Image forming apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is an image forming apparatus configured to form an image based on a first print job transmitted from a first type of information processing device, and to form an image based on a second print job transmitted from a second type of information processing device different from the first type of information processing device, the image forming apparatus includes: a memory section configured to store a plurality of print jobs including a first print job and a second print job; and a control section configured to control the image forming apparatus to perform image formation based on the plurality of print jobs in the order stored in the memory section, in which the control section is configured to control whether to perform image formation based on the selected print job.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, or a multifunction peripheral having an interrupt processing function for a print job. Background Art

[0002] An image forming device that acquires a print job from an external device to perform a print process stores and manages the acquired print job in a job queue. The image forming device executes the print jobs stored in the job queue in the order in which they were acquired. Hitherto, an image forming device having an interrupt printing function for executing a print job by causing a waiting print job to be interrupted by another new print job is known (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-26939).

[0003] Image forming apparatuses have been expanded in various markets. For example, the use of image forming apparatuses has been expanded in an office market where image forming apparatuses are used by an unlimited large number of users and in a commercial printing market where image forming apparatuses are used to create publications. Image forming apparatuses in the office market are used by an unlimited large number of users. Therefore, their interrupt printing function can be used. Image forming apparatuses in the commercial printing market have print jobs managed by an administrator. Image forming apparatuses that meet the needs of both the office market and the commercial printing market support high-speed processing of complex setting information for publications and high image quality by attaching a dedicated controller to a related art image forming apparatus for the office market.

[0004] An image forming apparatus may experience a change in image quality due to a change in conditions. In the case of using an interrupt printing function, the operation between an interrupt printing job and an interrupted printing job may cause a change in the charge amount of the toner and the resistance of the intermediate transfer belt, thereby causing a change in image quality. However, an image forming apparatus that meets the needs of both the office market and the commercial printing market can perform both a printing job that is expected to suppress a change in image quality and a printing job that uses the related art interrupt printing function. In the case of a printing job that is expected to suppress a change in image quality, another printing job that uses the interrupt printing function may be performed, which may make it difficult to maintain image quality. Therefore, an image forming apparatus that can maintain image quality even with an interrupt printing function is required. Summary of the invention

[0005] According to the present invention, an image forming device is configured to form an image based on a first print job transmitted from a first type of information processing device, and to form an image based on a second print job transmitted from a second type of information processing device, the second type of information processing device being different from the first type of information processing device, the image forming device comprising: a memory component, the memory component being configured to store a plurality of print jobs including the first print job and the second print job; and a control component, the control component being configured to control the image forming device to perform image formation based on the plurality of print jobs in the order stored in the memory component, wherein the control component is configured to control whether to perform image formation based on a selected print job based on the type of the information processing device that has transmitted the other print job, when an instruction for performing image formation based on the selected print job before image formation based on another print job is received, the selected print job being one of the first print job and the second print job.

[0006] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a diagram of an image forming system.

[0008] Figure 2 is a flowchart for illustrating the processing of a print job stored in a job queue.

[0009] Figure 3 It is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus.

[0010] Figure 4 is an exemplary view of the main menu screen.

[0011] Figure 5 is an exemplary view of the job queue screen.

[0012] Figure 6 is an exemplary view of a job queue screen with a selected print job highlighted.

[0013] Figure 7 is a flowchart for illustrating determination processing for interrupting printing.

[0014] Figure 8 is an exemplary view of the updated job queue screen.

[0015] Fig. 9 is an exemplary view of the job queue screen.

[0016] Fig.10is an exemplary view of the job queue screen displayed when the user is notified.

[0017] Fig.11 is an exemplary view of the setting screen.

[0018] Fig.12 is a diagram of an image forming system.

[0019] Fig.13 is a flowchart for illustrating determination processing for interrupting printing.

[0020] Fig.14 is an exemplary view of the interrupt request screen. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments, a case where the image forming apparatus is an electrophotographic color printer is described, but the image forming apparatus may be, for example, a copier, a fax machine, a multifunction machine, or a multifunction peripheral (MFP).

