Abstract:
A device and a method for detecting the position of a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus are provided. The device includes an image forming controller outputting a clock signal for accessing first to Nth (N is a positive integer greater than 1) developing units, a switching unit performing a switching operation for connecting the image forming controller to a Kth (K is a positive integer greater than 1 and equal to or smaller than N) mounting slot in order to transmit the clock signal to the Kth mounting slot among first to Nth mounting slots in which the first to Nth developing units are mounted, respectively, first to Nth clock signal lines connecting the switching unit to the first to Nth mounting slots, and a data line commonly connecting the image forming controller to the first to Nth mounting slots, wherein the switching unit performs the switching operation in accordance with a switching signal for connecting the image forming controller to the Kth mounting slot and the image forming controller determines whether the Kth developing unit is mounted on the Kth mounting slot in response to reception of an access signal from the Kth mounting slot.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/360,465, filed on Feb. 24, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,937,001 which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of a Korean patent application No. 10-2005-0031929, filed on Apr. 18, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosures of both of said applications being hereby incorporated by reference. No new matter is introduced. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to image forming apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device and method for detecting whether a developing unit is mounted in the right position in an image forming apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In general, a color image forming apparatus comprises color developing units respectively storing yellow toner, magenta toner, black toner, and cyan toner and having a non-volatile memory. The color image forming apparatus is generally controlled by an inter integrated circuit (I2C) scheme that allows a data signal line and a clock signal line to be shared by many elements. 
     Conventionally, in order to allow an image forming controller to control the developing unit and determine the consumed amount of toner in the developing unit, the image forming controller and the developing units share two lines which are a data signal line and a clock signal line. 
     However, by sharing these two lines, when the developing unit is not mounted in the right position in the color image forming apparatus, a user may not be aware of this and unwanted sheets may be printed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a device for detecting the position of a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus. 
     Another object of the present invention is also to provide a method of detecting the position of identifying a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, a device for detecting the position of a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus is provided. The device comprises an image forming controller for outputting a clock signal for accessing first to Nth (N is a positive integer greater than 1) developing units, a switching unit for performing a switching operation for connecting the image forming controller to a Kth (K is a positive integer greater than 1 and equal to or smaller than N) mounting slot in order to transmit the clock signal to the Kth mounting slot among first to Nth mounting slots in which the first to Nth developing units are mounted, respectively, first to Nth clock signal lines for connecting the switching unit to the first to Nth mounting slots, and a data line for commonly connecting the image forming controller to the first to Nth mounting slots, wherein the switching unit performs the switching operation in accordance with a switching signal for connecting the image forming controller to the Kth mounting slot and the image forming controller determines whether the Kth developing unit is mounted on the Kth mounting slot in response to an access signal received from the Kth mounting slot. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of detecting the position of a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus is provided. The method comprises outputting a switching signal for connecting a Kth (K is a positive integer larger than 1 and smaller than or equal to N) mounting slot among first to Nth mounting slots in which first to Nth (N is a positive integer larger than 1) developing units are mounted, respectively, to an image forming controller, connecting the image forming controller to the Kth mounting slot in accordance with the switching signal, outputting clock signals for accessing the first to Nth developing units from the image forming controller to the Kth mounting slot, outputting data including Kth identification information for identifying the Kth developing unit among identification information on the first to Nth developing units for identifying the first to Nth developing units to the Kth mounting slot, sensing whether an access signal from the Kth mounting slot is received, and recognizing that the Kth developing unit is mounted in the Kth mounting slot in response to the access signal received from the Kth mounting slot. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a device for detecting the position of a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating data to which an identification information of a developing unit is added according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a method of detecting the position of a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     The same reference numerals are used to represent the same elements throughout the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a device for detecting the position of a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a device for detecting the position a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The device comprises an image forming controller  100 , a switching unit  200 , a first mounting slot  300 , a first developing unit  310 , a second mounting slot  320 , a second developing unit  330 , a third mounting slot  340 , a third developing unit  350 , a fourth mounting slot  360 , a fourth developing unit  370 , a first clock signal line  400 , a second clock signal line  410 , a third clock signal line  420 , a fourth clock line signal  430 , a data line  500 , and a notification unit  600 . 
     The image forming controller  100  outputs clock signals for accessing the first through fourth developing units  310 ,  330 ,  350 , and  370  to the switching unit  200 . The clock signal is a signal for synchronous communication generated by the image forming controller  100  and output to the switching unit  200 . 
