Patent ID: 12187054

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus transmits maintenance data as data relating to maintenance to a management server. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming device, a memory, an interface, and a controller. The image forming device performs various image forming jobs. The memory includes a counter and a held job storage unit. The counter of the memory counts data relating to the image forming jobs executed by the image forming device, and stores the counted data as the maintenance data. The held job storage unit of the memory stores an image forming job that is set as a held job among the image forming jobs. The interface performs communication with the management server. The controller regularly collects the maintenance data from the memory. The controller confirms, if failing to collect the maintenance data, a cause of the failure of the collection. The controller sets, in response to the confirmation that the cause of the failure of the collection is an interruption of the image forming job, the image forming job as the held job. The controller resumes the collection of the maintenance data in response to the setting of the image forming job as the held job. Further, the controller transmits the collected maintenance data to the management server via the interface when the collection of the maintenance data has succeeded.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of an image forming apparatus capable of collecting and transmitting maintenance data at a predetermined timing without losing an image forming job, and a control method therefor will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference symbols represent the same or similar portions.

FIG.1is an overall configuration diagram of an information processing system1including an image forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The information processing system1includes a digital multi-function peripheral (MFP)2, which is one aspect of an image processing apparatus, a plurality of user terminals3, and a management server4. The digital multi-function peripheral2, the plurality of user terminals3, and the management server4are connected to each other by a network5such as a local area network (LAN), thus establishing the information processing system1. The information processing system1may include a plurality of digital multi-function peripherals2.

The digital multi-function peripheral2prints print data provided from the plurality of user terminals3connected via the network5. The digital multi-function peripheral2also has a plurality of functions such as copying, scanning, and facsimile, in addition to the above-mentioned print function. In order to implement those functions, the digital multi-function peripheral2includes, as shown inFIG.1, a printer device21, a facsimile device22, and a scanner device23.

The printer device21forms images by an electrophotographic method, for example. In other words, the printer device21controls the lighting of a laser light source by using the print data processed for image formation. The printer device21scans and exposes a photoreceptor by a light beam emitted from the laser light source and generates electrostatic latent images. Next, the printer device21develops the generated electrostatic latent images by a toner and transfers the created toner images onto paper as a recording medium. The printer device21then passes the paper, on which the toner images are transferred, through a fixing unit heated by a fixing heater, to fix the toner images onto the paper. Subsequently, the printer device21performs post-processing if it is instructed, and then performs print output.

When receiving facsimile image data from the outside via the network5, the facsimile device22generates print image data from the facsimile image data and outputs that data to the printer device21. The facsimile device22also transmits facsimile image data, which is formed in the digital multi-function peripheral2, to the outside via the network5.

The scanner device23is disposed on the lower surface of a transparent platen (not shown). The scanner device23includes a motor for moving scan, and reciprocates and scans in a subscanning direction along the plane of a document. The scanner device23includes a lamp, a mirror, a charge coupled device (CCD) serving as a photoelectric conversion element, and the like. The lamp irradiates a document placed on the platen with light. The mirror deflects the reflected light from the document. The CCD receives the light of an optical image from the mirror and performs photoelectric conversion. The scanner device23moves in the subscanning direction to read the document image on the platen. The read optical image is subjected to photoelectric conversion by the CCD, subjected to predetermined processing, and then output, as print data, to a controller26to be described later.

The digital multi-function peripheral2includes a LAN interface24and a universal serial bus (USB) interface25as communication devices. The LAN interface24transmits and receives print data, image data, maintenance data, and the like to and from computer devices (user terminals3, management server4, and the like) connected thereto via the network5.

The USB interface25is connected to various electronic apparatuses including USB connectors, such as a USB memory, and transmits and receives print data, image data, maintenance data, and the like to and from those electronic apparatuses.

The digital multi-function peripheral2includes the controller26, a read only memory (ROM)27, and a random access memory (RAM)28. The digital multi-function peripheral2also includes input/output devices such as an operation panel30and an IC card reader29.

The controller26is connected to the units such as the printer device21, the facsimile device22, the scanner device23, the LAN interface24, the USB interface25, the ROM27, the RAM28, the IC card reader29, and the operation panel30. The controller26corresponds to the central portion of the computer. The controller26controls the units to implement various functions as the digital multi-function peripheral2according to an operating system or an application program. The controller26functions as a collection unit, a confirmation unit, a processing unit, and a resuming unit.

The ROM27corresponds to a main storage portion of the computer. The ROM27stores the operating system or application program described above. The ROM27may store the data necessary for the controller26to execute processing for controlling each unit.

The RAM28corresponds to a main storage portion of the computer. The RAM28stores the data necessary for the controller26to execute processing. The RAM28is also used as a work area in which the controller26appropriately rewrites information. The RAM28includes, as the work area, a number-of-printed-sheets counter N, a setting data storage unit S, a held data storage unit H functioning as a storage unit that stores print data of a held job, and the like.

The number-of-printed-sheets counter N counts the number of sheets printed in the printer device21(number of times of image forming) and stores this count data. The setting data storage unit S stores, for example, setting data such as thresholds for checking the lifetime of consumable parts, color information for executing a print job, a default value of a paper size or the like, network settings for communicating with the management server, and authentication settings for identifying users. The held data storage unit H stores print data (job data) of a print job (held job) waiting for a user's instruction for execution.