[0022] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 2 is a diagram of an image forming system in the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The image forming system 200 includes an image forming apparatus 300 and a first image processing unit 400. The image forming apparatus 300 includes a second image processing unit 500, a control unit 600, an operation and display unit 700, and an image forming unit 800.

[0023] The image forming system 200 is connected to the client terminal 100 as an external device. The image forming system 200 acquires a print job from the client terminal 100. The print job is input to any one of the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500. The first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 perform different kinds of predetermined image processing for converting the acquired print job into printable image data. The image forming unit 800 prints an image on a sheet as an example of a recording medium based on the image data.

[0024] The first image processing unit 400 is used as an external processing device of the image forming apparatus 300 and is referred to as a “digital front end (DFE)”. The first image processing unit 400 includes a transmitting and receiving unit 410, an image processing unit 420, a memory 430, and a processing device control unit 440. The second image processing unit 500 is used as an internal processing device for the image forming apparatus 300. The second image processing unit 500 includes a transmitting and receiving unit 510, an image processing unit 520, a memory 530, and a processing device control unit 540.

[0025] The first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 acquire a print job from an external device (client terminal 100) through the sending and receiving units 410 and 510. The print job includes page description language (PDL) data. The PDL data is a page description language that can be read by the image processing units 420 and 520, and includes image data and setting information set by a user. The setting information includes the type of printer driver that created the PDL data, the type of image processing unit to perform processing (either the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500), and a new interrupt printing determination flag indicating whether the print job is an interrupt printing job described later. The setting information also includes sheet settings, single-sided or double-sided printing, and magnification.

[0026] The transmitting and receiving units 410 and 510 are connected to an external device such as the client terminal 100 through a network such as a local area network (LAN) or a connection interface such as a universal serial bus (USB) to achieve communication therebetween. The client terminal 100 converts data on, for example, an image to be printed into PDL data by using a printer driver and transmits the PDL data to the image forming system 200.

[0027] The image processing units 420 and 520 perform a raster image processor (RIP) process for generating raster image data in which the PDL data is expanded in a bitmap form from the PDL data. The raster image data is transmitted to the control unit 600 as a print job by the transmitting and receiving units 410 and 510 together with the setting information and the type of the image processing unit that has performed the process. The processing device control units 440 and 540 control the operations of the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 by computer programs stored in the memories 430 and 530, respectively.

[0028] The first image processing unit 400 uses a dedicated memory to perform high-speed processing of complex setting information and large-volume print jobs. In a print job related to image data input to the first image processing unit 400, for example, a user can select a resolution. Setting information for the print job includes user selection information about a resolution of an image to be formed. The resolution set in the print job can be selected by the user.

[0029] The second image processing unit 500 acquires simplified setting items from the client terminal 100, thereby performing image processing using simplified setting information while reducing processing time. For example, a default resolution is set in a print job associated with image data input to the second image processing unit 500. The setting information of the print job does not include user selection information about the resolution of the image to be formed. The second image processing unit 500 is disposed inside the image forming apparatus 300, thereby serving as an embedded controller supporting space saving requirements in the office market.

[0030] That is, the first image processing unit 400 performs image processing for mass printing with relatively high image quality for the commercial printing market, while the second image processing unit 500 performs image processing with relatively high productivity and reduced processing time for the office market. In addition, the number of types of setting information of the print job to be transmitted by the first image processing unit 400 is greater than the number of types of setting information of the print job to be transmitted by the second image processing unit 500.

[0031] In the first embodiment, the first image processing unit 400 is arranged outside the image forming device 300, and the second image processing unit 500 is arranged inside the image forming device 300, but the arrangement of the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 is not limited thereto. It is sufficient as long as two different image processing units are connected to the image forming device 300. The image forming device 300 forms an image based on a print job transmitted from the first image processing unit 400, and forms an image based on a print job transmitted from the second image processing unit 500. The first image processing unit 400 serves as a first type of information processing device that performs image processing on image data of a print job, and the second image processing unit 500 serves as a second type of information processing device that performs image processing based on image data of a print job.

[0032] The control unit 600 is connected to the first image processing unit 400, the second image processing unit 500, the operation and display unit 700, and the image forming unit 800. The control unit 600 may acquire a print job from each of the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 and cause the image forming unit 800 to form an image corresponding to the print job.

