Patent ID: 12212723

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to provide an image forming apparatus and a control method that make it possible to more easily set appropriate parameters in a wireless communication device that communicates with a wireless tag attached to a sheet that is a target for image formation.

In general, according to at least one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a forming device, a wireless tag communication device, an external communication interface, and a processor. The forming device forms an image on a sheet including a wireless tag. The wireless tag communication device performs wireless communication with the wireless tag included in the sheet. The external communication interface acquires an image forming data file from another device through communication. The processor forms the image on the sheet by controlling the forming device based on information included in the image forming data file when the image forming data file includes an instruction for image formation, and sets parameters of the wireless tag communication device based on information included in the image forming data file when the image forming data file includes an instruction for wireless tag communication setting.

FIG.1is an appearance view illustrating an example of an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus100according to at least one embodiment. The image forming apparatus100is, for example, a multifunction apparatus. The image forming apparatus100includes a display110, a control panel120, a forming device130, a sheet accommodation device140, and an image reading device200. The forming device130of the image forming apparatus100may be an electrophotographic device that fixes a toner image, an inkjet-type device, or other types of devices.

The image forming apparatus100may be communicably connected to other information processing apparatuses via a network90. The image forming apparatus100may communicate with a user terminal300or a server400via the network90, as illustrated inFIG.1, for example. The network90may be a network using wireless communication or a network using wired communication. The network90may be configured by combining a plurality of networks.

The user terminal300is an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, a smartphone, or a tablet. The user terminal300is operated by a user and operates according to an operation. The user terminal300transmits, for example, an image forming data file to the image forming apparatus100in response to the user's operation. The image forming data file is data in a predetermined format for instructing the image forming apparatus100to form an image and write data to a wireless tag in the image forming apparatus100. The image forming data file may be configured as, for example, a print data file.

The user terminal300stores a setting data file configured in the format of an image forming data file. The setting data file is data used when the image forming apparatus100performs setting so that data can be read from and written to an appropriate wireless tag. Hereinafter, setting performed by the image forming apparatus100to read data from and write data to an appropriate wireless tag will be referred to as calibration. The setting data file includes parameters used to read data from and write data to an appropriate wireless tag. Details of the setting data file will be described later. If the user performs an operation of giving an instruction to perform setting processing, the user terminal300transmits the setting data file to the image forming apparatus100in response to the operation.

The server400is an information processing apparatus such as a server device. The server400stores the above-mentioned setting data file. The server400transmits the setting data file to a device that accesses a predetermined address via the network90. For example, if the server400receives information for requesting a setting data file along with type information indicating the type of sheet having a wireless tag attached thereto from the image forming apparatus100, the server400may read the setting data file according to the type information and transmit the setting data file to the image forming apparatus100.

An external storage device500is a storage device such as a magnetic storage device or a semiconductor storage device. The external storage device500is configured to be attachable to or detachable from other information processing apparatuses. The external storage device500is configured to be attachable to or detachable from, for example, the image forming apparatus100. The external storage device500may be configured using, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) memory. The external storage device500stores the above-mentioned setting data file.

In this manner, the image forming apparatus100can acquire the setting data file from at least one of the user terminal300, the server400, and the external storage device500. Next, the image forming apparatus100will be described.

The image forming apparatus100forms an image on a sheet using a toner or ink. The sheet is, for example, paper or label paper. The sheet may be a sheet to which a wireless tag is attached. The sheet may be any material as long as the image forming apparatus100can form an image on the surface thereof. The sheet to which the wireless tag is attached may be a sheet to which a wireless tag is attached to the surface of the sheet, or a sheet in which a wireless tag is embedded thereinside. The wireless tag in at least one embodiment is a wireless tag using RFID technology and is also referred to as an RF tag.

The display110is an image display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electro luminescence (EL) display. The display110displays various information regarding the image forming apparatus100.

The control panel120includes a plurality of buttons. The control panel120receives the user's operations. The control panel120outputs a signal corresponding to the operation performed by the user to a processor153of the image forming apparatus100. The display110and the control panel120may be configured as an integrated touch panel.

