Patent Publication Number: US-11659122-B2

Title: Sheet conveyance device and method for writing to a wireless tag

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-011482, filed on Jan. 28, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD 
     Embodiments described herein relate generally to a sheet conveyance device and a method of a sheet conveyance device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the related art, an image forming device that conveys a sheet from a paper feed cassette or a manual feed tray and then forms an image on the sheet is known. In some instances, a wireless tag may be provided on the sheet. To write information to a wireless tag on the sheet, the image forming device includes a wireless tag communication device. 
     The device writes information to a wireless tag while the sheet is being conveyed. Occasionally, information cannot be successfully written to the wireless tag depending on radio wave output conditions and the position of the sheet during the tag writing attempt. Thus, some sheets for which writing information to the wireless tag has succeeded and some for which writing has failed can be discharged. 
     However, when the writing of information to the wireless tag has failed, the sheet with the wireless tag cannot be used. Therefore, if there is a lot of failures in the writing of the information to wireless tags, the number of sheets that cannot be used increases accordingly, and a printed matter cannot be generated effectively. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    depicts an image forming device of an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    depicts aspects of a double-sided printing process. 
         FIG.  3    is a block diagram illustrating aspects related to a sheet conveyance device. 
         FIG.  4    is a flowchart of a process relating to writing of information to a wireless tag using an image forming device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In general, according to one embodiment, a sheet conveyance device includes a sheet conveyance path, along which a sheet can be conveyed along a first path part and a second path part for return to the first path part. A wireless tag communication device is configured to write information to a wireless tag on the sheet while the sheet is on the first path part and the second path part. The wireless tag communication device also receives responses from the wireless tag. A controller is configured to control the wireless tag communication device to attempt to write information to the wireless tag while the sheet is on the first path part. The controller then determines whether information has been written to the wireless tag while the sheet was on the first path part. Whether the information has been written to the wireless tag can be determined according to a response received from the wireless tag by the wireless communication device. The controller is configured to switch a conveyance destination of the sheet to the second path part when the information has not been written to the wireless tag while on the first path part and to a discharge location when the information has been written to the wireless tag. The controller controls the wireless tag communication device to attempt to write information to the wireless tag while the sheet is on the second path part. 
     In general, a sheet conveyance device of an embodiment can more effectively generate printed matter since even when writing of information on a wireless tag has initially failed, the writing of the information can be attempted again on the wireless tag. Hereinafter, an image forming device encompassing a sheet conveyance device of an embodiment is described. In the following description, configurations having the same or substantially similar functions are designated by the same reference symbols. 
     First, with reference to  FIG.  1   , a configuration of an image forming device  10  is described.  FIG.  1    is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the image forming device  10  of an embodiment. 
     In  FIG.  1   , the image forming device  10  includes a control panel  13 , a wireless tag communication device  201 , and a printer unit  18 . The printer unit  18  includes a controller  100 , and paper feed cassettes  16   a ,  16   b . The controller  100  controls the control panel  13 , the wireless tag communication device  201 , and the printer unit  18 . The controller  100  also controls the conveyance of a sheet through the printer unit  18 . In this context, controlling of the conveyance of a sheet refers to controlling the conveyance timing for the sheet, a stop position for the sheet, a conveyance speed for the sheet, and the like. 
     The control panel  13  includes an input key and a display unit. For example, the input key receives an input from the user. For example, the display unit is a touch panel type. The display unit receives an input from the user and displays information to the user. For example, the control panel  13  displays items relating to the operation of the image forming device  10  to be set or selected by the user. The control panel  13  notifies the controller  100  of the items set or selected by the user. 
     The paper feed cassettes  16   a  and  16   b  each store sheets provided with wireless tags thereon or therein. One or both of the paper feed cassettes  16   a  and  16   b  can also store sheets without wireless tags. In the following description, unless particularly described otherwise, each sheet is a sheet provided with a wireless tag. For example, a material such as paper or a plastic film can be used for the sheets. 
     The printer unit  18  performs operations for forming an image on a sheet. For example, the printer unit  18  forms an image corresponding to image data on the sheet. In the following description, forming an image on a sheet is also referred to as printing. In the present embodiment, the printer unit  18  is a device of fixing a toner image to the sheets. However, the embodiments are not limited thereto, for example, the printer unit  18  may instead be an inkjet type device. 