[0033] The control unit 600 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 610, a read-only memory (ROM) 620, a random access memory (RAM) 630, and a storage device 640. The storage device 640 is a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). The CPU 610 controls the overall operation of the image forming apparatus 300 by executing a computer program stored in the ROM 620 and the storage device 640. The RAM 630 provides a work area to be used when the CPU 610 performs processing, and is used, for example, to store temporary data. The storage device 640 is also used to store various data. For example, the storage device 640 stores the print jobs (each print job includes raster image data, setting information, etc.) acquired from the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 in the job queue in the order in which they are acquired.

[0034] The job queue stored in the storage device 640 is described. The control unit 600 stores the print jobs acquired from the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 in the job queue in the storage device 640, reads out the print jobs from the head in the order in which they are stored, and performs processing (image formation by the image forming apparatus 300). The job queue stores information such as raster image data of each print job, setting information, the order in which printing is to be performed, job attributes described later, and a status of being in progress or waiting. In the case where the control unit 600 acquires a print job from each of the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500, the control unit 600 adds the acquired print job to the end of the job queue.

[0035] Figure 2 is a flowchart for illustrating the processing of a print job stored in a job queue. The control unit 600 reads out a print job at the head of the job queue (step S101). The control unit 600 sets the status of the read print job to "in progress" (step S102). At the same time, the control unit 600 instructs the image forming unit 800 to execute the print job (step S103). This causes the image forming unit 800 to print an image corresponding to the print job on a sheet. When the processing of the print job is completed, the control unit 600 deletes the print job from the job queue (step S104).

[0036] The operation and display unit 700 is a user interface that combines a display unit 710 used as an output interface and an operation unit 720 used as an input interface with each other. The display unit 710 is formed of, for example, a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display. Under the control of the control unit 600, various setting screens and the like are displayed on the display unit 710. The operation unit 720 is formed of a touch panel, a key button, a switch, and the like provided on the screen of the display unit 710. The operation unit 720 is operated by the user, and transmits the received operation details to the control unit 600.

[0037] The user can input various instructions to the image forming apparatus 300 by performing operations via the operation unit 720 based on the details of the screen displayed on the display unit 710. In the first embodiment, the user can issue instructions through the operation unit 720 to display the job queue and to instruct to interrupt printing.

[0038] The image forming unit 800 prints an image corresponding to the print job on a sheet based on an execution instruction of the print job from the control unit 600 . Figure 3 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus 300 including an image forming unit 800. The image forming apparatus 300 has an operation and display unit 700 provided above a housing, and has a control unit 600 and an image forming unit 800 provided inside. Although not shown in the figure, a second image processing unit 500 is also provided inside the image forming apparatus 300.

[0039] The image forming unit 800 includes a plurality of image forming parts for forming a color image. In the first embodiment, four image forming parts 810Y, 810M, 810C, and 810K are provided so as to form images of four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K), respectively. The image forming unit 800 also includes an intermediate transfer belt 820, a secondary transfer inner roller 821, a secondary transfer roller 822, a fixing device 830, sheet feeding boxes 840a, 840b, and 840c, and conveying paths 841 and 842.

[0040] The image forming section 810Y is used to form a yellow image. The image forming section 810M is used to form a magenta image. The image forming section 810C is used to form a cyan image. The image forming section 810K is used to form a black image. The image forming sections 810Y, 810M, 810C, and 810K have the same configuration and perform the same operation except that the colors of the images to be formed are different. Here, the configuration and operation of the image forming section 810K are described.

[0041] The image forming part 810K includes a photosensitive drum 811, a charging device 812, an exposure device 813, a developing device 814, a drum cleaner 815, and a primary transfer part 816. The photosensitive drum 811 is a photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer on its surface, and rotates around a drum shaft. The charging device 812 uniformly charges the surface of the rotating photosensitive drum 811. The exposure device 813 irradiates the charged surface of the photosensitive drum 811 with a laser beam based on raster image data (image data), thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 811. The developing device 814 causes a developer (e.g., toner) to adhere to the electrostatic latent image, thereby forming an image (toner image) on the surface of the photosensitive drum 811.

