IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS EXECUTING PRINT JOB

• US 20190332338A1
• Filed: 04/23/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: IKAZAKI, Akihiko, TSUJI, Shuntaro
• Granted Patent: US 10,795,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1237 Print job management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1263 based on job priority, e.g. re-arranging the order of jobs, e.g. the printing sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1267 Job repository, e.g. non-scheduled jobs, delay printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1268 Job submission, e.g. submitting print job order or request not the print data itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/442 using a biometric data reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section, a sheet output tray, an operating section, an operation acceptance section, a human body detection sensor, a communication section, a command acceptance section, and a control section. When the command acceptance section accepts a print job command from an external device while a human body is being detected by the human body detection sensor provided at the front of the image forming apparatus, the control section suspends a print job based on the print job command.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming section that forms an image on a recording medium;

a sheet output tray onto which the recording medium having the image formed by the image forming section is discharged;

an operating section through which an instruction is input from a user;

a human body detection sensor that is provided in the image forming apparatus and detects a human body present in front of the image forming apparatus;

a communication section that communicates data with an external device; and

a control unit including a processor,

wherein when the processor executes a control program, the control unit functions as;

an operation acceptance section that accepts the instruction input through the operating section;

a command acceptance section that accepts a print job command from the external device through the communication section; and

a control section that controls an operation of the image forming section to execute, upon acceptance of a print job instruction by the operation acceptance section, a print job based on the print job instruction, and execute, upon acceptance of the print job command from the external device by the command acceptance section, a print job based on the print job command, and

when the command acceptance section accepts the print job command while a human body is being detected by the human body detection sensor, the control section performs a suspension of the print job based on the print job command.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

further comprising a display section,

wherein when the command acceptance section accepts the print job command while a human body is being detected by the human body detection sensor, the control section performs a suspension of the print job based on the print job command and allows the display section to provide a display for calling attention to a possible mistake of taking away a wrong recording medium discharged onto the sheet output tray.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the control section allows the display section to provide the display for calling attention to the possible mistake and a display for inquiring of the user whether to execute the print job based on the print job command from the external device and then the operation acceptance section accepts an instruction to execute the print job based on the print job command from the user, the control section lifts the suspension and executes the print job based on the print job command from the external device.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the control section allows the display section to provide the display for calling attention to the possible mistake and a display for inquiring of the user whether to execute the print job based on the print job command from the external device and then the human body becomes undetectable by the human body detection sensor even if the operation acceptance section has not accepted an instruction to execute the print job based on the print job command from the user, the control section lifts the suspension and executes the print job based on the print job command from the external device.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the human body becomes undetectable by the human body detection sensor, the control section lifts the suspension and executes the print job based on the print job command.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

when the control program is executed, the control unit further functions as a screen determination section that determines whether or not a screen being displayed on the display section is a predetermined operation screen for use in being instructed to execute a print job by the user,

when the screen determination section determines that the screen being displayed on the display section is the predetermined operation screen, the control section suspends the print job based on the print job command and allows the display section to provide the display for calling attention to the possible mistake, and

when the screen determination section determines that the screen being displayed on the display section is not the predetermined operation screen, the control section allows the display section not to provide the display for calling attention to the possible mistake and executes the suspended print job based on the print job command.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6,

further comprising a connecting section connectable to an external memory,

wherein when the control program is executed, the control unit further functions as a recognition section that recognizes connection of the external memory to the connecting section, and

when the screen determination section determines that the screen being displayed on the display section is not the predetermined operation screen and the recognition section has no recognition of the connection of the external memory to the connection section, the control section allows the display section not to provide the display for calling attention to the possible mistake and executes the suspended print job based on the print job command.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the screen determination section determines that the screen being displayed on the display section is not the predetermined operation screen and the recognition section recognizes the connection of the external memory to the connection section, the control section allows the display section to provide the display for calling attention to the possible mistake and keeps suspending the print job based on the print job command.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

when the control program is executed, the control section further functions as a type determination section that determines whether or not a predetermined type of data printable on the image forming apparatus is stored in the external memory connected to the connecting section, and

only when the screen determination section determines that the screen being displayed on the display section is not the predetermined operation screen, the recognition section recognizes the connection of the external memory to the connecting section, and the type determination section determines that the predetermined type of data is stored in the external memory, the control section allows the display section to provide the display for calling attention to the possible mistake and keeps suspending the print job based on the print job command.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the screen determination section determines that the screen being displayed on the display section is not the predetermined operation screen, the recognition section recognizes the connection of the external memory to the connection section, and the type determination section determines that the predetermined type of data is not stored in the external memory, the control section allows the display section not to provide the display for calling attention to the possible mistake and executes the suspended print job based on the print job command.