Image forming apparatus, apparatus for supplying image data to image forming apparatus, and method of interfacing two apparatuses

• US 6,130,999 A
• Filed: 08/23/1999
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Masako, Serizawa, Yoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Royer, William J.
• Application Number:
  US09/379,126
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 399/8, 399/9, 399/38, 399/75, 399/76, 358/442, 358/434, 358/436, 358/437, 358/468, 395/181, 395/182.13, 395/182.16, 395/182.19, 395/183.01, 395/183.03, 395/183.07, 395/183.13, 395/183.22, 395/184.01, 395/185.01 , 395/185.02, 324/73.1
• US Class Current: 399/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1204 resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1211 Improving printing performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1279 Controller construction, e.g. aspects of the interface hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/12 by photographic printing , e.g. by laser printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0017 Preparing data for the controlling system, e.g. status, memory data

Abstract

An engine control unit of a printer engine checks the status of each part of the printer, and if there is any change in the status, generates a predetermined representative status of changes and outputs a status change signal to a controller (RIP). The controller is informed of a change in the status by the status change signal, and reads the predetermined representative status to discriminate the changed status from unchanged statuses. In accordance with the discriminated status, the current status can be read. Accordingly, it is not necessary to periodically read the statuses, improving the efficiency of an image forming process. A status change informing control unit in the engine control unit sets a changing status bit of a basic status or status change signal and sends it to the controller, when there occurs a change in any data of a presence/absence and paper size of a paper sheet at a paper feeding port and a loading state of an optional paper feeder. The controller periodically monitors the basic status or status change signal. Only when the changing status bit becomes true, the controller requests the engine control unit to supply the status data representative of a presence/absence, paper size, or loading state of an optional paper feeder.

Claims

1. A status informing apparatus comprising:

interface means for performing interface with an external apparatus, said interface means including a plurality of lines connected thereto which transmit respective signals that change in signal level in response to respective status changes in said status informing apparatus,

first changing means for changing the signal level at a first one of the plurality of lines in response to a first type of status change in said status informing apparatus;

second changing means for changing the signal level at a second one of the plurality of lines in response to a second type of status change in said status informing apparatus; and

informing means for informing the external apparatus of status of said status informing apparatus due to the first and second type of status change separately from each other.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first type of status change is a change from normal status of said status informing apparatus to abnormal status.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium based on image data received from the external apparatus.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second type of status change includes a change relating to the recording medium set in said apparatus.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second type of status change includes at least one of a change in size of the recording medium, in presence/absence of the recording medium and in function of a unit for supplying the recording medium.

6. A status monitoring apparatus comprising:

interface means for performing interface with an external apparatus, said interface means including a plurality of lines connected thereto which receive respective signals that change in signal level in response to respective status changes in the external apparatus, wherein the signals at first and second ones of the plurality of lines change in signal level in response to first and second types of status change in the external apparatus, respectively;

recognition means for recognizing the first and second types of status change in the external apparatus based on the signals at the first and second ones of the plurality of lines; and

request means for requesting the external apparatus to inform said status monitoring apparatus of status of the external apparatus due to the first type of status change when said recognition means recognizes the first type of status change and inform said status monitoring apparatus of status of the external apparatus due to the second type of status change when said recognition means recognizes the second type of status change.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising means for outputting image data to the external apparatus.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising means for receiving information provided in a printer language from a higher level apparatus and means for converting the received information into the image data.

9. A system comprising:

a status informing apparatus comprising;

interface means for performing interface with a status monitoring apparatus, and said interface means including a plurality of lines connected thereto which transmit respective signals that change in signal level in response to respective status changes in said status informing apparatus;

first changing means for changing the signal level at a first one of the plurality of lines in response to a first type of status change in said status informing apparatus;

second changing means for changing the signal level at a second one of the plurality of lines in response to a second type of status change in said status informing apparatus; and

informing means for informing the status monitoring apparatus of status of said status informing apparatus due to the first and second types of status change separately from each other; and

said status monitoring apparatus comprising;

interface means for performing interface with said status informing apparatus, through connection to the plurality of lines of said interface means of said status informing apparatus;

recognition means for recognizing the first and second types of status change in said status informing apparatus based on the signals at the first and second ones of the plurality of lines; and

request means for requesting said status informing apparatus to inform said status monitoring apparatus of status of said status informing apparatus due to the first type of status change when said recognition means recognizes the first type of status change and inform said status monitoring apparatus of status of said status informing apparatus due to the second type of status change when said recognition means recognizes the second type of status change.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said status informing apparatus further comprises image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium, and wherein the first type of status change is a change from normal status of said status informing apparatus to abnormal status and the second type of status change includes a change relating to the recording medium set in said status informing apparatus.

11. A main apparatus comprising:

interface means for performing interface with an external apparatus, said interface means including a line connected thereto which transmits a signal that changes in signal level in response to a status change in said main apparatus, wherein the signal does not change in signal level in response to a status change from a normal status of said main apparatus to an abnormal status;

detection means for detecting a predetermined status change of said main apparatus different from a status change from a normal status of said main apparatus to an abnormal status; and

changing means for changing the signal level at the line in response to said detection means detecting the predetermined status change.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising means for informing the external apparatus of status of said main apparatus due to the predetermined status change detected by said detection means.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium based on image data received from the external apparatus.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said detection means detects a predetermined status change relating to the recording medium set in said main apparatus.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said detection means detects at least one of a change in size of the recording medium, a change in presence/absence of the recording medium and a change in function of a unit for supplying the recording medium.

16. An apparatus comprising:

interface means for performing interface with an external apparatus, said interface means including a line connected thereto which receives a signal that changes in signal level in response to a predetermined status change of the external apparatus different from a status change from normal status of the external apparatus to an abnormal status, wherein the signal does not change in signal level in response to the status change from the normal status of the external apparatus to the abnormal status;

recognition means for recognizing the predetermined status change in the external apparatus based on the signal at the line; and

request means for requesting the external apparatus to inform said apparatus of status of the external apparatus due to the predetermined status change when said recognition means recognizes the predetermined status change.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising means for outputting image data to the external apparatus.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising means for receiving information provided in a printer language from a higher level apparatus and means for converting the received information into the image data.

19. A system comprising:

a first apparatus comprising;

interface means for performing interface with a second apparatus, said interface means including a line connected thereto which transmits a signal that changes in signal level in response to a status change in said first apparatus, wherein the signal does not change in signal level in response to the status change from the normal status of the external apparatus to the abnormal status;

detection means for detecting a predetermined status change of said first apparatus different from the status change from normal status of said first apparatus to abnormal status; and

changing means for changing the signal level at the line in response to said detection means detecting the predetermined status change; and

a second apparatus comprising;

interface means for performing interface with said first apparatus, through connection to the line of said interface means of said first apparatus;

recognition means for recognizing the predetermined status change in said first apparatus based on the signal at the line; and

request means for requesting said first apparatus to inform said second apparatus of status of said first apparatus due to the predetermined status change when said recognition means recognizes the predetermined status change.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein said first apparatus further comprises an image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium, and wherein said detection means detects a predetermined status change relating to the recording medium set in said first apparatus.