Patent Publication Number: US-2005134889-A1

Title: Image forming method, image forming apparatus, and image forming system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to an image forming method, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming system, and more particularly, to an image forming method, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming system having a remote printing capability of forming an image at a remote location.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      In recent years, the use of networks in an office environment has become very popular. Many image forming apparatuses such as digital copiers and printers have a network connection capability, and systems including such image forming apparatuses are widely used to print or read image data at remote locations by transmitting image data via a network.  
      For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-222190 discloses a remote copy technique where, when an image forming apparatus such as a copier is being used by another user or when the image forming apparatus cannot be used because of a failure or for some reason, image data is printed using a different apparatus.  
      However, in conventional techniques, the setting of output process conditions must be performed separately for a current apparatus (e.g., local apparatus) and a different apparatus (e.g., remote apparatus) which may be used instead of the local apparatus.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In one aspect, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus having a local print mode in which print job data is printed using a printer unit of the image forming apparatus and a remote print mode in which print job data is printed using a printer unit of a different image forming apparatus. When one or more output process conditions for operation in the remote print mode have already been set, if the operation mode is switched from the remote print mode to the local print mode, the one or more previously set output process conditions are maintained in setting the output process conditions in the local print mode.  
      Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a digital copying system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing a total control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing a remote copying process performed by a digital copier under the control of the total control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is a diagram showing a user interface for specifying a printer on a network or specifying an address range of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a user interface for selecting a printer from a list of detected printers on a network according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a diagram showing an operation control panel including a user interface for specifying operation conditions in a remote copy operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 7  is a diagram showing an operation panel including a user interface for specifying operation conditions in a local copy operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an example of how operation conditions are displayed on an operation control panel of a digital copier after the operation mode is switched to a local copy mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 9  is a diagram showing another example of how operation conditions are displayed on an operation control panel of a digital copier after the operation mode is switched to a local copy mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 10  is a flow chart showing a remote copying process performed by a digital copier under the control of a total control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 11  is a diagram showing a user interface for specifying whether to select a local copy mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
      The present invention is described in further detail below with reference to embodiments in conjunction with accompanying drawings.  
     First Embodiment  
      In the present embodiment of the invention, operations of various apparatuses and units are controlled in a unique manner as described below, and information is displayed on various user interfaces such as operation control screens in a unique manner as described below with reference to the drawings.  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a digital copying system  100  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The digital copying system  100  used as a first image forming apparatus, a printer  101  used as a second image forming apparatus, and a personal computer (PC) or a workstation  102  are connected to a network  103 . In the present embodiment, a printer unit (not shown) in the printer  101  is used as remote image forming means.  
      A total control unit  104  controls the whole of the digital copier  100  and also various apparatuses and interfaces connected to the digital copier  100 . In accordance with a command issued by a user, an image of a document is read by a reader unit  105 , the resultant image data is transferred to a printer unit  106  serving as a first image forming means and stored in a storage device (not shown), such as a hard drive, in the digital copier  100 . In another embodiment, the image data is transmitted to another printer  101  or the PC  102  connected to the network  103  via a network interface (I/F)  108 .  
      The printer unit  106  serving as local image forming means prints document data read by the reader  105  or image data stored in the storage device disposed in the main part of the digital copier  100 . When print data described in a page description language (PDL) is received from the PC  102  connected to the network  103  via the network interface  108 , the printer unit  106  converts the received printer data into image data and prints it.  
      The network interface  108  is connected to the network  103  and is used by the total control unit  104  to communicate with other information devices connected to the network  103 , such as the PC  102  or the printer  101 . An operation control panel  107  contains items such as buttons and a display or a liquid crystal display (LCD) with a touch panel. The operation control panel  107  may include a combination of the aforementioned items, or any other items that would enable practice of the present invention. Under the control of the total control unit  104 , the operation control panel  107  displays information for use by a user. When a user inputs a command or data via the operation control panel  107 , the input command or data is transferred to the total control unit  104 .  