[0042] The primary transfer portion 816 is arranged at a position opposite to the photosensitive drum 811 with the intermediate transfer belt 820 interposed therebetween. The primary transfer portion 816 has a transfer bias applied thereto, thereby transferring the image formed on the photosensitive drum 811 to the intermediate transfer belt 820. Any toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 811 after the transfer is removed by the drum cleaner 815.

[0043] In the same manner, the images formed by the image forming parts 810Y, 810M, and 810C are also transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 820. The intermediate transfer belt 820 is an endless belt stretched around a plurality of rollers including the secondary transfer inner roller 821, and rotates in a direction from the image forming part 810Y to the image forming part 810K. The image forming parts 810Y, 810M, 810C, and 810K transfer images in a superimposed manner in sequence from the upstream side in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 820. That is, the intermediate transfer belt 820 carries images superimposed in the order of a yellow image, a magenta image, a cyan image, and a black image. The intermediate transfer belt 820 conveys the carried images to the secondary transfer inner roller 821 by being rotated.

[0044] The sheets are contained in sheet feeding boxes 840a, 840b and 840c. The sheet feeding boxes 840a, 840b and 840c can contain the same type of sheets, or can contain different types of sheets. The sheets are fed from any one of the sheet feeding boxes 840a, 840b and 840c to be conveyed to the secondary transfer roller 822 through the conveying path 841.

[0045] The secondary transfer inner roller 821 and the secondary transfer roller 822 sandwich the intermediate transfer belt 820, thereby forming a secondary transfer section. The sheet is conveyed to the secondary transfer section according to the timing at which the image carried on the intermediate transfer belt 820 is conveyed to the secondary transfer inner roller 821. The secondary transfer section sandwiches and conveys the sheet between the secondary transfer roller 822 and the intermediate transfer belt 820. At this time, the secondary transfer section transfers the image of all colors on the intermediate transfer belt 820 to the sheet together by applying a transfer bias to the secondary transfer roller 822.

[0046] The sheet to which the image is transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 830. The fixing device 830 fixes the image to the sheet by, for example, applying heat and pressure to the sheet. The sheet to which the image is fixed is delivered to the outside of the image forming apparatus 300 through the conveying path 842.

[0047] An optical sensor 825 for calibration of the image forming unit 800 is provided between the image forming portion 810K and the secondary transfer portion in the rotation direction of the intermediate transfer belt 820. The optical sensor 825 includes a light emitting element for emitting light toward the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 820 and a light receiving element for receiving reflected light from a measurement target on the intermediate transfer belt 820, and outputs a signal based on the amount of reflected light from the measurement target. In the calibration, the control unit 600 causes the image forming portions 810Y, 810M, 810C, and 810K to form a pattern image, and acquires the amount of reflected light from the pattern image through the optical sensor 825. Then, the control unit 600 obtains the density of the pattern image according to the amount of reflected light, and controls the image forming conditions of the image forming unit 800 based on the density of the pattern image so that the density of the image to be formed by the image forming portions 810Y, 810M, 810C, and 810K becomes the target density.

[0048] The operation to be performed by the image forming system 200 configured as described above when executing a print job is described. A user generates a print job including PDL data using the client terminal 100. The PDL data is generated by converting an image to be printed by a printer driver.

[0049] The print job is transmitted from the client terminal 100 to the first image processing unit 400 or the second image processing unit 500 according to the setting information. The PDL data included in the print job is converted into raster image data by image processing including RIP processing by the first image processing unit 400 or the second image processing unit 500. The raster image data is transmitted to the control unit 600 together with the setting information including information for identifying the image processing unit that performed the image processing.

[0050] The control unit 600 assigns a job attribute described later to the acquired setting information. The control unit 600 stores the print job (raster image data and setting information) in the job queue. The control unit 600 causes the image forming unit 800 to print an image on a sheet based on the raster image data stored in the job queue.

[0051] <Assignment of job attributes> In the first embodiment, a print job for which interruption is prohibited or a print job for which interruption is permitted is determined based on information included in the setting information. The information is information for identifying an image processing unit that has performed image processing. The result of the determination is included in the setting information as a job attribute. A print job for which interruption is prohibited is assigned a job attribute as an interruption prohibition attribute, and a print job for which interruption is permitted is assigned a job attribute as an interruption permitting attribute.

