U.S. patent application number 14/643631 was filed with the patent office on 2015-10-01 for image forming apparatus that facilitates early elimination of failure.
This patent application is currently assigned to KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.. Invention is credited to Norie FUJIMOTO.
Application Number | 20150278653 14/643631 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54168941 |
Filed Date | 2015-10-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150278653 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FUJIMOTO; Norie |
October 1, 2015 |
IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS THAT FACILITATES EARLY ELIMINATION OF
FAILURE
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an internal device that
executes a job, a controller, a user management unit, a lock
requesting unit, and an unlock requesting unit. The controller
suspends the execution of the job when the controller detects a
predetermined failure in the internal device during the execution
of the job, and resumes the suspended job or starts execution of a
next job when the controller detects an elimination of the failure.
The user management unit specifies identification information of a
user mobile device associated with a user. The lock requesting unit
transmits a lock request with the identification information to a
predetermined server when the controller has suspended the job. The
unlock requesting unit transmits an unlock request with the
identification information to the predetermined server when the
controller has resumed the suspended job or when the controller has
started the execution of the next job.
Inventors: |
FUJIMOTO; Norie; (Osaka,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. |
Osaka |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
KYOCERA Document Solutions
Inc.
Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
54168941 |
Appl. No.: |
14/643631 |
Filed: |
March 10, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
358/1.14 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/1237 20130101;
G06K 15/408 20130101; G06K 15/4085 20130101; H04N 1/00307 20130101;
H04N 1/00925 20130101; G06K 15/402 20130101; H04N 1/00917 20130101;
G06K 15/1806 20130101; H04N 2201/0094 20130101; H04N 1/00973
20130101; G06F 3/121 20130101; G06F 3/1292 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06K 15/02 20060101
G06K015/02; G06F 3/12 20060101 G06F003/12; G06K 15/00 20060101
G06K015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 28, 2014 |
JP |
2014-070408 |
Claims
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an internal device that
executes a job; a controller that monitors the internal device,
suspends the execution of the job when the controller detects a
predetermined failure in the internal device during the execution
of the job, and resumes the suspended job or starts execution of a
next job when the controller detects an elimination of the failure;
a user management unit that specifies a user who has requested the
execution of the job suspended by the controller, and specifies
identification information of a user mobile device associated with
the specified user; a lock requesting unit that transmits a lock
request with the identification information specified by the user
management unit to a predetermined server, so as to execute a
remote lock on the user mobile device when the controller has
suspended the job; and an unlock requesting unit that transmits an
unlock request with the identification information specified by the
user management unit to the predetermined server, so as to unlock
the remote lock on the user mobile device when the controller has
resumed the suspended job or when the controller has started the
execution of the next job.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
failure includes a jam.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
failure includes a transmission error in one of a facsimile, an
Internet facsimile, and a Scan-to-Send.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
user mobile device is a smart phone or a mobile phone.
5. A method of image forming using an internal device that executes
a job, comprising: monitoring the internal device, suspends the
execution of the job when a predetermined failure is detected in
the internal device during the execution of the job, and resumes
the suspended job or starts execution of a next job when the
controller detects an elimination of the failure; specifying a user
who has requested the execution of the job suspended by the
controller, and specifies identification information of a user
mobile device associated with the specified user; transmitting a
lock request with the identification information specified by the
user management unit to a predetermined server, so as to execute a
remote lock on the user mobile device when the controller has
suspended the job; and transmitting an unlock request with the
identification information specified by the user management unit to
the predetermined server, so as to unlock the remote lock on the
user mobile device when the controller has resumed the suspended
job or when the controller has started the execution of the next
job.
6. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing an
image forming program to control an image forming apparatus having
an internal device that executes a job, the image forming program
causing the image forming apparatus to function as: a controller
that monitors the internal device, suspends the execution of the
job when the controller detects a predetermined failure in the
internal device during the execution of the job, and resumes the
suspended job or starts execution of a next job when the controller
detects an elimination of the failure; a user management unit that
specifies a user who has requested the execution of the job
suspended by the controller, and specifies identification
information of a user mobile device associated with the specified
user; a lock requesting unit that transmits a lock request with the
identification information specified by the user management unit to
a predetermined server, so as to execute a remote lock on the user
mobile device when the controller has suspended the job; and an
unlock requesting unit that transmits an unlock request with the
identification information specified by the user management unit to
the predetermined server, so as to unlock the remote lock on the
user mobile device when the controller has resumed the suspended
job or when the controller has started the execution of the next
job.
Description
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0001] This application is based upon, and claims the benefit of
priority from, corresponding Japanese Patent Application No.
