JP2000056637A - Digital copier network system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a network system of a digital copying machine that can increase the operation rate regardless of the state of the digital copying machine. SOLUTION: When at least two or more digital copying machines become unusable, a function for displaying or instructing a method for recovering the unusable state on an operation unit 70 is provided. Further, it has a function of displaying a list of operating states / abnormal states of the digital copying machine on the operation unit 70 in the form of figures or symbols.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital copying machine network system in which a plurality of digital copying machines are connected via communication means for communicating operation commands, status, image information, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plurality of image signal output means such as an image scanner, a word processor, and a personal computer for outputting image signals for various purposes,
There has been proposed a system in which image forming means such as a plurality of printers for forming an image by each of these image signals are combined. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-21190, a plurality of image signal output devices and a plurality of image forming devices are organically coupled by respective functions such as recording, storage, and communication of image information. 2. Description of the Related Art There is an image forming system that allows free access from a place to another place.

As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-304575, there is a system for connecting a digital copying machine to increase the copying operation speed.

[0004] Similarly, JP-A-8-83023, JP-A-8-181802, and JP-A-8-220945.
In this publication, multiple digital copiers are connected via a network, one print operation is distributed to multiple digital copiers, the digital copier running a job runs out of paper, and other abnormalities occur. In addition, a technology for switching to another digital copying machine and continuing the job has been proposed.

In such a system, for example,
When two digital copiers share one original when copying 100 originals, copying can be performed in half the time of one original (to print 50 sheets per original).

[0006]

As described above, in a digital copying machine network system, a single digital copying machine is used because one job can be distributed to a plurality of digital copying machines. The productivity can be remarkably improved as compared with the case. By the way, of the digital copying machines connected to the network, 2
If the cause of the inability to copy (print) is different, such as when failures occur simultaneously on more than one unit, or when the failure locations are different, copying may be possible by replacing the target unit.

The present invention has been made based on such a background, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a digital copying machine network system capable of increasing the operation rate regardless of the state of the digital copying machine.

[0008]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital camera in which a plurality of digital copying machines are connected via communication means for communicating operation commands, status, image information, and the like. In the network system of a copying machine, when at least two or more digital copying machines become unusable, a function for displaying or instructing a method for recovering the disabled state on the operation unit. It is characterized by the following.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a second aspect.
The described invention is a digital copier network system in which a plurality of digital copiers are connected via communication means for communicating operation commands, states, image information, and the like. It has a function of displaying a list on the operation unit using symbols or the like.

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, a third aspect is provided.
The invention described in claim 1 or 2 is characterized in that, in the case of a unit or part that cannot be replaced by a general user, a function to display or instruct a recovery method after a specific operation is provided. It is.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a digital copying machine. This apparatus comprises an apparatus body 1, an automatic document feeder (ADF) 2, and a sheet post-processing apparatus 3. The apparatus main body 1 includes a contact glass 4, an image reading unit 5, an image writing unit 6, a laser output unit 7, a photoconductor 8, a developing unit 9, and a transport belt 1.
0, fixing unit 11, paper discharging unit 12, double-sided paper feeding unit 13, first tray 14, second tray 15, third tray 16, first paper feeding device 17, second paper feeding device 18, third paper feeding device
A paper feed device 19, a vertical transport unit 20, and the like are provided.

The reading unit 5 includes an exposure lamp 21,
A first mirror 22, a second mirror 23, a third mirror 24, a lens 25, and a CCD image sensor 26 are provided. The writing unit 6 includes, in addition to the laser output unit 7,
An imaging lens 27 and a mirror 28 are provided. Paper output unit 1
2 has a branch claw 29. The ADF 2 includes a document table 41, a feeding belt 42, and the like. The sheet post-processing device 3 includes a stapler 51, a stacker tray 52, a staple tray 53, and the like.

When a start key on an operation unit, which will be described later, is pressed, a document bundle placed on a document table 41 of the ADF 2 with the image side of the document facing upward is fed from the lowermost document to the feeding roller 4.
3. The sheet is fed to a predetermined position on the contact glass 4 by the feeding belt 42. After reading the image data of the original on the contact glass 4 by the reading unit 5,
The document that has been read is discharged by the feed belt 42 and the discharge roller 44. Further, when the document set detection 45 detects that the next document is present on the document table 41, the document is fed onto the contact glass 4 similarly to the previous document. The feed roller 43, the feed belt 42, and the discharge roller 44 are driven by a motor.