[0052] A method of assigning job attributes is described. In the case where the control unit 600 acquires raster image data and setting information from the first image processing unit 400 or the second image processing unit 500, the control unit 600 reads the type of the image processing unit in the setting information (information for identifying the type of the information processing device that has performed image processing). The control unit 600 uses the read type of the image processing unit to determine that the job attribute is an interruption prohibition attribute in the case where the type is the first image processing unit 400 and to determine that the job attribute is an interruption permission attribute in the case where the type is the second image processing unit 500. The control unit 600 writes the determined job attribute into the setting information and stores the raster image data and the setting information in a job queue. That is, the interruption prohibition attribute is set in a print job processed by the first image processing unit 400 that performs image processing for producing image quality for the commercial printing market, and the interruption permission attribute is set in a print job processed by the second image processing unit 500 that performs image processing for producing image quality for the office market.

[0053] <Interrupt printing> In the first embodiment, in the case where the user instructs interrupt printing, the control unit 600 determines whether interrupt printing can be performed. Interrupt printing is a function of executing a newly created print job before a waiting print job, and is set by the user. In the first embodiment, in the case where a print job in the job queue is selected and interrupt printing is instructed, the control unit 600 determines whether interrupt printing can be performed.

[0054] When setting interrupt printing, the operation and display unit 700 is used. The control unit 600 displays the main menu screen on the display unit 710 as the initial screen. Figure 4 710. is an exemplary view of the main menu screen. On the main menu screen, a "display job queue" button, a "print from data" button, and a "settings" button are displayed. When the user presses the "display job queue" button through the operation unit 720, the control unit 600 displays the job queue screen on the display unit 710.

[0055] Figure 5is an exemplary view of the job queue screen. On the job queue screen, setting information of each print job stored in the job queue and an "interrupt" button are displayed. The setting information of the print job includes the name of the print job, the status of the job (in progress or waiting), and the job attributes. On the job queue screen, the print jobs are displayed so as to be arranged from top to bottom in the order in which printing is performed. The setting information of the print job is not limited thereto, and may include other information such as a time period required for printing or an estimated end time of printing.

[0056] In this case, the control unit 600 performs calibration every time 500 pages of images are formed since the last calibration was performed. Figure 5 On the job queue screen shown in , "Job 1" is a print job started when 200 pages of images are formed since the last calibration was performed. In addition, the number of print sheets of "Job 1", "Job 2", "Job 3" and "Job 4" is 50 pages.

[0057] The user can select a print job from the job queue screen through the operation unit 720. The print job selected by the user is highlighted. Figure 6 is an exemplary view of the job queue screen in which "Job 3" is highlighted. Figure 5 When you select "Job 3" on the job queue screen, the Figure 6 The Job Queue screen appears.

[0058] When the user presses the "interrupt" button after selecting a print job, the control unit 600 receives an instruction for performing image formation based on the selected print job before image formation based on another print job. This enables the control unit 600 to determine whether to perform interrupt printing based on the selected print job. Figure 7 is a flowchart for illustrating determination processing for interrupting printing.

[0059] The control unit 600 reads each print job stored in the job queue (step S201). The control unit 600 determines whether the selected print job is located at the head of the waiting print job (step S202). In the case where the selected print job is located at the head ("Yes" in step S202), the control unit 600 ends this process.

[0060] In the case where the selected print job is not at the head ("No" in step S202), the control unit 600 determines whether the job attribute of the print job immediately before the selected print job in the order of the job queue is interruption allowed (step S203). In the case where the job attribute is not interruption allowed ("No" in step S203), the control unit 600 ends this processing. In the case where the job attribute is interruption allowed ("Yes" in step S203), the control unit 600 switches the position of the selected print job and the print job immediately before the selected print job in the order of the job queue (step S204). After the switching of the position in the order is completed, the control unit 600 repeats the processing steps of step S202 and subsequent steps again. These processing steps are repeatedly executed until the selected print job becomes the head of the waiting print job in the job queue of the waiting print jobs, or the job attribute of the print job immediately before the selected print job in the order becomes interruption prohibited.

