JPH06162299A - Department management device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To effectively use the commander's memory and prevent waste of data extraction. A counter 1 attached to each of a plurality of image forming apparatuses (copier bodies) is provided with means for transmitting a capacity AM of used sheet data to be transmitted, and the capacity AM of used sheet data and a commander 7 are provided. The free space BM of the memory is compared, and the transmission of the used number data from the counter 1 to the commander 7 is permitted only when AM ≦ BM.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a department management device provided in a copying machine, a printer or the like and totalizing the number of sheets used for each department.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a copier, a printer or the like is commonly used by a plurality of departments, a department management device for totaling the number of used papers for each department may be provided. The department management device includes a counter and a commander attached to a device such as a copying machine or a printer. The counter counts the number of sheets used in each device such as a copying machine and a printer, and the commander extracts, stores, and prints out the data of each counter. One of the following was adopted as a procedure for the commander to extract the counter data.

If there is data of the same department among the already extracted and stored data, extraction is performed while adding to the data.

The data of each counter is stored individually, and when printing out, the data is added for each department and output.

[0005]

However, each of the above methods has the following problems. In the first method, if the commander's memory capacity is exceeded during data extraction, the data has already been added up to the middle, so virtually all data must be invalidated and data extraction must be performed again. I won't. In another way,
Since the data of each counter is stored individually, it requires a large amount of commander memory, and if the commander's memory capacity is exceeded during data extraction, other data will be valid, but at the end The data of the department that was trying to import is invalidated, and time loss cannot be avoided.

An object of the present invention is to provide a department management apparatus which effectively uses the commander memory and does not waste data extraction.

[0007]

The invention described in claim 1 is
A counter, which is provided in each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, counts the number of used sheets for each registered department that uses the image forming apparatus, and stores the used number data in a memory, and the plurality of image forming apparatuses. And a commander for receiving and totaling the number-of-use data stored in the counter provided in each of the counters, and further comprising means for transmitting to the counter the capacity of the number-of-use data to be transmitted, the commander comprising: Capacity AM of used sheet data received from the counter and free capacity BM of the commander memory
And a means for comparing and, and a means for permitting the transmission of the used number data from the counter only when AM ≦ BM.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the number of used sheets is counted in each of the registered image forming apparatuses provided in each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, and the used sheet number data is stored in the memory. And a commander for receiving and tabulating the number-of-uses data stored in the counters provided in each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses, and for the commander, the number of uses received from the counters. A first memory area that stores data as it is, a second memory area that stores accumulated data of the number of used sheets of a plurality of counters, and a received data when the used number data is received from the counter Means for storing in the area, free space CM of the second memory area and use of the first memory area after receiving the used number data Means for comparing the number data capacity AM with each other, and means for accumulating the used sheet number data to the used sheet number accumulated data only when AM ≦ CM and storing it in the second memory area. Characterize.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the department management apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the counter is provided with means for clearing the used number data in the memory after transmitting the used number data. Is characterized by.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the used number data is sent from the counter to the commander, the capacity AM of the used number data is first sent to the commander, and the capacity AM is sent to the commander. Data is transmitted from the counter to the commander only when there is a free space BM that exceeds the. That is, when the commander does not have the required free capacity, the counter does not transmit the used number data to the commander.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the commander is provided with a free space (first memory area) necessary for storing the data in advance, and when the data is transmitted from the counter, this area is temporarily used. The data is stored in. Then, an area for storing the aggregated data (second
The data in the second memory area and the data in the first memory area are added only when there is a free capacity for storing the data after totalization in the memory area). In this case, when the counter and the commander are connected, the data of the counter is read into the commander (first memory area) for the time being, so there is no need to perform the connection operation or the like again even if the second memory area has insufficient capacity. If the capacity of the second memory area is insufficient, after reading the data in the first memory area, print out the stored contents of the second memory area and clear the data contents. Can be added to the second memory area.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the counter used sheet number data is transmitted to the commander, the counter used sheet number data is automatically cleared and a new count can be started. Does not occur.