      In the present embodiment, by way of example, a network is used as a communication medium. However, the communication medium is not limited to the network, and various types of communication methods using wireless and/or wired communication lines are available for communication with other apparatuses to transmit various types of data such as print image data, job data, commands such as a status request command, and status information transmitted in response to the status request command. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the digital copier  100 , but the present invention is applicable to other types of image forming apparatuses having a communication capability, such as a printer having only a printer function, a multi-function printer (MFP) having both a coping capability and a printing capability).  
      The printer  101  performs printing in accordance with print data described in PDL or image data received via the network  103  from the PC  102  or the digital copier  100 . If the printer  101  receives a request for operation mode information from the digital copier  100 , the printer  101  returns operation mode information associated with the printer  101  to the digital copier  100 . The operation mode information includes information indicating PDLs supported by the printer  101 , information indicating whether the printer  101  has a stapler and/or two-sided printer unit, information indicating types and sizes of paper supported by the printer  101 , and information indicating types and sizes of paper that are currently available.  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the total control unit  104 . A CPU  201  executes software stored in a ROM  202  or a hard disk (HDD)  205  and controls all of the components connected to system bus  206 . A RAM  203  is used by the CPU  201  as a work area. A hard disk controller (HDC)  204  controls the HDD  205 . A reader interface  207  controls a reader unit  105  connected to the reader interface  207 . A printer interface  208  controls a printer unit  106  connected to the printer interface  208 . An operation control panel interface  209  is connected to the operation control panel  107  and controls displaying of information on the operation control panel  107  and transferring of a command or data input by a user via the operation control panel  107 .  
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing a remote copying process performed by the digital copier  100  under the control of the total control unit  104  according to the present embodiment of the invention. First, in step S 301 , a command to perform copying using an image forming apparatus on a network (hereinafter, such a copying operation will be referred to as a remote copying operation) is issued and an image forming apparatus (remote image forming apparatus) to be used is selected. In this specific example, the printer  101  is selected as a remote image forming apparatus.  
      In the present embodiment, when job data is input in an image forming apparatus having a copying capability, the job data is not printed using this image forming apparatus, but rather the job data is transferred to a remote image forming apparatus to print the job data in the remote copy mode. In another embodiment, the image forming apparatus may have a printing capability but no copying capability. In this instance, the operation should be called a remote printing operation rather than a remote copying operation. In general, however, any operation in which job data is transferred from one image forming apparatus to another image forming apparatus to print the job data is generically referred to as a remote copying operation.  
      Turning back to  FIG. 3 , after printer  101  is specified in step S 301 , in step S 302 , operation capability information is acquired from the selected printer  101 . This information includes, but is not limited to, availability and the position of a stapler, availability of a two-sided printing capability, the list of paper sizes, availability of a sorter and the number of bins, availability and the type of a puncher, and the available printing resolution. In step S 303 , based on the acquired operation capability information of the printer  101 , a user interface  600  for setting operation conditions in the remote copying operation is displayed on the operation control panel  107 .  
      Flow then proceeds to step S 304 , where the process waits for a command to be input by a user. If the user inputs a command to change an operation condition, for example, the number of sheets to be copied, the zooming ratio, or the finishing condition, then the process proceeds to step S 305 , where the operation condition is changed in accordance with the command. Thereafter, the process returns to step S 305  and waits for a further command to be input by the user. If the user inputs a command to cancel the copying operation, the process proceeds to step S 310 . In step S 310 , the program ends the process and returns to the initial state. In the case in which the user inputs a command to start the remote copying operation, the process proceeds to step S 309 . In step S 309 , a document is read and a command is sent to the printer  101  to print the read image of the document in the specified operation conditions. After the printing is completed, the process proceeds to step S 311 , where it returns to the initial state.  