2014-070408 filed in the Japan Patent Office on Mar. 28, 2014, the
entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Unless otherwise indicated herein, the description in this
section is not prior art to the claims in this application and is
not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
[0003] With an image forming apparatus such as a multi-functional
peripheral, which is used by a plurality of users, the users do not
always come for printed matters in the order of execution of jobs.
Accordingly, when the user goes for his/her printed matter, a
failure, such as a jam, may occur in a previous job executed by
another user. In this case, his/her printed matter is still
unprinted.
[0004] The user usually dislikes operating the job by executed by
another user without permission. Accordingly, until the user who
executed the job where the jam occurs eliminates the failure (or
until another person who is requested to eliminate the failure
eliminates the failure), the jam is often neglected.
[0005] Therefore, a certain image forming apparatus notifies a
user's portable terminal or a similar terminal of the jam.
SUMMARY
[0006] An image forming apparatus act according to one aspect of
the disclosure includes an internal device that executes a job, a
controller, a user management unit, a lock requesting unit, and an
unlock requesting unit. The controller monitors the internal
device, suspends the execution of the job when the controller
detects a predetermined failure in the internal device during the
execution of the job, and resumes the suspended job or starts
execution of a next job when the controller detects an elimination
of the failure. The user management unit specifies a user who has
requested the execution of the job suspended by the controller, and
specifies identification information of a user mobile device
associated with the specified user. The lock requesting unit
transmits a lock request with the identification information
specified by the user management unit to a predetermined server, so
as to execute a remote lock on the user mobile device when the
controller has suspended the job. The unlock requesting unit
transmits an unlock request with the identification information
specified by the user management unit to the predetermined server,
so as to unlock the remote lock on the user mobile device when the
controller has resumed the suspended job or when the controller has
started the execution of the next job.
[0007] These as well as other aspects, advantages, and alternatives
will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by
reading the following detailed description with reference where
appropriate to the accompanying drawings. Further, it should be
understood that the description provided in this summary section
and elsewhere in this document is intended to illustrate the
claimed subject matter by way of example and not by way of
limitation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the
following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings of which:
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a system that includes
an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the
disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a side of a mechanical internal
configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the one
embodiment;
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates an electrical configuration of the image
forming apparatus according to the one embodiment; and
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates an operation when the image forming
apparatus according to the one embodiment has detected a
failure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Example apparatuses are described herein. Other example
embodiments or features may further be utilized, and other changes
may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the
subject matter presented herein. In the following detailed
description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which
form a part thereof.
[0014] The example embodiments described herein are not meant to be
limiting. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the
present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated
in the drawings, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated,
and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of
which are explicitly contemplated herein.
[0015] The following describes embodiments of the disclosure based
on the drawings.
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of a system that includes
an image forming apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the
disclosure. In the system, the image forming apparatus 1 is
connected to a network 2, and the network 2 is connected to a
server unit 3.
[0017] In the embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 is a
multi-functional peripheral. However, the image forming apparatus 1
may be another type of apparatus that has printing function, such
as a printer, a facsimile device and a copier. The network 2 is a
Local Area Network (LAN) and/or Wide Area Network (WAN).
[0018] The server unit 3 is a server that accepts a lock request
and an unlock request from the image forming apparatus 1. The
server unit 3 issues a lock command to a user mobile device 4,
which is specified by a lock request, to lock the user mobile
device 4 remotely. The server unit 3 also issues an unlock command
to the user mobile device 4, which is specified by an unlock
request, to unlock the remotely locked user mobile device 4. The
server unit 3 transmits a lock command and an unlock command to the
user mobile device 4 via a mobile phone network and the network 2
or similar medium.
[0019] The user mobile device 4 is, for example, a smart phone or a
mobile phone, and has remote lock function. In the remote lock
function, when the user mobile device 4 receives a lock command,
the remote lock function prohibits users from operating the user
mobile device 4.
[0020] Remote lock function is commonly used in response to a
request by a user when the user mobile device 4 is, for example,
stolen or lost. In the embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1
locks the user mobile device 4 using the remote lock function when
a user needs to eliminate a failure by hand to continue a job.
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a mechanical internal
configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 in FIG. 1. The image
forming apparatus 1 is an apparatus that has a printing function
using electrophotographic method, such as a printer, a facsimile
device, a copier, and a multi-functional peripheral.
[0022] In the embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a
color developing device with a tandem engine. The color developing
device includes a photoreceptor drum 11, a charger 12, an exposure
apparatus 13, a developing unit 14, a transfer roller 15, a
cleaning unit 16, and a static eliminator (not illustrated) for the
respective colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.
[0023] The photoreceptor drum 11 is a cylindrically-shaped
photoreceptor and an image carrier where the exposure apparatus 13
forms an electrostatic latent image on the face of the
photoreceptor. The photoreceptor drum 11 employs inorganic
photoreceptor such as an amorphous silicon photoreceptor.
