an order changing function (for example, see Patent Document 1). Further, there is an “image forming apparatus” having a job reservation function (for example, see Patent Document 2).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-47530 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-11-88570
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the system having the connection function of the conventional image forming apparatus and the job reservation function, when the job of the child device is reserved at the same time when the job of the parent device is reserved, until the connection job of the parent device is completed, Execution of the slave unit alone job may be hindered, or execution of both reservation jobs may be hindered by each other depending on the result of changing the reservation order.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem, and makes a reservation (entry) of a job when the slave unit comes to execute a linked job, thereby achieving efficient operation of the slave unit. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system and an image forming apparatus that efficiently control a linked job while avoiding both deadlocks caused by replacement of a reserved job.
[0007]
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image forming system and an image forming apparatus in which a linked job is preferentially operated by making an entry at the end of a printing job, not at the end of a job on the slave side. .
[0008]
Further, the present invention enables selection and setting of whether to give priority to a single job on the slave unit side or to give priority to a linked slave unit job, to enable the user environment to be adjusted, and to store setting information in a non-volatile memory. The object of the present invention is to provide an image forming system and an image forming apparatus which eliminate the necessity of resetting when the main power is turned on.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, an image forming system according to claim 1 includes an image input unit that inputs an image, a first storage unit that stores an image input by the image input unit, A first image forming unit that reads out image data from the storage unit and forms an image, an image data transfer unit that transfers image data held in the first storage unit to another image forming apparatus, A first image forming apparatus having command data transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving command data between image forming apparatuses, a first control means for controlling each of the above means, and a first image forming apparatus to an image data transferring means. A second storage unit for storing the transmitted image data, and a second image forming apparatus for reading out the image data from the second storage unit in accordance with the request received by the command data transmitting / receiving unit and forming an image. And a plurality of image forming apparatuses having second control means for controlling each of the above means, wherein the image forming processing job is performed by combining a reading job and a print job. A job management unit for managing, and a second print-only job is reserved while the first print job is operating, or a read job of the second job is operated in advance while the first print job is operating, A job reserving unit for reserving the second print job; and an order managing unit for forming an image in the order of the input jobs. It is characterized in that it is synchronized with the start of a print job of the apparatus.
[0010]
In the image forming system according to the second aspect, in the image forming system according to the first aspect, the print jobs registered in order in the second image forming apparatus are a job currently being printed by the second image forming apparatus and reserved thereafter. When there is a job that has been printed, insertion is reserved next to the job being printed.
[0011]
An image forming system according to a third aspect of the present invention is the image forming system according to the second aspect, wherein a print job to be sequentially registered in the second image forming apparatus is reserved for insertion immediately after the job being printed, or the entire reserved job is set. Is characterized in that it has a selection means for making a reservation or selecting at the end of.
[0012]
An image forming system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the image forming system according to the third aspect, further comprising a non-volatile memory for storing setting information, and storing a selected state in the non-volatile memory.
[0013]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for inputting an image, input image storing means for storing an image input by the image input means, and reading image data from the input image storing means to form an image. First image forming means, image data transfer means for transferring image data held in the input image storage means to another image forming apparatus, and command data transmission / reception for sending / receiving command data to / from another image forming apparatus Means, image data storage means for storing image data transmitted from another image forming apparatus, and second means for reading out image data from the image data storage means in accordance with a request received by the command data transmitting / receiving means and forming an image. An image forming unit, a control unit that controls the above units, and a job of the image forming process, which is a combination of a read job and a print job. And a job management unit that manages the second print job while the first print job is in operation, or reserves the second print job by preliminarily operating a read job of the second print job. It is characterized by having a job reserving means for executing the job and an order managing means for forming an image in the order of the input jobs.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus of the present invention. When the start key 34 on the operation unit 30 is pressed, the original bundle placed on the original platen 2 of the automatic document feeder (hereinafter ADF) 1 is pressed. Is fed to a predetermined position on the contact glass 6 by a feed roller 3 and a feed belt 4. After the reading unit 50 reads the image data of the document on the contact glass 6, the document that has been read is discharged by the feed belt 4 and the discharge roller 5. Further, when the document set detection 7 detects that the next document is present on the document table 2, the document is fed onto the contact glass 6 in the same manner as the previous document. The feed roller 3, the feed belt 4, and the discharge roller 5 are driven by a motor.