     The printer unit  18  of the present example includes an intermediate transfer belt  21 . The printer unit  18  supports the intermediate transfer belt  21  with a driven roller  41 , a backup roller  40 , and the like. The printer unit  18  rotates the intermediate transfer belt  21  in an arrow m direction. The printer unit  18  includes four sets of image forming stations  22 Y,  22 M,  22 C, and  22 K. The image forming stations  22 Y,  22 M,  22 C, and  22 K correspond to yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), respectively. The image forming stations  22 Y,  22 M,  22 C, and  22 K are disposed along the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt  21  to be on the lower side of the intermediate transfer belt  21 . 
     Hereinafter, among the image forming stations  22 Y,  22 M,  22 C, and  22 K, the yellow (Y) image forming station  22 Y is explained as an example. The image forming stations  22 M,  22 C, and  22 K include, other than with respect to toner color, configurations and functions the same as the image forming station  22 Y, and thus the detailed description thereof can be omitted. 
     The image forming station  22 Y includes an electrostatic charger  26 , an exposure scanning head  27 , a developing device  28 , and a cleaner  29 . The electrostatic charger  26 , the exposure scanning head  27 , the developing device  28 , and the cleaner  29  are disposed around a photoconductive drum  24  that rotates in an arrow n direction. 
     The image forming station  22 Y includes a primary transfer roller  30 . The primary transfer roller  30  is disposed to face the photoconductive drum  24  via the intermediate transfer belt  21 . 
     The electrostatic charger  26  uniformly charges the photoconductive drum  24 . The exposure scanning head  27  selectively exposes the uniformly charged photoconductive drum  24  and thereby forms an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive drum  24 . The developing device  28  then develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor drum  24  by using a two-component developer formed with a toner and a carrier. 
     The primary transfer roller  30  transfers the toner image formed on the photoconductive drum  24  to the intermediate transfer belt  21 . Separate primary transfer rollers  30  are provided for each the image forming stations  22 Y,  22 M,  22 C, and  22 K. A color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt  21 . The color toner image is formed by sequentially overlapping toner images of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). 
     The cleaner  29  removes the toner remaining on the photoconductive drum  24  after the primary transfer. 
     The printer unit  18  includes a secondary transfer roller  32 . The secondary transfer roller  32  is disposed to face the backup roller  40  via the intermediate transfer belt  21 . The secondary transfer roller  32  transfers the color toner image from the intermediate transfer belt  21  to the sheet. In the following description, the expression “toner image” may refer to either a color toner image or a toner image of just one color. The toner image may also be a toner image using a decolorable-type toner. The conveyance path  33  is the path along which a sheet is conveyed by a plurality of conveyance rollers (for example, conveyance rollers  330 ) disposed along the path. The conveyance path  33  includes a first conveyance path  33   a , a second conveyance path  33   b , and a third conveyance path  33   c . The conveyance paths  33   a ,  33   b , and  33   c  each include conveyance rollers thereon. The first conveyance path  33   a  is from a confluence portion  44   a  to a branch portion  44   b . The second conveyance path  33   b  passes through a double-sided printing device  38  and is from the branch portion  44   b  to the confluence portion  44   a . The third conveyance path  33   c  is from the branch portion  44   b  to a discharge tray  20 . 
     A sheet is extracted from any one of the paper feed cassette  16   a , the paper feed cassette  16   b , or a manual feed tray  16   c . The extracted sheet is then temporarily stopped at the two stopped registration rollers  31 . At this point, the leading edge of the sheet abuts against the registration rollers  31  and any angle of the sheet can be corrected. 
     The controller  100  starts the rotation of the registration rollers  31  according to the position of the toner image on the rotating intermediate transfer belt  21  so that the sheet moves to the secondary transfer roller  32  to meet the toner image for transfer. The toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt  21  is transferred to the sheet by the secondary transfer roller  32 . The transferred toner image is then fixed to the sheet by a fixing device  34 . In this manner, an image is formed on a sheet by the control of the controller  100 . The controller  100  can then convey the printed sheet to the third conveyance path  33   c  for discharge. 
