Facsimile and static presentation processing – Static presentation processing – Communication
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-17
2004-09-07
Poon, King Y. (Department: 2624)
Facsimile and static presentation processing
Static presentation processing
Communication
C270S052030, C271S298000, C271S278000, C271S279000, C271S280000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06788426
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus to be used in connection with to terminal apparatuses such as host computers, and having a mail box function or a post-process function of discharging record sheets on which an image is formed on the basis of digital image data supplied from one of the terminal apparatuses, to bins.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an image forming apparatus such as a digital copier is configured as a composite apparatus to be used with being connected to terminal apparatuses which are a host computers such as personal computers or facsimile apparatuses. Such a composite apparatus has a function of copying an image of an original in a copy mode, and also an additional function of, in a printer mode or a facsimile (FAX) mode, forming an image on the basis of digital image data supplied from one of the terminal apparatuses.
Such an image forming apparatus having plural functions has also post-process functions including: a sorting function of receiving record sheets on which an image is copied in the copy mode, while sorting the record sheets in accordance with a predetermined instruction; and a mail box function of discharging a record sheet on which an image is formed on the basis of digital image data supplied from one of the terminal apparatuses, to a bin.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 3-267267(1991) discloses a printing apparatus having the above-mentioned functions. In the apparatus disclosed specifically in the publication, for each of the bins to which record sheets are to be discharged, information such as the intended purpose of the bin is stored and displayed. When image data is transmitted from a host computer, bin selection information contained in the image data is compared with the stored information such as the intended purpose, and a bin is selected. A record sheet on which an image is formed on the basis of the image data is discharged to the selected bin.
In the prior art image forming apparatus disclosed in the publication, record sheets are discharged to a bin which is designated for each terminal apparatus, and hence record sheets on which an image is formed on the basis of image data supplied from a predetermined terminal apparatus are discharged only to a designated bin. Therefore, record sheets on which image is formed on the basis of image data supplied from a terminal apparatus for which no bin is designated cannot be discharged. When a designated bin is filled with discharged record sheets, for example, record sheets cannot be further discharged even when bins designated for other terminal apparatus have room.
In the prior art image forming apparatus, when a bin is to be designated for a terminal apparatus, it is not clearly shown whether the bin is already designated for a certain terminal apparatus or not. Consequently, there is a fear that a bin for which a certain terminal apparatus is already designated is designated for another terminal apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an image forming apparatus in which record sheets on which an image is formed on the basis of image data supplied from a terminal apparatus can be efficiently discharged to a bin, and a bin already designated for a certain terminal apparatus is prevented from being designated for another terminal apparatus.
The image forming apparatus of the invention comprises:
image forming means for forming an image on a predetermined record sheet on the basis of image data supplied from one of connected terminal apparatuses;
discharging means for discharging a record sheet on which an image is formed;
bins which house discharged record sheets;
bin designating means for designating a bin for each of the terminal apparatuses;
record sheet number detecting means for detecting a number of record sheets housed in each of the bins;
priority setting means for setting a priority of a bin to which a record sheet is to be discharged;
judging means for judging whether there is a bin to which a record sheet on which an image is formed can be discharged, or not, on the basis of a terminal apparatus identification data which is supplied from one of the connected terminal apparatuses and used for identifying the terminal apparatus, and outputs of the bin designating means and the record sheet number detecting means; and
controlling means for controlling an operation of the discharging means so that, when the judging means judges that there is a bin to which a record sheet can be discharged, the record sheet is discharged to the bin, and, when the judging means judges that there is not a bin to which the record sheet can be discharged, the record sheet is discharged to a bin in accordance with the priority set by the priority setting means.
According to the invention, when there is a bin to which a record sheet on which an image is formed on the basis of image data supplied from a terminal apparatus can be discharged, the record sheet is discharged to the bin. Further when there is not a bin to which a record sheet can be discharged, the record sheet is discharged to a bin in accordance with the priority. When a bin is designated for a terminal apparatus and the bin has room for record sheets to be housed, it is judged that a record sheet can be discharged.
Therefore, even a record sheet due to a terminal apparatus for which no bin is designated can be discharged to a bin. Even when a designated bin is filled with already discharged record sheets, a record sheet can be discharged to another bin, so that record sheets can be efficiently discharged. As a result, bins can be efficiently used.
In the invention, the priority setting means sets a priority so that, when plural bins are designated for one terminal apparatus by the bin designating means, a record sheet that is judged to have no bin to which the record sheet can be discharged is inhibited from being discharged to at least one of the plural bins.
According to the invention, at least one of plural bins which are designated for one terminal apparatus is dedicated for the terminal apparatus, and only a record sheet due to the terminal apparatus is discharged to the bin. In the bin, therefore, record sheets due to the predetermined terminal apparatus can be separately collected without being mixed with record sheets due to other terminal apparatuses. As a result, it is possible to maintain high convenience.
Furthermore, the image forming apparatus of the invention comprises:
image forming means for forming an image on a predetermined record sheet on the basis of image data supplied from one of connected terminal apparatuses;
discharging means for discharging the record sheet on which the image is formed;
bins which house the discharged record sheets;
bin designating means for designating a bin for each of the terminal apparatuses;
record sheet number detecting means for detecting a number of record sheets housed in each of the bins;
record sheet existence detecting means for detecting whether each of the bins houses a record sheet or not;
judging means for judging whether there is a bin to which the record sheet on which the image is formed can be discharged, or not, on the basis of a terminal apparatus identification data which is supplied from one of the connected terminal apparatuses and used for identifying the terminal apparatus, and outputs of the bin designating means and the record sheet number detecting means; and
controlling means for controlling an operation of the discharging means so that, when the judging means judges that there is a bin to which the record sheet can be discharged, the record sheet is discharged to the bin, and, when the judging means judges that there is not a bin to which the record sheet can be discharged, a record sheet is discharged to a bin which is judged by the record sheet existence detecting means to house no record sheet.
According to the invention, when there is a bin to which a record sheet on which an image is formed on the basis of
Matsui Masao
Nanba Toyoaki
Tanaka Tomomi
Yamanaka Takashi
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Poon King Y.
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
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