JPH04211564A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To receive plural pieces of image data from plural image data output devices with the image forming device which records the image data from the plural image data output devices with one recorder. CONSTITUTION:When this device receives the image data from another image data output device during recording with the recorder, the image data from this another image data output device is stored into a disk 71 or disk 75, an image memory 59, and an image memory 60.

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 that can input image data from a plurality of image data sources and forms an image on a recording material (hereinafter referred to as paper) using the input image data.

0002

[Prior Art] In recent years, recording devices that electrically record images using lasers and the like have appeared, and they can not only read and print originals, but also record the results of office calculations and documents created by document creation devices. 2. Description of the Related Art Apparatuses that print or print data transmitted from a remote location have been considered.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, it is not possible to transfer a plurality of image data from such a plurality of image data output devices, and if a recording device is already in use, other image data output devices cannot be transferred to the recording device. The disadvantage is that you have to wait until the system becomes available.

0004

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a plurality of image data output means for outputting image data, a first storage means for storing the image data of the image data output means, and a separate a second storage means for storing the image data of the image data output means; a recording means for recording the image data on a recording medium; and a second storage means for storing the image data of the image data output means; It has a control means for recording, and when image data is output from another image data output means during a storage operation, the control means causes the image data from the other image data output means to be stored in the second storage means. It is something.

[0005]

[Operation] In the above structure, the control means records the image data from the image data output means via the first storage means, and when the image data is output from another image data output means during the recording operation, the control means records the image data from the image data output means through the first storage means. Image data from another image data output means is stored in the second storage means.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 and 2 are block diagrams showing an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and are connected by a dashed-dotted line in FIG. 1 and a dashed-dotted line in FIG. 2. 1 is a recording device that forms an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor with a laser according to input image information and transfers it to paper after development; 2 is a sorter that sorts and stores the paper printed out from the printer section 1; and 3 is a CCD
4 is a CRT display device that displays the status of the printer section 1; 5 is a general-purpose computer for creating documents, office calculations, etc.; 6 is a telephone, etc. A communication device that sends and receives image information over a communication line.

[0007] The recording device 1 is controlled by a CPU 32.

[0008] The CPU 32 includes a ROM 3 for storing programs.
1. Using the working RAM 30, the document reading device 3 is controlled via the printer section, the image memory controller 10, and the interface circuit 34. The recording device 1 is driven and stopped using the operation keys 21 or keys on the keyboard 206 of the CRT display device 4. When there is an input on the operation key 21, the CPU
The data is transferred to 32, analyzed and executed. The display panel 26 allows the operator to know the status of execution, stop, standby, etc., and the display contents are changed by the CPU 32.

The printer control circuit 17 and main body drive system 21 receive instructions from the CPU 32 and operate the image memory controller 1.
The image data signal from 0 is synchronized with the main body drive system 21, image data is written on the photoreceptor 20 using the laser 13, and an image is formed on paper or the like using an electrostatic image forming method. The sheets of paper on which images have been formed are sorted and stored by a sorter 2. Signals to the sorter 2 are sent via an interface circuit 22. Image data signals from the image memory controller 10 are output as laser light via an interface circuit 11, a laser driver circuit 12, and a laser 13. The laser beam is transmitted through a polygon mirror 1 that reflects and scans the laser beam.
4, a polygon motor 15 that rotates the polygon motor 15, a motor driver circuit 16 that controls the polygon motor 15, and a beam detector 19 that detects the position of the laser beam, and an image is recorded on the photoreceptor 20. Control signals for the CPU 32 and the image memory controller 10 are sent via an interface circuit 33.

The CPU 32 sends image data operation commands, switching signals to input terminals of the image memory, and signals for inputting, outputting, and stopping image data to the image memory controller 10. It is sent to the image memory controller 10. The image memory controller 10 sends information such as the status of the image memory and the usage status of the input/output terminals to the CPU 32.

The interface circuit 34 transmits and receives control signals between the document reading device 3 and the CPU 32.