The forming device130forms an image on a sheet based on image information generated by the image reading device200or image information received via a communication channel (for example, the network90). The forming device130forms an image by, for example, the following processing. The forming device130forms an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor drum based on the image information. The forming device130forms a visible image by attaching a developer to the electrostatic latent image. A specific example of the developer is one using a toner. The forming device130transfers the visible image to the sheet. The forming device130fixes the visible image on the sheet by applying heat and pressure to the sheet. The sheet on which the image is formed may be a sheet stored in the sheet accommodation device140or may be a sheet manually fed. The sheet on which the image is formed is discharged to a sheet discharge area210. Image formation on the sheet is not limited to using the above-mentioned toner. For example, image formation on the sheet may be performed using an inkjet method.

The sheet accommodation device140stores sheets used for image formation in the forming device130. In the sheet accommodation device140of one image forming apparatus100, one sheet feed cassette or a plurality of sheet feed cassettes may be provided. In at least one embodiment, the sheet accommodation device140is provided with four sheet feed cassettes.

The image reading device200reads image information to be read based on brightness and darkness of light. The image reading device200records the read image information. The recorded image information may be transmitted to another information processing apparatus (for example, the user terminal300) via the network90. The recorded image information may be formed into an image on a sheet by the forming device130.

FIG.2is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus100according to at least one embodiment. The image forming apparatus100includes the display110, the control panel120, the forming device130, a sheet feed device205, an auxiliary storage device151, a memory152, the processor153, a wireless tag communication device154, an external communication interface155, and the image reading device200. These devices are connected to each other via a system bus160so as to be able to perform data communication. The display110, the control panel120, the forming device130, and the image reading device200are described above, and thus descriptions thereof will be omitted.

The sheet feed device205is a mechanism that feeds sheets placed on the sheet accommodation device140and a manual tray, which will be described later, to the forming device130. The auxiliary storage device151, the memory152, the processor153, the wireless tag communication device154, and the external communication interface will be described below.

The auxiliary storage device151is, for example, a hard disk or a solid state drive (SSD), and stores various data. The auxiliary storage device151may store, for example, a software program for controlling the operation of each device included in the image forming apparatus100.

The memory152temporarily stores data used by each device included in the image forming apparatus100. The memory152is, for example, a random access memory (RAM). The memory152may store digital data generated by the image reading device200. The memory152may temporarily store an image forming data file being printed by the forming device130and written information written to a wireless tag.

The processor153controls the operation of each device included in the image forming apparatus100. The processor153may execute processing by loading the software program stored in the auxiliary storage device151onto the memory152and executing the software program. Specific processing of the processor153will be described using an example.

If the processor153receives an image forming data file from an external information processing apparatus (for example, the user terminal300or the server400) or reads the image forming data file from the external storage device500in response to an operation performed on the control panel120, the processor153controls image formation for a sheet having a wireless tag attached thereto based on the read image forming data file.

The wireless tag communication device154performs data reading and data writing by performing wireless communication with the wireless tag.

The external communication interface155performs data communication with an external device (device different from the image forming apparatus100). The external communication interface155may be configured as a physical interface from which other devices such as the external storage device500can be detachable, or may be configured as a communication device that communicates data with an external device via a network. The external communication interface155may be configured in accordance with, for example, a USB protocol. The external communication interface155may perform data communication with other information processing apparatuses (for example, the user terminal300or the server400) via the network90. The external communication interface155transmits data, for example, under the control of the processor153. For example, if the external communication interface155receives data, the external communication interface155transmits the received data to the processor153.

FIG.3is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the image forming apparatus100. InFIG.3, a manual feed tray220is newly illustrated. A sheet is taken into a conveyance path250from the sheet accommodation device140or the manual feed tray220. The conveyance path250includes a plurality of conveyance rollers. The conveyance roller rotates under the control of the processor153and conveys the sheet located on the conveyance path. The sheet is conveyed along the conveyance path250, an image is formed on the sheet by the forming device130, and the sheet is discharged to the sheet discharge area210by a sheet discharge roller156. The wireless tag communication device154communicates with a wireless tag of the sheet being conveyed along the conveyance path250.

