Image forming apparatus having engine to aquire storage region where image data is to be written, and memory control method using the same

• US 8,885,202 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2009
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Shindoh, Hidenori
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Marcus T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhingra, Pawandeep
• Application Number:
  US12/492,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20100002263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 358/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32358 using picture signal storage, e.g. at transmitter H04N1/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32443 with asynchronous operation of the image input and output devices connected to the memory
• 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 has a read unit to read a document image and generate image data of the document image, a memory management unit to manage a storage unit which is segmented into storage regions, and an engine to write the image data generated by the read unit to the storage unit. The engine acquires setting information related to writing of the image data from the memory management unit, and writes the image data to the storage unit based on the setting information that is acquired.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a read unit configured to read a document image and to generate image data of the document image;

a memory management unit configured to manage a single first storage unit which is segmented into N storage regions, where N is an even number greater than or equal to 4, and to provide setting information related to writing of the image data to the first storage unit;

an engine configured to acquire the setting information from the memory management unit, and to write the image data generated by the read unit to the first storage unit based on the setting information;

a point setting unit configured to set a first check point to an end of an ith storage region and a second check point to an end of an (i+1)th storage region of the first storage unit based on the setting information, where i is a natural number from 1 to N−

1;

a detecting unit configured to detect writing of the image data up to each of the first and second check points set by the point setting unit, in order to detect each of the first and second check points; and

a backup processing unit configured to back up the image data written in the first storage unit into a second storage unit in units of the plurality of storage regions of the first storage unit by a backup process, when the detecting unit detects the writing of the image data up to one of the first and second check points set by the point setting unit,

wherein the backup processing unit generates an alarm display request that requests display of an alarm when the detecting unit detects the writing of the image data up to a next check point that is set by the point setting unit in a state in which the backup process of the backup processing unit has not ended,

wherein the point setting unit dynamically resets the first check point to the end of an (i+2)th storage region that is vacant when the detecting unit detects the first check point at the end of the ith storage region and before the detecting unit detects the second check point at the end of the (i+1)th storage region,

wherein the point setting unit dynamically resets the second check point to the end of an (i+3)th storage region that is vacant when the detecting unit detects the second check point at the end of the (i+1)th storage region and before the detecting unit detects the first check point at the end of the (i+2)th storage region, so that the first check point and the second check point are alternately detected by the detecting unit, and

wherein the first and second check points that are set or dynamically reset exist simultaneously.

2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the backup processing unit generates a process stop request when the detecting unit detects the writing of the image data up to a check point that is set by the point setting unit with respect to a storage region immediately preceding a target storage region for which the backup process is being carried out in a state in which the backup process of the backup processing unit has not ended.

3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image data relates to a long image which cannot be stored in its entirety within the first storage unit.

4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image data relates to a color image which cannot be stored in its entirety within the first storage unit.

10. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the point setting unit dynamically sets the first check point to the end of a first storage region that is vacant when the detecting unit detects the first check point at the end of a (N−

1)th storage region and before the detecting unit detects the second check point at the end of an Nth storage region, and

wherein the point setting unit dynamically sets the second check point to the end of a second storage region that is vacant when the detecting unit detects the second check point at the end of the Nth storage region and before the detecting unit detects the first check point at the end of the (N−

1)th storage region.

5. A memory control method for an image forming apparatus comprising a read unit configured to read a document image and to generate image data of the document image, a memory management unit configured to manage a single first storage unit which is segmented into N storage regions, where N is an even number greater than or equal to 4, and an engine configured to write the image data generated by the read unit to the first storage unit, the memory control method comprising:

acquiring, by the engine, setting information related to writing of the image data, from the memory management unit;

writing, by the engine, the image data to the first storage unit based on the setting information that is acquired by the acquiring;

setting a first check point to an end of an ith storage region and a second check point to an end of an (i+1)th storage region of the first storage unit based on the setting information, where i is a natural number from 1 to N−