[0024] The charger 12 charges the surface of the photoreceptor drum
11 at a predetermined electric potential based on a process
condition.
[0025] The exposure apparatus 13 is an apparatus that forms an
electrostatic latent image by irradiating the photoreceptor drum 11
with a laser beam. The exposure apparatus 13 includes a laser
diode, which is a light source, and an optical device (such as a
lens, a mirror, and a polygon mirror), which guides the laser beam
to the photoreceptor drum 11.
[0026] The developing unit 14 develops the electrostatic latent
image on the photoreceptor drum 11 using toners based on a process
condition, and forms a toner image.
[0027] The transfer roller 15 transfers the toner image on the
photoreceptor drum 11 onto an intermediate transfer belt 17. The
cleaning unit 16 recovers the remnant toner on the photoreceptor
drum 11 after transferring the toner image on the intermediate
transfer belt 17. The intermediate transfer belt 17 contacts the
photoreceptor drum 11, and is an annular intermediate transfer
component on which the toner image on the photoreceptor drum 11 is
transferred. The intermediate transfer belt 17 is stretched around,
for example, a drive roller, and moves circularly by the driving
power of the drive roller.
[0028] A image density sensor 18 is a reflection-type image density
sensor that irradiates the intermediate transfer belt 17 with a
light and detects the reflected light, so as to detect a density of
a toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 17.
[0029] A transfer roller 22 brings a paper conveyed from a paper
sheet feeder 21 such as a sheet feed tray into contact with the
intermediate transfer belt 17, so as to transfer the toner image on
the intermediate transfer belt 17 on the paper. The paper on which
the toner image is transferred is conveyed to a fuser 23, and the
toner image is fixed on the paper.
[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates an electrical configuration of the image
forming apparatus 1 in FIG. 1.
[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 1
includes an operation panel 41, a communications apparatus 42, a
print apparatus 43, an image reading apparatus 44, a facsimile
device 45, a storage device 46, and an arithmetic processing unit
47.
[0032] The operation panel 41 includes a display apparatus such as
a liquid crystal display and an input apparatus such as a touch
panel. The operation panel 41 displays an operation screen for
users, and detects a user operation.
[0033] The communications apparatus 42 is connectable to another
apparatus in the system (such as the server unit 3) via the network
2. The communications apparatus 42 is an apparatus that performs
data communications in a predetermined communication protocol.
[0034] The print apparatus 43 is an internal device that prints a
document image on a printing paper sheet by an electrophotographic
method using, for example, the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2. The
print apparatus 43 performs a predetermined image process, such as
a rasterization, a color conversion, a screen process, on an
original image data, so as to generate output image data. The print
apparatus 43 prints based on the generated output image data.
[0035] The image reading apparatus 44 is an internal device that
optically reads a document image from a document to generate image
data of the document image.
[0036] The facsimile device 45 is an internal device that transmits
a facsimile signal converted from image data of a transmission
object, and also receives a facsimile signal and then converts the
facsimile signal into image data, for example.
[0037] The storage device 46 is a non-volatile storage device
storing user registration data and similar data. The user
registration data includes a user ID of a registered user for login
to the image forming apparatus 1 (or a pair of a user ID and a
password), identification information on the user mobile device 4
of the registered user (for example, telephone numbers), and
similar data, which are mutually associated.
[0038] The arithmetic processing unit 47 is a computer, which has a
central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random
access memory (RAM), and similar member. The arithmetic processing
unit 47 loads the programs, which are stored in the non-transitory
ROM and similar member, into the RAM and executes the program at
the CPU. This causes the arithmetic processing unit 47 to function
as various processing units. Here, the arithmetic processing unit
47 functions as a controller 51, a user management unit 52, a lock
requesting unit 53, and an unlock requesting unit 54.
[0039] The controller 51 monitors internal devices (such as the
print apparatus 43, the image reading apparatus 44, the facsimile
device 45, and the communications apparatus 42), which execute a
print job, a copy job, a scan job, a facsimile transmission job,
and a scan to send job. When the controller 51 detects a
predetermined failure in an internal device during a job execution,
the controller 51 suspends the job execution. When the controller
51 detects an elimination of the failure, the controller 51 resumes
the suspended job, or executes the next job.
[0040] Here, the detected failure is a failure where a user needs
to physically eliminate a failure of the image forming apparatus 1
(for example, elimination of a failure by hand) for resuming a job
progress. This type of failure includes: (a) a paper jam while the
mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2 feeds, conveys or discharges a
paper sheet, and (b) a transmission error of a facsimile, an
internet facsimile, or a scan to send. Eliminating a transmission
error requires a user to operate on the operation panel 41 (an
operation such as transmitting again, cancellation of a
transmission, changing an address).
