Image forming apparatus performing wireless communication with replacement member, and communication method

An image forming apparatus includes a wireless communication portion, a transmission processing portion, a decoding processing portion, a change processing portion, and a retransmission processing portion. The wireless communication portion has a storage portion that stores member data regarding a replacement member. The transmission processing portion is configured to transmit a transmission request for transmitting the member data to the wireless communication portion. The decoding processing portion is configured to decode a response signal including the member data and transmitted from the wireless communication portion in response to the transmission request. The change processing portion is configured to change a decoding timing of the response signal when it has been determined that reception of the member data has failed. The retransmission processing portion is configured to retransmit the transmission request to the wireless communication portion after the decoding timing has been changed.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the corresponding Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-190756 filed on Sep. 29, 2016, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus, and a communication method executed in the image forming apparatus.

In some electrophotographic type image forming apparatuses, a wireless communication portion such as IC tag is provided to a replacement member such as toner container. In this type of image forming apparatus, the operation of the image forming apparatus is controlled on the basis of member data, such as identification information of a replacement member, which is received from the wireless communication portion.

For example, in the image forming apparatus, the member data is received from the wireless communication portion in the following procedure. First, the wireless communication portion is activated in response to radiation of a radio wave from the antenna of the image forming apparatus toward the wireless communication portion. Next, a transmission request for transmitting the member data is transmitted to the wireless communication portion. Next, in response to the transmission request, a response signal that includes the member data and that has been encoded at a predetermined bit period is transmitted from the wireless communication portion. Then, the response signal received from the wireless communication portion is decoded, whereby the member data is acquired. For example, the response signal is decoded at a predetermined timing in the bit period.

SUMMARY

An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an antenna, a wireless communication portion, a transmission processing portion, a decoding processing portion, a determination processing portion, a change processing portion, and a retransmission processing portion. The antenna is configured to be able to transmit and receive a radio signal. The wireless communication portion has a storage portion that stores member data regarding a replacement member attachable to and detachable from the image forming apparatus, is provided to the replacement member, and is configured to be activated in response to radiation of a radio wave from the antenna and perform wireless communication. The transmission processing portion is configured to transmit a transmission request for transmitting the member data to the wireless communication portion, by using the antenna. The decoding processing portion is configured to decode, at a predetermined reference timing in a predetermined bit period, a response signal that is transmitted from the wireless communication portion to the antenna in response to the transmission request and that includes the member data and has been encoded at the predetermined bit period. The determination processing portion is configured to determine success or failure of reception of the member data on the basis of the response signal that has been decoded by the decoding processing portion. The change processing portion is configured to change a decoding timing of the response signal to be decoded by the decoding processing portion when the determination processing portion has determined that reception of the member data has failed. The retransmission processing portion is configured to retransmit the transmission request to the wireless communication portion when the decoding timing has been changed by the change processing portion.

A communication method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is executed by an image forming apparatus that includes an antenna configured to be able to transmit and receive a radio signal, and a wireless communication portion having a storage portion that stores member data regarding a replacement member attachable to and detachable from the image forming apparatus, the wireless communication portion being provided to the replacement member, the wireless communication portion being configured to be activated in response to radiation of a radio wave from the antenna and perform wireless communication, the communication method including a transmission step, a decoding step, a determination step, a change step, and a retransmission step. In the transmission step, a transmission request for transmitting the member data is transmitted to the wireless communication portion, by using the antenna. In the decoding step, a response signal that is transmitted from the wireless communication portion to the antenna in response to the transmission request and that includes the member data and has been encoded at a predetermined bit period, is decoded at a predetermined reference timing in the bit period. In the determination step, success of failure of reception of the member data is determined on the basis of the response signal that has been decoded in the decoding step. In the change step, the decoding timing of the response signal in the decoding step is changed when it has been determined in the determination step that reception of the member data has failed. In the retransmission step, the transmission request is retransmitted to the wireless communication portion when the decoding timing has been changed in the change step.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in order to allow understanding of the present disclosure. The following embodiment is an example embodying the present disclosure and does not limit the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[Schematic Structure of Image Forming Apparatus10]

First, a schematic structure of an image forming apparatus10according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2. Here,FIG. 1is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the structure of the image forming apparatus10.