[0013]

1 is a block diagram of the essential parts of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The copying machine main body 20 is provided with an ejection switch 21 for detecting the completion of copying (ejection of copy paper).
The detection result of the discharge switch 21 is input to the CPU 22. The discharge switch 21 is composed of, for example, a micro switch, and outputs a "H" signal when one copy is completed when the copied paper is discharged. A counter 1 of the department management device is provided above the main body of the copying machine. The counter 1 includes a department input unit 2, a CPU 3 and a RAM
4, a communication port 5, and a signal input / output unit 6. The department input section 2 is a part for inputting a code assigned to each department. For example, by inputting a personal identification number set for each department or inserting a card key, the department code can be inputted. ing. FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the counter 1, which is provided with a numeric keypad for inputting a personal identification number or the like. 2B is a perspective view showing another configuration example of the counter 1, which is provided with a card insertion portion for inserting a card key. The communication port 5 is a part for communicating with a command. The signal input / output unit 6 also transmits / receives data to / from the main body of the copying machine. The RAM 4 is backed up by a backup battery.

On the other hand, the commander 7 of the department management apparatus includes an operation unit 8, a CPU 9, a RAM 10, a communication port 11, and an output printer 12. The RAM 10 also has a backup battery. The communication port 11 communicates data with the counter 1. The output printer 12 prints out count data and the like.

Next, the operation will be described. First, the procedure for counting the number of copies by the counter 1 will be described.

In the counter 1, a code (a personal identification number entered on a ten-key pad or a card key number) assigned in advance to each department to be used is set and input.
Various data can be communicated between the commander 7 and the counter 1 through the communication ports 5 and 11. As described above, when a code for each department is input from the operation unit 8 of the commander 7, the data is stored in the RAM 10 of the commander 7, and the counter 1 is also sent via the communication ports 5 and 11.
And is stored in the RAM 4 of the counter 1. When this code is input by the ten-key or the card key, the counter 1 outputs a copy enable signal to the main body of the copying machine, and the main body of the copying machine becomes ready for use. Copier body 20
When the paper discharge switch 21 becomes "H", the CPU 22 judges that one copy processing is completed, and outputs the count-up signal bar PNC to the counter 1. The counter 1 receives the signal bar PNC and counts up the number of copies. At this time, the entered department code is counted up and stored in the RAM 4 as the number of copies used for each department. The number of used copies stored for each department is output to the commander via the communication port 5.

The commander 7 is set to the data collection mode by operating the operation unit 8. The data collection mode is
This is a mode in which the commander receives the used sheet number data stored in each counter and totals the number, and the processing is performed in the following procedure. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of data aggregation according to claim 1, FIG. 3 (A) shows a processing procedure of the counter 1, and FIG. 3 (B) shows a processing procedure of the commander.

When the data collection mode is set, the commander 7 transmits a data transmission command to the counter 1 (n1
1). Upon receiving the data transmission command, the counter 1 first sends RA
The total data amount (memory capacity) AM stored in M4 is transmitted to the commander 7 (n1 to n3). On the other hand, the commander 7 searches the free space BM of the RAM 10 and compares the total data amount AM with the free space BM (n12 to n1).
Four). Then, only when AM ≦ BM, transmission of department data (count value of the number of copies for each department) from the counter is permitted (n16). When the counter 1 receives the permission signal, it transmits count data (n4 to n6). The commander 7 adds and stores the received department data in the RAM 10 (n17 to n21). At this time, the department code is also transmitted from the counter 1, and when the commander 7 already has the data of the department, it is added to the original data and stored (n18 to n20). However, when AM> BM, transmission of department data is not permitted, and a warning is displayed on the operation unit 8 of the commander (n1
5). As a countermeasure at this time, the commander's RAM
If the memory contents are erased after the memory contents of 10 are printed out, the BM has a sufficient capacity and data can be transmitted from the counter.

In this way, the data of one counter is transmitted to the commander, and the commander collects the data for each department. If the commander is connected to another counter (counter of another copying machine), the data of the counter is also added up to the commander, and the usage status of a plurality of copying machines can be added up by one commander.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the processing procedure of data aggregation according to claim 2, FIG. 4 (A) shows the processing procedure of the counter 1, and FIG. 4 (B) shows the processing procedure of the commander. . In the case of this embodiment, the RA of the commander
The memory area for the M data is the first memory area (M1) for storing the received number-of-use data as it is,
It is divided into a second memory area (M2) for storing integrated data of the number of used sheets of a plurality of counters.

