Patent ID: 8390857
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: G06F,G06K

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit including a transport path for transporting a transfer sheet and configured to form a print image on the transfer sheet based on print image data; an interleave unit configured to perform duplex printing by controlling an order of output of the print image data to the image forming unit; a receiving unit configured to receive a print request for the print image data; an analyzing unit configured to determine whether the print request received by the receiving unit includes a duplex printing instruction and a simplex printing instruction; a determination unit configured to determine a maximum number of the transfer sheets that can be placed on the transport path; an output order determination unit configured to determine the order of output of the print image data based on the maximum number of the transfer sheets determined by the determination unit; a switch timing determination unit configured to determine a switch timing for switching from duplex printing to simplex printing when the analyzing unit determines that the print request received by the receiving unit includes a duplex printing instruction and a simplex printing instruction; a blank sheet image inserting unit configured to insert a blank sheet image at the switch timing in the order of output of the print image data determined by the output order determination unit; an output unit configured to output the print image or the blank sheet image to the image forming unit in accordance with the output order determined by the output order determination unit; and a print switch control unit configured to control switching between duplex printing and simplex printing in accordance with the switch timing determined by the switch timing determination unit; wherein the blank sheet image is formed on a back surface of a transfer sheet for simplex printing while duplex printing is being performed, and wherein the blank sheet image inserting unit is configured to control the number of the blank sheet images inserted at the switch timing in the output order based on the maximum number of transfer sheets determined by the determination unit.