     The wireless tag communication device  201  includes and an antenna  302  (see  FIG.  3   ) and a communication control circuit  301  (see  FIG.  3   ) with a storage device or the like. 
     The wireless tag according to the present embodiment is, for example, a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The wireless tag communication device  201  transmits radio waves, for example, in an arrow k direction. The wireless tag communication device  201  communicates with the wireless tag provided on the sheet via the antenna. Specifically, the wireless tag communication device  201  reads information from the wireless tag and writes information to the wireless tag. 
     In a case where a sheet is to be used for distribution purposes and the like, the information written to the wireless tag can include information indicating contents of a package, information indicating a destination, the information to be printed on the sheet, and the like. 
     According to the present embodiment, the wireless tag communication device  201  uses, for example, a radio wave system (UHF) of a 900 MHz band. However, the RFID system and frequency band are not limited to this, and other systems and frequency bands can also be employed. 
     Subsequently, an operation of a sheet in case of double-sided printing is described. 
       FIG.  2    is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an operation of a sheet in case of double-sided printing. 
     In case of double-sided printing, a sheet  250  extracted from one of the paper feed cassette  16   a , the paper feed cassette  16   b , or the manual feed tray  16   c  is conveyed along the first conveyance path  33   a . Next, any angle of sheet  250  is corrected at the registration rollers  31 . The sheet  250  is then conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer roller  32  according to the position of the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt  21 . The toner image on the intermediate transfer belt  21  is transferred to a first surface side of the sheet  250  by the secondary transfer roller  32 . Then, the toner image on the first surface side of the sheet  250  is fixed to the sheet  250  by the fixing device  34 . 
     The sheet  250  (which now has an image printed on its first surface side) next enters the third conveyance path  33   c . By the control of the controller  100 , this sheet  250  is switched back and conveyed along the second conveyance path  33   b . The sheet  250  is returned to the confluence portion  44   a  via the second conveyance path  33   b  through the double-sided printing device  38 . The sheet  250  is thus returned to the first conveyance path  33   a  via the registration rollers  31 . Accordingly, a sheet  250  that passes through the second conveyance path  33   b  is returned to the first conveyance path  33   a  so that its second surface side will now face the intermediate transfer belt  21 . 
     Another toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt  21  can now be transferred to the second surface side of the sheet  250  by the secondary transfer roller  32 . The toner image transferred to the second surface side of the sheet  250  is then fixed to the sheet  250  by the fixing device  34 . The sheet  250  (now printed on both first and second surface sides) passes through the third conveyance path  33   c  and can be sent to the discharge tray  20 . 
     In  FIG.  2   , a communication area  270  (dashed line) indicates an area (range) in which the wireless tag communication device  201  is able to successfully communicate with a wireless tag provided on a sheet. The communication area  270  is such that it includes a portion of the first conveyance path  33   a  and a portion of the second conveyance path  33   b.    
     Aspects of a what can be considered a sheet conveyance device  50  included within an image forming device  10  are described by reference to  FIG.  3   . In general, sheet conveyance device  50  can be a standalone device, distinct from an image forming apparatus, or may be incorporated within or encompassed by an image forming apparatus or other apparatus.  FIG.  3    is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a sheet conveyance device  50  according to the present embodiment. 
     In  FIG.  3   , the sheet conveyance device  50  includes the controller  100 , the wireless tag communication device  201 , and the conveyance path  33  (including at least the first conveyance path  33   a  and second conveyance path  33   b ). The controller  100  controls the wireless tag communication device  201  according to a stored sheet conveyance program stored. The communication between the controller  100  and the wireless tag communication device  201  may be via a wired communication path or may be by wireless communication, such as Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE). 
     The controller  100  can comprise, for example, by a central processing unit (CPU) and/or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). A storage device within the controller can be a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), or the like. 
