Image forming device, print job transmission device, data management device, program, storage medium and method for supplying print sheet

• US 20050105146A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: K.Mizra LLC
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yoshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,852,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/498
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/6508 Automatic supply devices interacting with the rest of the apparatus, e.g. selection of a specific cassette matching the image with the size of the copy material G03G15/5095

Abstract

When the image forming device receives a print job including a print condition in its header, an operation control section extracts the print condition from the header, and makes an inquiry to a server. The server extracts an order table, indicative of a priority based on the extracted print condition, from a setting table in which a priority of sheets has been set in advance in accordance with the extracted print condition, and sends the order table by return to the image forming device. In the image forming device, a tray selection section generates a tray selection signal in accordance with the received order table and a detection signal, outputted from a tray detection section, which functions as sheet storage information of a sheet feeding tray section, so as to send the tray selection signal by return to the sheet feeding tray section. The sheet feeding tray section supplies a sheet, corresponding to the print condition, from a tray selected in accordance with the tray selection signal to a printer engine. Thus, it is possible to select an appropriate sheet in accordance with the print condition and to print an image on the appropriate sheet.

Claims

1. An image forming device, comprising:

a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to a network;

a control section for generating a tray selection signal in accordance with a print job inputted to the transmission/reception section, said print job including a print condition indicative of a condition for printing; and

a sheet feeding tray section, having a plurality of sheet trays storing sheets therein, which supplies a sheet from one of the sheet trays that has been selected in accordance with the tray selection signal transmitted from the control section, wherein

said control section includes;

an operation control section for extracting the print condition from the print job and for obtaining an order table, indicative of a priority based on the print condition that has been extracted, from setting information, indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to the print condition; and

a tray selection section for generating the tray selection signal for selecting one of the sheet trays, in accordance with the order table transmitted from the operation control section.

2. The image forming device as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the operation control section extracts the print condition from the print job and accesses a data management device, whose connection to the operation control section via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception section, so as to obtain an order table, indicative of a priority based on the print condition that has been extracted, from setting information, indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to a print condition stored in a first storage section of the data management device.

3. The image forming device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second storage section for storing a registration table as the setting information indicative of the sheet type priority corresponding to the print condition, said registration table being setting information for specifying a main body of the image forming device, wherein

the operation control section extracts the print condition from the print job and accesses the second storage section so as to obtain an order table, indicative of a priority based on the print condition that has been extracted, from the registration table of the second storage section.

4. The image forming device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the operation control section accesses a data management device, whose connection to the operation control section via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception section, and obtains the registration table, concerning the main body of the image forming device, from the setting information indicative of the sheet type priority corresponding to the print condition stored in the first storage section of the data management device, and registers the registration table to the second storage section.

5. The image forming device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the print condition includes at least either device information concerning a print job transmission device, whose connection to the main body of the image forming device via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception device, or user information concerning a user who has given a command instruction to execute the print job with the print job transmission device.

6. The image forming device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the print condition includes application information concerning an application by which image data included in the print job is generated in the print job transmission device, whose connection to the main body of the image forming device via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception section, said print job transmission device having transmitted the print job to the transmission/reception section.

7. The image forming device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the print condition includes color specifying information in printing an image on the basis of the print job.

8. The image forming device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the setting information includes a prohibition table concerning such a combination of a print condition and a sheet type that selection of the combination is prohibited, and

the operation control section obtains the order table and the prohibition table from the setting information, and

the tray selection section generates the tray selection signal in accordance with the order table and the prohibition table that have been transmitted from the operation control section while excluding a condition indicated by the prohibition table.

9. An image forming device, comprising:

a sheet feeding section, having a plurality of sheet trays for storing print sheets therein, which supplies a print sheet from one of the sheet trays;

an operation control section for selecting an order table, based on a print condition, from a plurality of order tables each of which indicates a sheet priority corresponding to the print condition; and

a tray selection section for selecting one of the sheet trays, in accordance with the order table selected by the operation control section, so as to supply the print sheet from thus selected sheet tray.

