Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – Identifying – composing – or selecting
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-30
2001-11-13
Gray, David M. (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
Identifying, composing, or selecting
C358S001140
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317193
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium based upon image data, and more particularly relates to an image forming apparatus which is provided with a storage device for storing image data provided to form an image and which can form multiple images corresponding to image data stored in the storage device.
2. Description of Related Art
Heretofore, an image forming apparatus is provided with an image forming device for forming an image on a recorded medium based upon image data, a storage device for storing image data, a receiving device for receiving the image data stored in the storage device, and a controller for storing all of the image data received by the receiving device in the storage device if multiple images corresponding to the image data are required to be formed and for controlling the process so that the image forming device is driven multiple times based upon the stored image data.
In this type of image forming apparatus, image formation is enabled by storing all of the image data received via the receiving device, such as an interface, in the storage device, such as a memory, and controlled so that the image forming device such as a printer engine, is driven based upon the stored image data, multiple times. That is, as all of the image data is stored in the storage device, a copy of the images from the first page to the final page is formed and then, the number of desired copies of the images are formed by repeating the similar operation, multiple times. In this case, so-called collated printing (also called sort printing) wherein images from a first page to a final page are sequentially formed and stacked.
Also, in this case, as all of the image data is stored in the storage device, image data is not required to be sent from a computer, and the like, multiple times. Therefore, if the image forming apparatus is used in a printing system in which multiple computers and one printer (one image forming apparatus) are connected via a local area network (LAN), and the like, a series of image data from the first page to the final page only needs to be sent from a computer once.
However, in this type of image forming apparatus, when the storage capacity of the storage device is full while all of the image data is stored in the storage device, subsequent processing is disabled. In this case, the image forming apparatus may be halted with an error message displayed. If such a situation occurs, image data is required to be divided into small parts and sent again from a computer and the like, and collated printing in a smaller unit is required to be executed. In this case, sending image data by a computer, and the like, is troublesome.
An image forming apparatus that performs so-called stack printing in which desired copies of images are sequentially formed (i.e., multiple copies of a first page are printed, then a second page, etc.) can switch its operational mode from collated printing to stack printing at the beginning of a print job. However, in this case, image data is required to be re-sent. Further, in this case, before the image data is sent again, the setting of the image forming apparatus and data sent together with the image data for specifying a printing method and the like, are required to be changed. Therefore, in this case, a user is also required to perform a complicated task. Further, if the above situation occurs and the image forming apparatus is halted, image data cannot be sent from another computer, and the like. In this case, the entire system process is inconveniently halted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an image forming apparatus wherein even if the storage capacity of the storage device is full when printing of multiple copies, such as collated printing, is executed, images corresponding to received image data can be smoothly formed.
The invention is based upon an image forming apparatus provided with an image forming device for forming images onto a recording medium based upon the image data, a receiving device for receiving the image data, a storage device that stores the image data received by the receiving device. and a controller device for storing all of the image data received by the receiving device in the storage device, and controlling so that the image forming device is driven based upon the stored image data, multiple times if multiple copies of images corresponding to the image data are to be formed. When the storage capacity of the storage device is full while all of the image data received by the receiving device is stored in the storage device, the controller controls so that the image forming device is driven based upon image data for at least one page already stored in the storage device, multiple times, deletes the image data of the page provided for the above driving from the storage device, and stores the continuation of the above received image data in the storage device.
According to the invention, if multiple copies of images corresponding to image data are required to be formed, the controller normally stores all of the image data received by the receiving device in the storage device and controls so that the image forming device is driven based upon the stored image data, multiple times. Therefore, images corresponding to the image data can be formed in multiple copies by collated printing, and the like.
When the storage capacity of the storage device is full while all of the image data received by the receiving device is stored in the storage device, the controller controls so that the image forming device is driven based upon image data for at least one page stored already stored in the storage device, multiple times, deletes the image data of the page provided for the above driving from the storage device and stores the continuation of the above received image data in the storage device. That is, if the image forming device is driven based upon image data for at least one page already stored in the storage device, multiple times, the images of the page can be formed for multiple copies. Then, storage of the image data of the formed images becomes unnecessary and deletion of the data is permitted. The controller deletes the image data of the page provided for the above driving from the storage device and stores the continuation of the received image data in the storage device. Then, forming images based upon the continuation of the image data is permitted.
As described above, according to the invention, if the storage capacity of the storage device is full when printing multiple copies, such as in collated printing, the corresponding image data of printed images that is stored is deleted, and new image data is stored. Therefore, even if the above storage capacity is full, images corresponding to all of the image data received by the receiving device can be smoothly formed.
The deletion of image data described in the invention entails the management data of a page to be deleted from a memory management table showing which storage area in the storage device, the image data of each page is stored. That storage area will be occupied until it is released and new image data is written therein. That is, when storage of the continuation of the above image data to the released storage area is allowed. Therefore, contents (image data) themselves (itself) stored in the storage device are/is not deleted (for example, null data and the like are not substituted). However, it is natural that the above contents may be also positively deleted (cleared) by substituting null data and the like.
A page described in the invention maybe an image formation unit (an image output unit) in the image forming apparatus, for example, if one side of a recorded medium is printed, a page is the side and if both sides of a recorded medium are printed, pages are a pair of sides equivalent to both sides. In the case of a dual page print, that is, if one recorded medium is divided into two parts in the center and printing for two pages i
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Gray David M.
Nguyen Hung Henry
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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