Image forming apparatus that discriminates an operation of a service requested and constructs a job corresponding to the operation by selecting a job scenario prepared in advance
An operation control program controls a computer provided in an image forming apparatus to serve as: a service section which discriminates an operation of a service requested by a user, and constructs a job corresponding to the operation by selecting one or a plurality of job scenarios prepared in advance as constituting element of the job and using the selected job scenario; and a job performing section for executing sequentially a processing indicated by each job scenario constituting the job constructed by the service section.
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an instruction input section; an image input section; an image output portion; an image processing section which processes an image inputted from the image input section and transfers the same to the image output portion; and a controller for controlling an operation of the apparatus, wherein
the controller includes:
a service section which discriminates an operation of a service requested and inputted through the instruction input section by a user, constructing a job corresponding to the operation by selecting one or a plurality of job scenarios prepared in advance as constituting element of the job and using the selected job scenario;
a job performing section which executes sequentially a processing indicated by each job scenario constituting the job constructed by the service section; and
an element section for controlling an operation of each mechanism of the image forming apparatus in accordance with an instruction outputted from the job performing section, the element section, in accordance with the operation control instruction from the job performing section, executes an error notification to the job performing section in a case where an operation error occurs in the mechanism at a time of controlling the mechanism, and the job performing section, when it receives the error notification, outputs a job aborting instruction to the element section.
2. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an instruction input section; an image input section; an image output portion; an image processing section which processes an image inputted from the image input section and transfers the same to the image output portion; a storage section for storing a plurality of job scenarios and a controller for controlling an operation of the apparatus, wherein
the controller includes:
a service section which discriminates an operation of a service requested and inputted through the instruction input section by a user, constructing a job corresponding to the operation by selecting one or a plurality of job scenarios prepared in advance as constituting element of the job and using the selected job scenario, the service section includes:
a job scenario selecting section which discriminates an operation requested by a user for operation and selects one or a plurality of job scenarios necessary for constituting a job associated with the operation from the job scenarios stored in the storage section; and
a job constructing section which uses the job scenario selected by the job scenario selecting section to construct a job constituted by the job scenarios, and
the controller further includes a job performing section which executes sequentially a processing indicated by each job scenario constituting the job constructed by the service section, the job performing section includes:
a job management section which sequentially outputs an execution instruction of a processing indicated by each job scenario constituting the job constructed by the job constructing section; and
a job executing section which sequentially executes a processing indicated by the instruction outputted from the job management section.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the job performing section, in response to the job execution instruction from the service section, gives execution instruction regarding respective operations of an image input executed by the image input section, an image processing of the inputted image in the image processing section, and supply of the processed image to the image output portion.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the plurality of job scenarios stored in the storage section include the job scenario as a basic job commonly used for construction of plural kinds of jobs, and
the job scenario selecting section, at a time of selecting the job scenario, selects the basic job or a combination of the basic job and other job scenario, and
the job constructing section uses the basic job selected by the job scenario selecting section or the combination of the basic job and other job scenario to construct the job.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising:
an image data storage section for storing image data inputted by the image input section, wherein
one of the basic job allows the image input section to input image and store the inputted image data into the image data storage section as a file.
6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the basic job or the job scenario includes one or a plurality of job steps, and
the job management section generates job information, which is a parameter necessary for execution of a job constructed with use of the job scenario by the job constructing section and has data structure which is common in each job corresponding to the operation, and stores the same in the storage section, and outputs an execution instruction of a processing indicated by the basic job or the job scenario constituting the constructed job to the job executing section, and
the job executing section, at a time of executing the basic job or the job scenario in accordance with the execution instruction, outputs an execution instruction of each job step constituting the basic job or the job scenario and information read from the parameter included in the job information and being necessary for execution of each job step to an element section.
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the job scenario selecting section and the job constructing section allows the job to include at least a first basic job and a second basic job, and
the first basic job allows an image to be inputted from an image input section of the image forming apparatus and allows the image data storage section of the image forming apparatus to store the input image as image data, and
the second basic job allows a facsimile transmitting section of the image forming apparatus to call out a facsimile receiver and, after the calling out of the facsimile receiver is successful, allows image data stored in the image data storage section to be transmitted.
8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the image input section includes a communication section for communicating with an external equipment connected to the image forming apparatus to transmit data.
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the job management section generates job information, which is a parameter necessary for execution of a job constructed with use of the job scenario by the job constructing section and has data structure which is common in each job corresponding to the operation, and stores the same in the storage section, and outputs an execution instruction of a processing indicated by the basic job or the job scenario constituting the constructed job to the job executing section, and
the job executing section receives the execution instruction from the job management section, refers to job information stored in the storage section, and uses the parameter to sequentially execute a processing indicated by the execution instruction outputted from the job management section.
10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the job scenario selecting section includes a service request receiving section for determining whether or not a user requests execution of the operation, and a service specifying section for selecting the job scenario necessary for constituting a job corresponding to an operation which is requested by a user and received at the service request receiving section, and
the image forming apparatus further comprises: a system management section for determining, in accordance with an authentication request from the service request receiving section at a time when a user's request is received at the service request receiving section, whether or not the user is a user who is permitted to execute the operation, and
the service request receiving section, when the system management section determines that the user is a user who is authorized to execute the operation, allows the service specifying section to execute selection of the job scenario.
11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the job management section, requests to the resource management section, which is positioned under the job performing section for managing each mechanism of the image forming apparatus, for use of the mechanism necessary for execution of the processing indicated by the job scenario, and outputs to the job executing section an execution instruction of the processing indicated by the job scenario after the resource management section allocates the mechanism for execution of the processing indicated by the job scenario.
12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an element section for controlling an operation of each mechanism of the image forming apparatus in accordance with an instruction outputted from the upper job executing section, and
the element section, in accordance with the operation control instruction from the job performing section, executes an error notification to the job performing section in a case where an operation error occurs in the mechanism at a time of controlling the mechanism, and
the job performing section, when it receives the error notification, outputs a job aborting instruction to the element section.
13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a system management section for managing a state of each mechanism of the image forming apparatus;
an element section for controlling an operation of a notification section of the image forming apparatus in accordance with an instruction outputted from the job executing section; and
a system service executing section for instructing execution of a job of allowing the notification section to give a notification of a state change in the mechanism or job to the job management section if it receives the state change in the mechanism or job from the system management section, wherein
the job management section generates the job with use of the job scenario, and allows the job executing section to output an operation control instruction of giving a notification of a state change in the mechanism or job from the notifying section with use of the job to the element section.
14. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an instruction input section; an image input section; an image output portion; an image processing section which processes an image inputted from the image input section and transfers the same to the image output portion; and a controller for controlling an operation of the apparatus, wherein
the controller includes:
a service section which discriminates an operation of a service requested and inputted through the instruction input section by a user, constructing a job corresponding to the operation by selecting one or a plurality of job scenarios prepared in advance as constituting element of the job and using the selected job scenario; and
a job performing section which executes sequentially a processing indicated by each job scenario constituting the job constructed by the service section;
an element section for controlling an operation of each mechanism of the image forming apparatus in accordance with an instruction outputted from the job performing section, wherein
the service section, when execution of the operation is requested by a user, analyzes contents of the request, and in a case where the request requires constructing of the job, an instruction of executing the constructed job is outputted to the job performing section, or in a case where the request allows each mechanism of the image forming apparatus to operate without constructing of the job, an operation control instruction of the mechanism is outputted to the element section, and
the element section controls operation of the mechanism in accordance with an operation control instruction from the job performing section or an operation control instruction from the service section.