[0012] The document reading device 3 includes an automatic document feeder 10.
The original 101 sent at
Read in, CCD driver 104, image control circuit 1
05, the image data signal is output to the image memory controller 10 through the interface circuit 106. The device further includes a CPU 110, a program storage ROM 111,
Various timings are determined by the working RAM 112, interface circuit 113, interface circuit 114, and optical system drive circuit 107, and information such as the type and status of the device is exchanged with the image memory controller 10 via the control circuit 108 and interface circuit 109. .

The CRT display device 4 is used as a terminal for the recording device 1 and the general-purpose computer 5 via an interface circuit 200, and is connected to a CPU 201 and a ROM 20 for storing programs.
2. Consists of a working RAM 203, a keyboard 206, an interface circuit 205, a CRT control circuit 207, a graphic control circuit 208, a character generator 210 that generates dot pattern signals, an interface circuit 209, and a CRT 211, capable of inputting and outputting arbitrary character data. It is possible to display and display graphics. Regular tasks such as image operations and number of copies to be performed on the recording device 1 are input from the keyboard in the form of a program on the CRT display device 4, transferred in a format executable by the recording device 1, and transmitted via the interface circuit 28. It can be stored in the magnetic bubble 29. By doing this,
It is now possible to perform a series of routine tasks automatically and consecutively with simple operations.

The general-purpose computer 5 is composed of a CPU 300, a program storage ROM 301, a working RAM 302, an interface circuit 303, a floppy disk 304, an interface circuit 305, a magnetic disk 306, and an interface circuit 308. , prepare documents and perform administrative calculations. Documents and calculation results to be recorded by the recording device 1 are stored in the control circuit 307, character generator 310, and interface circuit 311.
The image data is output to the image memory controller 10 as image data. The interface circuit 309 sends and receives information such as the type and status of the device to and from the image memory controller 10.

The communication device 6 includes a communication line 412 and a modem 4.
It transmits and receives image data signals via 03.
From the CPU 400, program storage ROM 401, work RAM 402, reception circuit 404, image conversion circuit 406 that converts compressed image data into a data format handled by the image memory controller 10, interface circuit 408, interface circuit 409, and image memory controller. The image converting circuit 407 compresses the data and converts it into data for a communication line, and a transmitting circuit 405. The image memory controller 10 and the communication device 6 are connected via an interface circuit 411 and a control circuit 410,
Sends and receives information such as device type and status.

The selection of the original reading device 3, general-purpose computer 5, and communication device 6 is performed by commands from the keyboard 206.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, an image memory controller 10 includes a document reading device 3, a general-purpose computer 5, a communication device 6, a printer section mainly including a laser 13, image data,
It sends and receives control signal lines, and controls the image data format,
The control signal line format is unified to provide versatility. In addition, a device that generates image data as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
By separating the device for storing and managing image data and the device for recording image data and unifying the signal format, it becomes easier to design each component of the system. Another feature is that when a new terminal becomes necessary in the future, it can be handled without changing the design of the entire system.

Next, the image memory controller 10 will be explained using FIG.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of the image memory controller.

In FIG. 3, I1, I2, and I3 are image data input terminals to which image data from the document reading device 3, general-purpose computer 5, and communication device 6 are input;
I3 is a control signal input/output terminal corresponding to the image data input terminals I1, I2, and I3. O1 and O2 are image data input terminals, and similarly, CO1 and CO2 are control input/output terminals corresponding to O1 and O2. Terminals I1, I2, I3, C
I1, CI2, CI3, O1, O2, CO1, and CO2 correspond to similar symbols in the block of image memory controller 10 of FIG. I4 and O3 are input and output terminals used for data transfer within the image memory controller 10, and are internally connected. Through this interconnected signal path, data transfer between different image memory channels is possible.

As an image memory channel, an image memory 59 using a conductor memory, an image memory 60, and a system bus 62 are used to operate the image memory 59 and the image memory 60, and a CPU 55 is used to perform image data processing such as image editing. There are a channel 1 composed of a magnetic disk 1, a channel 2 composed of a magnetic disk 1, and a channel 3 composed of a magnetic disk 2. Each channel inputs image data through terminals ICH1, ICH2, and ICH3, and inputs image data through terminals OCH1, OCH2, and OCH3.
Image data is output on CH3.