[0016]
The transfer sheets stacked on the first tray 8, the second tray 9, and the third tray 10 are fed by the first sheet feeding device 11, the second sheet feeding device 12, and the third sheet feeding device 13, respectively, and are vertically conveyed. The sheet is transported by the unit 14 to a position where it contacts the photoconductor 15. The image data read by the reading unit 50 is written on the photoconductor 15 by the laser from the writing unit 57, and passes through the developing unit 27 to form a toner image. Then, the toner image on the photoconductor 15 is transferred while the transfer paper is conveyed by the conveyance belt 16 at the same speed as the rotation of the photoconductor 15. Thereafter, the image is fixed by the fixing unit 17, and the image is discharged to the finisher 100 of the post-processing device by the sheet discharging unit 18.
[0017]
The finisher 100 of the post-processing device can guide the paper toward the normal paper discharge roller 102 and the staple processing unit. By switching the switching plate 101 upward, it is possible to discharge the paper to the normal paper discharge tray 104 via the transport roller 103. Further, by switching the switching plate 101 downward, the sheet can be transported to the staple table 108 via the transport rollers 105 and 107.
[0018]
The transfer paper stacked on the staple table 108 is aligned with the jogger 109 for paper alignment every time one sheet is ejected, and is stapled by the stapler 106 when a part of the copy is completed. The transfer paper group bound by the stapler 106 is stored in the stapling completion paper discharge tray 110 by its own weight.
[0019]
On the other hand, the normal paper discharge tray 104 is a paper discharge tray that can move back and forth. The paper discharge tray unit 104 that can be moved back and forth moves back and forth and sorts the discharged copy paper easily for each document or for each copy unit sorted by the image memory.
[0020]
When images are formed on both sides of the transfer sheet, the transfer sheet fed and imaged from each of the paper feed trays 8 to 10 is not guided to the discharge tray 104 side, and the branch claw 112 for path switching is set. By setting it on the upper side, it is once stocked in the duplex paper supply unit 111.
[0021]
Thereafter, the transfer paper stocked in the duplex paper supply unit 111 is re-fed from the duplex paper supply unit 111 in order to transfer the toner image formed on the photoconductor 15 again, and a branch claw 112 for switching the path. Is set on the lower side, and guided to the discharge tray 104. As described above, the double-sided paper feeding unit 111 is used when forming images on both sides of the transfer paper.
[0022]
Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the photoconductor 15, the conveyance belt 16, the fixing unit 17, the paper discharging unit 18, and the developing unit 27, which are the respective components of the image forming apparatus used in the present embodiment, are Driven by The main controller 20 controls each unit according to a program. Each of the sheet feeding devices 11 to 13 in FIG. 1 is driven to transmit the drive of the main motor 25 by sheet feeding clutches 22 to 24, respectively. The vertical transport unit 14 is driven to transmit the drive of the main motor 25 by the intermediate clutch 21.
[0023]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation unit 30. The operation unit 30 has a liquid crystal touch panel 31, a numeric keypad 32, a clear / stop key 33, a print key 34, a preheat key 35, and a reset key 36. The liquid crystal touch panel 31 has keys for setting a mode to be described later and image forming. A message indicating the status of the device is displayed.
[0024]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display on the liquid crystal touch panel 31 of the operation unit 30. When the operator touches the key displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 31, the key indicating the selected function is inverted to black. When the details of the function need to be designated (for example, if the magnification is a variable magnification, etc.), a key is touched to display a detailed function setting screen. As described above, since the liquid crystal touch panel uses the dot display, the optimal display at that time can be graphically performed.
[0025]
In FIG. 3, the upper left is a message area for displaying a message such as "Ready to copy" or "Please wait", and the right is a copy number display for displaying the number of sheets set, and an automatic sheet for automatically selecting a transfer sheet. Selection key, sort key to specify the process to arrange copies one by one in the page order, stack key to specify the process to sort copies by page, staple key to specify the process to bind the sorted items one by one, The same-size key for setting the same size, the scaling key for setting the enlargement / reduction ratio, the two-sided key for setting the duplex mode, the edit key for setting the binding margin mode, etc., and the cover / interleaf for setting the cover / interleaf mode The key is a link mode key for printing out a large number of print operations by dividing them into a plurality of print operations via a digital copier network.