[0061] exist Figure 7 When the determination processing is completed, the control unit 600 updates the job queue screen displayed on the display unit 710. Figure 6 When the "Interrupt" button is pressed on the screen, the control unit 600 executes Figure 7 , to switch the positions of “Job 3” and “Job 2” in the order of the job queue. Therefore, “Job 3” becomes the head of the waiting print job in the job queue. When the control unit 600 receives the instruction due to pressing the “Interrupt” button, in the case where another print job is transmitted from the second image processing unit 500 (the second type of information processing device), the control unit 600 causes image formation based on the selected print job to be performed before image formation based on the other print job. Figure 8 is an exemplary view of the updated job queue screen.

[0062] exist Figure 7 In the determination processing, in a case where a print job immediately before the selected print job in the job queue has a job attribute indicating interruption prohibition, switching of the positions of the print jobs in sequence is not performed. Fig. 9 is an exemplary view of the job queue screen displayed in this case. Fig. 9 , the job attribute of "Job 2" immediately before "Job 3" is interrupt prohibition. In the case where the control unit 600 receives an instruction due to the pressing of the "interrupt" button, in the case where another print job is transmitted from the first image processing unit 400 (the first type of information processing device), the control unit 600 prevents image formation based on the selected print job from being executed before image formation based on the other print job. Therefore, even if the image is not formed in the execution state, the image is not formed in the execution state. Figure 7In the case of processing, the sequential position switching is not performed.

[0063] Figure 7 The determination process of the interruption process is not limited to this, and the determination of the interruption process may be performed based on the job attributes of the print job at the head of the job queue. In another case, the determination of the interruption process may be performed based on information other than the job attributes. The notification to the user is not limited to such as Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The job queue screen shown in . Fig.10 6 is another exemplary view of the job queue screen displayed in the case where the user is notified. The control unit 600 determines whether to enable interrupt printing in the state where the user selects a print job, and in the case where interrupt printing is disabled, such as Fig.10 As shown in , the job queue screen is displayed with the "Interrupt" button grayed out. This disables reception of an instruction to press the "Interrupt" button, and notifies the user that interrupt printing is disabled.

[0064] <Second Embodiment> The configuration of the image forming system 200 in the second embodiment of the present disclosure is the same as that in the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the instruction to interrupt printing of a print job is issued through the operation and display unit 700, while in the second embodiment, the instruction to interrupt printing is issued through the client terminal 100.

[0065] When an instruction to interrupt printing is issued through the client terminal 100 , a setting screen for interrupt printing is displayed on the display of the client terminal 100 by the printer driver of the client terminal 100 . Fig.11 2 is an example diagram of such a setting screen. The user can issue an instruction to interrupt printing from the setting screen through the input device of the client terminal 100.

[0066] When creating the PDL data, the printer driver may write information indicating details of an instruction to interrupt printing into the setting information. In the second embodiment, details of the instruction to interrupt printing are represented by a new interrupt printing determination flag. In the case where interrupt printing is instructed through the setting screen, the printer driver enables the new interrupt printing determination flag, and in the case where interrupt printing is not instructed, disables the new interrupt printing determination flag. The new interrupt printing determination flag is included in the setting information of the print job. The print job including the PDL data and the setting information is transmitted from the client terminal 100 to the image forming system 200.

[0067] Either one of the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 receives the print job transmitted from the client terminal 100. The PDL data is RIP-processed by either one of the first image processing unit 400 and the second image processing unit 500 that received the print job to be converted into raster image data. Information indicating the image processing unit that has performed the RIP processing is written in the setting information. The setting information in which the information is written and the raster image data are transmitted to the control unit 600.

[0068] The control unit 600 writes the job attributes into the acquired setting information. The control unit 600 stores the print job (including the raster image data and the setting information) in the job queue. When storing in the job queue, the control unit 600 reads the new interrupt printing determination flag in the setting information.

[0069] In the case where the new interrupt printing determination flag is disabled, the control unit 600 stores the print job at the last position in the order of the job queue. In the case where the new interrupt printing determination flag is enabled, the control unit 600 stores the print job at the last position in the order of the job queue, and then executes Figure 7 Therefore, the print job indicating the interruption of printing is stored at the head of the job queue or immediately after the print job prohibited as interruption.