[0041] When a job is executed in response to a request from the
operation panel 41, the user mobile device 4, or a host apparatus
(not illustrated) by a user, the user management unit 52 identifies
the user. For the request from the operation panel 41, the user
management unit 52 identifies the user by the input user ID for
login, for example. For the request from the user mobile device 4,
or the host apparatus (not illustrated), the user management unit
52 identifies the user by, for example, the user ID included in the
request.
[0042] The user management unit 52 identifies a user who has
requested to execute a job that is suspended by the controller 51,
and then identifies identification information on the user mobile
device 4 associated with the identified user based on user
registration data stored in the storage device 46.
[0043] When a job is suspended by the controller 51, the lock
requesting unit 53 uses the communications apparatus 42 to transmit
a lock request with identification information identified by the
user management unit 52 to the server unit 3. This remotely locks
the user mobile device 4.
[0044] When the job suspended by the controller 51 is resumed or
the next job is executed, the unlock requesting unit 54 uses the
communications apparatus 42 to transmit an unlock request with
identification information identified by the user management unit
52 to the server unit 3. This unlocks the remotely locked user
mobile device 4.
[0045] Next, the following describes operations of the image
forming apparatus 1. FIG. 4 illustrates an operation when the image
forming apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 has detected a
failure.
[0046] When the controller 51 accepts a job request, the controller
51 identifies a user who has requested the job and then uses an
internal device to execute the requested job.
[0047] When the controller 51 detects an occurrence of a failure
during a job execution, the controller 51 suspends the job
execution.
[0048] When the controller 51 suspends a job execution, the user
management unit 52 identifies a user who has requested to execute a
suspended job, and then identifies identification information on
the user mobile device 4 associated with the identified user based
on user registration data stored in the storage device 46 (Step
S1).
[0049] Then, the lock requesting unit 53 uses the communications
apparatus 42 to transmit a lock request with identification
information on the user mobile device 4 identified by the user
management unit 52 to the server unit 3 (Step S2). This remotely
locks the user mobile device 4. When the server unit 3 receives the
lock request, the server unit 3 remotely locks the specified user
mobile device 4.
[0050] When the server unit 3 remotely locks the user mobile device
4, the user mobile device 4 displays a message in which a failure
causes a job to suspend and thus the user needs to eliminate the
failure, based on a command from the server unit 3.
[0051] Thus, the user with the user mobile device 4 knows that a
failure has occurred during his/her job execution. This causes the
user to know that the user needs to eliminate the failure of the
image forming apparatus 1 in order to use the user mobile device
4.
[0052] After detecting an occurrence of a failure, the controller
51 monitors whether the failure has been eliminated or not (Step
S3). After the user eliminates the failure as described above, the
controller 51 detects the elimination of the failure, and then
resumes the suspended job or executes the next job stored in a job
queue.
[0053] Thus, when the controller 51 detects the elimination of the
failure, the unlock requesting unit 54 uses the communications
apparatus 42 to transmit an unlock request with identification
information on the user mobile device 4 identified by the user
management unit 52 to the server unit 3 (Step S4). This unlocks the
remotely locked user mobile device 4. When the server unit 3
receives the unlock request, the server unit 3 unlocks the remotely
locked and specified user mobile device 4. This allows the user to
use the user mobile device 4.
[0054] As described above, according to the above-described
embodiment, the controller 51 monitors the internal devices that
execute a job. When the controller 51 detects a predetermined
failure in an internal device during a job execution, the
controller 51 suspends the job execution. When the controller 51
detects an elimination of the failure, the controller 51 resumes
the suspended job or executes the next job. The user management
unit 52 identifies a user who has requested to execute a job that
is suspended by the controller 51, and then identifies
identification information on the user mobile device 4 associated
with the identified user. When the job is suspended by the
controller 51, the lock requesting unit 53 transmits a lock request
with identification information identified by the user management
unit 52 to the server unit 3. This remotely locks the user mobile
device 4. Subsequently, when the job suspended by the controller 51
is resumed or the next job is executed, the unlock requesting unit
54 transmits an unlock request with identification information
identified by the user management unit 52 to the server unit 3.
This unlocks the remotely locked user mobile device 4.
[0055] This allows the user who has executed a job where a failure
occurs in the image forming apparatus 1 to eliminate the failure
early without a workload on another user.
[0056] The disclosure is applicable to, for example, an image
forming apparatus available for a plurality of users.
[0057] While various aspects and embodiments have been disclosed
herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those
skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed
herein are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be
limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the
following claims.
* * * * *