Electrophotography – Diagnostics – Component present or mounted
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-25
2003-08-19
Tran, Hoan (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Diagnostics
Component present or mounted
C399S012000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06608974
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image formation system made up of an image formation unit such as a laser beam printer, an ink jet printer, a digital copier, or a facsimile (FAX) and optional units that can be attached to the image formation unit and in particular to an image formation system in which the image formation unit can precisely keep track of a connection state of the optional units.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an art related to this kind of image formation system, JP-A-5-116833 (related art 1) discloses an art for determining a connection state between an image formation unit main body and various optional units.
However, the related art 1 assumes that an order in which various optional units are attached to the image formation unit should be uniquely predetermined, and if the optional units are connected in any desired order, what optional units are connected in what order cannot be determined.
JP-A-6-138740 (related art 2) discloses an art for displaying a connection state as an operator is made to specify actually connected optional units.
However, in the related art 2, it is feared that the operator may set a different unit from the actual unit by mistake.
As described above, the related art 1 assumes that the order in which various optional units are attached to the image formation unit should be uniquely predetermined, and if the optional units are connected in any desired order, what optional units are connected in what order cannot be determined. Thus, the related art 1 has various disadvantages in system expandability, compatibility with diversified optional units, and functional compatibility.
The above-described related art 2 has the disadvantage that it cannot keep track of the precise connection state of the optional units if the operator sets a different unit from the actual unit by mistake.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an image formation system for making it possible to precisely keep track of the connection state of optional units in an image formation unit to which the optional units are connected.
To achieve the object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an image formation system comprising an image formation unit main body capable of being connected to a plurality of optional units in series, wherein the image formation unit main body has a detection section adapted to detect the type of each of the optional units connected to the image formation unit main body, the connection order, and the number of the connected optional units when the system power is turned on; and a control section adapted to control the optional units and the image formation unit main body based on the information detected by the detection section.
According to the configuration, when the optional units are cascaded, what additional units are attached in what order with what number of the additional units is automatically sensed when the power is turned on. Thus, it is made possible to precisely keep track of the connection state of the optional units in the image formation unit to which the optional units are connected, so that the image formation system also becomes advantageous in system expandability, compatibility with diversified optional units, and functional compatibility.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided the image formation system according to the first aspect of the invention,
wherein the image formation unit main body gives a start instruction to a first optional unit at a preceding stage and a first optional unit at a following stage when system power is turned on;
if an nth optional unit at the preceding stage is further preceded by an n+1th optional unit, the nth optional unit at the preceding stage returns a connection request to the image formation unit main body, connects to the image formation unit main body based on a connection signal from the image formation unit main body responding to the connection request, and gives a start instruction to the n+1th optional unit;
if the nth optional unit at the preceding stage is not further preceded by any optional unit, the optional unit at the preceding stage returns a connection request to the image formation unit main body, connects to the image formation unit main body based on a connection signal from the image formation unit main body responding to the connection request, and sends a signal indicating that the optional unit at the preceding stage is at a start stage in relation to the image formation unit main body;
if an nth optional unit at the following stage is further followed by an n+1th optional unit, the nth optional unit at the following stage returns a connection request to the image formation unit main body, connects to the image formation unit main body based on a connection signal from the image formation unit main body responding to the connection request, and gives a start instruction to the n+1th optional unit following the optional unit;
if the nth optional unit at the following stage is not further followed by any optional unit, the nth optional unit returns a connection request to the image formation unit main body, connects to the image formation unit main body based on a connection signal from the image formation unit main body responding to the connection request, and sends a signal indicating that the nth optional unit is at the termination stage in relation to the image formation unit main body; and
the detection section issues an information request to the optional units connected to the image formation unit main body in order to collect information on the optional units and detects the type of each of the optional units and the connection order and the number of the optical units connected to the image formation unit main body based on the collected information.
According to the configuration, when the optional units are cascaded, in the image formation unit to which the optional units are connected, it is made possible to automatically sense what additional units are attached in what order with what number of the additional units when the power is turned on.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided The image formation system according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the image formation unit main body further has a display section adapted to display a whole image of the system including the optional units detected by the detection section on an enlarged or reduced scale so that the whole image of the system falls within one display screen.
According to the configuration, if the system scale becomes large as a plurality of optional units are connected (attached), the whole image can be displayed in one display screen of the display means, so that the user can understand the connection state of the optional units at a glance.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided the image formation system according to the first aspect of the invention,
wherein the image formation unit main body and the optional units have notification sections adapted to communicate with each other, respectively;
the optional units send performance information, which the optional units have, to the image formation unit main body when the system power is turned on;
the control section of the image formation unit main body controls the optional units based on the performance information sent from the optional units;
the image formation unit main body further has a display section; and
the display section displays information indicating selectable function of each of optional units and information indicating limitations based on the performance information sent from the optional units.
According to the configuration, the image formation unit gathers the performance information (device performance information) from the optional units when the power is turned on, whereby what function and performance each attached optional unit has can be automatically determined when th
Fuji 'Xerox Co., Ltd.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Tran Hoan
LandOfFree
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