     If a sheet  250  is on the first conveyance path  33   a , the wireless tag communication device  201  can write information to a wireless tag  251  provided on the sheet  250 . The wireless tag communication device  201  controls the communication control circuit  301  and attempts, at regular intervals (for example, 10 msec intervals), a reading an ID of the wireless tag  251  on the sheet  250  within the communication area  270  (see  FIG.  2   ). Specifically, the wireless tag communication device  201  transmits signals (interrogation waves) at regular intervals from the antenna  302 . If these signals are received, any wireless tag  251  present in the communication area  270  obtains electric power and is activated so as to respond. The wireless tag  251  transmits a response wave including ID data previously stored in the wireless tag  251 . Accordingly, when the wireless tag communication device  201  receives a response wave from a wireless tag  251  the wireless tag communication device  201  obtains ID data for the wireless tag  251 . 
     The wireless tag communication device  201  can communicate with the controller  100 . The wireless tag communication device  201  receives a response waves from a wireless tag  251  at regular intervals and thus transmits the received response waves to the controller  100 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  2   , the conveyance path  33  includes the first conveyance path  33   a  and the second conveyance path  33   b . The first conveyance path  33   a  is initially used for performing first surface side printing on the sheet  250 . The second conveyance path  33   b  is used for returning the sheet  250  for second surface side printing. 
     However, according to the present embodiment, the second conveyance path  33   b  need only be a path different from the first conveyance path  33   a  in some portion. 
     Here, even if the sheet  250  is present inside the communication area  270 , the information may not always be successfully read from or written to the wireless tag  251 . This is because various metallic components and dielectrics can be disposed inside the conveyance device  50  (or image forming apparatus  10 ), so that the radio wave transmission may become unstable at certain times or to particular locations nominally within the communication range  270 . The communication may also be complicated due to the type of the sheet  250 , the type of the wireless tag  251 , the position of the wireless tags  251 , or the like. 
     However, in this embodiment, even if writing to the wireless tag  251  failed initially, the controller  100  can attempt writing again. 
     The controller  100  includes a determination unit  101 , a switch controlling unit  102 , and a communication controlling unit  103 . The present embodiment is not limited to any particular configuration of units  101 ,  102 , and  103 . For example, these units are not necessarily included inside the controller  100 , but may be provided as separate controlling units (e.g., other CPUs, ASICs, or the like) from outside the controller  100 . However, in the present example, the units  101 ,  102 , and  103  are implemented by configuration of a processor of controller  100  executing a stored program. 
     The determination unit  101  is configured to determine whether information has been successfully written to the wireless tag  251 . For example, the determination unit  101  determines whether the information was written to the wireless tag  251  while on the first conveyance path  33   a . Specifically, after the wireless tag communication device  201  performs a process of writing information to the wireless tag  251 , the determination unit  101  then determines whether a response indicating that the writing of the information has succeeded is returned from the wireless tag  251 . If the determination unit  101  determines a response indicating that the writing of the wireless tag communication device  201  has failed or the wireless tag communication device  201  does not receive any response from the wireless tag  251  within a predetermined period of time, the determination unit  101  determines that the information has not been successfully written to the wireless tag  251  (that is, the writing failed). 
     The determination unit  101  determines whether the sheet  250  is on the first conveyance path  33   a . For example, the determination unit  101  may determine that the sheet  250  is on the first conveyance path  33   a  based on the timing at which the sheet  250  was extracted from one of the paper feed cassette  16   a , the paper feed cassette  16   b , or the manual feed tray  16   c.    
     If the determination unit  101  determines that the information was not written to the wireless tag  251 , the switch controlling unit  102  then causes the conveyance destination of the sheet  250  to be switched to the second conveyance path  33   b . Specifically, if the determination unit  101  determines that the information was not successfully written to the wireless tag  251  while on the first conveyance path  33   a , the switch controlling unit  102  causes the sheet  250  to transported on the second conveyance path  33   b . Specifically, if the writing of information to the wireless tag  251  failed for the sheet  250  on the first conveyance path  33   a , the switch controlling unit  102  causes the conveyance rollers of the second conveyance path  33   b  and the third conveyance path  33   c  and the branch portion  44   b  to put the sheet  250  through the double-sided printing device  38  (that is, puts the sheet  250  on the second conveyance path  33   b ). 