FIG.4is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the image forming data file. The image forming data file includes, for example, image forming data and wireless tag control data. The image forming data is data for causing the image forming apparatus100to form an image on the sheet. The image forming data includes, for example, data indicating images and characters to be formed on a sheet, and various parameters for image formation (information such as a resolution and a paper size). The wireless tag control data is data indicating processing to be performed on the wireless tag. A specific example of the wireless tag control data is data for executing processing for writing information to the wireless tag.

FIG.5is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the wireless tag control data. The wireless tag control data illustrated inFIG.5is data for executing the processing for writing information to the wireless tag. A character string shown as a wireless tag writing command inFIG.5indicates causing the wireless tag communication device154to execute the processing for writing data to the wireless tag. Setting data inFIG.5shows the content of data written to the wireless tag.

FIG.6is a diagram illustrating a specific example of wireless tag control data in a setting data file. Since the setting data file has the same file format as that of the image forming data file, the setting data file includes image forming data and wireless tag control data as illustrated inFIG.4. In this manner, the format of the setting data file illustrated inFIG.6is the same format as that of the image forming data file for executing the processing for wiring data to the wireless tag as illustrated inFIG.5.

As illustrated inFIG.6, the wireless tag control data in the setting data file includes a character string of a calibration command instead of the wireless tag writing command. The wireless tag control data in the setting data file includes parameters used for calibration (setting) following the character string of the calibration command. Specific examples of such parameters include information indicating a sheet feed cassette from which sheets are supplied, minimum and maximum outputs of transmission power of a wireless signal transmitted from the wireless tag communication device154to a wireless tag, a threshold value used to determine a wireless tag to be processed, and the like.

FIG.7is a flowchart showing a specific example of a flow of processing of the image forming apparatus100if calibration is executed. The processor153acquires an image forming data file (ACT101). If the processor153acquires the image forming data file, the acquisition may be realized, for example, by the following processing.

The user may transmit image forming data from the user terminal300to the image forming apparatus100via the network90by operating the user terminal300. In this case, the image forming data file may be stored in the user terminal300, or the user terminal300may acquire the image forming data file from another information storage device or medium. In particular, the setting data file may be transmitted from the user terminal300to the image forming apparatus100in this manner.

The user may connect to the server400by operating the image forming apparatus100and download the image forming data from the server400to the image forming apparatus100via the network90. In this case, the image forming data file may be stored in the server400, or the server400may acquire the image forming data file from another information storage device or medium. In particular, the setting data file may be transmitted from the server400to the image forming apparatus100in this manner. An address of the server400which is used when operating the image forming apparatus100to connect to the server400may be stored in the image forming apparatus100in advance, for example. For example, the image forming apparatus100may transmit request information for requesting the setting data file to the address of the server400. This request information may include type information indicating the type of target wireless tag sheet.

The address of the server400may be recorded on other media. For example, the address of the server400that stores a setting data file for communicating with a wireless tag of a wireless tag sheet may be recorded on wrapping paper of the wireless tag sheet. The address may be recorded, for example, by printing a character string indicating the URL, or by printing an encoded image (for example, a one-dimensional barcode, a two-dimensional barcode, or the like) indicating the URL. The encoded image may include type information indicating the type of wireless tag sheet wrapped in the wrapping paper. The user may input the URL by operating the control panel120of the image forming apparatus100. The address may be acquired by causing the user to input the encoded image to the image forming apparatus100using the image reading device200and causing the processor153of the image forming apparatus100to decode the encoded image.

The user may read the image forming data from the external storage device500to the image forming apparatus100by connecting the external storage device500that records the image forming data file to the external communication interface155and operating the image forming apparatus100. In particular, the setting data file may be read from the external storage device500to the image forming apparatus100in this manner.