The image forming apparatus10is a multifunction peripheral having a plurality of functions such as a facsimile function and a copy function as well as a scan function of reading image data from a document and a print function of forming an image on the basis of image data. The present disclosure is applicable to image forming apparatuses such as a printer apparatus, a facsimile apparatus, and a copy machine.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the image forming apparatus10includes an ADF1, an image reading portion2, an image forming portion3, a sheet feed portion4, a control portion5, an operation display portion6, a storage portion7, an IC tag8, and a communication portion9.

The ADF1is an automatic document feeder that includes a document set portion, a plurality of conveyance rollers, a document holder, and a sheet discharge portion and that conveys a document to be read by the image reading portion2.

The image reading portion2includes a document table, a light source, a plurality of mirrors, an optical lens, and a charge coupled device (CCD), and is able to read a document from image data.

The image forming portion3is able to execute an image forming processing (printing processing) of forming an image by using toner on the basis of image data read by the image reading portion2. The image forming portion3is also able to execute the printing processing on the basis of image data inputted from an external information processing apparatus such as a personal computer. Specifically, as shown inFIG. 1, the image forming portion3includes a photosensitive drum31, a charging device32, a laser scanning unit33, a developing device34, a toner container34A, a transfer roller35, a cleaning device36, a fixing roller37, a pressure roller38, and a sheet discharge tray39.

The sheet feed portion4includes a sheet feed cassette and a plurality of conveyance rollers, and feeds the sheet stored in the sheet feed cassette to the image forming portion3. The sheet stored in the sheet feed cassette is a sheet material such as paper, coated paper, a postcard, an envelope, or an OHP sheet.

In the image forming portion3, an image is formed on the sheet fed from the sheet feed portion4in the following procedure, and the sheet having an image formed thereon is discharged to the sheet discharge tray39.

First, the surface of the photosensitive drum31is charged uniformly at a predetermined potential by the charging device32. Next, the surface of the photosensitive drum31is irradiated with light based on image data by the laser scanning unit33. Thus, an electrostatic latent image that corresponds to the image data is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum31. The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum31is developed (visualized) as a toner image by the developing device34. The toner (developer) is supplied to the developing device34from the toner container34A (an example of a toner containing portion in the present disclosure) which is detachably provided to the image forming portion3and which contains toner.

Next, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum31is transferred onto the sheet by the transfer roller35. Thereafter, the toner image transferred onto the sheet is melted and fixed by being heated by the fixing roller37when the sheet passes between the fixing roller37and the pressure roller38. The toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum31is removed by the cleaning device36.

The control portion5includes control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and an EEPROM (not shown). The CPU is a processor that executes various operational processes. The ROM is a nonvolatile storage device in which information such as a control program for causing the CPU to execute various processes is stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile storage device used as a temporary storage memory (working area) for various processes to be executed by the CPU. The EEPROM is a nonvolatile storage device. In the control portion5, various control programs stored in advance in the ROM are executed by the CPU. Thus, the image forming apparatus10is comprehensively controlled by the control portion5. It is noted that the control portion5may be configured from an electronic circuit such as an integrated circuit (ASIC), or may be a control portion provided separately from a main control portion for comprehensively controlling the image forming apparatus10.

The operation display portion6has: a display portion, such as a liquid crystal display, which displays various kinds of information in accordance with control instructions from the control portion5; and an operation portion, such as an operation key or a touch panel, which inputs various kinds of information to the control portion5in accordance with operations by a user.

The storage portion7is a nonvolatile storage device such as a hard disk drive or a flash memory. The storage portion7may be the EEPROM of the control portion5.

Next, the IC tag8and the communication portion9will be described with reference toFIGS. 2 and 3.FIG. 3is a graph showing a response signal, of the IC tag8, inputted to the control portion5.

The IC tag8is provided to the toner container34A, is activated in response to the radiation of a radio wave from an antenna91of the communication portion9, and executes wireless data communication with the communication portion9. Here, the IC tag8is an example of a wireless communication portion in the present disclosure. In addition, the toner container34A is an example of a replacement member in the present disclosure. The replacement member in the present disclosure may be a drum unit that includes a photosensitive drum31detachably provided to the image forming portion3, or the like.

As shown inFIG. 2, the IC tag8includes a storage portion81, an antenna82, a modem83, and a control portion84.

The storage portion81stores member data regarding the toner container34A. The member data includes identification information of the toner container34A and toner remaining amount information in the toner container34A. For example, the image forming apparatus10determines whether or not to restrict attachment or detachment of the toner container34A by using a locking mechanism (not shown) capable of restricting attachment or detachment of the toner container34A, on the basis of the identification information read from the storage portion81. In addition, the image forming apparatus10determines a notification timing for a message requesting replacement of the toner container34A, on the basis of the remaining amount information read from the storage portion81.