     However, if the determination unit  101  determines that the information was successfully written to the wireless tag  251 , the switch controlling unit  102  causes that the conveyance destination of the sheet  250  to be the third conveyance path  33   c  for discharge. Specifically, if the determination unit  101  determines that the information was written to the wireless tag  251  on the first conveyance path  33   a , that is, the writing to the wireless tag  251  succeeded, the switch controlling unit  102  causes the sheet  250  to be placed on the third conveyance path  33   c . In this case, the sheet  250  is discharged to the discharge tray  20  via the third conveyance path  33   c.    
     Once the sheet  250  is on the second conveyance path  33   b , the communication controlling unit  103  controls the wireless tag communication device  201  so as to attempt writing of information to the wireless tag  251  again. That is, the communication controlling unit  103  controls the wireless tag communication device  201  so that a second writing is attempted. The wireless tag communication device  201  attempts to write information to the wireless tag  251  on the second conveyance path  33   b  in response to the control of the communication controlling unit  103 . 
     The communication controlling unit  103  determines whether the sheet  250  with the wireless tag  251  in on the second conveyance path  33   b  for writing. Specifically, the communication controlling unit  103  may determine that the sheet  250  moves onto the second conveyance path  33   b  based on the timing of the switching back operation or the like. 
     In this example, the second conveyance path  33   b  is closer to the wireless tag communication device  201  than is the first conveyance path  33   a . That is, the second conveyance path  33   b  would be expected to provide a better communication state for the wireless tag communication device  201  than would the first conveyance path  33   a . Therefore, the writing success on the second conveyance path  33   b  (second writing attempt) should be improved as compared with the first conveyance path  33   a  (first writing attempt). 
     (Third Writing) 
     If writing of information on the first conveyance path  33   a  has failed, the determination unit  101  next determines whether the information was written to the wireless tag  251  while on the second conveyance path  33   b . If the determination unit  101  determines the wireless tag  251  was not successfully written while on the second conveyance path  33   b  (that is, the second writing attempt failed), the communication controlling unit  103  may control the wireless tag communication device  201  such that another writing attempt on the wireless tag  251  can be made when the sheet  250  is on the first conveyance path  33   a  again (after return via the second conveyance path  33   b ). That is, the communication controlling unit  103  controls the wireless tag communication device  201  and attempts a third writing. 
     (Case where Third Writing Failed) 
     If the third writing fails, the controller  100  performs a notification that there is an error on the wireless tag  251 . This notification can be provided by printing on the sheet  250  provided with the wireless tag  251 . However, this notification may also or instead be a notification made by display of a message on the display unit included in the image forming device  10  or notification(s) on display units of other devices such as a personal computer connected to the image forming apparatus  10 . If the third writing fails, the controller  100  may discharge the sheet  250  to a discharge tray  20  different from the discharge tray  20  to which the other sheets  250  for which the tag writing has succeeded are discharged. 
     According to the present embodiment, if the third writing fails, the image forming device  10  discharges the sheet  250  to a discharge tray  20 , but the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, if the third writing fails, a fourth and/or a fifth writing may be attempted. Specifically, if the third writing to the wireless tag  251  failed, the switch controlling unit  102  may again return the sheet  250  to the second conveyance path  33   b  for further writing attempts. 
     In this case, the communication controlling unit  103  may control the wireless tag communication device  201  so that a fourth writing is attempted on the wireless tag  251  while on the second conveyance path  33   b . If the fourth writing fails, the communication controlling unit  103  may perform control so that a fifth writing is attempted on the wireless tag  251  while on the first conveyance path  33   a  again. 
     If the writing continues to fail, the number of attempts for further writing (the number of retry times) may be any number of times set by the user or otherwise. 
     According to the present embodiment, if the first writing failed, the sheet  250  is caused to pass through the second conveyance path  33   b  (e.g., a path for second surface printing). Thus, if the sheet  250  that passes through the second conveyance path  33   b  for this second attempt is discharged to the discharge tray  20  without any other change, then sheet  250  will be discharged so that its front (first side) and back (second side) surfaces are reversed from other sheets  250  that were not passed back through the second conveyance path  33   b  for an additional tag writing attempt. 
