Patent ID: 8494309

Claim:
A data processing apparatus comprising: input means for inputting image data; processing means for processing the input image data; storage means for storing the input image data; saving means for temporarily saving image data transferred from the storage means, and in processing the image data, outputting the saved image data to the storage means; invalidation means for invalidating image data stored in the storage means; and control means for controlling activation of the invalidation means according to the operational status of the apparatus so as to inhibit activation of the invalidation means when the apparatus continues its operation and activate the invalidation means when the apparatus terminates its operation, wherein the control means determines as an operational status whether image data for a job is input or not, then inhibits activation of the invalidation means by judging that the apparatus continues its operation when image data for said a job has been input and wherein, when input of image data for said a job is completed and output of processed image data associated with said job is completed, the control means activates the invalidation means by determining whether image data of a job different from said job is saved in the saving means, when no image data of a job different from said job is input, and inhibiting the invalidation means when image data of a job different from said job has been input wherein the job different from said job has a different time of submission, a different paper size or a different number of copies from said job.