JPH02155358A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To terminate the recording by an interrupted picture information processor early by placing priority onto plural picture information processors and operating the picture information processors according to the priority. CONSTITUTION:The recorder consists of a picture forming device 1 forming a picture on recording paper and two picture information processors A, B reading picture information based on an output request signal and outputting the information to the said picture forming device 1, and the process ready earlier in the print process and the copy process to one sheet of the recording paper is executed when the print and the copy are simultaneously occurred for depending on the copy request in the print operation and the print request during the copy operation. In the case of implementing copying and printing alternately, since a scanning optical system A2 in the copy process is restored to the scanning start position in parallel with the execution of the printer process, the recording is early terminated.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention provides a digital camera having a copy function and a printer function.
A recording device such as Anacopia, more specifically, a recording device that is provided with one image forming device and a plurality of image information processing devices that read image information and output it to the image forming device based on an output request signal. Regarding equipment.

[Conventional technology]

For example, in the Digi Anacopia, the image forming device is a device that forms an image on recording paper using a photoreceptor drum, and the image written on the document is scanned by exposing the document on the document table with a slider. An analog scanning device for copying that forms a latent image on the photosensitive drum, and an optical printer head that forms a latent image of an image in response to image information read from a storage medium and image information from an input device such as a keyboard. and a digital scanning device for printing on the photoreceptor drum, each of which is an image information processing device.

And, there is a note like this, ★ equipment such as Jiji Anacopia requires copying while printing, etc.
Alternatively, there are many cases where a copy request and a print request occur simultaneously, such as when the need to print occurs during copying.

The following digital anacopias have been known to take measures against such cases.

The first method is to provide a switch that gives priority to the copy mode over the print mode, and when a copy request occurs during a print operation, the copy operation is interrupted by operating the switch to switch to the copy mode and then performing the copy operation. It was designed to make it easier to understand.

Second, priority is given to the copy mode, so that when a copy request occurs during a print operation, the print operation is interrupted, the copy operation is performed, and the print operation is resumed after the copy is completed. things, that is,
This method interrupts the copying operation (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-6576).

Thirdly, a switch is provided for selecting whether to give priority to either print mode or copy mode,
If a copy request occurs during a print operation, use a switch to switch to priority copy mode and interrupt the copy operation; conversely, if a print request occurs during a copy operation, use a switch to change priority to print mode. This is a system in which the printing operation is interrupted by switching (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-6576).

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, the prior art has the following disadvantages.

In the first and second cases, it is possible to interrupt a copy operation during a print operation, but it is not possible to interrupt a print operation during a copy operation.

In other words, you cannot print until the copying operation is completed.

In the first and third cases, a separate switch operation is required for interrupting, and the operability is poor.

The biggest drawback is that when using the first, second, or third method, (a) the print operation is completely interrupted until the copy operation that was interrupted during the print operation is completed;
(b) The copying operation is completely interrupted until the print operation that was interrupted during the copying operation is completed.

In other words, if a priority mode interrupt occurs when recording is completed in a short period of time with only a few more sheets left, the number of recordings in priority mode on the interrupting side is 1 or 2, etc. This is not so inconvenient when recording is completed in a short time with a small number of sheets, but if the number of sheets to be recorded by the priority mode of the interrupted side is large and it takes a long time to record, the priority mode of the side that was interrupted is There is an unreasonably long delay in completing the recording. In particular, if the priority mode of the side that interrupted is copy mode, it takes time to set the original on the document glass, and that time is also added to the recording time, so it depends on the print mode of the side that interrupted. The delay in recording completion becomes even more noticeable.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks.

[Means to solve the problem]

The characteristic configuration of the recording device according to the present invention includes a first detection move for detecting an image information processing device in an input state of an output request signal, and an image information processing device detected by the first detection move outputting image information. a second detection means for detecting whether or not the image information processing apparatus is in the state, and a third detection means for detecting the image information processing apparatus that is in the image information output preparation completion state among the image information processing apparatuses detected by the first detection means; , a control means for switching the image information processing apparatus detected first among the image information processing apparatuses detected by the third detection means to an image information output state based on the negative detection of the second detection means. At the point.

[For production]

For example, in the analog scanning device of Digi Anacopia, when there is an output request, the slider is moved to scan a sheet of recording paper to output image information, and the slider is returned to the scanning start position to prepare for output. As a result, when recording a plurality of sheets, even if it is continuous copying, the output preparation state appears each time a sheet of recording paper is recorded. In addition, depending on the memory capacity, a digital scanning device prepares for output by developing image information for one sheet of recording paper into a bitmap memory, and operates an optical printer head based on the image information in the bitmap memory. Image information is output, and since printers are generally used to record a small number of copies, such as one or two copies, the output preparation state appears each time a printer records on several sheets of recording paper. do.

In general, in image information processing devices such as analog scanning devices and digital scanning devices, an output preparation state occurs in which the output of image information is interrupted every time recording is performed on one or several sheets of recording paper.

According to the above configuration, when there are output requests to multiple image information processing apparatuses, such as when a copy request occurs during a print operation or when a print request occurs during a copy operation, the The image processing device requested for output is detected by the first detection means. At this time, the image information processing device on the side that is interrupted is in any of the image information output state, image information output preparation state, or image information output preparation complete state, and is in the image information output state (hereinafter simply referred to as the output state). ), the second detection means is in the detection state, and in the case of the image information output preparation state (hereinafter simply referred to as the preparation state), both the second detection means and the third detection means are in the non-detection state. If the third detection means is in the image information output preparation completion state (hereinafter simply referred to as the preparation completion state), the third detection means is in the detection state of the image processing apparatus on the interrupted side. Therefore, it can be determined which of the three states the image information processing device is in which has been interrupted by the second detection means and the third detection means.

On the other hand, the image information processing device on the interrupting side enters the ready state when the image information processing device on the interrupted side is in one of the three states, and thereby the third detection means detects that state. The image information processing device on the interrupted side enters the detection state.

[1] If any of the image information processing devices on the interrupting side becomes ready when the image information processing device on the interrupted side is in the output state, the interrupt When the output of the image information processing device on the interrupted side is completed and the second detection means enters the non-detection state, the image information processing device on the interrupted side that becomes ready first takes control. The output state is switched to the output state by the means.

On the other hand, if the image information processing apparatus on the interrupted side continues to receive output requests thereafter, it operates to the output preparation completion state and waits for output. After that, regardless of the type of the interrupting side or the interrupted side, while there is an output request, the image information processing device that entered the output ready state first will
Prior to that, the image information processing apparatus enters the output preparation completion state and is repeatedly set to the output state based on the completion of output of the image information processing apparatus that is already in the output state. As a result, for example, if there are two image information processing apparatuses that have received an output request, they each become ready for output within the time from when the other image information processing apparatus starts outputting to when the output preparation is completed. When activated, recording on one sheet of recording paper based on one image information processing device and recording on one sheet of recording paper based on the other image information processing device are performed alternately.

[2] Also, if some of the image information processing devices that have been interrupted become ready when the image information processing device that was interrupted is in the ready state, the Since the one on the interrupted side is ready before the one on the interrupted side, the output on the interrupted side is done and completed, and then the output on the other side is output. The rest is the same as in [1] above.

[If any of the 3 interrupted image information processing devices becomes ready when the interrupted image information processing device is in the ready state, the interrupting device Because it becomes ready before the one that is interrupted,
The output of the interrupt side is performed, and from then on, the [
It is the same as 1 piece.

As detailed above, when there is an output request to multiple image information processing devices at the same time, the image information processing device that first becomes ready is switched to the output state, and Recording can be performed sequentially based on each image information processing device. Moreover, when the second detecting means detects the ready state that appears for each recorded sheet during multiple sheet recording by each of the plurality of image information processing apparatuses, the image information processing apparatuses are configured to detect the ready state each time, By selecting and setting the ready state to be detected by the second detection means, such as having other image information processing devices detect the ready state every other time, each image information processing device is sequentially detected. You can freely set the number of records.

〔Example〕

Next, examples of the present invention will be shown.

As shown in FIG. 2, a digital anacopia, which is an example of a recording device, includes one image forming device (1) for forming an image on recording paper, and an image forming device (1) for reading image information based on an output request signal. Two image information processing devices (A) and (B) outputting to the image forming device (1), and the image forming device (1)
The apparatus includes a paper feeder (2) for supplying recording paper to the printer, and a paper ejection apparatus (3) for discharging the recorded recording paper.

The image forming apparatus (1) executes an image forming process in which a latent image of an image formed on a photoreceptor drum (IA) by exposure is developed with toner, and the toner-developed image is transferred and fixed onto recording paper. It is a device that does Specifically, the photoreceptor drum (IA) and its photoreceptor drum (IA
), a blank eraser (IC) for removing charges from portions of the photoreceptor drum (IA) that are not involved in image formation, and A developing device (ID) for developing the latent image with toner, and a photosensitive drum (on which the toner has been developed)
A transfer charger (IE) for transferring the image of LA) onto recording paper, and a photosensitive drum (IE) for transferring the recording paper with the image transferred thereto.
an isolation charger (IF) for isolation from the IA);
A cleaner unit (IJ) for removing residual toner from the photoreceptor drum (IA), and a cleaner unit (IJ) for removing residual toner from the photoreceptor drum (IA) after transfer.
An eraser (IG) that removes the residual charge of IA) and a fixing device (IH) that fixes the transferred image on the recording paper.
and a control means for operating each of the devices to execute the image forming process based on the outputs from the image information processing devices (A) and (B).

One of the image information processing devices @ (A) and (B) (
A) is for copying, in which a latent image of the original image is formed on the photoreceptor drum (IA) by scanning the original on the original platen (A1) and exposing the photoreceptor drum (IA) to the light reflected from the original. This is an analog scanning device that performs the exposure process. Specifically, a scanning optical system (A2) equipped with an exposure lamp (A2) is used.
3) and an imaging optical system (A5) equipped with a variable magnification lens (A4).
) and a control means for operating the scanning optical system (A3) in synchronization with the photosensitive drum (IA) so as to execute the above-mentioned exposure process based on the output request signal.

Another image information processing device ffi (B) exposes the photosensitive drum (IA) dot by dot based on the image information from the host computer (H), thereby creating a latent image of the image indicated by the image information. This is a digital scanning device that performs an exposure process for printing on a photoreceptor drum (IA). Specifically, it includes a printer head (B1) for scanning using a PLZT shutter array, a light source device (B2) for exposure, and a photoreceptor drum (B2) that executes the exposure process based on an output request signal. and a control means for operating the printer head (B1) in synchronization with the printer head (IA).

The paper feeding device (2) includes a plurality of paper feeding force rollers (28)
, an intermediate tray (2B), a general feeding device (2C) for supplying recording paper from these paper feed cassettes (2 people) and the intermediate tray (2B) to the image forming apparatus (1), and an output request and a control means for operating the transport device (2C) based on a signal.

The conveyance device (3C) can be switched between a state in which the recording paper is reversed and fed to the intermediate tray (2B) and a state in which it is fed without being reversed. In other words, by turning the recording paper upside down and feeding it to the intermediate tray (2B), the recording paper is turned over so that the side opposite to the recorded side is the recording side. By feeding the recording paper from the intermediate tray (2B) to the image forming apparatus (1) and feeding it to the intermediate tray (2B) without turning the recording paper inside out, the recorded side of the recording paper can be turned over again for recording. The recording paper is fed from the intermediate tray (2B) to the image forming apparatus (1) in a flat state.

The image forming device (1), the analog scanning device (A), the paper feeding device (2), and the paper ejecting device (3) constitute what is generally called the engine of a copying machine. The power source for the device (1), paper feeding device (2), and paper discharging device (3) is composed of one drive motor (4).

The control device of Digi Anacopia is as shown in Figure 1.
Control means of the image forming apparatus (1), analog scanning device (A
control means for the paper feeding device (2), control means for the paper ejection device (2),
The copy control device forming the control means of 3) is connected to the printer control device forming the control means of the digital scanning device (B) via an engine interface (5).

The copy control device includes a drive circuit (7) for the drive motor (4) and the cooling fan (6), and an exposure lamp (
A2) regulator (8) and the scanning optical system (A3
) for driving the optical system scanning motor (9); and a controller (12) for the variable magnification motor (11) for driving the variable magnification lens (A4).
Said electrification charger (IB)/transfer charger (1 day)
・The high voltage circuit (13) of the separate charger (IF), the drive circuit (14) of the eraser (IG), the drive circuit (15) of the blank eraser (IC), and both imaging and transmitting devices (
2C); (3C) controller (16), fixing device (IH) controller (17), and display! (18)
and the output request signal from the operation panel (19), ROM
(20), data in the RAM (21), information from various sensors (22), and information from the print control device via the engine interface (5), process pre-processing, paper feeding process, copying process, etc. The CPU (23) controls the process of discharging paper to the upper paper discharging tray (3A). The copying process includes an exposure process for copying and an image forming process. The paper feeding process has an output request signal,
In addition, scanning is started with the scanning optical system (A2) located at the scanning start position. In other words, in the case of multiple copying, copying starts at the timing when the scanning optical system (A2) returns to the scanning start position.

The printer control device is a host computer (H).
a video controller (25) for processing image information from the host computer (H), a drive circuit (26) for the print head (B2), and a rector for the light source device (B2). (27
), the I10 boat (28) with other equipment, and the above-mentioned image forming process equipment are connected to the host computer (
Based on the output request signal from H), the program in ROM (29), the data in RAM (30), and the information from the copy control device via the engine interface (5), process pre-processing, paper feeding process, printer process , and is controlled by the CPU (30) to execute the paper ejection process to the lower paper ejection tray (3B). If the image information is character data, the video controller (25) reads font data corresponding to the character data from the font memory (31) and develops it into a video memo 'J (32), so that the image information is converted into font data. If so, save the font data to the video memory (
32). The printer process includes an exposure process and an image forming process for the printer.

The paper feeding process starts from the time when the font data has been developed into the video memory (32).

The copy control device controls the operation of the scanning optical system (^2) for one sheet of recording paper, and the analog scanning device (A) outputs image information during scanning, at the end of scanning, and when waiting at the scanning start position. state, output complete state,
Information indicating that the printer is ready for output is output to the print control device. If the output request signal is present and the information from the print control device is [1] image information output state and output ready state information, wait for execution of the copy process, and [2] output completion. If the information is status information, a copy process is executed.

On the other hand, the print control device controls whether the print head (sticker) is in operation, the print head (B2) has completed its operation, or the video memo 'J (
32), the digital scanning device (
B) is output to the copy control device as information indicating that it is in the image information output state, that it is in the output completion state, and that it is in the output preparation completion state. In addition, if the information from the copy control device in the state where the output request signal is present is the information of [1] image information output state and output preparation completion state, the printer process is executed, and [2] output is completed. If it is status information, the printer process is executed.

Then, as shown in Figure 3, by repeatedly executing the main routine whose length is specified by an internal timer, copy control and print control proceed according to each routine, and the copy process and print process are executed. In copy control, as shown in FIG. 4, after the process pre-processing, the analog scanning device (8) is in the output preparation state, and the digital scanning device (B) is in the image information output state. If the output is not in the output ready state, the copy process is executed for one sheet of recording paper. On the other hand, in print control, as shown in FIG. 5, after performing process pre-processing, the digital scanning device (B) is in the output preparation state, and the analog scanning device (A) is in the image information output state. If the state is neither "ready for output" nor "ready for output", a print process is executed for one sheet of recording paper.

Accordingly, from the control device, a first detection means for detecting an image information processing device in an input state of an output request signal;
a second detection means for detecting whether or not the image information processing device detected by the detection means is in an image information output state;
a third detection means for detecting an image information processing apparatus that is in an image information output preparation state among the image information processing apparatuses detected by the detection means; A control means is configured to switch the first detected image information processing device among the detected image information processing devices to an image information output state.

Therefore, according to the above configuration, when printing and copying occur at the same time due to a copy request during a print operation or a print request during a copy operation, the print process and copy process for one sheet of recording paper take place first. To,
The process that is ready for output is executed.

As a result, if both processes reach the output ready state between the start of output and the completion of output preparation in the other process, copy recording and blink recording for one sheet of recording paper are performed alternately. It turns out.

Generally, in the copying process, a scanning optical system (82
), the paper feeding timing is slower than the printer process, which means that the through-top is poor. , is simply [number of copies x time required for copying per sheet] + [number of prints x time required for printing per sheet].

On the other hand, when copying and printing are performed alternately, the scanning optical system (A2) in the copying process returns to the scanning start position in parallel with the execution of the printer process. If the copy process and printer process are performed alternately for the same number of sheets, the time required for both processes to complete is [number of copies × time required for copying per sheet + [
The time calculated by subtracting [(return time of the scanning optical system (A2) of the copying process executed during the printing process) x (number of copies or prints)] from [number of prints × time required to print per sheet] It's over.

The present invention can be improved as follows.

[1] In the above embodiment, when copying and printing occur at the same time, the operation mode is such that priority is not given to either copying or printing, and the one that is ready for output first is executed. Although only the same authority mode is shown, the operation mode may be three modes: the same authority mode, the copy priority mode, and the print priority mode, and it may be possible to select one of these modes. Furthermore, even in the same-authority mode, printing and copying may be performed alternately, such as 1 print and 2 copies, but the number of copies per printing may be different. In addition, the number of recording sheets may be set freely.

[2] In the above embodiment, the paper ejection trays (3A) and (3B) for copying and printing are changed, that is, they are sorted to facilitate post-processing, but the ejection light is They may be the same. Further, a sorter may be used to sort the ejected copies and the ejected prints, and furthermore, the intermediate tray (2B) may be used as one of the ejected sheets.

In this case, even if either the copier or the printer performs double-sided recording or overwriting recording, it can be well handled. When the intermediate tray (2B) is used as one of the paper ejection lights, if the ejected paper is not double-sided or overwritten, the intermediate tray (2B) installed on the operation panel (19) )
The paper may be ejected to the paper ejection tray (3A) or (3B) by operating a paper ejection switch that commands paper ejection from the paper ejection tray (3A) or (3B).
Alternatively, it may be possible to directly take out the tray manually from the intermediate tray (2B).

[3] In the above embodiment, the start timing of the paper feeding process is different for the copy process and the printer process, but the start timing of the paper feeding process may be the same.

In this case, not only is it easier to control the process, but the printer process can be executed within the time loss required for setting the document on the document table during copying, so efficiency can be improved.

[4] In the above embodiment, a plurality of image information processing devices (A)
, (B), two are shown, an analog scanning device for copying and a digital scanning device for printing, but there may be three or more image information processing devices (A) and (B), and In addition to a combination of an analog scanning device and a digital scanning device, a combination of an analog scanning device and an analog scanning device, and a combination of a digital scanning device and a digital scanning device may be used.

[Effects of the Invention] In summary, according to the present invention, when output requests to a plurality of image information processing devices occur simultaneously, the plurality of image information processing devices are given 13 priorities, and the image information processing devices are processed according to the priority order. Rather than having multiple image information processing devices perform recording, by activating the Therefore, when one image information processing device finishes recording in a short time with just a few more images, if another image information processing device interrupts the recording of many images, In other words, the image information processing device on the interrupted side performs parallel processing, such as recording by the image information processing device on the interrupted side while recording by other image information processing devices. You can finish it early.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the recording apparatus according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a control block diagram, FIG. 2 is a sectional view, and FIGS. 3 to 5 are flowcharts. (1)... Image forming apparatus, (A), (B)...
...Image information processing device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A recording device that is provided with one image forming device and a plurality of image information processing devices that read image information and output it to the image forming device based on an output request signal, the recording device having an input of the output request signal. a first detection means for detecting an image information processing device in a state; a second detection means for detecting whether or not the image information processing device detected by the first detection means is in an image information output state; a third detection means for detecting an image information processing apparatus that is in a state of image information output preparation completion among the image information processing apparatuses detected by the first detection means; and a third detection means based on the failure detection of the second detection means. A recording apparatus comprising: a control means for switching an image information processing apparatus detected first among the image information processing apparatuses detected in the image information processing apparatus to an image information output state.