The antenna82is able to transmit and receive a radio signal to and from the communication portion9. The modem83is able to modulate a transmission signal to be transmitted to the communication portion9by a predetermined modulation method such as amplitude modulation. In addition, the modem83is able to demodulate a reception signal received from the communication portion9, by the modulation method.

The control portion84includes control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (not shown), and controls operation of the IC tag8. The control portion84is activated by power supplied from the communication portion9via a radio wave.

When data is transmitted to the communication portion9, the control portion84encodes transmission data so as to convert the transmission data into a transmission signal. Specifically, as shown inFIG. 3, the control portion84encodes the transmission data to be transmitted to the communication portion9, at a predetermined bit period (sampling period) T, on the basis of a non-zero recovery (NRZ) encoding method. For example, the bit period T is 37 microseconds. The transmission signal converted by the control portion84is modulated in the modem83, and then the modulated signal is transmitted by the antenna82. In the NRZ encoding method, bit data indicating “0” is converted into an electric signal of low level, and bit data indicating “1” is converted into an electric signal of high level.

When data is received from the communication portion9, the control portion84decodes a reception signal that has been received by the antenna82and that has been demodulated by the modem83, so as to convert the reception signal into reception data. Specifically, the control portion84decodes, at the bit period T, a reception signal inputted from the modem83on the basis of the NRZ encoding method.

When the reception signal received from the communication portion9has been decoded and converted into reception data, the control portion84determines success or failure of data reception on the basis of data for error detection, such as CRC, which is included in the reception data. When it is determined that the data reception has failed, the control portion84notifies the communication portion9of the failure. When it is determined that the data reception is successful, the control portion84causes the storage portion81to store the reception data therein.

The communication portion9is a communication interface that is able to perform wireless communication with the IC tag8. When the toner container34A is mounted to the image forming portion3, the communication portion9is provided at a position opposing the IC tag8of the toner container34A. For example, the communication portion9includes an ASIC or an MPU that controls operation of the communication portion9.

As shown inFIG. 2, the communication portion9includes the antenna91(an example of an antenna in the present disclosure), a modem92, and a binarization circuit93.

The antenna91is able to transmit and receive a radio signal to and from the IC tag8. The modem92is able to modulate the transmission signal to be transmitted to the IC tag8by the modulation method. In addition, the modem92is able to demodulate the reception signal received from the IC tag8by the modulation method. The binarization circuit93binarizes the reception signal that has been received from the IC tag8and that has been demodulated by the modem92, and then inputs the binarized reception signal to the control portion5.

In the image forming apparatus10, the member data is read from the IC tag8in the following procedure. First, the IC tag8is activated in response to radiation of a radio wave from the antenna91of the communication portion9toward the IC tag8. Next, a transmission request for transmitting the member data is transmitted to the IC tag8. Next, in response to the transmission request, a response signal (seeFIG. 3) that includes the member data is transmitted from the IC tag8. Next, the response signal received from the IC tag8is demodulated by the modem92and is binarized by the binarization circuit93, and then the binarized response signal is inputted to the control portion5. Then, the response signal is decoded in the control portion5, whereby the member data is acquired.

Incidentally, the phase of the response signal in the bit period T may be shifted due to a separation distance between the IC tag8and the antenna91of the communication portion9. For example, when the separation distance between the IC tag8and the antenna91of the communication portion9is large, as shown inFIG. 4, the phase of the response signal in the bit period T may be delayed. The pulse width of the response signal may be decreased due to an individual difference in radio-wave reception sensitivity of the IC tag8. For example, in an IC tag8having a radio-wave reception sensitivity lower than other IC tags8, a waveform of the response signal may be deformed (see two-dot dashed line inFIG. 5) due to the shortage of power necessary for transmitting the response data, and thus, as shown inFIG. 5, the pulse width of the binarized response signal to be inputted to the control portion5may be decreased.

When decoding of the response signal in the control portion5is executed at a predetermined fixed timing t0(seeFIGS. 4 and 5) in the bit period T, decoding of the response signal received from the IC tag8may fail, so that a reception error may occur in the image forming apparatus10. Meanwhile, in the image forming apparatus10according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, as described later, it is possible to suppress occurrence of a reception error when the member data is received from the IC tag8.