[0022] The CPU 55 has a ROM 5 for storing programs.
6. Using the work RAM 57, in addition to the above image operations, using the peripheral control circuit 63 via the system bus 62, interface circuits 50, 51, 52, 66, 67, multiplexers 53, 65, input/output switch 68, 72, image memory channel 2, and image memory channel 3.

Since the image data signal in this embodiment is serial data, the serial/parallel conversion circuit 54 converts the serial data inputted to the terminal ICH1 into parallel data, stores it in the image memory 59 or 60, and sends it to the CPU.
55 to enable manipulation of image data. Generally, serial data is used to transfer data because it requires fewer signal lines. Therefore, in this embodiment, image data input/output to the outside of the image memory controller 10 and image data input/output to the internal image memory channel are basically performed using serial data.

Parallel/serial conversion circuit 64 conversely converts the image data in image memory 59 and image memory 60 into serial data and outputs it to terminal OCH1. serial·
Parallel conversion circuit 54, parallel/serial conversion circuit 6
4, image memory channel 1 can be treated as an image memory with serial input/output. Further, by unifying the serial data signal format between each channel, it becomes possible to mutually transfer image data. The DMA circuit 58 does not use the CPU 55 and converts the serial/parallel conversion circuit 54 to the image memory 59 or 6.
0, Image memory 59 or 60 → Used to transfer data from parallel to serial conversion circuit 64 at high speed. The high-speed calculation unit 61 is used for the purpose of enhancing the calculation capacity of the CPU 55 when complex and large-volume calculations, such as image rotation, are required.

The interface circuit 76 connects the CPU 32
, and transmits various control signals to the CPU 55 via the interface circuit 33.

Image memory channel 2 and image memory channel 3 are image memories with the same configuration, and include a multiplexer 68,
72, synchronization circuits 69, 73 for synchronizing image data to be input/output and image data to be stored/reproduced on the disk;
Disk control circuits 70, 73, which control magnetic disks;
It is composed of magnetic disks 71 and 75. The multiplexers 68 and 72 are connected to terminals ICH2 and ICH3 when storing image data on a magnetic disk, and to terminals OCH2 and OCH3 when reproducing image data.

The multiplexer 53 has terminals ICH1 and IC
Terminals I1, I2, I3 connected to H2, ICH3
, I4 as shown in the broken line. Terminal ICH1,
ICH2 and ICH3 have input terminals I1, I2, I3,
One of I4 must be selected, connected, or unconnected. For example, it is prohibited to connect terminals I1 and I2 to terminal ICH1 in duplicate because it is difficult to synchronize the two signals. However, conversely, for example, if the terminal I1 is connected to the terminal ICH
1. It is possible to connect ICH2 in duplicate, and it is possible to store image data in a plurality of image storage recording channels at the same time.

The multiplexer 65 has terminals OCH1 and OC
Output terminals O1, O2, connected to H2, OCH3,
Similarly to the multiplexer 51, O3 is switched as shown by the broken line in the figure. In this case, it is possible to overlap the terminals OH1, OH2, and OH3, and it is possible to transfer image data to multiple devices or image memory channels at the same time, but it is still difficult to synchronize the two signals at the same time, so the output terminal O1 ,O2,
Duplicate connections to O3 are prohibited.

The switching of the multiplexers 53 and 65 described above is performed by the CPU 55, and it is automatically determined whether or not redundant connection is possible, and the connection is made.

Next, control signal input/output terminals CI1, CI2,
The control signal lines CI3, CO1, and CO2 will be explained. In this embodiment, each control signal line is composed of 8 bits, and is determined as described below.

(a) Control signal lines 0 to 2 Signal lines for determining the type of connected device. It is defined as shown in Table 1, and information transfer is from the device to the CPU 55.