The transfer sheets (sheets) stacked on the first tray 14, the second tray 15, and the third tray 16 are respectively fed by a first sheet feeding device 17, a second sheet feeding device 18, and a third sheet feeding device 19. The paper is fed and transported by the vertical transport unit 20 to a position where it comes into contact with the photoconductor 8. The image data read by the reading unit 5 is written on the photoconductor 8 by the laser from the writing unit 6 and passes through the developing unit 9 to form a toner image. And
The toner image on the photoconductor 8 is transferred while the transfer paper is being conveyed by the conveyance belt 10 at the same speed as the rotation of the photoconductor 8. Thereafter, the image is fixed by the fixing unit 11, and the image is discharged to the post-processing device 3 by the sheet discharging unit 12.

[0015] The post-processing device 3 includes a paper discharging unit 1 of the main body 1.
The transfer paper conveyed by 2 can be guided to the direction of the stacker tray 52 and the stapling section. By switching the switching plate 54 upward, the transfer paper is
The sheet is discharged to the stacker discharge tray 52 via the stacker transport roller 55 and the stacker discharge roller 56. Also, by switching the switching plate 54 downward, the transfer paper is
The staple tray 5 is transported via the transport rollers 57 and 58.
3 is carried.

The transfer paper stacked on the staple tray 53 is aligned by a paper aligning jogger 59 every time one sheet is discharged, and is stapled by the stapler 51 when a part of the copy is completed. The transfer paper group bound by the stapler 51 is stored in the stapling completed paper discharge tray (fall tray) 60 by its own weight.

On the other hand, a stacker tray 52, which is a normal paper discharge tray, is a paper discharge tray that can move back and forth. The stacker tray 52, which can be moved back and forth, moves back and forth for each original or for each copy unit sorted by the image memory, and sorts the copy paper that is easily discharged. To print images on both sides of the transfer paper,
The transfer paper fed and imaged from each of the paper feed trays 14 to 16 is not guided to the stacker tray 52 side, and the branch claws 29 for path switching are set on the upper side.
Stock in the double-sided paper feeding unit 13.

Thereafter, the transfer paper stored in the double-sided paper supply unit 13 is re-fed from the double-sided paper supply unit 13 to transfer the toner image formed on the photosensitive member 8 again, and the path is switched. Is set on the lower side and guided to the stacker tray 52. As described above, the double-sided paper feeding unit 13 is used when forming images on both sides of the transfer paper.

Photoconductor 8, developing unit 9, transport belt 1
The fixing unit 11, the paper discharging unit 12, the paper feeding devices 17 to 19, and the vertical transport unit 20 are driven by a main motor.

FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of the operation unit. The operation unit 70 includes a liquid crystal touch panel 71, a numeric keypad 72, a clear / stop key 73, a print key 74, a preheat key 75, a reset key 76, and an application switching (copy / printer) key 7 with an LED indicator.
7. There is an initial setting key 78. By selecting the application switching key 77, the screen of the selected application is displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 71.

By pressing the initial setting key 78, the initial state of the machine can be arbitrarily customized. Further, it is possible to arbitrarily set the size set when the paper size stored in the machine is set or when the mode clear key of the copy function is pressed. In addition, settings such as applications that are preferentially selected when there is no operation for a certain period of time,
It is also possible to set the transition time to low power according to the International Energy Star Program, and to set the transition time to auto-off / sleep mode.

When the preheating key 75 is pressed, the machine shifts from the standby state to the power reduction state, lowers the fixing temperature, and turns off the display on the operation unit 70. The preheat state means a low power state as defined in the International Energy Star Program. To cancel the preheating state, the off state / sleep state, and shift to the standby state, the preheating key 75 is pressed again.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of the liquid crystal touch panel of the operation unit. Various function keys (staple, stack, sort, zoom, etc.) 71 are provided on the liquid crystal touch panel 71.
a, the number of copies, a message indicating the state of the image forming apparatus, and the like are displayed. Further, a connection key 71b and a system status key 71c are also displayed.

When the operator touches the key displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 71, the key indicating the selected function is inverted to black. When the details of the function need to be specified (for example, in the case of scaling, a scaling value or the like), a key is touched to display a setting screen of the detailed function. As described above, since the liquid crystal touch panel 71 uses the dot display, it is possible to graphically perform an optimal display at that time.

The connection key 71b is effective when it is electrically connected to one or more other digital copiers. When the link key 71b is pressed, the pressed machine becomes the master machine, the connected digital copier becomes the slave machine, and if the selected function is copy, the slave machine can also output.