Specifically, the ROM of the control portion5stores in advance a data reception program for causing the CPU to execute a data reception process (see a flowchart ofFIG. 7) and a decoding timing setting process (see a flowchart ofFIG. 8), which will be described later. The data reception program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium such as a CD, a DVD, or a flash memory, and may be read from the storage medium so as to be installed into the EEPROM of the control portion5, or the like.

As shown inFIG. 2, the control portion5includes a transmission processing portion51, a decoding processing portion52, a determination processing portion53, a change processing portion54, a retransmission processing portion55, a first setting processing portion56, an acquisition processing portion57, a storage processing portion58, a second setting processing portion59, and a notification processing portion60. Specifically, the control portion5executes the data reception program stored in the ROM, using the CPU. Thus, the control portion5functions as the transmission processing portion51, the decoding processing portion52, the determination processing portion53, the change processing portion54, the retransmission processing portion55, the first setting processing portion56, the acquisition processing portion57, the storage processing portion58, the second setting processing portion59, and the notification processing portion60.

The transmission processing portion51transmits a transmission request for transmitting the member data to the IC tag8, by using the antenna91of the communication portion9.

Specifically, the transmission processing portion51causes the antenna91of the communication portion9to radiate a radio wave, and activate the control portion84of the IC tag8. Then, the transmission processing portion51encodes data indicating the transmission request, at the bit period T on the basis of the NRZ encoding method, and inputs the encoded data to the communication portion9. In the communication portion9, the inputted transmission request is modulated by the modem92, and is transmitted to the IC tag8by the antenna91.

The decoding processing portion52executes a decoding process of decoding, at a predetermined reference timing in the bit period T, the response signal that is transmitted from the IC tag8to the antenna91in response to the transmission request and that includes the member data and has been encoded at the bit period T. For example, the reference timing is the timing t0(seeFIGS. 3 to 5) at which the bit period T is divided into two equal parts.

For example, the IC tag8transmits the response signal to the communication portion9at the timing when a predetermined response time period has elapsed after the transmission request having been transmitted. The decoding processing portion52starts the decoding process at the timing when the response time period has elapsed after the transmission request having been transmitted.

The determination processing portion53determines success or failure of reception of the member data on the basis of the response signal that has been decoded by the decoding processing portion52.

For example, the determination processing portion53determines success or failure of reception of the member data on the basis of data for error detection, such as CRC, which is included in the response signal that has been decoded by the decoding processing portion52.

When the determination processing portion53has determined that reception of the member data has failed, the change processing portion54changes a decoding timing at which the response signal to be decoded by the decoding processing portion52.

For example, the change processing portion54alternately changes the decoding timing between a first timing that is earlier than the reference timing and a second timing that is later than the reference timing, every time the determination processing portion53determines that reception of the member data has failed. For example, the change processing portion54changes the decoding timing in order of timings t4, t5, t3, t6, t2, t7, t1, and then t8shown inFIG. 6, every time the determination processing portion53determines that reception of the member data has failed.

The change processing portion54may advance or delay the decoding timing by a predetermined time, every time the determination processing portion53determines that reception of the member data has failed. The change processing portion54may change the decoding timing in a change procedure different from the above-described change procedure.

When the change processing portion54has changed the decoding timing, the retransmission processing portion55retransmits the transmission request to the IC tag8.

When the determination processing portion53has determined that reception of the member data is successful after the change processing portion54has changed the decoding timing, the first setting processing portion56sets the decoding timing to the timing used when reception of the member data is successful.

The decoding processing portion52decodes the response signal at the decoding timing set by the first setting processing portion56, until the determination processing portion53determines that reception of the member data has failed since the first setting processing portion56has set the decoding timing.

For example, in the image forming apparatus10, the EEPROM of the control portion5ensures a first storage area used to set the decoding timing. For example, as an initially set value, the reference timing is stored in advance in the first storage area. When the determination processing portion53has determined that reception of the member data is successful after the change processing portion54has changed the decoding timing, the first setting processing portion56sets the decoding timing by storing the timing used when reception of the member data is successful, in an overwriting manner in the first storage area.

In the image forming apparatus10, the control portion5may not include the first setting processing portion56.

When a predetermined setting condition is satisfied, the acquisition processing portion57acquires, for each predetermined provisional timing in the bit period, a determination result by the determination processing portion53in a case where the decoding processing portion52decodes the response signal at the provisional timing. For example, the provisional timings are timings t0to t8(seeFIG. 6), which are determined at predetermined time intervals in the bit period.

