Electrophotography – Document handling – Copy
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-18
2001-02-13
Lee, Susan S. Y. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Document handling
Copy
C347S129000, C399S082000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06188868
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a complex-type digital copier for reading a document image, reproducing the image on paper, and printing image data supplied from a personal computer or the like through the LAN on paper.
Recently, a digital copier that accepts in advance the contents to be reproduced or printed out as jobs and executes the process for every unit, are practically in use.
In addition, the digital copier comprising a sorter (finisher) for providing the stapling process by a stapler are also practically in use.
When the job where sheets of paper having different sizes such as A3, A4 and the like are mixed, the operation can be executed in the only digital copier of the completion type.
The completion type indicates the operation of accepting and registering all the image data that is to be processed as the job and then start the printing.
Further, as for the number of maximum sheets of paper that can be stapled for each copy, different values are determined in accordance with the size of the paper, by the limitation of the finisher. For the same reason, the stapling process is also prohibited when the sheets of paper having different sizes are mixed.
Thus, the maximum number of sheets of paper that can be stapled is set in every size of the paper. Therefore, in a case where the number of sheets exceeds the set value, even if the execution of the stapling process is set, the process has to be canceled. In addition, in the case of the size-mixing job, the stapling process also has to be canceled.
That is, when the operation is executed in the digital copier of the completion type in which the outputting is started after inputting the image data has been finished, the number of sheets of the input document and the size-mixing job are known in advance when the inputting has been finished, i.e. before the outputting is started, as explained in FIG.
1
. Thus, even if the stapling process is set when the job is started, when the operation is the size-mixing job or when the input number of sheets exceeds the maximum number of sheets that can be stapled, the printing can be executed after canceling the stapling process.
In the above-described prior art, under the control of determining whether the stapling process can be executed or not in the completion type, the received document images cannot be sequentially printed, and thus the processing capacity is made low.
However, if the received document images are sequentially printed to improve the processing capacity, it cannot be determined in advance whether the stapling process can be executed or not, in the case of the size-mixing job where the image data of different sizes is mixed, and therefore, an appropriate operation cannot be executed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of allowing the stapling process to be appropriately executed and sequentially forming images from image data that the apparatus receives even when the sheets of paper having different sizes are mixed, and thereby allowing the processing performance thereof to be improved.
To achieve the above object, the present invention is an image forming apparatus comprising: receiving means for sequentially receiving a plurality of pages of image data of at least, a single size, in a main scanning direction and in a sub-scanning direction, in accordance with an instruction of a stapling process; and image forming means for sequentially forming images on an image formation medium, on the basis of each page of the image data received by the receiving means. The apparatus further comprises: discrimination means for discriminating a width in the main scanning direction and a size, of each image data received by the receiving means; setting means for setting the maximum number of pages of the image data that are to be stapled, on the basis of a result of the detection of the first detecting means about the size of the first page of the image data received by the receiving means; cancellation means for canceling the setting of the stapling process when it is discriminated that the size of second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, as discriminated by the discrimination means, is the same as the size of the first page and that the width in the main scanning direction of the second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, as discriminated by the discrimination means, is different from the width in the main scanning direction of the first page; and changing means for changing the maximum number of pages that are to be stapled, as set by the setting means, when it is discriminated that the size of second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, as discriminated by the discrimination means, is different from the size of the first page and that the width in the main scanning direction of the second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, as discriminated by the discrimination means, is the same as the width in the main scanning direction of the first page.
The present invention is also an image forming apparatus comprising: receiving means for sequentially receiving a plurality of pages of image data of at least, a single size, in a main scanning direction and in a sub-scanning direction, in accordance with an instruction of a stapling process; and image forming means for sequentially forming images on an image formation medium, on the basis of each page of the image data received by the receiving means. The apparatus further comprises: discrimination means for discriminating a width in the main scanning direction and a size, of each image data received by the receiving means; setting means for setting the maximum number of pages of the image data that can be stapled, on the basis of a result of the detection of the first detecting means about the size of the first page of the image data received by the receiving means; cancellation means for canceling the setting of the stapling process when it is discriminated that the size of second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, as discriminated by the discrimination means, is the same as the size of the first page and that the width in the main scanning direction of the second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, as discriminated by the discrimination means, is different from the width in the main scanning direction of the first page; first cancellation means for canceling the setting of the stapling process when it is discriminated that the size of second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, as discriminated by the discrimination means, is the same as the size of the first page and that the width in the main scanning direction of the second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, as discriminated by the discrimination means, is different from the width in the main scanning direction of the first page; second cancellation means for canceling the setting of the stapling process when the size and the width in the main scanning direction, of the second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, are different from the size and the width in the main scanning direction, of the first page thereof; and changing means for changing the maximum number of pages that are to be stapled, as set by the setting means, when it is discriminated that the size of second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, as discriminated by the discrimination means, is different from the size of the first page and that the width in the main scanning direction of the second and following pages of the image data received by the receiving means, as discriminated by the discrimination means, is the same as the width in the main scanning direction of the first page.
Further, the present invention is an image f
Foley & Lardner
Lee Susan S. Y.
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
LandOfFree
Image forming apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Image forming apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Image forming apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2571809