      In the case where the user issues, in step S 304 , a command to cancel the remote copying operation and switch the operation mode to a mode (local copy mode) in which copying is performed using the printer unit  106  of the digital copier  100 , the process proceeds to step S 306 . In step S 306 , data indicating the operation conditions specified for use in the remote copy mode, such as document size, the size and type of print paper, the zooming ratio, the number of copies (sheets), the one-side/two-sided printing, finishing operation conditions regarding stapling, group sorting, non-sorting, simple sorting, punching, binding, and/or folding, a page layout such as 2 in 1, 4 in 1, 1 to 2, or 1 to 4, and/or an edit mode such as an image repeat mode, is stored. Then, in step S 307 , operation conditions in the local copy mode are displayed on the condition setting user interface  700  of the operation control panel  107  such that the operation conditions set for the remote copy mode are maintained. That is, parameters specified by the user for the remote copy mode are transferred to the local copy mode and conditions set in the remote copy mode are directly used in the local copy mode. Thereafter, in step S 308 , the copying operation is performed in the local copy mode.  
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show examples of user interfaces  406 ,  500  displayed in step S 301  to allow a user to select a printer to be used in the remote copy mode. When the remote copy mode is selected, a remote apparatus is selected as one of settings in the remote copy mode. More specifically,  FIG. 4  shows a user interface  406  for specifying a particular printer on the network or an address range in which printers are located on the network, according to the present embodiment. When the IP address of a printer to be used is known, an address button  400  is selected and the IP address of the printer is input in an IP address field  402 . When the IP address of the printer to be used is not known, an address range button  401  is selected and a network address range in which the printer is likely to be located is input in an IP address range field  403 . If an “OK” button  404  is selected, the program searches for a network device having the specified IP address. However, if a “Cancel” button  405  is selected, the remote copy operation is canceled.  
      The retrieval of the printer on the network may also be performed by using broadcasting or SLP (Service Location Protocol). Searching for a remote apparatus is not necessarily needed when the remote copy mode is selected, as a particular remote apparatus may be specified in advance by a user as a default system setting of the digital copier  100 .  
      Thus, via the process described above, when the remote copy mode is selected, an apparatus to be used in the remote copy operation is selected from a plurality of available apparatuses.  
       FIG. 5  is a diagram showing a user interface  500  for selecting a printer from a list of detected printers on the network according to the preset embodiment of the invention. In this example, printers  501  to  506  are detected on the network  103  as a result of the retrieval performed over the range specified in  FIG. 4 , or detected via retrieval by means of broadcasting, SLP, or the like. In addition to IP addresses of printers, printer names defined by users, the current status of printers, and product names are displayed as printer information in the form of a list. The information can be acquired from each printer by means of, for example, SNMP. For example, when a user selects printer  101  displayed in a row  504  in the list and presses an “OK” button  507 , the printer  101  is selected as the printer to be used in the remote copy operation. If the “Cancel” button  508  is pressed, the remote copy operation is canceled, resulting in cancellation of the selection of the remote copy mode.  
       FIG. 6  is a diagram showing the operation control panel  107  including the user interface  600 , displayed in step S 303 , to allow a user to set operation conditions in the remote copy mode. In more detail, a liquid crystal display with a touch panel provides a user interface (UI)  600  for displaying conditions in the copying operation or changing conditions. If a user touches a point in a field corresponding to a particular function, the function is executed. Some fields have a solid triangular symbol on the right-hand end of their field (e.g., select paper  607 ). If any of these fields are selected, a window containing a user interface for setting further detailed conditions is opened. In the example shown in  FIG. 6 , information displayed at the top of the user interface  600  indicates that a printer LBP-3454 (A4 monochrome type located in second sales section) is specified to be used in the remote copy mode.  
      A numeric keypad  601  is used to specify the number of copies or other values. If a “Clear” button  602  is pressed, the number of copies is reset to 1. A “Start” button  604  is used to start the copying operation in the specified conditions. When a “Stop” button  603  is pressed, the copying operation is stopped. If the “Start” button  604  is pressed again, the copying operation is restarted. Of various copying conditions, the zooming ratio (e.g., 100%), the paper size (e.g., automatic paper select), and the number of copies (e.g., 1) are displayed in an information display field  605 . When it is necessary to set detailed settings, if field  606  is selected, a window for setting the zoom ratio appears. If field  607  is selected, a window for setting the paper type/size appears. The number of copies is set by using the numeric keypad  601  and the “Clear” key  602 .  