For example, the setting condition is that a number of times the determination processing portion53has determined that reception of the member data has failed is larger than a predetermined upper limit number of times. The setting condition may be that the determination processing portion53has determined that reception of the member data is successful after the change processing portion54has changed the decoding timing. The setting condition may be that a predetermined timing has arrived.

The storage processing portion58stores, in the storage portion7, the determination results for the respective provisional timings, acquired by the acquisition processing portion57. Here, the storage portion7is an example of a determination result storage portion in the present disclosure.

For example, in the image forming apparatus10, the storage portion7ensures a second storage area used to store the determination results for the respective provisional timings, acquired by the acquisition processing portion57. The storage processing portion58stores the acquired determination result for each provisional timing, in an overwriting manner in the second storage area, every time the acquisition processing portion57acquires the determination result for each provisional timing.

When the storage portion7stores the provisional timing that corresponds to the determination result indicating successful reception, the acquisition processing portion57acquires the determination result by the determination processing portion53for each provisional timing that corresponds to the determination result indicating successful reception and stored in the storage portion7.

The second setting processing portion59sets the decoding timing on the basis of the provisional timing that corresponds to the determination result indicating successful reception among the determination results for the respective provisional timings, acquired by the acquisition processing portion57.

The decoding processing portion52decodes the response signal at the decoding timing set by the second setting processing portion59, until the determination processing portion53determines that reception of the member data has failed since the second setting processing portion59has set the decoding timing.

For example, when the acquisition processing portion57acquires determination results for the respective provisional timings, the second setting processing portion59sets the decoding timing by storing any of the provisional timings that correspond to the determination results indicating successful reception among the acquired determination results for the respective provisional timings in an overwriting manner in the first storage area. For example, when three or more provisional timings that correspond to the determination results indicating successful reception are present continuously in time, the second setting processing portion59stores one provisional timing that is present at a midpoint between the earliest provisional timing and the latest provisional timing, in an overwriting manner in the first storage area.

In the image forming apparatus10, the control portion5may not include the acquisition processing portion57, the storage processing portion58, and the second setting processing portion59. In the image forming apparatus10, the control portion5may not be provided with the storage processing portion58.

When the number of times the determination processing portion53has determined that reception of the member data has failed is larger than the upper limit number of times, the notification processing portion60provides notification regarding occurrence of a reception error. For example, the notification processing portion60provides notification by displaying a message indicating occurrence of a reception error on the operation display portion6.

In the image forming apparatus10, the control portion5may not include the notification processing portion60.

Hereinafter, an example of the procedure of a data reception process executed by the control portion5in the image forming apparatus10will be described with reference toFIG. 7. Here, steps S11, S12, . . . represent numbers of process procedures (steps) to be executed by the control portion5.

First, in step S11, the control portion5determines whether or not a reading timing of the member data has arrived. For example, the control portion5determines that the reading timing of the member data has arrived, when the image forming apparatus10is powered on and when the operation state of the image forming apparatus10is changed to a normal state from a sleep state in which a part of the function is stopped.

When the control portion5determines that the reading timing of the member data has arrived (Yes in S11), the control portion5advances the process to step S12. When the reading timing of the member data has not arrived yet (No in S11), the control portion5waits in step S11for arrival of the reading timing of the member data.

In step S12, the control portion5transmits the transmission request to the IC tag8, by using the antenna91of the communication portion9. Here, the process step of step S12is an example of a transmission step in the present disclosure, and is executed by the transmission processing portion51of the control portion5.

Specifically, the control portion5causes the antenna91of the communication portion9to radiate a radio wave, and activates the control portion84of the IC tag8. Then, the control portion5encodes data indicating the transmission request at the bit period T on the basis of the NRZ encoding method, and inputs the encoded data to the communication portion9. In the communication portion9, the inputted transmission request is modulated by the modem92, and is transmitted to the IC tag8by the antenna91.

In step S13, the control portion5executes the decoding process of decoding the response signal transmitted from the IC tag8to the antenna91in response to the transmission request that has been transmitted in step S12. Here, the process step of step S13is an example of a decoding step in the present disclosure, and is executed by the decoding processing portion52of the control portion5.

For example, the control portion5reads the timing (the decoding timing) stored in the first storage area of the EEPROM and executes the decoding process.

For example, the control portion5executes the decoding process at the timing when the response time period has elapsed after the transmission request having been transmitted. Thus, the response signal transmitted to the communication portion9is decoded at the timing when the response time period has elapsed after the transmission request having been transmitted.

In step S14, the control portion5determines success or failure of reception of the member data on the basis of the response signal that has been decoded in step S13. Here, the process step of step S14is an example of a determination step in the present disclosure, and is executed by the determination processing portion53of the control portion5.

For example, the control portion5determines success or failure of reception of the member data on the basis of data for error detection, such as CRC, which is included in the response signal that has been decoded in step S13.

In step S15, the control portion5determines whether or not reception of the member data has been determined to be successful in step S14.

If the control portion5determines that reception of the member data has been determined to be successful in step S14(Yes in S15), the control portion5advances the process to step S151. On the other hand, the control portion5determines that reception of the member data has been determined to have failed in step S14(No in S15), the control portion5advances the process to step S16.

In step S16, the control portion5changes the decoding timing of the response signal. Here, the process step of step S16is an example of a change step in the present disclosure, and is executed by the change processing portion54of the control portion5.

For example, when the timing read in step S13is the reference timing, the control portion5alternately changes the decoding timing between the first timing and the second timing, every time reception of the member data is determined to have failed in step S14. Thus, it is possible to adapt to both the case where the phase of the response signal in the bit period T is shifted due to a separation distance between the IC tag8and the antenna91of the communication portion9(seeFIG. 4) and the case where the pulse width of the response signal is decreased due to an individual difference in radio-wave reception sensitivity of the IC tag8(seeFIG. 5).

When the timing read in step S13is a timing different from the reference timing, the control portion5changes the decoding timing to the reference timing. Then, the control portion5alternately changes the decoding timing between the first timing and the second timing, every time reception of the member data has been determined to have failed in step S14.

The control portion5may change the decoding timing in a procedure different from the above-described change procedure.

In step S17, the control portion5determines whether or not the number of times reception of the member data has been determined to have failed in step S14, is larger than the upper limit number of times.

If the control portion5determines that the number of times reception of the member data has been determined to have failed in step S14, is larger than the upper limit number of times (Yes in S17), the control portion5advances the process to step S19. If the number of times reception of the member data has been determined to have failed in step S14, is not larger than the upper limit number of times (No in S17), the control portion5advances the process to step S18.

In step S18, the control portion5retransmits the transmission request to the IC tag8. Here, the process step of step S18is an example of a retransmission step in the present disclosure, and is executed by the retransmission processing portion55of the control portion5. Thus, using the decoding timing that has been changed in step S16, reception of the member data is executed again.

In step S19, the control portion5provides notification regarding occurrence of a reception error. The process step of step S19is executed by the notification processing portion60of the control portion5.

For example, the control portion5provides the notification by displaying a message indicating the occurrence of the reception error on the operation display portion6. Thus, a user of the image forming apparatus10can recognize communication abnormality between the IC tag8and the communication portion9, and take a corresponding action such as replacement of the toner container34A or remounting of the toner container34A.

On the other hand, when the control portion5determines in step S15that reception of the member data has been determined to be successful in step S14, the control portion5executes the process step of step S151. In step S151, the control portion5determines whether or not the decoding timing has been changed in step S16.

If the control portion5determines in step S16that the decoding timing has been changed (Yes in S151), the control portion5advances the process to step S152. If the decoding timing is not changed in step S16(No in S151), the control portion5advances the process to step S11.

In step S152, the control portion5sets the decoding timing to the timing used when reception of the member data is successful. The process step of step S152is executed by the first setting processing portion56of the control portion5.

For example, the control portion5sets the decoding timing by storing the timing used when reception of the member data is successful, in an overwriting manner in the first storage area of the EEPROM. Thus, in step S14to be executed thereafter, the number of times reception is determined to have failed is decreased. Time spent for reading the member data from the IC tag8is shortened.

In the data reception process, the process steps of steps S17and S19may be omitted. In the data reception process, the process steps of steps S151and S152may be omitted. In step S16, the control portion5may change the decoding timing by overwriting the first storage area of the EEPROM. In this case, the process steps of steps S151and S152may be omitted.

Next, an example of the procedure of a decoding timing setting process executed by the control portion5in the image forming apparatus10will be described with reference toFIG. 8.

First, in step S21, the control portion5determines whether or not the setting condition has been satisfied.

For example, when the number of times reception of the member data has been determined to have failed in step S14of the data reception process, is larger than the upper limit number of times, the control portion5determines that the setting condition has been satisfied. In step S19of the data reception process, the control portion5may execute the process steps of steps S22to S28described later, instead of the notification regarding occurrence of a reception error.

If the control portion5determines that the setting condition has been satisfied (Yes in S21), the control portion5advances the process to step S22. If the setting condition is not satisfied (No in S21), the control portion5waits in step S21for the setting condition to be satisfied.

In step S22, the control portion5sets the decoding timing to any of the provisional timings.

For example, the control portion5sets the decoding timing to the provisional timing by storing the provisional timing in an overwriting manner in the first storage area of the EEPROM.

When the storage portion7stores the provisional timings that correspond to the determination results indicating successful reception, the control portion5sets the decoding timing to any one of the provisional timings that correspond to the determination results indicating successful reception and stored in the storage portion7. Thus, it is possible to shorten time necessary for performing the decoding timing setting process for the second and subsequent times.

In step S23, similarly as in step S12of the data reception process, the control portion5transmits the transmission request to the IC tag8, by using the antenna91of the communication portion9.

In step S24, similarly as in step S13of the data reception process, the control portion5executes the decoding process of decoding the response signal transmitted from the IC tag8to the antenna91in response to the transmission request that has been transmitted in step S23.

In step S25, similarly as in step S14of the data reception process, the control portion5determines success or failure of reception of the member data, on the basis of the response signal that has been decoded in step S24. Thus, the determination result for the provisional timing that has been set in step S22is acquired. The process steps of steps S21to S25are executed by the acquisition processing portion57of the control portion5.

In step S26, the control portion5determines whether or not the determination results for all the provisional timings have been acquired in step S25.

If the control portion5determines that the determination results for all the provisional timings have been acquired in step S25(Yes in S26), the control portion5advances the process to step S27. If the determination results for all the provisional timings have not been acquired yet in step S25(No in S26), the control portion5advances the process to step S22. In this case, in step S22to be executed again, the control portion5sets the decoding timing to the provisional timing for which the determination result has not been acquired yet in step S25, among the provisional timings.

In step S27, the control portion5sets the decoding timing on the basis of the provisional timing that corresponds to the determination result indicating successful reception among the determination results for the respective provisional timings, acquired in step S25. The process step of step S27is executed by the second setting processing portion59of the control portion5.

For example, the control portion5sets the decoding timing by storing, in an overwriting manner in the first storage area, one of the provisional timings that correspond to the determination results indicating successful reception among the determination results for the respective provisional timings, acquired in step S25. For example, when three or more provisional timings that correspond to the determination results indicating successful reception are present continuously in time, the control portion5stores one provisional timing that is present at a midpoint between the earliest provisional timing and the latest provisional timing, in an overwriting manner in the first storage area. Thus, the decoding timing is set to the optimum timing that corresponds to the IC tag8, of the toner container34A, which is mounted to the image forming portion3.

The control portion5may cause the storage portion7to store the timing set in step S27and the identification information that is included in the member data read from the IC tag8, so as to be associated with each other. In this case, the control portion5may execute a process of setting the decoding timing from among the timings for the respective identification information pieces that are stored in the storage portion7, on the basis of the identification information that is included in the member data read from the IC tag8, instead of the process steps of steps S151and S152in the data reception process.

In step S28, the control portion5causes the storage portion7to store the determination results for the respective provisional timings, acquired in step S25. The process step of step S28is executed by the storage processing portion58of the control portion5.

For example, the control portion5stores the acquired determination results for the respective provisional timings in an overwriting manner in the second storage area.

It is noted that the process step of step S28in the decoding timing setting process may be omitted. In the image forming apparatus10, the decoding timing setting process may not be executed.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus10, when it has been determined that reception of the member data from the IC tag8has failed, the decoding timing of the response signal is changed and the transmission request for transmitting the member data is retransmitted to the IC tag8. Thus, it is possible to suppress occurrence of a reception error when the member data is received from the IC tag8as compared to a configuration in which the decoding timing of the response signal is set in a fixed manner.

The present disclosure may be applied to an electronic apparatus other than an image forming apparatus. Specifically, the present disclosure may be applied to an electronic apparatus that includes an IC tag provided to a replacement member attachable to and detachable from the image forming apparatus.