The system status key 71c is
This key is used to display the status of the entire system including at least one digital copier. When this key 71c is pressed, the state of the entire system including its own device and guidance are displayed.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the digital copying machine. The main controller 80 controls the entire digital copying machine. The main controller 82 is an image processing unit that controls an operation unit 70 that performs display to an operator, input control of function settings from the operator, control of a scanner, control of writing a document image in an image memory, control of image formation from an image memory, and the like. (IPU) 81, ADF2, and other distributed control devices are connected.

The main controller 80 is connected to a plurality of digital copiers, and has information on the configuration and function of the apparatus.
Connection I / F for transmitting and receiving information related to operation control
82 are connected. The main controller 80 controls the connection operation by acquiring information on the digital copier connected via the connection I / F 82 and setting the operation. Alternatively, it acquires a request from another connected digital copying machine and controls its own operation.

Each distributed control device and main controller 80
Exchanges machine status and operation commands as needed. Also, a main motor 83 necessary for paper conveyance and the like,
Various clutches 84 to 87 are also connected. Reference numeral 88 denotes a transport motor for ADF2.

Returning to FIG. 1, the operation of the image reading means of the present invention and the operation until an image is formed on a recording surface 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.

The reading unit 5 includes a contact glass 4 on which an original is placed and an optical scanning system. The optical scanning system includes an exposure lamp 21, a first mirror 22, and a lens 2.
5. It comprises a CCD image sensor 26 and the like. The exposure lamp 21 and the first mirror 22 are fixed on a first carriage (not shown), and the second mirror 23 and the third mirror 24 are fixed on a second carriage (not shown).

When reading the original image, the first carriage and the second carriage are moved by two so that the optical path length does not change.
It is mechanically scanned at a relative speed of one to one. This optical scanning system is driven by a scanner drive motor (not shown). The original image is read by the CCD image sensor 26, converted into an electric signal, and processed. By moving the lens 25 and the CCD image sensor 26 in the horizontal direction in FIG. 1, the image magnification changes. That is, the positions of the lens 25 and the CCD image sensor 26 in the left-right direction are set corresponding to the designated magnification.

As described above, the writing unit 6
It comprises a laser output unit 7, an imaging lens 27, and a mirror 28. Inside the laser output unit 7, there is provided a rotating polygon mirror (polygon mirror) that rotates at a constant high speed by a motor and a laser diode as a laser light source. I have.

The laser light emitted from the laser output unit 7 is polarized by a polygon mirror that rotates at a constant speed, passes through the imaging lens 27, is turned back by the mirror 28, and is focused and formed on the surface of the photosensitive member. The polarized laser light is exposed and scanned in a direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the direction in which the photoconductor 8 rotates, and performs recording in units of lines of an image signal output from a selector 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 8 and the recording density.

As described above, the laser beam output from the writing unit 6 is applied to the photosensitive member 8 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 8 where the laser beam is irradiated. Based on this main scanning synchronization signal,
Control of image recording start timing in the main scanning direction and generation of a control signal for inputting / outputting an image signal described later are performed.

FIG. 5 is an internal block diagram of the image processing unit. The light emitted from the exposure lamp 21 irradiates the original surface, and the light reflected from the original surface is reflected by the CCD image sensor 2.
At 6, an image is formed by an imaging lens, light is received and photoelectrically converted.
The digital signal is converted by a / D converter 91. The image signal converted into the digital signal is subjected to shading correction by a shading correction unit 92, and then subjected to MTF correction, γ correction and the like by an image processing unit 93.

The image signal that has passed through the scaling unit 94 is scaled according to the scaling factor, and flows to the selector 95. The selector 95 switches the image signal to the writing γ correction unit 96 or the image memory controller 97. The image signal that has passed through the writing γ correction unit 96 has its writing γ corrected in accordance with the image forming conditions, and
8

Image memory controller 97 and selector 9
Between 5, the image signal can be input and output bidirectionally. Further, a CPU 99 for setting the image memory controller 97 and the like and controlling the image reading unit 5 and the writing unit 6, and a ROM 100 and a RAM 101 for storing programs and data thereof are provided. Further, the CPU 99 outputs, via the memory controller 97,
Writing and reading of data in the image memory 102 are performed. Reference numeral 103 denotes an I / O port, and 104 denotes image data.

The connection I / F 82 is connected to a data bus of the memory controller 97 for transmitting and receiving image information.
It is configured to be able to input and output data. The image information is transferred via the image memory 102 according to the data transfer speed between the digital copying machines.

