Patent ID: 8149433
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image by a plurality of image forming operations corresponding to the image, comprising: a plurality of modules each of which executes an operation which is assigned to each individual module from among the plurality of image forming operations corresponding to the image; and a shared data storing device for storing shared information to be shared by said plurality of modules; wherein each of said plurality of modules stores operation condition information, indicating an operation condition, as shared information in the shared data storing device; wherein each individual module of said plurality of modules executes the operation assigned to the individual module by referring to the information in said shared data storing device to form the image in cooperation with the other modules of the plurality of modules; wherein the operation assigned to each individual module is different from operations assigned to and executed by the other modules of said plurality of modules; wherein the operation condition information stored in the shared data storing device includes operation condition information indicating that an abnormality in operation occurs; and wherein when an abnormality in operation occurs in any of said plurality of modules, a module in which the abnormality in operation occurs stores operation condition information, indicating a generation of the abnormality in operation, in the shared data storing device, without interacting with any other of the plurality of modules, and executes an operation corresponding to a type of the abnormality in operation, and each of other modules refers to the operation condition information stored in the shared data storing device, without interacting with any other of the plurality of modules, and executes an operation according to the module in which an abnormality in operation is occurs and a type of the abnormality in operation wherein said shared data storing device stores an operation parameter to be used in common by said plurality of modules as shared information with operation condition information of each of said plurality of modules.