The processor153determines whether wireless tag control data included in the acquired image forming data file includes a wireless tag writing command (ACT102). If the wireless tag control data includes the wireless tag writing command (ACT102-YES), the processor153starts to feed a sheet including a wireless tag (hereinafter referred to as a “wireless tag sheet”) (ACT103). The processor153conveys the wireless tag sheet through the conveyance path250and writes information to a wireless tag of the wireless tag sheet by transmitting a wireless signal (ACT104). The processor153controls the forming device130to form an image on the sheet in accordance with the image forming data included in the image forming data file (ACT105).

If the wireless tag control data does not include the wireless tag writing command (ACT102-NO), the processor153determines whether the wireless tag control data included in the acquired image forming data file includes a calibration command (ACT106). If the wireless tag control data includes the calibration command (ACT106-YES), the processor153controls the wireless tag communication device154to execute calibration processing (ACT107). Details of the calibration processing will be described later usingFIG.8.

If the execution of the calibration processing is successful (ACT108-YES), the processor153displays the success in the calibration on the display110(ACT109). On the other hand, if the calibration command is not included in ACT106(ACT106-NO) or if the execution of the calibration processing is not successful (ACT108-NO), the processor153displays an error on the display110(ACT110). In this manner, the processing of the flowchart illustrated inFIG.7is terminated.

FIG.8is a flowchart illustrating a specific example of a flow of the calibration processing. The processor153starts to feed the wireless tag sheet by controlling the sheet feed device205corresponding to a cassette accommodating the wireless tag sheet (ACT201). The processor153controls the rotation of the conveyance roller to convey the wireless tag sheet to the vicinity of an antenna of the wireless tag communication device154and stop the conveyance (ACT202). The processor153controls the wireless tag communication device154and sets the maximum output among the parameters included in the calibration command to be an output of the wireless tag communication device154(ACT203). The processor153executes wireless tag detection processing in the wireless tag communication device154(ACT204). If the detection of the wireless tag is successful in the wireless tag communication device154(ACT205-YES), the processor153lowers the output of the wireless tag communication device154and returns to the processing of ACT204to repeat the processing.

If the detection of the wireless tag is not successful in the wireless tag communication device154(ACT205-NO), the processor153determines whether the output of the wireless tag communication device154is less than the maximum output among the parameters included in the calibration command (ACT207). If the output of the wireless tag communication device154is equal to or greater than the maximum output (ACT207-NO), the processor153outputs the failure in the execution of the calibration processing and terminates the calibration processing (ACT210).

If the output of the wireless tag communication device154is less than the maximum output (ACT207-YES), the processor153sets a value obtained by adding a predetermined margin to the value of the output setting at that point in time as an output for wireless tag detection (ACT208). Then, the processor153outputs the success of the execution of the calibration processing and terminates the calibration processing (ACT209).

In the image forming apparatus100configured as described above, it is possible to more easily set appropriate parameters in a wireless communication device that communicates with a wireless tag attached to a sheet that is a target for image formation. Specific details are as follows.

If appropriate parameters are set in the wireless tag communication device154, the image forming apparatus100does not set the appropriate parameters individually, but the setting of the appropriate parameters is performed by causing the image forming apparatus100to acquire a setting data file recorded in another device. For example, such a setting data file may be transmitted to the image forming apparatus100from the user terminal300, may be downloaded (received) from the server400by operating the image forming apparatus100, or may be read by connecting the external storage device500(for example, a USB memory) to the image forming apparatus100. The setting data file may be input to the image forming apparatus100in other ways. In this manner, the user can easily acquire the setting data file including the appropriate parameters.

If the image forming apparatus100acquires the setting data file, the image forming apparatus100sets appropriate parameters in the wireless tag communication device154of the image forming apparatus100based on information included in the setting data file. For example, the processor153of the image forming apparatus100sets parameters in the wireless tag communication device154based on the content of wireless tag control data in the setting data file. More specific details are as follows. If the wireless tag control data in the setting data file includes a character string indicating a calibration command, the processor153accordingly reads the subsequently recorded calibration parameters and sets the parameters in the wireless tag communication device154. For this reason, the user can more easily execute the setting of the parameters.

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 disclosure. Indeed, the novel embodiments 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 disclosure. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure.