Electrophotography – Machine operation – Job mode
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-13
2001-09-04
Grimley, Arthur T. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Machine operation
Job mode
C399S083000, C399S087000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285843
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming method for a composite-type digital copying machine having, for example, a copying function, a network printer function and a facsimile function.
In a conventional image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine, a print job consisting of image data and print information is stored as a job file in a memory such as a hard-disk drive. Where a plurality of job files are stored in a hard-disk drive, plural print jobs based on the respective job files are successively executed.
In addition, in order to simplify the processing of a print job, a plurality of job files are generated by dividing one print job in accordance with common items of print conditions, such as a sheet size and a resolution, and thus printing is executed.
However, where a print process based on a job file is executed, if it cannot normally be executed due to some cause, the process is suspended and the digital copying machine stands in an error state. Consequently, where there are a plurality of job files to be successively executed, if any one of plural jobs is not normally executed due to some cause, the process is suspended at that time and the digital copying machine stands in an error state. In such a case, there arises a problem in that the digital copying machine cannot execute processing of the job files remaining in the hard-disk drive until the user goes to the front of the digital copying machine and the error state is remedied.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As has been described above, the problem in the prior art is that where any one of a plurality of print jobs becomes unexecutable, the operation of the apparatus is suspended and the remaining print jobs cannot successively executed. The present invention aims at solving this problem, and the object of the invention is to provide an image forming method wherein even where any one of a plurality of print jobs becomes unexecutable, the operation of the apparatus is not suspended and the remaining print jobs can successively executed.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image forming method for an image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of storage means for respectively containing various image forming mediums, a memory for storing operation files composed of image formation conditions and image information for respective pages, and image forming means for selecting the storage means in accordance with the image formation conditions of the operation files stored in the memory and performing an image forming process with image formation on the image forming mediums stored in the selected storage means, wherein where the image forming process based on any one of the plurality operation files stored in the memory is not normally executable, the image forming process based on the operation file which is not normally executable is suspended, and the image forming process based on an operation file other than the operation file associated with the suspended image forming process is successively executed.
According to the invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of storage means for respectively containing various image forming mediums; a memory for storing operation files composed of image formation conditions and image information for respective pages; image forming means for selecting the storage means in accordance with the image formation conditions of the operation files stored in the memory and performing an image forming process with image formation on the image forming mediums stored in the selected storage means; suspension means for suspending, where the image forming process based on any one of the plurality operation files stored in the memory is not normally executable, the image forming process based on the operation file which is not normally executable; and execution means for successively executing the image forming process based on an operation file other than the operation file associated with the suspended image forming process.
According to the invention, there is provided an image forming method for an image forming system comprising an image forming apparatus having a plurality of storage means for respectively containing various image forming mediums, a memory for storing operation files composed of image formation conditions and image information for respective pages, and image forming means for selecting the storage means in accordance with the image formation conditions of the operation files stored in the memory and performing an image forming process with image formation on the image forming mediums stored in the selected storage means, and an external apparatus having a display section for displaying guidance to a user and being connected to the image forming apparatus, characterized in that the image forming apparatus receives from the external apparatus image formation information composed of image formation conditions and image information for respective pages; operation files to be stored in the memory are generated on the basis of the received image formation information; where the image forming process based on any one of the plurality operation files stored in the memory is not normally executable, the image forming process based on the operation file which is not normally executable is suspended; the image forming process based on an operation file other than the operation file associated with the suspended image forming process is successively executed; when the image forming process based on the operation file which is not normally executable is suspended, a content of the operation file associated with the suspended image forming process is reported to the external apparatus, or an origin of transmission of the image formation information, and the external apparatus which has received the report displays on the display section the content of the operation file associated with the suspended image forming process.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5245368 (1993-09-01), Farrell et al.
patent: 5918088 (1999-06-01), Rikima
patent: 6125242 (2000-09-01), Yamada
patent: 10-210196 (1998-08-01), None
Foley & Lardner
Grimley Arthur T.
Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
Tran Hoan
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