     Therefore, the sheet  250  to which tag writing was retried may be caused to further pass through the second conveyance path  33   b  so as to be oriented in the same manner as other discharged sheets  250 . Accordingly, the sheet  250  to which writing is retried can be discharged to the discharge tray  20  so that that the front and back surfaces thereof match with the other sheets  250  by sending the sheet back through second conveyance path  33   b.    
     (Process Relating to Writing of Information to the Wireless Tag  251 ) 
     A process relating to the writing of information to the wireless tag  251  by the image forming device  10  (or the sheet conveyance device  50 ) is described by reference to  FIG.  4   .  FIG.  4    is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process relating to the writing of information to the wireless tag  251 . 
     In  FIG.  4   , the controller  100  determines whether printing has been started (Act  401 ). The printing described here is, for example, printing on one of the stored sheets  250 . The controller  100  waits (No in Act  401 ) for the start of the printing. If the printing is started (Yes in Act  401 ), the controller  100  determines whether the wireless tag  251  is detected (Act  402 ). The controller  100  controls the wireless tag communication device  201  in response to the start of the printing and starts the reception process for response waves from a wireless tag  251  together with the start of the transmission of signals (interrogation waves) at regular intervals. 
     In Act  402 , it is determined whether a response wave from a wireless tag  251  on the sheet  250  on the first conveyance path  33   a  has been received by the wireless tag communication device  201 . If the wireless tag communication device  201  does not detect a wireless tag  251  on the first conveyance path  33   a , the controller  100  waits (No in Act  402 ). However, if the wireless tag communication device  201  detects the wireless tag  251  (Yes in Act  402 ), the image forming device  10  controls the wireless tag communication device  201  and writes information to the wireless tag  251  of a sheet  250  positioned on the first conveyance path  33   a  (Act  403 ). 
     The controller  100  then determines whether there is a response from the wireless tag  251  (Act  404 ). If there is not a response from the wireless tag  251  (No in Act  404 ), the controller  100  then determines whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed (Act  405 ). The predetermined period of time in Act  405  is several seconds, for example. The timing for starting the measurement of the predetermined period of time in Act  405  may be for the time at which the writing process to the wireless tag  251  in Act  403  is performed or may be for the at which printing started in Act  401 . 
     If the predetermined period of time has not yet elapsed (No in Act  405 ), the controller  100  returns to Act  404 . Once the predetermined period of time elapses (Yes in Act  405 ), the controller  100  proceeds to Act  407 . In Act  404 , if there is a response from the wireless tag  251  (Yes in Act  404 ), the controller  100  then determines whether the response indicates that the writing has succeeded (Act  406 ). If the response indicates that the writing has succeeded (Yes in Act  406 ), the controller  100  proceeds to Act  415  (via the process route label with “A” in  FIG.  4   ). 
     If the response does not indicate that the writing succeeded (No in Act  406 ), that is, the response indicates that the writing is failed, the controller  100  next determines whether the switching of the conveyance path  33  has been completed (Act  407 ). If the switching of the conveyance path  33  is not completed (No in Act  407 ), the conveyance path  33  is switched for another writing attempt (Act  408 ). Specifically, the controller  100  switches the conveyance path  33  so that the sheet  250  passes through the second conveyance path  33   b.    
     The controller  100  next determines whether the wireless tag  251  is detected (by receipt of response waves) on the second conveyance path  33   b  (Act  408 ). 
     If the wireless tag communication device  201  does not detect the wireless tag  251 , controller  100  waits (No in Act  409 ). However, if the wireless tag communication device  201  detects the wireless tag  251  (Yes in Act  409 ), the controller  100  controls the wireless tag communication device  201  to write information to the wireless tag  251  while on the second conveyance path  33   b  (a second writing attempt) (Act  410 ). 
     The controller  100  then determines whether there is a response from the wireless tag  251  (Act  411 ). In Act  411 , if there is not a response from the wireless tag  251  (No in Act  411 ), the image forming device  10  next determines whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed (Act  412 ). The predetermined period of time in Act  412  is several seconds, for example. The timing for starting the measurement of the predetermined period of time in Act  412  may be the time at which the writing process to the wireless tag  251  in Act  410  was performed or may be for a time from a starting of printing in Act  401 . 