      Field  608  is used to set finishing conditions such as stapling, punching, and sorting. The current setting as to the finishing conditions is displayed in this field  608 . In the example shown in  FIG. 6 , stapling and sorting are specified to be performed as the finishing processing. Field  609  is used to specify whether the current document is one-sided or two-sided and whether printing should be performed in a one-sided or two-sided mode. The current setting as to the one-sided/two-sided conditions is displayed in field  609 . In the example shown in  FIG. 6 , “Two-sided” is selected for the document type and “Two-sided” is selected for the printing mode. Field  610  is used to set the image density level in the reading operation and is also used to specify whether reading should be performed in a “Text” or “Image” mode. If “Local Copy” field  611  is selected, the operation mode is switched to the local copy mode while maintaining the setting as to the printing/outputting conditions specified in the remote copy mode. If “Local Copy” field is selected, the program executes step S 306  and following steps shown in  FIG. 3 .  
       FIG. 7  shows an example of an operation control panel  107  including a user interface  700  for specifying operation conditions in a local copy operation (step S 307  of  FIG. 3 ) in response to selection of the “Local Copy” field  611  of  FIG. 6 . The information displayed on this user interface  700  is similar to that displayed on the remote copy setting user interface  600  shown in  FIG. 6 , except that information indicating the current operation mode is not displayed at the top of the user interface  700  and there is no “Local Copy” field  611 .  
      As shown by the above examples, switching the operation mode from the remote copy mode to the local copy mode is accomplished by switching the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment from a state in which the remote copy mode is selected to a state in which the local copy mode is selected. In other words, the operation mode is switched from a mode in which a first operation sequence is performed to print job data (e.g., image data) input to the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment on a different apparatus to a mode in which a second operation sequence is performed to print the job data on the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment. In response to switching modes, the user interface is switched accordingly, i.e., from a mode for setting the remote copy operation to a mode for setting the local copy operation.  
      In the present embodiment, the total control unit  104  controls the display of information, such that information indicating the operation conditions specified in the remote copy mode is transferred directly to the user interface  700  for setting operation conditions in the local copy mode. That is, operation condition data set in the remote copy mode is maintained in the setting of the local copy mode. Thus, instead of printing the job data using a different apparatus in the remote copy mode, the job data is printed using the printer unit of the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment in accordance with the operation conditions set in the remote copy mode.  
      All operation conditions set in the remote copy mode may be used directly in the local copy mode, where printing is performed using the same conditions as those set via the user interface  700  in  FIG. 7  simply by pressing the start key. Some conditions may be modified before pressing the start key or new operation conditions may be added. The operation condition setting user interface is displayed such that the above requirements are met.  
      The process of controlling the operation according to the present embodiment is described in further detail below.  
      In the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus has a capability of performing a printing operation in a mode selected from a plurality of modes, including the local copy mode, the local print mode, the remote copy mode, or the remote print mode, wherein the operation mode is selected by a user via the operation control panel  107  under the control of the total control unit  104  of the image forming apparatus.  
      In the case in which a user selects the remote copy mode by selecting the field on the operation control panel  107 , the total control unit  104  displays, on the operation control panel  107 , the user interface  600  that allows a user to specify various operation conditions, as described above, for job data (e.g., image data) in the remote copy mode. In addition, the user interface  600  also provides a field for switching the operation mode from the remote copy mode to the local copy mode while maintaining the operation conditions specified in the remote copy mode.  