[0026]
Further, the state of the paper feed tray corresponding to the number of paper feed trays is shown, and a key for manually setting the paper feed tray is displayed for each paper feed tray.
[0027]
With reference to FIG. 1, the image reading means and the operation up to the formation of a latent image on a recording surface according to the present invention will be described. A latent image is a potential distribution generated by converting an image into optical information and irradiating the image on the photoreceptor surface.
[0028]
The reading unit 50 includes a contact glass 6 on which a document is placed and an optical scanning system. The optical scanning system includes an exposure lamp 51, a first mirror 52, a lens 53, a CCD image sensor 54, and the like. I have. The exposure lamp 51 and the first mirror 52 are fixed on a first carriage (not shown), and the second mirror 55 and the third mirror 56 are fixed on a second carriage (not shown). When reading a document image, the first carriage and the second carriage are mechanically scanned at a relative speed of 2: 1 so that the optical path length does not change. This optical scanning system is driven by a scanner drive motor (not shown). The document image is read by the CCD image sensor 54, converted into an electric signal, and processed. By moving the lens 53 and the CCD image sensor 54 in the left-right direction in FIG. 1, the image magnification changes. That is, the positions of the lens 53 and the CCD image sensor 54 in the left-right direction are set corresponding to the designated magnification.
[0029]
The writing unit 57 includes a laser output unit 58, an imaging lens 59, and a mirror 60. Inside the laser output unit 58, a rotating polygon mirror (polygon mirror) that rotates at a high speed at a constant speed by a laser diode as a laser light source and a motor. ) Is provided.
[0030]
The laser light emitted from the laser output unit 58 is polarized by a polygon mirror that rotates at a constant speed, passes through the imaging lens 59, is turned back by the mirror 60, and forms a focused image on the surface of the photoconductor.
[0031]
The polarized laser light is exposed and scanned in a direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the direction in which the photoconductor rotates, and performs recording in units of lines of an image signal output from a selector 64 of an image processing unit described later. An image (electrostatic latent image) is formed on the photoconductor surface by repeating main scanning at a predetermined cycle corresponding to the rotation speed of the photoconductor and the recording density.
[0032]
As described above, the laser light output from the writing unit 57 is applied to the photoconductor 15 of the image forming system. Although not shown, a beam sensor that generates a main scanning synchronization signal is disposed at a position near one end of the photoconductor 15 where the laser beam is irradiated. Based on the main scanning synchronization signal, control of image recording start timing in the main scanning direction and generation of a control signal for inputting and outputting an image signal described later are performed.
[0033]
The configuration of the image processing unit (image reading unit and image writing unit) in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The light emitted from the exposure lamp 51 irradiates the original surface, and the reflected light from the original surface is imaged and received by an image forming lens (not shown) by the CCD image sensor 54 and photoelectrically converted. The signal is converted into a digital signal by the D converter 61. The image signal converted into the digital signal is subjected to MTF correction, γ correction, and the like in the image processing unit 63 after being subjected to shading correction 62. In the selector 64, the destination of the image signal is switched to the write γ correction unit 71 or the image memory controller 65. The image signal that has passed through the writing γ correction unit 71 is sent to the writing unit 57. The image memory controller 65 and the selector 64 are configured so that image signals can be input and output in both directions. Although not explicitly shown in FIG. 5, the image processing unit (IPU) includes, in addition to the image data input from the reading unit 50, image data supplied from outside (for example, output from a data processing device such as a personal computer). ), A function of selecting input / output of a plurality of data.
[0034]
A CPU 68 for setting the image memory controller 65 and the like and controlling the reading unit 50 and the writing unit 57, and a ROM 69 and a RAM 70 for storing programs and data thereof. Further, the CPU 68 can write and read data in the image memory 66 via the memory controller 65. Further, an HDD 71 for saving and storing the contents of the image memory 66 is provided.
[0035]
Here, an image signal for one page in the selector 64 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0036]
/ FGATE indicates the effective period of one page of image data in the sub-scanning direction. / LSYNC is a main scanning synchronization signal for each line, and the image signal becomes valid at a predetermined clock after this signal rises. A signal indicating that the image signal in the main scanning direction is valid is / LGATE. These signals are synchronized with the pixel clock VCLK, and data of one pixel is sent for one cycle of VCLK. The image processing unit (IPU) 49 has a separate / FGATE, / LSYNC, / LGATE, and VCLK generation mechanism for image input and output, respectively, and enables various combinations of image input / output. .