[0070] <Third Embodiment> Fig.12 200a is a diagram of an image forming system in a third embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 The configuration of the image forming system 200 in the first embodiment is such that the first image processing unit 400 is removed. The configuration of the image forming apparatus 300 is the same as that of the image forming apparatus 300 according to the first embodiment. The image forming system 200a can perform processing when printing is interrupted in the same manner as in the first and second embodiments.

[0071] The client terminal 100a includes a first printer driver 110 and a second printer driver 120. The first printer driver 110 converts image data into PDL data described in PostScript (PS). The second printer driver 120 converts image data into PDL data described in Printer Control Language (PCL). The first printer driver 110 is used in a commercial printing market that requires high image quality such as photo images, and is called a "PS driver" or the like. The second printer driver 120 is a printer driver for printing text or graphics created by software used in an office market that requires high productivity, and is called a "PCL driver" or the like. The first printer driver 110 and the second printer driver 120 only require that the PDL format be different, and may each have a different PDL format.

[0072] The image forming system 200a can be connected to a plurality of client terminals 100 in the first embodiment. In this case, the plurality of client terminals 100 have mutually different printer drivers. That is, a print job including PDL data generated in different PDL formats is input to the image forming system 200a.

[0073] The overall operation to be performed by the image forming system 200a when executing a print job is described. The user generates a print job at the client terminal 100a. At this time, the image data is converted into PDL data by any one of the first printer driver 110 and the second printer driver 120. The setting information of the print job includes the type of the printer driver that has generated the PDL data. The generated print job (including the PDL data and the setting information) is transmitted from the client terminal 100a to the second image processing unit 500 of the image forming system 200a.

[0074] The second image processing unit 500 performs RIP processing on the PDL data included in the received print job to convert the PDL data into raster image data. The second image processing unit 500 transmits the raster image data and setting information to the control unit 600.

[0075] The control unit 600 assigns a job attribute described later to the acquired setting information. The control unit 600 stores the print job (including raster image data and setting information) in the job queue. The control unit 600 causes the image forming unit 800 to print an image on a sheet based on the raster image data stored in the job queue.

[0076] <Assignment of job attributes> In the third embodiment, a print job for which interruption is prohibited or a print job for which interruption is permitted is determined based on information about a printer driver for which PDL data has been created. The result of the determination is included in the setting information as a job attribute. A print job for which interruption is prohibited is assigned a job attribute as an interruption prohibition attribute, and a print job for which interruption is permitted is assigned a job attribute as an interruption permitting attribute.

[0077] A method of assigning job attributes is described. In the case where the control unit 600 acquires raster image data and setting information from the second image processing unit 500, the control unit 600 reads the type of the printer driver in the setting information. The control unit 600 uses the read type of the printer driver to determine that the job attribute is an interruption prohibition attribute in the case where the type is the first printer driver 110, and determines that the job attribute is an interruption permission attribute in the case where the type is the second printer driver 120. That is, the interruption permission attribute is set for a print job including PDL data converted by the second printer driver 120 and used to produce image quality for the office market. The interruption prohibition attribute is set for a print job including PDL data converted by the first printer driver 110 and used to produce image quality for the commercial printing market. The control unit 600 writes the determined job attribute into the setting information, and stores the raster image data and the setting information in the job queue. Therefore, in the same manner as the first embodiment and the second embodiment, it can be determined whether to enable interrupt printing based on the job attribute.

[0078] <Fourth Embodiment> In the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure, a request function for a user to request interruption permission in a case where interruption printing is prohibited by job attributes is added. A configuration in which an interruption request can always be made is described. The configuration of the image forming system may be any one of the configuration of the image forming system in the first and second embodiments and the configuration of the image forming system in the third embodiment. Now, a case in which the configuration of the image forming system 200 in the first and second embodiments is used is described. Fig.13 : is a flowchart for illustrating the determination process of interrupting printing.

[0079] The control unit 600 reads each print job stored in the job queue (step S301). The control unit 600 determines whether the selected print job is located at the head of the waiting print job (step S302). In the case where the selected print job is located at the head ("Yes" in step S302), the control unit 600 ends this process.

