Image forming apparatus, paper management method and computer-readable medium
View Patent ↗An image forming apparatus includes: a storage unit that stores an identifier and a remaining sheet length of a roll sheet after an image formation has been finished; a specifying unit that specifies sheet lengths of pages where images are to be formed based on an image forming instruction, and a number of the pages; a computing unit that calculates a sheet length required for an image formation in accordance with the image forming instruction based on the specified sheet lengths and the specified number of the pages; and a selection unit that selects a roll sheet for the image formation in accordance with the image forming instruction based on the calculated sheet length and the stored remaining sheet length.
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a storage unit that stores priority information that indicates whether to process print jobs in ascending order of remaining sheet length or according to user selection, (i) a first identifier of a first paper roll and a first remaining length of paper in the first paper roll, (ii) a second identifier of a second paper roll and a second remaining length of paper in the second paper roll, and (iii) a third identifier of a current paper roll currently set in the image forming apparatus and a current remaining length of paper in the current paper roll;
a specifying unit that analyzes a plurality of next print jobs to be printed, each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed comprising a print instruction and print data of at least one page, specifics at least one length of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed according to the print data of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed and a number of copies of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed according to the print instruction of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed;
a computing unit that calculates total lengths of paper required for printing each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed, based on the at least one length of the at least on page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed and the numbers of copies of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed specified by the specifying unit;
a selection unit that, if the priority information indicates to process print jobs in ascending order of remaining sheet length, compares the current remaining length to a current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed and selects the current paper roll as a selected paper roll if the current remaining length is greater than or equal to the current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed calculated by the computing unit, and if the current remaining length is not greater than or equal to the current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed then the selection unit compares, in ascending order of remaining sheet length, the first and second remaining sheet lengths with the current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed, and selects one of the first paper roll and the second paper roll having a length of paper that is greater than or equal to the current total length of paper as the selected paper roll, based on the current total length of paper calculated by the computing unit and the first remaining length and the second remaining length stored in the storage unit; and
a display instructions unit that, if the priority information indicates to process print jobs according to user selection, (i) displays print jobs among the plurality of print jobs having total lengths of paper which is less than or equal to the current remaining length of paper, the total lengths of paper, and a current remaining length of paper in the current paper roll and (ii) receives a selection of a print job among the displayed print jobs for print processing using the current paper roll.
2. An image forming method of an image forming apparatus, the method comprising:
storing priority information that indicates whether to process print jobs in ascending order of remaining sheet length or according to user selection, (i) a first identifier of a first paper roll and a first remaining length of paper in the first paper roll, (ii) a second identifier of a second paper roll and a second remaining length of paper in the second paper roll, and (iii) a third identifier of a current paper roll currently sat in the image forming apparatus and a current remaining length of paper in the current paper roll;
analyzing a plurality of next print jobs to be printed, each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed comprising a print instruction and print data of at least one page;
specifying at least one length of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed according to the print data of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed and a number of copies of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed according to the print instruction of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed;
calculating total lengths of paper required for printing each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed, based on the at least one length of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed and the numbers of copies of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed;
comparing, if the priority information indicates to process print jobs in ascending order of remaining sheet length, the current remaining length to a current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs be printed and selects the current paper roll as a selected paper roll if the current remaining length is greater than or equal to the current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed, and if the current remaining length is not greater than or equal to the current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed then comparing, in ascending order of remaining sheet length, the first and second remaining sheet lengths with the current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed and selecting one of the first paper roll and the second paper roll hewing a length of paper that is greater than or equal to the current total length of paper as the selected paper roll, based on the current total length of paper, the first remaining length, and the second remaining length; and
displaying, if the priority information indicates to process print jobs according to user selection, (i) print jobs among the plurality of print jobs having total lengths of paper which is less than or equal to the current remaining length of paper, the total lengths of paper, and a current remaining length of paper in the current paper roll and (ii) receiving a selection of a print job among the displayed print jobs for print processing using the current paper roll.
3. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a program which, when executed, causes a computer to implement an image forming method, the method comprising:
storing priority information that indicates whether to process print jobs in ascending order of remaining sheet length or according to user section, (i) a first identifier of a first paper roll and a first remaining length of paper in the first paper roll, (ii) a second identifier of a second paper roll and a second remaining length of paper in the second paper roll, and (iii) a third identifier of a current paper roll currently set in the image forming apparatus and a current remaining length of paper in the current paper roll;
analyzing a plurality of next print jobs to be printed, each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed comprising a print instruction and print data of at least one page;
specifying at least one length of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed according to the print data of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed and a number of copies of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed according to the print instruction of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed;
calculating total lengths of paper required for printing each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed, based on the at least one length of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed and the numbers of copies of the at least one page of each of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed;
comparing, if the priority information indicates to process print jobs in ascending order of remaining sheet length, the current remaining length to a current total length of paper job of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed and selects the current paper roll as a selected paper roll if the current remaining length is greater than or equal to the current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed, and if the current remaining length is not greater than or equal to the current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed then comparing, in ascending order of remaining sheet length, the first and second remaining sheet lengths with the current total length of paper of the plurality of next print jobs to be printed and selecting one of the first paper roll and the second paper roll having a length of paper that is greater than or equal to the current total length of paper as the selected paper roll, based on the current total length of paper, and the first remaining length, and the second remaining length; and
displaying, if the priority information indicates to process print jobs according to user selection, (i) print jobs among the plurality of print jobs having total lengths of paper which is less than or equal to the current remaining length of paper, the total lengths of paper, and a current remaining length of paper in the current paper roll and (ii) receiving a selection of a print job among the displayed print jobs for print processing using the current paper roll.