Patent ID: 8023125
Filing Date: 2011-09-20
Classification: G06F,G06K

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an apparatus error detection unit for detecting occurrence and removal of an error requiring intervention of a user; an information storage unit for bringing a pickup unit near a rotating recording medium to record and reproduce data; a first control unit for stopping access to the information storage unit from a time where the error is detected by the apparatus error detection unit to a time where removal of the error is detected, wherein the first control unit, in a case where the error is detected by the apparatus error detection unit, moves the pickup unit of the information storage unit away from the rotating recording medium and notifies the user of the error only after the pickup unit has been moved away from the rotating recording medium; a temporary storage unit in which a portion of the data stored in the information storage unit is stored when the error detection unit detects the occurrence of the error and before the pickup unit is moved away from the rotating recording medium, wherein the portion of the data stored in the temporary storage unit is management information; a second control unit for reading the management information from the temporary storage unit in a case where the management information is subject to an inquiry by a host apparatus, and for answering the inquiry from the host apparatus even at a time where access to the information storage unit is stopped, wherein, after the occurrence of the error is detected, the first control unit reads the management information from the rotating recording medium to write the management information in the temporary storage unit, and wherein, after an inquiry is received from the host apparatus, the second control unit reads the management information corresponding to the inquiry from the management information written in the temporary storage unit to send the corresponding management information to the host apparatus.