That is, at the time of image output, after image data is stored in the image memory 102 from the memory controller 97, data is sequentially read from the image memory 102 in accordance with the data transfer speed between digital copiers, and the connection I / F 8
2 to transfer the data. At the time of image output, the connection I / F8
2 is stored in the image memory 102 and then transferred from the image memory 102 to the memory controller 97.
And performs image data processing inside the apparatus. With the above-described configuration, the connection operation can be realized without being restricted by the functions of the digital copying machine. The image data sent to the image memory controller 97 is compressed by an image compression device in the image memory controller 97,
The image is sent to the image memory 102.

Here, it is possible to write the data of 256 gradations of the maximum image size into the image memory 102 as it is.
02 is frequently used. Therefore, image compression is performed and the limited image memory 102 is effectively used. In addition, since a large amount of document image data can be stored at a time by image compression, the stored document image data can be output in the order of pages as a sorting function. In this case, when outputting an image, the data is output while sequentially expanding the data of the image memory 102 by the expansion device in the memory controller 97. Such a function is generally called “electronic sorting”.

Further, by utilizing the function of the image memory 102, a plurality of original images are transferred to the transfer paper 1 of the image memory 102.
It is also possible to sequentially write in the area for the number of sheets. For example, four original images are sequentially written into four equally-divided areas of one transfer paper in the image memory 102, whereby the four originals are combined into one transfer paper image, and the copied copy is combined. Output can be obtained. Such a function is generally called “aggregated copy”.

The image in the image memory 102 is accessible from the CPU 99. For this reason, the contents of the image memory 102 can be processed, and for example, an image thinning process, an image cutout process, and the like can be performed.
By writing data to the register of the memory controller 97, the processing of the image memory 102 can be performed.
The processed image is held in the image memory 102 again.
Further, the configuration is such that the content of the image memory 102 can be read by the CPU 99 and transferred to the operation unit 70 as image data 104 via the I / O port 103.

Generally, since the screen display resolution of the operation unit 70 is low, the original image in the image memory 102 is subjected to image thinning, and the thinned data is sent to the operation unit 70. The image memory 102 may use a hard disk to store a large amount of image data. By using a hard disk, there is also a feature that an external power supply is unnecessary and an image can be held permanently. In order to read and hold a plurality of fixed originals (format originals) with a scanner, the hard disk is generally used.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an image signal for one page in the selector. In FIG. 6, a frame gate signal indicates an effective period of one page of image data in the sub-scanning direction. The main scanning synchronization signal is a signal for each line, and an 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 a line gate signal.

These signals are synchronized with the pixel clock VCLK, and data of 8 bits per pixel (256 gradations) is sent for one cycle of VCLK. The image processing apparatus has separate frame gate signals, main scanning synchronization signals, line gate signals,
Since it has a CLK generation mechanism, various combinations of image input / output can be realized.

In this embodiment, the writing density on the transfer paper is 400 dpi, and the maximum number of pixels is 4800 for main scanning.
The pixel is 6,800 pixels in the sub-scanning direction. It is also assumed that the closer the image data is to 255, the whiter the image becomes.

Next, the control contents of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a main flowchart of the control contents of the present invention. When the power is turned on, first, an initialization process is performed (step 01). The main contents of the initialization include resetting various flags, clearing various counters, clearing the image memory, resetting the image forming mode (magnification, division, etc.). After completion of the initialization, the flow waits for a key input or an event (a change factor) from the engine (step 02).

When the user performs any key operation, the operation unit 70 notifies the key input event. Similarly, when some kind of engine change, for example, a document is set on the ADF 2, a change in the signal of the document set detection 45 is notified as an engine event. If any key or engine event occurs, the process proceeds to step 03.

In step 03, it is determined whether the event that has occurred is a key input, its own engine event, or another engine event. In the case of the own engine event, the own engine event processing (step 04), and in the case of key input, the own key input event processing (step 0)
5) In the case of another machine engine event, another machine engine event processing (step 06) is called, and the event waits for step 02 again. In the other machine engine event process, status information of the other machine is stored.

FIG. 8 is a detailed flowchart of the own device key input event process (step 05) of FIG. In step 01, a key press event of the print key 74 is checked. If it is the print key 74, step 08
Execute the copy process. In step 02, it is checked whether or not a key input of the ten key 72 has been made. If the key event is the numeric keypad 72, the numeric key processing of step 09 is performed.

At step 03, a press event of the clear / stop key 73 is checked. If the event is the clear / stop key 73, the clear / stop process of step 10 is executed.