10. A print job transmission device, comprising:

a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to a network; and

a print control section for commanding an image forming device, whose connection to the print control section via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception section, to execute a print job including a print condition indicative of a condition for printing, wherein

the print control section includes a registration section for registering a registration table, indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to the print condition concerning the image forming device, to a second storage section of the image forming device before commanding the image forming device to execute the print job, so as to cause the image forming device to obtain an order table, indicative of a priority based on the print condition included in the print job, from the registration table in accordance with the print condition included in the print job which the image forming device has been commanded to execute.

11. A print job transmission device, comprising:

a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to a network; and

a print control section for commanding an image forming device, whose connection to the print control section via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception section, to execute a print job including a print condition indicative of a condition for printing, wherein

the print control section includes a registration section for registering setting information, indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to the print condition, to a first storage section of a data management device whose connection to the print control section via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception section, before commanding the image forming device to execute the print job, so as to cause the image forming device to obtain an order table, indicative of a priority based on the print condition included in the print job which the image forming device has been commanded to execute, from the first storage section of the data management device, in accordance with the setting information and the print condition included in the print job.

12. A print job transmission device, comprising:

a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to a network; and

a print control section for commanding an image forming device, whose connection to the print control section via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception section, to execute a print job including a print condition indicative of a condition for printing, wherein

the print control section includes a command section for adding the print condition having at least any one of (i) device information concerning a main body of the print job transmission device, (ii) user information concerning a user who has given a command instruction to execute the print job by using the main body of the print job transmission device, (iii) application information concerning an application by which image data included in the print job is generated in the main body of the print job transmission device, and (iv) color specifying information in printing an image on the basis of the print job, to the print job so that the print information is extractable, so as to cause the image forming device, which has been commanded to execute the print job, to select a sheet type in accordance with a priority corresponding to the print condition included in the print job.

13. A data management device, including a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to a network, whose connection to an image forming device via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception section,

said data management device comprising:

a first storage section for storing setting information indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to a print condition, indicative of a condition for printing, which is included in a print job which the image forming device is commanded to execute; and

a control section for managing the setting information.

14. The data management device as set forth in claim 13, wherein

the control section includes a registration section for accessing the image forming device and obtaining a registration table, indicative of the setting information concerning the image forming device, from a second storage section of the image forming device, so as to register the registration table to the first storage section.

15. The data management device as set forth in claim 13, wherein

the control section includes a registration section for accessing a print job transmission device which commands the image forming device to execute the print job and for obtaining the setting information from a third storage section of the print job transmission device, so as to register the setting information to the first storage section.

16. The data management device as set forth in claim 13, wherein

the control section includes a response section for obtaining an order table, indicative of a priority based on the print condition, from the setting information of the first storage section, in response to an inquiry, made by the image forming device, which specifies the print condition, so as to send the order table by return to the image forming device.

17. A program, causing a computer to function as a print job transmission device provided with a print control section for commanding an image forming device, whose connection to the print control section via a network is allowed by a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to the network, to execute a print job including a print condition indicative of a condition for printing, wherein

the print control section includes a registration section for registering a registration table, indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to the print condition concerning the image forming device, to a second storage section of the image forming device before commanding the image forming device to execute the print job, so as to cause the image forming device to obtain an order table, indicative of a priority based on the print condition included in the print job, from the registration table in accordance with the print condition included in the print job which the image forming device has been commanded to execute.

18. A program, causing a computer to function as a print job transmission device provided with a print control section for commanding an image forming device, whose connection to the print control section via a network is allowed by a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to the network, to execute a print job including a print condition indicative of a condition for printing, wherein

the print control section includes a registration section for registering setting information, indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to the print condition, to a first storage section of a data management device whose connection to the print control section via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception section, before commanding the image forming device to execute the print job, so as to cause the image forming device to obtain an order table, indicative of a priority based on the print condition included in the print job which the image forming device has been commanded to execute, from the first storage section of the data management device, in accordance with the setting information and the print condition included in the print job.

