Patent ID: 7605931
Filing Date: 2009-10-20
Classification: G06F,Y02D

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: at least one sheet feed device that supplies sheets; an image forming device that forms an image on a sheet supplied from said sheet feed device by executing a print job; at least one post-processing device that carries out post-processing including bookbinding on the sheet having the image formed thereon; a receiving device that received the print job; a first determining device that analyzes the received print job and determines said sheet feed device and said post-processing device to be used in executing the print job, based on a result of the analysis; a second determining device that checks states of the determined sheet feed device and post-processing device and determines at least one of said sheet feed device and said post-processing device to be caused to start a preparatory operation in advance before the print job is executed, based on a result of the checking; a control device that turns on power supply to the determined at least one of the sheet feed device and post-processing device in timing such that the preparatory operation of the determined at least one of the sheet feed device and post-processing device is completed in time for start of execution of the print job; a first calculating device that calculates a processing time period required for execution of the received print job, based on the print job and processing capability of said image forming device; a second calculating device that calculates a scheduled start time for starting execution of the print job, based on the calculated processing time period, and a time period required for the preparatory operation of the determined at least one of the sheet feed device and post-processing device; a storage device that stores the calculated processing time period and the calculated scheduled start time together with the received print job; and a print control device that sequentially reads out the stored print job according to the calculated scheduled start time and causes said image forming device to carry out image formation; wherein said control device turns on power supply to the determined at least one of the sheet feed device and post-processing device in timing such that the preparatory operation of the determined at least one of the sheet feed device and post-processing device is completed in time for the calculated scheduled start time; and wherein said control device causes said image forming device to execute a second print job received subsequently to the received print job, before execution of the received print job, when determining that the preparatory operation of the determined at least one of the sheet feed device and post-processing device is not completed in time for the calculated scheduled start time in sequentially reading out the stored print job according to the calculated scheduled start time and causing said image forming device to carry out image formation.