     If the predetermined period of time has not yet elapsed (No in Act  412 ), the controller  100  returns to Act  411 . If the predetermined period of time elapses (Yes in Act  412 ), the controller  100  returns to Act  402 . After the return to Act  402 , writing in Act  403  is performed again, but the writing in this case is the third writing attempt. 
     In Act  411 , if there is a response from the wireless tag  251  (Yes in Act  411 ), the image forming device  10  determines whether the response indicates that the writing succeeded (Act  413 ). If the response indicates the writing succeeded (Yes in Act  413 ), the controller  100  proceeds to Act  415 . 
     If the response does not indicate that the writing succeeded (No in Act  413 ), that is, the response indicates that the writing failed, the controller  100  returns to Act  402 . After the return to Act  402 , writing can be performed again in Act  403 , but the writing in this case is the third writing attempt. 
     In Act  407 , the switching of the conveyance path  33  is completed (YES in Act  407 ), that is, the third writing is failed and additional writing attempts to the wireless tag  251  will not be made, the tag writing failure is notified to the user or otherwise to indicated that the tag writing cannot be successfully performed (Act  414 ). This notification is, for example, a notification made by printing on the sheet  250  provided with the wireless tag  251 . The controller  100  thus switches the conveyance destination of the sheet  250  to the third conveyance path  33   c  and discharges the sheet  250  from the discharge tray  20  via the third conveyance path  33   c  (Act  415 ), and the series of processes ends. 
     According to the above embodiment, if the information is not written to the wireless tag  251  on the first conveyance path  33   a , the sheet  250  is switched back to the second conveyance path  33   b , and the information is attempted to be written to the wireless tag  251  on the second conveyance path  33   b . That is, even if the first writing of the information to the wireless tag  251  failed, writing of the information can be performed again. Accordingly, the generation of sheets  250  that cannot be used due tag writing failures can be reduced. Therefore, printed matter can be more effectively generated with an image forming device  10  according to the present embodiment. 
     According to the present embodiment, if the information is not written to the wireless tag  251  on the second conveyance path  33   b , the image forming device  10  returns the sheet  250  to the first conveyance path  33   a  and writes the information to the wireless tag  251  while on the first conveyance path  33   a . That is, if the second writing fails, a third writing is performed. Accordingly, the generation of sheets  250  that cannot be used due to the failure in the writing of information to the wireless tags  251  can be suppressed. Therefore, the printed matter can be generated more effectively. 
     According to the present embodiment, the first conveyance path  33   a  is for performing printing and the second conveyance path  33   b  is for performing the back side printing. Accordingly, without separately providing a conveyance path for reading and writing information from and to a wireless tag  251 , information can be read from and written to the wireless tag  251  using just the conveyance path  33  found in image forming apparatus  10 . That is, without specifically providing a so-called back feed function for returning paper to a tag reading/writing position by reversing the rotation of conveyance rollers or the like, information can be read from or written to a wireless tag  251 , multiple writing attempts on a wireless tag  251  can be made using the second conveyance path  33   b  that is already provided for performing back side printing. 
     According to the present embodiment, the second conveyance path  33   b  is disposed at a position closer to the wireless tag communication device  201  than is the first conveyance path  33   a . Accordingly, a communication distance to the wireless tag  251  when on the second conveyance path  33   b  is shorter. Therefore, of the success rate of writing on the second conveyance path  33   b  (second writing) can be increased as compared to the writing on the first conveyance path  33   a  (first writing). 
     Certain functions of a sheet conveyance device  50  according to an embodiment may be realized with a computer executing a software algorithm or the like. In this case, a program for realizing the functions of the sheet conveyance device  100  may be recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, and such a program may be executed by a computer system. The expression “the computer system” can include a computer, an operating system (OS), and hardware such as a peripheral device or devices connected to the computer. The expression “computer-readable recording medium” refers to a portable medium such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, or a storage device such as a hard disk built in a computer system. 
     A “computer-readable recording medium” may furthermore be a peripheral device or a server connected to the computer. In such cases, the above-described program may be accessed, downloaded, or otherwise provided via a communication line or a network, such as the Internet. The above-described program may realize a portion of its described functions in combination with another program recorded in the computer system in advance. 
     While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novel embodiment described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.