Patent ID: 8970863
Filing Date: 2015-03-03
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus for processing a plurality of jobs in parallel, comprising: an auxiliary storage device that includes a box; a memory; a PDL-to-box unit configured, in response to a request to store a document file in the box, to i) perform, in the memory, image process on a content of the document file in units of pages, ii) store the content of the document file in the box, and iii) store, as an ensured memory size, a size of the memory used in the image-input-to-box function, in the auxiliary storage device by associating the size of the memory with the document file; and a box-to-print unit configured, in response to a request to image-output the document file, to i) perform, in the memory, the image process on the content of the document file within the box in units of the pages, ii) read out the ensured memory size, iii) secure an area of the ensured memory size in the memory, and iv) image-output the content of the document file, wherein if an available area greater than or equal to a specified size exists in the memory after the area of the ensured memory size is secured from the memory, the box-to-print unit is configured to secure an area in the memory, which is larger than the ensured memory size by the specified size, the box-to-print unit is configured to register a vacancy occurrence event of the memory in advance with securing the area of the ensured memory size from the memory if insufficient available area exists in the memory after the area of the ensured memory size is secured from the memory, and the box-to-print unit is configured to expand the ensured memory by the specified size in response to a notice for the vacancy occurrence event if an available area greater than or equal to the specified size exists in the memory.