      The data indicating the printing/outputting operation conditions specified via the user interface  600  for the remote copy mode is used not only when printing is performed by a remote apparatus in the remote copy mode, but is also used when the operation mode is switched to the local copy mode and printing is performed by the local apparatus. Therefore, in order that the data can be read by the total control unit  104  in any case, the data is stored in a memory. If the field for switching the operation mode to the local copy mode is selected, the total control unit  104  switches the operation mode to the local copy mode and displays the user interface  700  for setting operation conditions in the local copy mode on the operation control panel  107 . Furthermore, the control unit reads from the memory the condition data indicating the printing/outputting operation conditions set for the remote copy mode and displays the printing/outputting operation conditions indicated by the condition data on the operation control panel  107 . This allows the job data to be printed by the local apparatus using the same printing/output operation conditions as those set in the remote copy mode. If necessary, a user can modify the printing/outputting operation conditions transferred from the remote copy mode and displayed in the local copy setting user interface  700 . Furthermore, a printing/outputting operation condition that is not set in the remote copy mode may be newly set in the local copy mode via the user interface  700 .  
      If a user issues a print start command by pressing the start key on the operation control panel  107 , the total control unit  104  controls the printer unit  106  of the local apparatus according to the specified printing/outputting operation conditions. In an alternative embodiment, the total control unit  104  displays a field for switching the operation mode to the remote copy mode on the user interface  700  of the operation control panel  107  in the local copy mode such that the operation mode can be again switched to the remote copy mode by selecting the field. In this alternative embodiment, when the operation mode is switched from the local copy mode to the remote copy mode, the printing/outputting operation conditions specified in the local copy mode are transferred to the remote copy mode and information indicating the printing/outputting operation conditions is displayed on the user interface  600  in the remote copy mode thereby allowing the print job data to be printed by the remote apparatus using the specified printing/outputting operation conditions.  
      If necessary, a user can modify or cancel, via the remote copy user interface  600 , the printing/outputting operation conditions transferred from the local copy mode to the remote control mode. Furthermore, a printing/outputting operation condition that is not set in the local copy mode may be newly set in the remote copy mode via the user interface  600 . If a user issues the print start command, by pressing the start key on the operation control panel  107 , the total control unit  104  controls the printer unit of the remote apparatus according to the specified printing/outputting operation conditions.  
      In the present embodiment, as well as any additional embodiments, in either the local copy mode or the remote copy mode, various job data can be handled under the control of the total control unit  104 . Job data that can be handled includes, for example, job data acquired via a scanner unit of an image forming apparatus and job data received from an external device such as a host computer and stored in a memory of the image forming apparatus.  
     Second Embodiment  
      Now, a second embodiment will be described which is similar to the first embodiment in terms of the structure or the processing described above with reference to FIGS.  1  to  6 . In the present embodiment, it is presumed that the printer  101  connected to the network and used as a remote apparatus in the remote copy mode has the capability of stapling in the finishing process, but the digital copier  100  does not have a stapling capability and thus a stapling setting option is not available.  
       FIG. 8  shows an example of how information is displayed on the operation control panel  107  of the digital copier  100  when a user presses the “Local Copy” button  611  on the remote copy setting user interface  600  to switch the operation mode to the local copy mode. In this example, as compared to the example depicted in  FIG. 6 , the finishing process conditions are changed from sorting and stapling to sorting because the digital copier  100  does not have a stapling capability. The resultant changed finishing process conditions are displayed in a finishing condition field  800 .  
       FIG. 9  depicts another example of how information is displayed on the operation control panel  107  of the digital copier  100  when a user selects the “Local Copy” field  611  on the remote copy setting user interface  600  to switch the operation mode to the local copy mode. In this example, as compared to the example depicted in  FIG. 6 , the finishing process conditions are changed from sorting and stapling to sorting because the digital copier  100  does not have a stapling capability. The resultant changed finishing process conditions are displayed in a finishing condition field  900  in a highlighted fashion to explicitly indicate that the finishing process conditions have been changed.  
