IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,986,122
Granted Patent B2
US 9,986,122 · App. 15/355,840 · Granted May 29, 2018

Image forming apparatus, notification method, computer-readable recording medium storing program, and image forming system

Inventor: Kosuke Masumoto (Hachioji, JP)
Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
H04N1/32117G06F3/1222G06F3/1238G06F3/1288H04N1/32507H04N1/444H04N2201/0039H04N2201/0055H04N2201/0094H04N2201/3205H04N2201/3221
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,986,122
App. No.
15/355,840
Granted
May 29, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

When other user is using an image forming apparatus before an output-permitted user having issued a security job reaches the image forming apparatus, security is lowered and also it takes some time until processing of security job is completed. The image forming apparatus notifies the output-permitted user of information indicating that other user is using the image forming apparatus in a case where the other user present near the image forming apparatus (own apparatus) is using the image forming apparatus. With this arrangement, the output-permitted user can know whether or not the other user is using the image forming apparatus before the output-permitted user reaches the image forming apparatus.

Claims (42)

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit which forms an image on a sheet based on a print job issued from a communication terminal operated by a user; and

a hardware processor which is configured to execute operations including:

acquiring the print job;

detecting the user present in a detectable region;

determining whether the user is an output-permitted user having issued the print job or is an other user other than the output-permitted user;

causing the image forming unit to form the image based on the print job in a case in which the output-permitted user has reached a processing start region where the image forming unit becomes capable of starting forming the image; and

notifying a terminal device of the output-permitted user of information indicating that the other user is using the apparatus in a case in which the other user is present near the apparatus and is using the apparatus,

wherein the hardware processor notifies the other user that the output-permitted user is approaching the apparatus, prompts the other user to input a use condition of the apparatus before the output-permitted user having entered the detectable region reaches the processing start region, and notifies the output-permitted user of the use condition of the apparatus.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor notifies the other user that the output-permitted user has reached the processing start region.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor notifies the output-permitted user that the other user has finished using the apparatus.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor notifies the other user of information about the print job.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor notifies the output-permitted user of information about another print job issued by the other user.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor notifies the other user that the output-permitted user is approaching the apparatus while determining that the output-permitted user is present in the detectable region and still has not reached the processing start region.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor does not prompt the other user to input the use condition in a case in which the output-permitted user is not detected near the apparatus.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor calculates a moving speed of the output-permitted user, calculates a remaining time until the output-permitted user reaches the processing start region based on the moving speed, and notifies the other user of the remaining time.

9. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit which forms an image on a sheet based on a print job issued from a communication terminal operated by a user;

a post processing device which performs post processing on the sheet on which the image is formed; and

a hardware processor which is configured to execute operations including:

acquiring the print job;

detecting the user present in a detectable region;

determining whether the user is an output-permitted user having issued the print job or is an other user other than the output-permitted user;

causing the image forming unit to form the image based on the print job in a case in which the output-permitted user has reached a processing start region where the image forming unit becomes capable of starting forming the image; and

notifying a terminal device of the output-permitted user of information indicating that the other user is using the apparatus in a case in which the other user is present near the apparatus and is using the apparatus,

wherein the hardware processor is set for the print job, determines a job type indicating the post processing to be performed on the sheet, and calculates a processing start distance for specifying the processing start region based on the job type.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the hardware processor acquires the job type and the processing start distance based on a first conversion table storing the processing start distance for each of a plurality of types of the post processing, and totals processing start distances in a case in which the print job includes a plurality of the job types.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the hardware processor acquires the number of jobs set for the print job and the processing start distance based on a second conversion table storing the processing start distance for each of the number of jobs.

12. A notification method comprising:

acquiring, by a hardware processor included in an image forming apparatus, a print job issued from a communication terminal operated by a user;

detecting, by the hardware processor, the user present in a detectable region;

determining, by the hardware processor, whether the user is an output-permitted user having issued the print job or is an other user other than the output-permitted user;

causing, by the hardware processor, the image forming unit to perform image formation based on the print job in a case in which the output-permitted user has reached a processing start region where an image forming unit which forms an image on a sheet based on the print job becomes capable of starting forming the image;

notifying, by the hardware processor, a terminal device of the output-permitted user of information indicating that the other user is using the apparatus in a case in which the other user is present near the apparatus and is using the apparatus;

notifying, by the hardware processor, the other user that the output-permitted user is approaching the apparatus;

prompting the other user to input a use condition of the apparatus before the output-permitted user having entered the detectable region reaches the processing start region; and

notifying the output-permitted user of the use condition of the apparatus.

13. The notification method according to claim 12 , further comprising notifying, by the hardware processor, the other user that the output-permitted user has reached the processing start region.

14. The notification method according to claim 12 , further comprising notifying, by the hardware processor, the output-permitted user that the other user has finished using the apparatus.

15. The notification method according to claim 12 , further comprising notifying, by the hardware processor, the other user of information about the print job.

16. The notification method according to claim 12 , further comprising notifying, by the hardware processor, the output-permitted user of information about another print job issued by the other user.

17. A nontransitory computer readable medium encoded with a program to cause an image forming apparatus to execute the notification method of claim 12 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2016
From: MASUMOTO, KOSUKE
To: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
Reel/Frame 040370/0392 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-230334 · Nov 26, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170155793A1 · Jun 1, 2017