Image forming apparatus and image forming method, equipped with image-input-to-box function and box-to-image-output function

An image forming apparatus processing a plurality of jobs in parallel includes an auxiliary storage device that includes a box, a memory, a PDL-to-box unit, and a box-to-print unit. In response to a request to store a document file in the box, the PDL-to-box unit stores, 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 a document file in the box. In response to a request to image-output the document file within the box, the box-to-print unit reads out the ensured memory size, secures an area of the ensured memory size in the memory, and image-outputs the content of the document file.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application is based upon, and claims priority to corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-089866, filed in the Japan Patent Office on Apr. 22, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the description in this field section or the background section is not prior art to the claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section. The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, each of which is equipped with a function for processing a plurality of jobs in parallel, a function (image-input-to-box function) for storing a document file in a box within an auxiliary storage device, and a function (box-to-image-output function) for image-outputting the document file stored in the box.

BACKGROUND

In order to process a plurality of jobs in parallel, it is necessary for each job to secure a minimal memory.

On the other hand, even if the image-input-to-box function is executed, the box-to-image-output function is not necessarily executed in a moment. Therefore, it is necessary to release an acquired memory.

However, when executing the box-to-image-output function, if the content of the document file is not read from the box once and analyzed, it is difficult to determine how large a memory size necessary at the time of image-outputting, such as printing. Therefore, when starting the job, it is necessary to secure memory having a supposed and fixed maximum size for image process one page.

On the other hand, if the above-described analysis is performed, the process is delayed and the performance of the image forming apparatus is reduced.

As seen from the above, even if the data size corresponding to one page is a local minimum, the memory of a maximum size is secured. Therefore, a waste of memory area occurs. In particular, when the size of the memory installed in the image forming apparatus is small, there is a possibility that available memory does not exist and processing the plurality of jobs in parallel is disturbed.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, each of which secures a memory of a more appropriate size with respect to the data size of a processing target without reading out and analyzing the content of a document file from a box, when executing the box-to-image-output function.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an image forming apparatus processing a plurality of jobs in parallel includes an auxiliary storage device that includes a box, a memory, a PDL-to-box unit, and a box-to-print unit. The PDL-to-box unit, in response to a request to store the document file in the box, i) performs, in the memory, image process on a content of a document file in units of pages, ii) stores the content of the document file in the box, and iii) stores, 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. The box-to-print unit, in response to a request to image-output the document file, i) performs, in the memory, the image process on the content of the document file within the box in units of the pages, ii) reads out the ensured memory size, iii) secures an area of the ensured memory size in the memory, and iv) image-outputs the content of the document file.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an image forming method based on an image forming apparatus processing a plurality of jobs in parallel includes: performing, in a memory in the image forming apparatus, image process on a content of a document file in units of pages, in response to a request to store the document file in the box; storing the content of the document file in a box in an auxiliary storage device in the image forming apparatus; storing, as an ensured memory size, a size of the memory used at the time of storing the document file in the box, in the auxiliary storage device with associating the size of the memory with the document file; performing, in the memory, the image process on the content of the document file within the box in units of the pages, in response to a request to image-output the document file within the box; reading out the ensured memory size; securing an area of the ensured memory size in the memory; performing, in the memory, image process on a content of the document file in units of pages image; and image-outputting the content of the document file.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments are described below with reference to the figures. It should be understood, however, that numerous variations from the depicted arrangements and functions are possible while remaining within the scope and spirit of the claims. For instance, one or more elements may be added, removed, combined, distributed, substituted, re-positioned, re-ordered, and/or otherwise changed. Further, where this description refers to one or more functions being implemented on and/or by one or more devices, one or more machines, and/or one or more networks, it should be understood that one or more of such entities could carry out one or more of such functions by themselves or in cooperation, and may do so by application of any suitable combination of hardware, firmware, and/or software. For instance, one or more processors may execute one or more sets of programming instructions as at least part of carrying out one or more of the functions described herein.

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an image forming system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In this system, PCs (personal computers)10-1to10-N, whose number is N and which serve as hosts, and an image forming apparatus20serving as a device used therein are coupled via a network NET. Hereinafter, the PC10-1to PC10-N are represented by PC10.

FIG. 2is a schematic diagram illustrating the hardware block configuration of the image forming apparatus20.

In the image forming apparatus20, a central processing unit (CPU)21is coupled to a programmable read only memory (PROM)23, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM)24, an auxiliary storage device25, a network interface card (NIC)26, an operation panel27, a scanner28, a printer29, and a facsimile modem2A via an interface22. InFIG. 2, for the sake of simplicity, interfaces of a plurality of kinds are expressed by one block22.

The PROM23is, for example, a flash memory, and there are stored therein a basic input/output system (BIOS), an operating system (OS), various kinds of drivers, and various kinds of applications for an image forming apparatus. The DRAM24is used as a main storage device.

In the auxiliary storage device25, data for printing, image data read by the scanner28, and document data received from the PC10, and facsimile reception data are stored as document files, in a specified box based on a preliminarily defined rule.