19. A program, causing a computer to function as a print job transmission device provided with a print control section for commanding an image forming device, whose connection to the print control section via a network is allowed by a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to the network, to execute a print job including a print condition indicative of a condition for printing, wherein

the print control section includes a command section for adding the print condition having at least any one of (i) device information concerning a main body of the print job transmission device, (ii) user information concerning a user who has given a command instruction to execute the print job by using the main body of the print job transmission device, (iii) application information concerning an application by which image data included in the print job is generated in the main body of the print job transmission device, and (iv) color specifying information in printing an image on the basis of the print job, to the print job so that the print information is extractable, so as to cause the image forming device, which has been commanded to execute the print job, to select a sheet type in accordance with a priority corresponding to the print condition included in the print job.

20. A program, causing a computer to function as a data management device whose connection to an image forming device via a network is allowed by a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to the network, wherein

the data management device includes:

a first storage section for storing setting information indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to a print condition, indicative of a condition for printing, which is included in a print job which the image forming device is commanded to execute; and

a control section for managing the setting information.

21. A computer-readable storage medium, storing a program which causes a computer to function as a print job transmission device provided with a print control section for commanding an image forming device, whose connection to the print control section via a network is allowed by a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to the network, to execute a print job including a print condition indicative of a condition for printing, wherein

the print control section includes a registration section for registering a registration table, indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to the print condition concerning the image forming device, to a second storage section of the image forming device before commanding the image forming device to execute the print job, so as to cause the image forming device to obtain an order table, indicative of a priority based on the print condition included in the print job, from the registration table in accordance with the print condition included in the print job which the image forming device has been commanded to execute.

22. A computer-readable storage medium, storing a program which causes a computer to function as a print job transmission device provided with a print control section for commanding an image forming device, whose connection to the print control section via a network is allowed by a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to the network, to execute a print job including a print condition indicative of a condition for printing, wherein

the print control section includes a registration section for registering setting information, indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to the print condition, to a first storage section of a data management device whose connection to the print control section via the network is allowed by the transmission/reception section, before commanding the image forming device to execute the print job, so as to cause the image forming device to obtain an order table, indicative of a priority based on the print condition included in the print job which the image forming device has been commanded to execute, from the first storage section of the data management device, in accordance with the setting information and the print condition included in the print job.

23. A computer-readable storage medium, storing a program which causes a computer to function as a print job transmission device provided with a print control section for commanding an image forming device, whose connection to the print control section via a network is allowed by a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to the network, to execute a print job including a print condition indicative of a condition for printing, wherein

the print control section includes a command section for adding the print condition having at least any one of (i) device information concerning a main body of the print job transmission device, (ii) user information concerning a user who has given a command instruction to execute the print job by using the main body of the print job transmission device, (iii) application information concerning an application by which image data included in the print job is generated in the main body of the print job transmission device, and (iv) color specifying information in printing an image on the basis of the print job, to the print job so that the print information is extractable, so as to cause the image forming device, which has been commanded to execute the print job, to select a sheet type in accordance with a priority corresponding to the print condition included in the print job.

24. A computer-readable storage medium, storing a program which causes a computer to function as a data management device whose connection to an image forming device via a network is allowed by a transmission/reception section which functions as an interface to the network, wherein

the data management device includes:

a first storage section for storing setting information indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to a print condition, indicative of a condition for printing, which is included in a print job which the image forming device is commanded to execute; and

a control section for managing the setting information.

25. A method for supplying a print sheet from a sheet tray selected from a plurality of sheet trays for storing print sheets therein, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an order table indicative of a priority based on a desired print condition from setting information, indicative of a sheet type priority corresponding to a print condition, that is stored in a storage section; and

selecting a sheet tray from the plurality of sheet trays in accordance with the order table so as to supply the print sheet from the sheet tray that has been selected.