     Further, the image forming controller  100  transmits to the switching unit  200  a switching signal for connection between the image forming controller  10  and a specific mounting slot among the first through the fourth mounting slots  300 ,  320 ,  340 , and  360 . One example of the switching signal is shown in Table 1. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 switching signal 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 S0 
                 S1 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 0 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 1 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 1 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The switching signal is a 2-bit signal to identify the first to the fourth mounting slots  300 ,  320 ,  340 , and  360 . For example, the switching signal “00” is output when the image forming controller  100  has to be connected to the first mounting slot  300 , the switching signal “01” is output when the image forming controller  100  has to be connected to the second mounting slot  320 , the switching signal “10” is output when the image forming controller  100  has to be connected to the third mounting slot  340 , and the switching signal “11” is output when the image forming controller  100  has to be connected to the fourth mounting slot  360 . 
     In order to transmit a clock signal to any one of the first to the fourth mounting slots  300 ,  320 ,  340 , and  360  for mounting the first to the fourth developing units  310 ,  330 ,  350 , and  370 , the switching unit  200  performs a switching operation for connecting the image forming controller  100  to one of the mounting slots  300  through  360  according to the switching signal received from the image forming controller  100 . 
     For example, if the switching signal “00” is received, the switching unit  200  performs a switching operation so that the first clock signal line  400  which is connected to the first mounting slot  300  is connected to the image forming controller  100 . Therefore, by a switching operation of the switching unit  200 , the clock signal of the image forming controller  100  can be transmitted to the first mounting slot  300  through the first clock signal line  400 . 
     Further, if the switching signal “01” is received, the switching unit  200  performs a switching operation so that the second clock signal line  410  which is connected to the second mounting slot  320  is connected to the image forming controller  100 . Therefore, by a switching operation of the switching unit  200 , the clock signal of the image forming controller  100  can be transmitted to the second mounting slot  320  through the second clock signal line  410 . 
     Further, if the switching signal “10” is received, the switching unit  200  performs a switching operation so that the third clock signal line  420  which is connected to the third mounting slot  340  is connected to the image forming controller  100 . Therefore, by a switching operation of the switching unit  200 , the clock signal of the image forming controller  100  can be transmitted to the first mounting slot  340  through the first clock signal line  420 . 
     Further, if the switching signal “11” is received, the switching unit  200  performs a switching operation so that the fourth clock signal  430  which is connected to the fourth mounting slot  360  is connected to the image forming controller  100 . Therefore, by a switching operation of the switching unit  200 , the clock signal of the image forming controller  100  can be transmitted to the fourth mounting slot  360  through the fourth clock signal line  430 . 
     The first through the fourth clock signal lines  400 ,  410 ,  420 , and  430  respectively connect the switching unit  200  to the first through fourth mounting slots  300 ,  320 ,  340 , and  360 . As described above, the first through fourth clock signal lines  400 ,  410 ,  420 , and  430  act as channels through which the clock signals are respectively transmitted to the first through the fourth mounting slots  300 ,  320 ,  340 , and  360 . 
     The data line  500  connects the image forming controller  100  to the first through the fourth mounting slots  300 ,  320 ,  340 , and  360 . Therefore, data are exchanged between the image forming controller  100  and the first through the fourth mounting slots  300 ,  320 ,  340 , and  360  through the data line  500 . 
     When the image forming controller  100  receives an access signal from any one of the first to the fourth mounting slots  300 ,  320 ,  340 , and  360 , it recognizes that any one developing unit of the first to the fourth developing units  310 ,  330 ,  350 , and  370  is respectively mounted in any one mounting slot of the first to the fourth mounting slots  300 ,  320 ,  340 , and  360 . 
     That is, the image forming controller  100  outputs through the data line  500  data including any one of identification information among identification information on the first through the fourth developing unit to the mounting slot which has received the clock signal. The image forming controller  100  adds the address information on the developing unit as identification information on the developing unit to data. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating data to which identification information of a developing unit is added according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , it is confirmed that a device address as the identification information of the developing unit is added to the data. 
     For example, if a mounting slot for receiving the clock signal is the second mounting slot  320 , the second developing unit  330  should be mounted in the second mounting slot  320 . The image forming controller  100  outputs data to which the identification information of the second developing unit  330  corresponding to the identification information of the second developing unit  330  is added to the second mounting slot  320 . If an access signal from the second mounting slot  320  is received, the image forming controller  100  recognizes that the second developing unit  330  is mounted in the second mounting slot  320 . 
