Image formation apparatus

• US 20080212127A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Takeyama, Yoshinobu
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/50 Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control sequencing control G03G21/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00

Abstract

In the image formation apparatus according to the present invention, a plurality of detection ections outputs binary signals to a detection identification control section, and an image formation control section for control of periphery of the engine of the apparatus outputs a detection section identifying signal and a detection eon period signal to the detection identification control section. Also, the detection identification control section outputs a detection result of the detection sections as detection data to a control board. A plurality of driver sections are connected to a driver identification control section via a data line through which driving signals for driving a section to be driven are transmitted. Accordingly, the present invention provides a versatile image formation apparatus with a reduced number of output lines which can deal with a change of image formation system without increasing the number of signal lines.

Claims

1. An image formation apparatus including a plurality of detection sections performing status detection of the apparatus and a plurality of driver ections driving the apparatus, the image formation apparatus comprising:

a first set of signal lines including a detection data line through which a detection result from the plurality of detection sections is transmitted, a first identifying signal line through which a first identifying signal to identify one of the plurality of detection sections is transmitted, and a first valid period sisal line through which a first period signal to determine a valid period of the first identifying signal on the first identifying signal line and to determine a valid period of data on the detection data line is transmitted;

a detection identification control section which identifies a detection section in question according to the first identifying signal, and determines data on the detection data line as valid data for the detection section in question;

a second set of signal lines including a drive control data line through which a drive control signal is transmitted to the plurality of driver sections, a second identifying signal line through which a second identifying signal to have identified one driver section from the plurality of driver section is transmitted, and a second valid period signal line through which a second period signal to determine a valid period of the second identifying signal on the second identifying signal line and to determine a valid period of data on the drive control data line is transmitted;

a driver identification control section which identifies a driver section in question according to the second identifying signal, and determines data on the driver control data line as valid data for the driver section in question; and

an image formation control section which controls the detection identification control section and the driver identification control section.

2. An image formation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

after validating the first and second identifying signals to be outputted to the first and second identifying signal lines according to the first and second period signals outputted from the image formation control section to the first and second valid period signal lines, the detection identification control section and the driver identification control section determine data on the detection data line and on the drive control data line as valid data for the detection section or the driver section determined by the respective identifying signals.

5. An image formation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a pulse is output to either of the first and second identifying signal lines according to a section to be identified during a period where data on the data line determined by the period signal is validated; and

when the section to be identified is a detection section, erroneous setting of the identifying signal can be decided, and when the section to be identified is a driver section, driving timing therefor is finely adjustable.

3. An image formation apparatus including a plurality of detection sections performing status detection of the apparatus and a plurality of driver sections driving the apparatus, the image formation apparatus comprising

an input/output data control device including an identification control section which additionally sets, before determining a data valid period of a data line, an input/output period on a period signal line through which a period signal to determine the data valid period of the data line is transmitted, outputs an identifying signal of the detection sections and an identifying signal of the driver sections via a common identifying signal line and outputs data of a plurality of detection sections and data of a plurality of driver sections via a common data line to determine data input/output on the data line according to a state of the identifying signal line during the input/output period determined by the period signal, identifies a detection section or a driver section in question according to the identifying signal line, the data line, and the period signal line, and determines the data on the data line as valid data for the identified section, the input/output period being a period for which data input/output on the data line is decided.

6. An image formation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

a pulse is output to the identifying signal line according to a section to be identified during a period where data on the data line determined by the period signal is validated; and

when the section to be identified is a detection section, erroneous setting of the identifying signal can be decided, and when the section to be identified is a driver section, driving timing therefor is finely adjustable.

8. An image formation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising

a plurality of input/output data control devices including a set of signal lines composed of the data line, the identifying signal line, and the period signal line, and the identification control section, wherein

each of the input/output data control devices is provided for each location, function, or unit where the detection sections and the driver sections are disposed.

10. An image formation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising

a plurality of identification control sections identifying a detection section or a driver section in question according to an identifying signal line to determine data on a data line as valid data for the identified section, wherein:

each of the identification control sections is provided for each location, function or unit where the detection sections and the driver sections are disposed; and

the plurality of identification control cons are oozed with a set of signal lines composed of the data line, the identifying signal line, and the period signal line.

4. An image formation apparatus including a plurality of detection sections performing status detection of the apparatus and a plurality of driver sections driving the apparatus, the image formation apparatus comprising

an input/output data control device including an identification control section which additionally sets, immediately prior to a period where an identifying signal is validated, an input/output period on a period signal line through which a period signal to determine a data valid period of a data line is transmitted, outputs an identifying signal of the detection sections and an identifying signal of the driver sections via a common identifying signal line and outputs data of a plurality of detection sections and data of a plurality of driver sections via a common data line to determine data input/output on the data line according to a state of the identifying signal line during the input/output period determined by the period signal, identifies a detection section or a driver section in question according to the identifying signal line, the data line, and the period signal line, and determines the data on the data line as valid data for the identified section, the input/output period being a period for which data input/output on the data line is decided.

7. An image formation apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

a pulse is output to the identifying signal line according to a section to be identified during a period where data on the data line determined by the period signal is validated; and

when the section to be identified is a detection section, erroneous setting of the identifying signal can be decided, and when the section to be identified is a driver section, driving therefor is finely adjustable.

9. An image formation apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising

a plurality of input/output data control devices including a set of signal lines composed of the data line, the identifying signal line, and the period signal line, and the identification control section, wherein

each of the input/output data control devices is provided for each location, function, or unit where the detection sections and the driver sections are disposed.

11. An image formation apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising

a plurality of identification control sections identifying a detection section or a driver section in question according to an identifying signal line to determine data on a data line as valid data for the identified section, wherein:

each of the identification control sections is provided for each location, function or unit where the detection sections and the driver eons are disposed; and

the plurality of identification control sections are connected with a set of signal lines composed of the data line, the identifying signal line, and the period signal line.