The IC card reader29reads data of an IC card carried by the user. The IC card reader29is, for example, a contactless near field communication device. The user passes the IC card over the IC card reader29, and thus the IC card reader29reads the user ID recorded on the IC card, and the like. The user ID is unique user identification information assigned to each user so as to identify a plurality of users who use the digital multi-function peripheral2.

The operation panel30includes a display31as one aspect of a display device, and a keyboard32as one aspect of an input device. The display31is of a touch panel type in which a touch sensor as a different aspect of the input device is disposed to be superimposed on the surface of the screen. The keyboard32includes a plurality of keys such as numeric keys, a start key, and a reset key. The keyboard32further includes a mode key for switching between a copy mode, a facsimile mode, and a printer mode of the digital multi-function peripheral2.

The management server4is a server for maintenance management of the digital multi-function peripheral2or billing management corresponding to the number of printed sheets, and is managed by a maintenance service provider of the digital multi-function peripheral2, for example.

FIG.2is a flowchart showing processing of collecting and transmitting maintenance data by the digital multi-function peripheral2described above. A maintenance data collecting and transmitting program is stored in the ROM27, for example. The maintenance data collecting and transmitting program is activated at a predetermined timing. In this embodiment, the digital multi-function peripheral2executes the maintenance data collecting and transmitting program at a predetermined time of day once a day, for example.

The digital multi-function peripheral2is inhibited from executing this maintenance data collecting and transmitting program during execution of an image forming job.

The image forming job includes a print job in the printer device21, an image data generating job in the facsimile device22, image reading, image data generating, and image data writing jobs in the scanner device23, and the like. Hereinafter, the print job will be taken as an example of the image forming job to describe the processing of collecting and transmitting maintenance data.

For example, if the digital multi-function peripheral2tries to read count data of the number of printed sheets during execution of a print job, the data may be damaged when the number of printed sheets is written and read. Hence, the maintenance data collecting and transmitting program is inhibited from being executed during the execution of the print job. “During the execution” of the print job includes “during interruption” of the job. “During interruption” of the job means a state where the job is interrupted in the middle of the print job, such as a state where the job is interrupted due to paper out or a state where the job is interrupted due to a paper jam.

When receiving a print job from the user terminal3via the network5, the controller26of the digital multi-function peripheral2stores job data of that print job in the work area of the RAM28. Subsequently, the controller26controls the printer device21to execute the print job, store a start time of the print job by referring to a clock unit33, and also set a flag indicating that the job is being executed. The controller26can determine that the print job is being executed (including the state being interrupted) by confirming that flag.

As shown inFIG.2, when the execution of the maintenance data collecting and transmitting program is started at a predetermined time of day, in Act1, the controller26collects count data from the number-of-printed-sheets counter N of the RAM28and collects setting data from the setting data storage unit S. In the following description, those pieces of count data and setting data will be collectively referred to as maintenance data.

At that time, in Act2, the controller26determines whether or not the collection of the maintenance data has succeeded in Act1. If the controller26determines in Act2that the collection of the maintenance data has succeeded (YES in Act2), the processing of the controller26proceeds to Act3. In Act3, the controller26transmits the collected maintenance data to the management server4via the LAN interface24, as normal processing.

If the controller26determines in Act2that the collection of the maintenance data has not succeeded (NO in Act2), the processing of the controller26proceeds to Act4. In Act4, the controller26confirms a flag indicating that a job is being executed, to determine whether or not the printer device21is executing a print job. If the controller26determines that the job is not being executed (NO in Act4), the processing of the controller26proceeds to Act5. In Act5, the controller26determines that the collection of the maintenance data has failed due to another cause and terminates the processing.

If the controller26determines that the job is being executed (YES in Act4), the processing of the controller26proceeds to Act6. In Act6, the controller26acquires a start time of the print job stored in advance. In Act7, the controller26determines whether or not a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the start of the print job.

If the controller26determines that the predetermined period of time has not elapsed (NO in Act7), the processing of the controller26proceeds to Act8. In Act8, the controller26determines whether or not the printer device21has terminated the print job. In other words, the controller26determines whether or not the print job has been terminated before the elapse of the predetermined period of time. The controller26determines that the print job has been terminated before the elapse of the predetermined period of time (NO in Act7or YES in Act8), the processing of the controller26returns to Act1. Subsequently, the controller26resumes the processing of collecting the maintenance data.

If the predetermined period of time has elapsed (YES in Act7) without termination of the print job (NO in Act8), the processing of the controller26proceeds to Act9. In Act9, the controller26determines that the print job being executed is interrupted and left for a predetermined period of time, and then cancels the print job. In Act10, the controller26then transmits the job data of the print job to its own loopback address. The transmitted job data is written, as print data of a held job, to the held data storage unit H. Subsequently, the processing of the controller26returns to Act1. The processing of the controller26then resumes the processing of collecting the maintenance data.

As described above, according to this embodiment, if failing to collect its own maintenance data, the digital multi-function peripheral2can confirm a cause of the collection failure, and after determining that the cause is an interruption of a print job, cancel the print job to set the print job as a held job. Hence, according to this embodiment, it is possible to collect and transmit the maintenance data without losing the print job and to transmit the maintenance data to the management server4timely.

Note that the embodiment described above is not limited to the configuration described above. For example, in the embodiment described above, if failing to regularly collect maintenance data, the digital multi-function peripheral2confirms that a print job is being executed, and then cancels the print job after waiting for a predetermined period of time to set the print job as a held job. However, when confirming that the print job is being executed, the digital multi-function peripheral2may cancel the print job and set the print job as a held job.

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 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 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.