[0037]
Further, in order to share work, it is necessary to transmit and receive image data and commands to and from another digital copying machine. In this embodiment, the connection interface of IEEE 1394 is used for transmitting and receiving image data. A serial communication line is used. The memory controller of FIG. 5 realizes this via the connection interface driver 80.
[0038]
Next, a software control module configuration in the image forming apparatus, image transfer, and print control will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a software module configuration.
[0039]
The job information set in the application layer is transferred to the control service layer with a start key or the like as a trigger. The control service layer interprets job information from the application and requests process information for operating the handler layer from the handler manager. The handler manager operates individual handlers according to the process information. Handlers include a scanner handler that controls the reading unit, an image memory handler that controls the input and output of image data to and from the image memory, and a plotter handler that controls the writing unit, paper transport, and post-processing peripherals. In cooperation with each other, the processes from reading to storage in the image memory and image formation are performed.
[0040]
Further, the image forming apparatus is provided with a connection I / F driver for connecting with another image forming apparatus, so that image data and command information can be exchanged via this I / F.
[0041]
In the case of a single copy job, the procedure of reading and storing an image and the procedure of printing a stored image are performed. In the case of a linked copy job, the following control is added in addition to the above procedure.
[0042]
For the linked copy job that occurred on the parent machine, the job information is interpreted in the control service of the parent machine, then the process of storing the image read by the scanner in the image memory and transferring the image to the image memory of the child machine To be executed separately.
[0043]
When the required image transfer is completed, the control service of the slave unit generates a print process that refers to the image data that has been transferred in advance, according to the information received from the control service of the master unit, and prints the print process on the handler manager of the slave unit. Request.
[0044]
Then, the control service of the slave unit notifies the master unit of the print job processed by the master unit sequentially. According to this information, the control service of the master unit monitors the progress of the print job of its own unit and the print job of the slave unit, and performs printing as needed.
[0045]
The details of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, when a linked copy job is performed, as described above, the master machine is categorized into execution of a reading job, accumulation of image data, entry (reservation) and execution of a master machine print job, and Is divided into procedures of transferring image data, and entering (reserving) and executing a slave device print job. Since the master unit controls distribution of all print jobs, the print job of the slave unit is executed at least after the start of the print job of the master unit. FIGS. 8 and 9 show these visualizations. In the linked image forming system according to the present invention, any device can execute a copy job as a parent device.
[0046]
FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrams in which a copy job is reserved and executed in the order of the master unit independent jobs JOB11 and JOB12, and the horizontal axis represents time when the linked copy job JOB13 is transitioned. In the slave unit, the slave unit alone copy jobs JOB21, 22, and 23 are reserved and executed.
[0047]
First, in the control of the conventional linked copy job (FIG. 8), the print jobs of the master unit and the slave unit are entered in synchronization with the start of the reading job (200). On the other hand, in the control of the linked copy job of the present invention (FIG. 9), the print job of the slave unit is entered in synchronization with the start of the print job of the master unit (203).
[0048]
In the conventional control (FIG. 8), since the connection job of the slave unit is performed after the job 22, a waiting time 201 may occur until the job 13 of the master unit is started. On the other hand, in the control of the present invention (FIG. 9), since the print job of the slave unit is entered in synchronization with the print job JOB 13 of the master unit, the linked job of the slave unit is entered after the JOB 23 of 230. Incidentally, reference numerals 202 and 203 indicate the amount of redistribution between the parent and child of the linked copy job.
[0049]
By performing such linked copy job control, the time required to complete all jobs can be reduced by the amount indicated by 207.
[0050]
Next, the control for entering the linked job of the slave unit at the rear end and the control for inserting immediately after the printing job will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0051]
FIG. 10 is a screen flow for setting whether to prioritize the linked print job of the slave unit. When the initial setting key 39 on the operation panel 30 is pressed, the screen is changed to a screen 251 for performing various initial settings. Here, when the “connecting slave unit job setting” key 252 is pressed, a setting screen 253 is displayed. When the “priority” key 254 is pressed on this setting screen, a mode for entry (reservation) immediately after the job being printed is set. When the “not prioritize” key 255 is pressed, a mode for setting an entry (reservation) at the end of all print jobs is set. Then, this setting is written to the non-volatile memory and becomes effective at the next power-on.
[0052]
FIG. 11 is a control flow when a print job of a slave unit is entered. If the job is a linked print job (S1-Y), the linked job priority setting is set (S2-Y), and there is a job being printed (S3-Y), this job is inserted (entry) next to the print job (S4). ). Otherwise, the entry is made at the end of all print jobs (S5).
[0053]
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a case in which the setting is made such that the linked slave job is entered at the end of all jobs. The print job of the slave unit is entered during the printing of JOB22, but since the copy job JOB23 of the slave unit has already been entered, the linked slave unit job starts printing after the job23.
[0054]
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a case where a setting is made such that a linked slave job is entered immediately after a printing job. When the print job of the slave unit is entered during the printing of the job 22, the job is inserted before the already entered job JOB 23, and after the job 22 is completed, the printing is started.
[0055]
The former (FIG. 12) can respond to a request to give priority to a print job of the slave unit alone, and the latter (FIG. 13) can respond to a request to give priority to a linked copy job.
[0056]
Next, advantages of the present invention in managing a “job list” in which the entry status of a print job is visualized will be described.
[0057]
14 and 15 are diagrams illustrating a job list of the device 1 on the left side and a job list of the device 2 on the right side. This figure is displayed on the LCD of the operation panel in a form that can be understood by the user, but will not be described because it does not affect the essence of the invention. The figures are arranged in the order of -1, -2, -3 over time.
[0058]
First, FIG. 14A shows the job entry (reservation) status of each of the apparatuses 1 and 2 at a certain point in time. In the device 1, entries are made in the order of JOB11, JOB12, JOB13 (connecting parent JOB), JOB14, JOB15, JOB25 (connector JOB). In the apparatus 2, entries are made in the order of JOB21, JOB22, JOB23, JOB24, JOB13 (connecting child job), and JOB25 (connecting parent job). JOB 13 is a linked copy job operated by the device 1, and JOB 25 is a linked copy job operated by the device 2.
[0059]
When the jobs entered in the apparatuses 1 and 2 are executed as they are, they are executed by the operation shown in FIG. 8, and no trouble occurs. However, if the order of the jobs is changed as shown in FIG. 14B, the state shown in FIG. 14C with the lapse of time occurs, and the job order of the connected parent jobs does not change, and deadlock occurs in both cases. Would.
[0060]
On the other hand, FIG. 15A shows the state of the job list when the job of the same procedure as that of FIG. 14A is executed by the method of the present invention. In the present invention, since the print job of the slave unit is synchronized with the start of the print job of the master unit, the slave unit first starts at the stage when the order of the linked parent job comes (FIGS. 15 (2) and 15 (3)). Print job is requested for entry and execution.
[0061]
By such control, it is shown that deadlock does not occur as shown in FIG. 14 even when the order of the jobs in the job list is changed.
[0062]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the image forming system of the first aspect, the slave unit makes a reservation (entry) for the job when the turn to execute the linked job comes, so that the slave unit can operate efficiently. Deadlock due to replacement of reserved jobs and reserved jobs can be avoided.
[0063]
According to the image forming system of the second aspect, in the image forming system of the first aspect, the linked job is preferentially executed by inserting the entry immediately after the job being printed, not at the end of the job on the slave side. Will be possible.
[0064]
According to the image forming system of the third aspect, in the image forming system of the second aspect, it is possible to selectively set whether to give priority to a single job on the slave unit side or to give priority to a linked slave unit job, and use by a user. It can be adjusted to the environment.
[0065]
According to the image forming system of the fourth aspect, in the image forming system of the third aspect, it is possible to eliminate the necessity of resetting when the main power is turned on by holding the setting in the nonvolatile memory.
[0066]
According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, an image input means for inputting an image, an input image storage means for storing an image input by the image input means, and an image data read from the input image storage means. First image forming means for forming, image data transfer means for transferring image data held in the input image storage means to another image forming apparatus, and a command for transmitting and receiving command data to and from another image forming apparatus A data transmission / reception unit, a transmission image data storage unit for storing image data transmitted from another image forming apparatus, and an image forming unit which reads out image data from the transmission image data storage unit in accordance with a request received by the command data transmission / reception unit and forms an image. Image forming means, control means for controlling each of the above means, and a job of image forming processing as a set of a read job and a print job. A job management unit that manages the second print job while the first print job is operating, reserves the second print job alone, or precedes the read job of the second print job to execute the second print job. It is characterized by having a job reserving means for reserving and an order managing means for forming images in the order of input jobs, so that both the efficient operation on the slave side and deadlock due to replacement of the reserved job can be avoided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an external view illustrating an operation unit of the image forming apparatus.
FIG. 3 is an external view showing a liquid crystal touch panel of an operation unit.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processing unit.
FIG. 6 illustrates an image signal for one page in a selector.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a module configuration of software.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram visualizing control of a conventional linked copy job.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram visualizing control of a linked copy job according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a screen flow diagram for performing priority setting of a linked print job of a slave unit.
FIG. 11 is a control flowchart when a print job of a slave unit is entered.
FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a case where a setting is made such that a linked slave job is entered at the end of all jobs.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a case where a setting is made so that a linked slave job is entered immediately after a printing job.
FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a job list of a conventional linked copy job.
FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a job list of a linked copy job according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Automatic Document Feeder (ADF)
2 Document table 3 Feed roller 4 Feed belt 5 Discharge roller 6 Contact glass 7 Document set detection 8 First tray 9 Second tray 10 Third tray 11 First feed unit 12 Second feed unit 13 Third feed Paper unit 14 Vertical transport unit 15 Photoconductor 16 Transport belt 17 Fixing unit 18 Discharge unit 20 Main controller 21 Intermediate clutch 30 Operation unit 31 Liquid crystal display 49 IPU
Reference numeral 50 Reading unit 51 Exposure lamp 52 First mirror 53 Lens 54 CCD image sensor 55 Second mirror 56 Third mirror 57 Writing unit 58 Laser output unit 59 Imaging lens 60 Mirror 100 Finisher 101 Branch / deflection plate 102 Stacker transport roller 103 Stacker discharge Paper roller 104 stacker tray 105 stapler transport roller 106 stapler 107 stapler discharge roller 108 staple tray 109 dropping stover 110 dropping tray 111 double-sided paper feeding unit 112 branching claw

Claims (5)

Image input means for inputting an image,
First storage means for storing the image input by the image input means,
First image forming means for reading out image data from the first storage means and forming an image;
Image data transfer means for transferring the image data held in the first storage means to another image forming apparatus;
Command data transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving command data between other image forming apparatuses,
A first image forming apparatus having first control means for controlling each of the above means,
A second storage unit for storing the image data transmitted by the image data transfer unit from the first image forming apparatus;
A second image forming unit that reads the image data from the second storage unit and forms an image according to a request received by the command data transmitting / receiving unit;
A linked image forming system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses having a second control unit for controlling each of the above units are connected;
A job management unit that manages a job of the image forming process by a combination of a read job and a print job;
Reserving a second print-only job while the first print job is running, or pre-operating a read job of the second print job while the first print job is running, Means for reserving a job,
Sequence management means for forming images in the order of the input jobs,
An image forming system comprising: synchronizing a timing of orderly registering a print job of a second image forming apparatus with a start of a print job of the first image forming apparatus. The print job registered in order in the second image forming apparatus is inserted next to the print job in the case where there is a job being printed by the second image forming apparatus and a job reserved thereafter. 2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein a reservation is made. The printing apparatus according to the present invention further comprises a selection unit for selecting whether to reserve a print job to be registered in order in the second image forming apparatus immediately after the job being printed or to reserve it at the end of all reserved jobs. The image forming system according to claim 2. 4. The image forming system according to claim 3, further comprising a non-volatile memory for storing setting information, wherein a state selected by the selection unit is stored in the non-volatile memory. Image input means for inputting an image,
Input image storage means for storing the image input by the image input means,
First image forming means for reading out image data from the input image storage means and forming an image,
Image data transfer means for transferring the image data held in the input image storage means to another image forming apparatus,
Command data transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving command data to and from the other image forming apparatus,
Transmission image data storage means for storing the image data transmitted from another image forming apparatus,
A second image forming unit that reads out the image data from the transmission image data storage unit and forms an image according to a request received by the command data transmission / reception unit;
Control means for controlling each of the above means,
A job management unit that manages a job of the image forming process by a combination of a read job and a print job;
A job reservation unit for reserving the second print job while the first print job is running, or preliminarily operating the read job of the second print job to reserve the second print job;
Order management means for forming images in the order of the input jobs;
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images