In step 04, a connection key event is determined. When the link key 71b is pressed, the process jumps to step 11, where a link setting process is executed. Link key 7
By selecting 1b, a connected digital copying machine is searched for, and it is determined whether or not the other machine can be used as a slave machine. If not, a warning is displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 71 of the operation unit 70. At the same time, the connection function is released. If it can be used as a slave machine, the self machine becomes the master machine, and control starts with the connected digital copying machine as the slave machine.

At step 05, the event of the system status key 71c is checked. When the system status key 71c is pressed, the process jumps to step 12, and
A system status display process is executed (described with reference to FIG. 9).

At step 06, a serviceman key event is checked. The serviceman key event occurs when a plurality of keys are pressed in a specific determined order, and thereafter, this information is held as a flag.

In step 07, it is determined whether or not there has been any key event other than steps 01 to 06. If there is a key event, other key processing of step 14 is executed. After executing each key event process, the process returns to step 15 and ends the process.

FIG. 9 is a detailed flowchart of the system status display processing (step 12) of FIG. First,
The error information (jam, cover open, no toner, full toner, other errors, printability) of the device numbers 1 to N is checked, and the corresponding display contents are determined (steps 01 to 10). Then, guidance information is created in step 11 (described with reference to FIG. 10), and a system state as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is displayed on the liquid crystal touch panel 71 of the operation unit 70 in step 12. Also, on this screen, a "return" key 71d for returning to the basic screen is displayed, and by touching this key 71d, it is possible to return to the basic screen (not shown in the flowchart).

FIG. 10 is a detailed flowchart of the guidance creating process (step 11) of FIG. First, at step 01, it is checked whether or not there is a digital copier that cannot be printed. No guidance is generated if there are no non-printable devices. Next, in step 02, the serviceman mode,
The processing is divided according to the user mode, and guidance for a part that can be exchanged with guidance for an abnormal part is generated (steps 03, 04-01 to 03).

In the example of FIG. 11, what can be processed by the user in the user mode (not the serviceman mode) is shown. Specifically, replacement of the toner bottle of the apparatus 2 is shown, and it is shown that the apparatus 2 can be used by transferring the toner bottle of the apparatus 3 to the apparatus 2.

In the example of FIG. 12, in addition to the guidance of FIG. 11, guidance for replacing a waste toner bottle of the apparatus 3 which requires processing by a service person is added. These examples are merely examples, and guidance for other abnormal location information and conditions under which the abnormality can be canceled are programmed.

[0061]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when at least two or more digital copying machines become unusable, a method for recovering from the unusable state is provided.
Since the display unit has a function of displaying or giving an instruction to the operation unit, the operating rate of the system can be increased.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily confirm and understand the state of the entire system from a single digital copying machine on a simple screen using graphics and symbols.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the processable contents are different between the general user and the serviceman.
By displaying the message corresponding to each, it becomes possible to perform more appropriate measures.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a digital copying machine.

FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of an operation unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a liquid crystal touch panel of an operation unit.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the digital copying machine.

FIG. 5 is an internal block diagram of the image processing unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an image signal for one page in a selector.

FIG. 7 is a main flowchart of control contents of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a detailed flowchart of an own device key input event process in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a detailed flowchart of a system status display process of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a detailed flowchart of a guidance creation process of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a first display example on a liquid crystal touch panel of an operation unit.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a second display example on the liquid crystal touch panel of the operation unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Apparatus main body 2 ADF 3 Paper post-processing apparatus 5 Image reading unit 6 Image writing unit 70 Operation part 71 Liquid crystal touch panel 80 Main controller 81 IPU 82 Connection I / F

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2H027 EE02 EE10 EJ08 EJ13 EJ15 EK04 GA15 GA42 GA45 GA46 GA52 GA54 GB05 GB09 GB19 HA10 HB06 HB11 HB16 HB17 ZA07 ZA09 5C062 AA05 AA35 AB23 AB38 AB53 AF00 AF15 BA00

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In a digital copier network system in which a plurality of digital copiers are connected via communication means for communicating operation commands, status, image information, and the like, at least two or more digital copiers cannot be used. A digital copier network system having a function of displaying or instructing a method for restoring an unusable state on an operation unit in the event of a failure. 2. In a digital copier network system in which a plurality of digital copiers are connected via communication means for communicating operation commands, states, image information, and the like, an operation state / abnormal state of the digital copier is represented by a graphic or A network system for a digital copier, characterized by having a function of displaying a list on a console with symbols or the like. 3. In the case of claim 1 or claim 2, in the case of a unit or part that cannot be replaced by a general user,
A digital copier network system having a function of displaying or instructing a recovery method after a specific operation.