     Third Embodiment  
      A third embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The structure of the apparatus of the third embodiment is similar to the apparatuses of the first or second embodiments described above with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Retrieval of a remote printer and setting of operation conditions are performed in a similar manner as described above with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  
       FIG. 10  is a flow chart showing a remote copying process performed by the digital copier  100  under the control of the total control unit  104  according to the third embodiment of the invention. If the remote copy mode is selected, then, in step S 1001 , the current status of the digital copier  100  is examined, and data indicating the current status is stored. In step S 1002 , a printer, e.g., printer  101 , used as remote printer is specified. In step S 1003 , data indicating the capabilities of the printer  101  selected as the remote printer is acquired. Steps S 1002  and S 1003  described above are performed in a similar manner to steps S 301  and S 302  described in the previous embodiments.  
      In step S 1004  a determination of the digital copier&#39;s  100  status at the time the remote copy mode is selected is made based on the data stored in step S 1001 . In the case in which the printer unit  106  of the digital copier  100  cannot be used for printing because the digital copier  100  is currently printing another job or a previous copying operation is not yet completed or for some other reason, it is very likely that the user has selected the remote copy mode because the printer unit  106  of the digital copier  100  cannot be used, although the user wants to use the digital copier  100  if it can be used. In this case, the local copy field for switching the operation mode to the local copy mode is displayed on the remote copy user interface  600  of the operation control panel  107  and the capability to switch to the local copy mode is enabled (step S 1006 ). If the status data associated with the digital copier  100  indicates that the digital copier  100  is usable for printing, that is, if, when the remote copy mode is selected, the printer  106  is usable for printing, it is determined that the user does not want to use the digital copier  100  and wants to use a different apparatus in the remote copy mode. In this case, the local copy field is not displayed or the local copy field is displayed in an unselectable state (step S 1005 ).  
      Depending on the capabilities of the printer  101  and depending on the result of the decision made in steps  1004  to  1006  as to whether to display the local copy field for switching the operation mode to the local copy mode, a user interface for setting operation conditions in the remote copy mode is displayed in step S 1007  on the operation control panel  107 . In step S 1008 , the process waits for a command to be input by a user.  
      If the user inputs a command to change operation conditions, such as the number of sheets to be copied, the zooming ratio, or the finishing condition, then the process proceeds to step S 1009 , where the specified operation condition is changed in accordance with the command. Thereafter, the process returns to step S 1008  and waits for another command to be input by the user. If the user inputs a command to cancel the copying operation, the process proceeds to step S 1017 , where the program ends the process and returns to the initial state.  
      If the user issues a command to cancel the remote copy operation and switch the operation mode to the local copy mode using the printer unit  106  of the digital copier  100 , then in step S 1010 , data indicating the operation conditions specified in the remote copy mode is stored. Subsequently, in step S 1011 , the local copy user interface  700  is displayed such that the operation conditions specified in the remote copy mode are maintained. In step S 1012 , the copy operation is performed in the local copy mode.  
      In the case in which the user inputs a command to start the remote copying operation, the copy operation is performed differently depending on the status of the digital copier  100  at the time the remote copy mode is selected by the user. More specifically, in step S 1013 , the status of the digital copier  100  at the time the remote copy command is selected, which was stored in step S 1001 , is checked. If the status of the digital copier  100  stored in step S 1001  is “usable for printing” the process proceeds to step S 1016  to perform the operation in the remote copy mode. On the other hand, if the status of the digital copier  100  stored in step S 1001  is “unusable for printing”, the current status of the digital copier  100  is examined in step S 1014 .  
      If the current status in step S 1014  is “unusable for printing”, the process proceeds to step S 1016  to perform the operation in the remote copy mode. However, if the current status in step S 1014  is “usable for printing”, the process proceeds to step S 1015 , in which a user interface such as that shown in  FIG. 11  is displayed indicating that the remote copy device selected in step S 1002  is in an idle state and whether the user wishes to proceed with the remote copying operation (selection of “Yes” option) or switch to a local copying operation (selection of “No” option).  
      If user decides to switch to a local copying operation, the process proceeds to step S 1010  and a local copying operation commences as described above. However, if the user decides not to switch to a local copying operation, the process proceeds to step S 1016  to perform the operation in the remote copy mode.  
      While the present invention has been described with reference to what are presently considered to be the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.  
      This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-398045 filed Nov. 27, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.