When the aggregation mode is set in the commander, that effect is transmitted to the counter (n41, n3).
1). Upon receiving this signal, the counter transmits data to the commander (n32 → n33). On the other hand, the commander receives the data from the counter and stores the received data (used number data) in the first memory area as it is (n42 to n44). Then, after the reception is completed, the data capacity AM of the first memory area and the free capacity CM of the second memory area are searched and both are compared (n
45 → n46). If AM ≦ CM, the received data stored in the first memory area is added to the total data stored in the second memory area, and the result is added to the second data.
(N48 → n49). However, if AM> CM, a warning is displayed because there is no free area for storing the addition result in the second memory area (n47).

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment corresponding to claim 3, and is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the counter. Although the flow shown in FIG. 3A is improved, the flow shown in FIG. 4A can be similarly improved (the memory is cleared after the data is transmitted). This flow is different from the flow of FIG. 3A in that the contents stored in the RAM 4 in the counter 1 (department data) when transmission of the department data in the counter 1 to the commander is completed.
Is a point (n7) for automatically clearing. By performing the processing as described above, the previous data does not remain in the RAM 4 after the data extraction, and the double counting of the data can be prevented.

Double counter of data (double extraction)
The following method may be adopted as a method for preventing this. First, a unique code (ID code) is assigned to each counter 1 connected to each copying machine main body.
Then, the ID code is transmitted to the commander 1 in advance before the data transmission (n5 or n32) to the commander in FIGS. 3 and 4. On the other hand, on the commander 7 side,
The ID code of the counter 1 is stored together with the aggregated data, and when the ID code is transmitted from the counter 1, it is compared with the ID code stored in the commander 7. That is, whether or not there is a matching ID code is searched, and if there is no matching ID code, it is instructed to enable data transmission of the counter 1 and perform data transmission. As described with reference to FIG. 4, the totaling is performed by the similar data transmission. However, if there is a match in the memory of the commander 7, the operator is warned without performing double extraction. For example, a message such as “counter data collection completed” is displayed, or a simple warning is given. At this time, the commander 7 prohibits the counting operation by the commander 7 of the counter 1, and waits for the counting operation by the counter 1 which next extracts data.

The ID code of each counter stored when totaling is performed in the commander 7 is also performed together with the totaling data when the output to the other by the totaling of the commander 7, for example, the output by the printer is completed. It is cleared together. It is also possible to individually clear the ID code of each department when the total output by each department is completed.

[0026]

According to the present invention, when the used number data is totaled, the memory capacity required after the addition processing is predicted in advance, and new data is calculated when the required memory capacity is insufficient. It is not read or added. Therefore, there is no problem that the memory becomes insufficient during the processing and all the data up to that point is wasted. In addition, since the total data (added data) is stored in the commander, the memory capacity is smaller than the method in which each data is stored individually. Since it is not necessary to perform the printing, the print processing time can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a main part of a department management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a commander and a counter.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure corresponding to claim 1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure corresponding to claim 2.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure corresponding to claim 3.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Yoshimon Yamada, 22-22 Nagaike-cho, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture Inside the company

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A counter, which is provided in each of a plurality of image forming apparatuses, counts the number of used sheets for each registered department that uses the image forming apparatus, and stores the used number data in a memory, A commander for receiving and tabulating the number-of-uses data stored in a counter provided in each of the image forming apparatuses, and means for transmitting to the counter the capacity of the number-of-uses data to be transmitted. , The capacity AM of the number-of-use data received from the counter and the free capacity B of the commander's memory
A department management apparatus comprising: a unit for comparing M with M; and a unit for permitting transmission of the used number data from the counter only when AM ≦ BM. 2. A counter, which is provided in each of a plurality of image forming apparatuses, counts the number of used sheets for each registered department that uses the image forming apparatus, and stores the used sheet number data in a memory. A commander for receiving and tabulating the number-of-uses data stored in the counters provided in each of the image forming apparatuses, and in the commander, the number-of-uses data received from the counters is stored as it is. A first memory area; a second memory area for storing accumulated data of the number of used sheets of a plurality of counters; and a means for storing the received data in the first memory area when receiving the used number data from the counters. After the reception of the used number data, the free space CM in the second memory area and the used amount data capacity A in the first memory area Means for comparing the bets, and, AM ≦
A department management apparatus comprising: means for accumulating the number-of-used-sheets data in the accumulated data of the number-of-used-onlys and storing it in a second memory area only in the case of CM. 3. The department management apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the counter is provided with means for clearing the used number data in the memory after transmitting the used number data. apparatus.