Patent ID: 8885202

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a read unit configured to read a document image and to generate image data of the document image; a memory management unit configured to manage a single first storage unit which is segmented into N storage regions, where N is an even number greater than or equal to 4, and to provide setting information related to writing of the image data to the first storage unit; an engine configured to acquire the setting information from the memory management unit, and to write the image data generated by the read unit to the first storage unit based on the setting information; a point setting unit configured to set a first check point to an end of an ith storage region and a second check point to an end of an (i+1)th storage region of the first storage unit based on the setting information, where i is a natural number from 1 to N−1; a detecting unit configured to detect writing of the image data up to each of the first and second check points set by the point setting unit, in order to detect each of the first and second check points; and a backup processing unit configured to back up the image data written in the first storage unit into a second storage unit in units of the plurality of storage regions of the first storage unit by a backup process, when the detecting unit detects the writing of the image data up to one of the first and second check points set by the point setting unit, wherein the backup processing unit generates an alarm display request that requests display of an alarm when the detecting unit detects the writing of the image data up to a next check point that is set by the point setting unit in a state in which the backup process of the backup processing unit has not ended, wherein the point setting unit dynamically resets the first check point to the end of an (i+2)th storage region that is vacant when the detecting unit detects the first check point at the end of the ith storage region and before the detecting unit detects the second check point at the end of the (i+1)th storage region, wherein the point setting unit dynamically resets the second check point to the end of an (i+3)th storage region that is vacant when the detecting unit detects the second check point at the end of the (i+1)th storage region and before the detecting unit detects the first check point at the end of the (i+2)th storage region, so that the first check point and the second check point are alternately detected by the detecting unit, and wherein the first and second check points that are set or dynamically reset exist simultaneously.