[0032]

[Table 1]

(b) Control Signal Line 3 This signal line indicates the flow of signals between the device and the image memory channel, and information is transferred from the device to the CPU 55. (Low-1) When control signal line 3 is 1, image data is transferred from the device to the image memory channel. (Low-2) When the control signal line 3 is 0, the image data is transferred from the image memory channel to the device.

(c) Control signal line 4 A signal line used by the CPU 55 to check whether the device is ready for use. (C-1) When the control signal line 4 is 1, the device can be used. (C-2) When the control signal line 4 is 0, the device cannot be used.

(d) Control signal line 5 A signal line used by the CPU 55 to confirm whether or not the device is in operation. (N-1) When the control signal line 5 is 1, the device is in operation. (N-2) When the control signal line 5 is 0, the device does not operate.

(e) Control signal line 6 A signal line used by the device to request the CPU 55 to start operation. (H-1) Operation request when control signal line 6 is 1. (E-2) No request when control signal line 6 is 0.

[0037] (f) Control signal line 7 A response signal line of the CPU 55 to the control signal line 6. (H-1) When control signal line 7 is 1 Operation permitted. (H-2) When control signal line 7 is 0 Operation prohibited.

By using the control signal lines determined as described above, the CPU 55 connects the image data input terminal CI
1. You can know what kind of devices are connected to CI2, CI3, and image data output terminals O1 and O2.
Additionally, each device can be controlled.

The CRT display device can display the usage status of each device connected to the input/output terminal of the image memory controller 10, the usage status of the image memory, the bin allocation of the sorter, and the usage status by giving instructions using the keyboard 206. For example, it can be displayed as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

In this embodiment, a CRT terminal device is used for display, but a device for recording characters such as a normal printer may be used as needed. Such information may be obtained.

Furthermore, if image data is sent from another device to the communication device 6 while the original reading device 3 or general-purpose computer 5 is in use, this image data may be stored using an unused image memory channel. It is possible.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an operating program for operating the above-described apparatus.

After the power is turned on, the RAM, output ports, etc. are initialized in step SP1. Step SP
After step 1, a loop operation is entered to control and display the sorter.

In steps SP2 to SP6, it is confirmed from which device the print request is issued, and if there is a print request, steps SP3 to SP12 are executed, and if there is no print request, step SP13 is executed.
Proceed to.

[0045] In steps SP3 to SP6, the device number that issued the print request is read, and steps SP7 to SP
At step 9, the sorter bin assigned to the read device number is referred to from the sorter bin assignment table.

The sorter bin assignment table is a table showing which bin of the sorter is assigned to a device number, and the sorter bin number is stored in the area assigned to each device using a ROM or a switch. has been done.

In this embodiment, before reading the number of the device that issued the print request, it is checked whether the communication device 6 is in a receiving state.

[0048] In step SP10, steps SP7 to
The sorter bin number read by SP9 is output to the sorter, and the bin of the sorter is changed.

[0049] In step SP11, printing is performed,
The printed paper is output to a bin corresponding to the sorter device. In step SP12, information such as the number of sheets of print paper is stored so that it can be displayed when a display request is made.

[0050] In step SP13, it is checked whether there is a request to display the information regarding the sorter, and if there is a display request, the process proceeds to step SP14 and the information is displayed.

[0051]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention,
The control means is an image data output means, and when image data is output from another image data output means during operation, the image data from the other image data output means is stored in the second storage means, so that the recording device Image data can be transferred even when the image data is unavailable, eliminating the hassle of waiting until it becomes available.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a part of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing part of the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a specific configuration of an image memory controller.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display on a CRT.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a display on a CRT.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a display on a CRT.

FIG. 7 is a control flowchart.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Recording device 2 Sorter 3 Manuscript reading device 4 CRT display device 5 General purpose computer 6 Communication device 10 Image memory controller

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of image data output means for outputting image data, a first storage means for storing image data of the image data output means, a second storage means for storing image data of another image data output means, a recording means for recording the image data on a recording medium; a control means for causing the recording means to record the image data of the image data output means via the first storage means; An image forming apparatus characterized in that when image data is output from another image data output means, the image data from the other image data output means is stored in a second storage means.