1;

detecting writing of the image data up to each of the first and second check points set by the setting, in order to detect each of the first and second check points; and

backing up the image data written in the first storage unit into a second storage unit in units of the plurality of storage regions of the first storage unit by a backup process, when the detecting detects the writing of the image data up to one of the first and second check points set by the setting,

wherein the backing up generates an alarm display request that requests display of an alarm when the detecting detects the writing of the image data up to a next check point that is set by the setting in a state in which the backup process has not ended,

wherein the setting dynamically resets the first check point to the end of an (i+2)th storage region that is vacant when the detecting detects the first check point at the end of the ith storage region and before the detecting detects the second check point at the end of the (i+1)th storage region,

wherein the setting dynamically resets the second check point to the end of an (i+3)th storage region that is vacant when the detecting detects the second check point at the end of the (i+1)th storage region and before the detecting detects the first check point at the end of the (i+2)th storage region, so that the first check point and the second check point are alternately detected by the detecting, and

wherein the first and second check points that are set or dynamically reset exist simultaneously.

6. The memory control method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the backing up generates a process stop request when the detecting detects the writing of the image data up to a check point that is set by the setting with respect to a storage region immediately preceding a target storage region for which the backup process is being carried out in a state in which the backup process has not ended.

7. The memory control method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the image data relates to a long image which cannot be stored in its entirety within the first storage unit.

8. The memory control method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the image data relates to a color image which cannot be stored in its entirety within the first storage unit.

11. The memory control method as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the setting dynamically sets the first check point to the end of a first storage region that is vacant when the detecting detects the first check point at the end of a (N−

1)th storage region and before the detecting detects the second check point at the end of an Nth storage region, and

wherein the setting dynamically sets the second check point to the end of a second storage region that is vacant when the detecting detects the second check point at the end of the Nth storage region and before the detecting detects the first check point at the end of the (N−

1)th storage region.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which a program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a process comprising:

reading a document image and generating image data of the document image;

managing a single first storage unit which is segmented into N storage regions, where N is an even number greater than or equal to 4, and providing setting information related to writing of the image data to the first storage unit;

acquiring the setting information from the managing, and writing the image data generated by the reading to the first storage unit based on the setting information;

setting a first check point to an end of an ith storage region and a second check point to an end of an (i+1)th storage region of the first storage unit based on the setting information, where i is a natural number from 1 to N−

1;

detecting writing of the image data up to each of the first and second check points set by the setting, in order to detect each of the first and second check points; and

backing up the image data written in the first storage unit into a second storage unit in units of the plurality of storage regions of the first storage unit by a backup process, when the detecting detects the writing of the image data up to one of the first and second check points set by the setting,

wherein the backing up generates an alarm display request that requests display of an alarm when the detecting detects the writing of the image data up to a next check point that is set by the setting in a state in which the backup process has not ended,

wherein the setting dynamically resets the first check point to the end of an (i+2)th storage region that is vacant when the detecting detects the first check point at the end of the ith storage region and before the detecting detects the second check point at the end of the (i+1)th storage region,

wherein the setting dynamically resets the second check point to the end of an (i+3)th storage region that is vacant when the detecting detects the second check point at the end of the (i+1)th storage region and before the detecting detects the first check point at the end of the (i+2)th storage region, so that the first check point and the second check point are alternately detected by the detecting, and

wherein the first and second check points that are set or dynamically reset exist simultaneously.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 9,

wherein the setting dynamically sets the first check point to the end of a first storage region that is vacant when the detecting detects the first check point at the end of a (N−

1)th storage region and before the detecting detects the second check point at the end of an Nth storage region, and

wherein the setting dynamically sets the second check point to the end of a second storage region that is vacant when the detecting detects the second check point at the end of the Nth storage region and before the detecting detects the first check point at the end of the (N−

1)th storage region.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the backing up generates a process stop request when the detecting detects the writing of the image data up to a check point that is set by the setting with respect to a storage region immediately preceding a target storage region for which the backup process is being carried out in a state in which the backup process has not ended.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the image data relates to a long image which cannot be stored in its entirety within the first storage unit.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 9, wherein the image data relates to a color image which cannot be stored in its entirety within the first storage unit.