The network interface26is coupled to the network NET. The operation panel27includes an input unit and a display unit. The scanner28is used for digitizing an image on a paper medium, and the file thereof is used for printing, facsimile transmission, or file transmission. The printer29includes a paper feeding unit, a transport unit, and a paper ejection unit, which are used for paper, and a print engine, bitmap data formed on the DRAM24is supplied thereto, an electrostatic latent image is formed in a photoconductive drum, based on this data. In addition to this, the image is developed using toner, a toner image is transferred and fixed to paper, and paper ejection is performed.

FIG. 3Ais a schematic diagram illustrating a functional block configuration of an image-input-to-box function.FIG. 3Bis a schematic diagram illustrating a functional block configuration of a box-to-image-output function.

The image forming apparatus20includes such an image-input-to-box function200as illustrated inFIG. 3Aand such a box-to-image-output function201as illustrated inFIG. 3B, the image-input-to-box function200performing image process on a page-description language (PDL) file from the PC10and storing the PDL file in a box251in the image forming apparatus20, the box-to-image-output function201performing image process, for example, print process on a document file stored within box251in the image forming apparatus20.

FIG. 4is a flowchart of the operation of a PDL-to-box unit202.FIG. 5is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an area of an ensured memory.

In step S0, in the image-input-to-box function200, if having received, from the PC10, a request to store a document file in the box251, the PDL-to-box unit202secures such an ensured memory30as illustrated inFIG. 5, in an image memory within the DRAM24, via a memory management function of the OS. The ensured memory30includes areas of a processing program301and an image processing memory302. In accordance with control information, the processing program301performs image process on the image processing memory302in which image data corresponding to one page and the above-described control information are to be stored, the image data and the control information being read out from a document file within the box251. As the initial size of the ensured memory, a preliminarily defined estimated value is used.

In step S1, via the processing program301, the image processing memory302is secured that is used for reading and processing the image data corresponding to one page and the control information within the above-described document file.

In the same way, with respect to each page within the above-described document file, the processing operations in steps S2to S4are performed.

In step S3, it is determined whether or not it is possible to read out and store the control information and the image data corresponding to one page within the above-described document file, in the image processing memory302. If the image processing memory302is insufficient (N), the process proceeds to step S4, and if the image processing memory302is sufficient (Y), the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S4, the size of a shortage is obtained. Via the memory management unit of the OS, the image processing memory302is expanded by a block size (the integral multiple of 1 page size, for example, the integral multiple of 4 Kbytes) including the shortage. Since it is possible to process another job in parallel, the size of available memory is insufficient, and waiting for vacancy occurs in some cases. In this case, a memory available event is registered in the memory management unit in advance, and memory expansion is tried after notification of this event.

In a case where image data, in particular, image data of a true color is included in a document file, the size necessary for the image processing memory302becomes large. In this case, during image process, the size of the image processing memory302is magnified as necessary. Finally, the size of the image processing memory302becomes the maximum size necessary for processing each page or a size slightly larger than this.

In step S5, via the processing program301, specified process is performed on image data within the image processing memory302. Processed image data is stored within the box251, as a portion within the document file. In addition, the specified process is, for example, editing process such as rotation, magnification, reduction, or color adjustment of an image, or alternatively, process for further converting the PDL into an intermediate language or process for performing up to bitmap development, and performed in accordance with the above-described control information stored within the image processing memory302.

In step S6, if the process is not completed with respect to all pages, the process returns to step S2.

In step S7, a document file name is changed based on a specified rule, and the document file name and the size of the ensured memory30are stored, in such a box attribute table252as illustrated inFIG. 6, as the attribute information of a box being associated with each other.

In step S8, the ensured memory30is released via the memory management unit.

FIG. 7is a flowchart of the operation of a box-to-print unit203inFIG. 3B. The operation of the box-to-print unit203is the same as the operation of the PDL-to-box unit202. The operation is an operation where step Sx is added to the beginning of the flowchart illustrated inFIG. 4and step S7is omitted. In addition, the image process in step S1is performed in accordance with control information used for outputting an image, in the same way.

Step Sx is an operation for acquiring an ensured memory size corresponding to a document file name specified in the PC10, with reference to the box attribute table252.

According to the flowchart illustrated inFIG. 7, the box-to-print unit203causes the printer29to perform print process for a document file.

According to an embodiment, after termination of the image process of the PDL-to-box unit202, the PDL-to-box unit202stores, as the ensured memory size, the size of a memory (an area within the RAM24) used in the above-described image-input-to-box function200, in the box attribute table252within the auxiliary storage device25. Before the image process of the box-to-image-output function201, the box-to-image-output function201reads out the ensured memory size stored in the table252with respect to a document file, and secures an area of the above-described ensured memory size on the memory. This enables memory of a more appropriate size to be secured in response to the data size of a processing target without reading out and analyzing a content of a document file from a box, in the execution of the box-to-image-output function201.

While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments are possible. Other designs may be used in which the above-described components are each present.

In place of the PDL-to-box unit202, the present disclosure may be applied to process for storing a document file from another image input mechanism to a box, for example, scan-to-box, facsimile-reception-to-box, or the like. The same applies to the box-to-print unit203, and the present disclosure may be applied to process from a box to another image output mechanism.