[0080] In the case where the selected print job is not at the head ("No" in step S302), the control unit 600 determines whether the job attribute of the print job immediately before the selected print job in the order of the job queue is interruption permission (step S303). In the case where the job attribute is interruption permission ("Yes" in step S303), the control unit 600 switches the position of the selected print job and the print job immediately before the selected print job in the order of the job queue (step S308). After the switching of the position in the order is completed, the control unit 600 repeats the processing steps of step S302 and subsequent steps again.

[0081] In the case where the job attribute is not interruption permission ("No" in step S303), the control unit 600 reads the setting information of the print job immediately before the selected print job from the job queue (step S304). The setting information includes the name of the print job immediately before the print job, the user information of the user who has generated the print job, and the name of the client terminal that has generated the print job. The control unit 600 uses the read setting information to communicate with the client terminal that has generated the print information, and causes the client terminal to display an interruption request screen (step S305). Fig.14 is an exemplary view of the interrupt request screen.

[0082] The user who has generated the print job instructs to allow or prohibit interrupt printing from the interrupt request screen. The details of the instruction are transmitted from the client terminal to the control unit 600. The control unit 600 recognizes the details of the instruction (step S306). In the case where the details of the instruction are to allow interrupt printing ("Yes" in step S306), the control unit 600 changes the job attribute of the print job to interruption permission (step S307). Thereafter, the control unit 600 performs the processing step of step S308. In the case where the details of the instruction are to prohibit interrupt printing ("No" in step S306), the control unit 600 ends this processing.

[0083] This process is performed only if the user specifies when generating the print job that the user wishes to make an interrupt request. Figure 7 After the processing, the interrupt request screen is displayed on the client terminal, and the processing steps of step S305 and subsequent steps can be executed.

[0084] In each of the above-described embodiments, permission or prohibition of interrupt printing is set in each of a plurality of print jobs included in a job queue. In the case where another print job instructing interrupt printing is input, the order of the print jobs included in the job queue is set again based on the setting information of each print job in the job queue. That is, another print job instructing interrupt printing is prevented from interrupting the print job for which interrupt printing was previously prohibited. This prevents another print job from being executed before the print job for which interrupt printing was previously prohibited, thereby being able to suppress changes in image quality due to interrupt printing.

[0085] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

[0086] This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-182530, filed on October 24, 2023, and Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-168109, filed on September 27, 2024, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus being configured to form an image based on a first print job transmitted from a first type information processing device, and to form an image based on a second print job transmitted from a second type information processing device, the second type information processing device being different from the first type information processing device, the image forming apparatus comprising: a memory component configured to store a plurality of print jobs including the first print job and the second print job; as well as a control unit configured to control the image forming apparatus to perform image formation based on the plurality of print jobs in the order stored in the memory unit, The control component is configured to control whether to perform image formation based on the selected print job based on the type of information processing device that has transmitted the other print job, when an instruction for performing image formation based on the selected print job before image formation based on the other print job is received, and the selected print job is one of the first print job and the second print job.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, The control component is further configured to prevent image formation based on the selected print job from being performed before image formation based on the other print job when the instruction is received and the other print job has been transmitted from the first type information processing device.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, The control section is further configured to allow image formation based on the selected print job to be performed before image formation based on the other print job when the instruction is received and the other print job has been transmitted from the second type information processing device.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first type information processing apparatus includes an image processing unit configured to output raster image data by performing image processing on image data generated by using a first type printer driver, and The second type information processing apparatus includes an image processing unit configured to output raster image data by performing image processing on image data generated by using a second type printer driver different from the first type printer driver.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, The number of types of information included in the first print job transmitted from the first type information processing device is greater than the number of types of information included in the second print job transmitted from the second type information processing device.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first type information processing device is configured to transmit a print job including user selected information about a resolution of an image to be formed, and The second type information processing device is configured to transmit a print job that does not include any user-selected information regarding a resolution of an image to be formed.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation section for inputting the instruction. 8 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a display section configured to display the plurality of print jobs stored in the memory section such that the plurality of print jobs are arranged in order of execution of image formation.

Images