     However, if the access signal from the second mounting slot  320  is not received, the image forming controller  100  adds any one identification information among other identification information (identification information of the first developing unit, the third developing unit, and the fourth developing unit) except the identification information of the second developing unit to data and outputs the data to the second mounting slot  320 . When the data to which the identification information of the first developing unit is added are output to the second mounting slot  320 , if the access signal from the second mounting slot  320  is received, the image forming controller  100  recognizes that the first developing unit  310  is wrongly mounted in the second mounting slot  320 . Because the first developing unit  310  that should be mounted in the first mounting slot  300  is mounted in the second mounting slot  320 , the mounting is wrong. When the data to which the identification information of the first developing unit is added are output to the second mounting slot  320 , if the access signal from the second mounting slot  320  is not received, the image forming controller  100  outputs data to which the identification information of the third developing unit and the fourth developing unit is added in the order to the second mounting slot  320 . If the access signal from the second mounting slot  320  is not received, the image forming controller  100  detects that no developing unit is mounted in the second mounting slot  320 . 
     The notification unit  600  notifies a user of the detection result of the image forming controller  100 . For example, if a mounting slot receiving the clock signal is the second mounting slot  320 , according to the detection result that the second developing unit  330  is mounted in the second mounting slot  320 , the notification unit  600  notifies a user that the second developing unit  330  is rightly mounted in the second mounting slot  320 . Further, according to the detection result that any one among the first developing unit  310 , the third developing unit  350  or the fourth developing unit  370  is mounted in the second mounting slot  320 , the notification unit  600  notifies a user that other developing unit except the second developing unit  330  is wrongly mounted in the second mounting slot  320 . Further, according to the detection result that no developing unit is mounted in the second mounting slot  320 , the notification unit  600  notifies a user that no developing unit is mounted in the second mounting slot  320 . 
     According to an exemplary implementation of the present invention, a device for detecting the position a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus comprises the first to the fourth developing units  310 ,  330 ,  350 , and  370 , but the clock signal lines are added or subtracted depending on addition or subtraction of the developing units. 
     Hereinafter, a method of detecting the position of a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a method of detecting the position of a developing unit mounted in an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     First, a switching signal for connecting a Kth (K is a positive integer larger than 1 and smaller than N) mounting slot among first to Nth mounting slots in which respective first to Nth (N is a positive integer larger than 1) developing units are mounted to an image forming controller is output at step  700 . An example of the switching signal is illustrated in Table 1. As illustrated in Table 1, the number of bits of the switching signal is dependent on the number of the developing units. 
     After step  700 , according to the switching signal, the image forming controller is connected to the Kth mounting slot at step  702 . 
     After operation  702 , a clock signal for accessing the first to Nth developing units is output from the image forming controller to Kth mounting slot at step  704 . 
     After step  704 , data including Kth identification information for identifying the Kth developing unit among the identification information of the first to Nth developing units for identifying the first to Nth developing units are output to the Kth mounting slot at step  706 . At this time, the address information of the Kth developing unit to which data is added is output to the Kth mounting slot as the Kth identification information. 
     After step  706 , it is sensed whether an access signal from the Kth mounting slot is received at step  708 . 
     After step  708 , if the access signal from the Kth mounting slot is received, it is determined that the Kth developing unit is mounted in the Kth mounting slot at step  710 . 
     After step  710 , a notification unit notifies a user that the Kth developing unit is mounted in the Kth mounting slot at step  712 . 
     On the other hand, at step  706 , if the access signal from Kth mounting slot is not received, data to which other identification information except the Kth identification information is added are output to the Kth mounting slot at step  714 . 
     After step  714 , it is sensed whether the access signal from the Kth mounting slot is received at step  716 . 
     After step  716 , if the access signal from the Kth mounting slot is received, it is determined that the developing unit corresponding to other identification information is mounted in the Kth mounting slot at step  718 . 
     After step  718 , the notification unit notifies a user that the developing unit corresponding to other identification information is mounted in the Kth mounting slot at step  720 . 
     On the other hand, at step  716 , if the access signal from Kth mounting slot is not received, the notification unit notifies a user that no developing unit is mounted in the Kth mounting slot at step  722 . 
     The exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be written as computer readable codes/instructions/programs and can be implemented in general-use digital computers that execute the programs using a computer readable recording medium. Examples of the computer readable recording medium comprise magnetic storage media, such as ROM, floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes, and the like, optical recording media, such as CD-ROMs, DVDs and the like, and storage media such as carrier waves, such as transmission through the Internet. Further, the computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. Also, functional programs, codes, and code segments for accomplishing the present invention can be easily construed by programmers skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. 
     The device and method of the present invention sense that color developing units of an image forming apparatus are not mounted in a designated position and notify a user of this fact. 
     Further, the device and method of the present invention prevent unwanted sheets from being printed because the color developing units are not mounted in the right position. 
     Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.