Image forming apparatus and method with automatic size and orientation determination

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6415110
  • Patent Number
    6,415,110
  • Date Filed
    Friday, August 18, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 2, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
The image formation apparatus according to the present invention has a document setting portion for setting a document, a size setting button for setting the size of a paper on which an image of the document is transferred by selecting it from a plurality of sizes, an automatic-operation key for instructing to automatically determine whether or not an orientation of the set document is the same as that of the image receipt body of a predetermined size, a detecting portion for detecting the orientation and size of the document set on the document setting portion on the instructions of automatic determination by the automatic-operation key, a determination portion for determining whether or not the orientations of the set document and the image receipt body are equal to each other, and whether the sizes of the set document and the image receipt body of a predetermined size are equal to each other, a display portion for displaying an operation procedure which should be performed by a user in accordance with the determination results from the determination means, and operation portion to be operated in accordance with the message displayed on the display portion.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus used as an electrophotographic copying machine.




The image forming apparatus of this type has been recently set up in convenience stores etc. Customers can use the image forming apparatus if they pay a fee.




When a copy is made, a user sets a document on a document setting table of the image forming apparatus and presses a copy button. By this operation, an image of the document set on the document setting table is transferred on a paper sheet and the paper sheet is discharged from the image forming apparatus.




In the convenience store, customers make copies without paying attention to orientation and size of a document and a paper sheet.




More specifically, even if an A4-size document is set on the document setting table, a copy is improperly made by setting a B5-size sheet or an A3-size sheet.




In particular, when a document of an indefinite-size is set on the document setting table, it is difficult to set a proper size of paper sheet and to align the document with the table. In this case, whether or not the copy is properly made, is discovered for the first time after the copy is actually made.




It follows that a number of wrong-copies are produced. As a result, extra time and trouble are required and the cost unnecessarily increases.




BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method capable of easily making a suitable copy by automatically determining whether the orientation of the document set on a document setting portion is the same as an image recipient body of a predetermined size, and displaying a message of an operation procedure which should be performed by a user, based on how the size and orientation of the document compare to the size and orientation of the recipient body of a predetermined size.




According to one embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned object is realized by an image forming apparatus comprising a document setting portion, a size determination means, to select the size of the recipient body from a plurality of sizes; and detecting means, to detect the size and orientation of the document. According to this embodiment, the image forming apparatus of the present invention further comprises, a determination means, to determine if the size and orientation of the document are the same as the size and orientation of the recipient body, display means, to display a message to the user of what operation procedure should be performed based on the comparison of the document to the recipient body, and operation means, to carry out the operation procedure selected from the display message by the user.




According to a preferred embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises a document setting portion, a size determination means, to select the size of the recipient body; and detecting means, to detect the size and orientation of the document. According to this embodiment, the image forming apparatus of the present invention further comprises, a determination means, to determine if the size and orientation of the document are the same as the size and orientation of the recipient body, a first display means to display to display a message to the user of what operation procedure should be performed based on the comparison of the documents to the recipient body, a second display means to display an image of the size and orientation of the document and the size and orientation of the recipeint body, and operation means to carry out the operation procedure selected from the display message by the user.




According to another embodiment of this invention, the aforementioned object is realized by a method of of forming an image comprising setting a document, selecting the size of the image receipt body from a plurality of sizes, detecting the orientation and size of the document, determining whether the size and orientation of the document is the same as the size and orientation of the receipt body, displaying a message of an operating procedure which should be performed by a user, and operating the operating procedure as displayed in the display step.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING




The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.





FIG. 1

is a plan view of an operation-control panel of an electrophotographic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a plan view of a first display-example on a copy-image display portion of the operation-control panel;





FIG. 3

is a plan view of a second display-example on a copy-image display portion of the operation-control panel;





FIG. 4

is a plan view of a third display-example on a copy-image display portion of the operation-control panel;





FIG. 5

is a block diagram showing how to connect an operation-control portion, determination portion and display portion;





FIG. 6

is a flow chart showing operations before an image forming operation is initiated;





FIG. 7

is a flow chart showing operations before an image forming operation is initiated; and





FIG. 8

is a flow chart showing operations before an image forming operation is initiated.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Now, the present invention will be explained with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.





FIG. 1

is a plan view of an electrophotographic copying machine as the image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.




In the figure, reference numeral


1


is a copy machine main body. In the upper portion of the copying machine main body


1


, a document setting table


2


is provided. On the document setting table


2


, an openable document cover (not shown) is placed. An operation-control panel


4


is provided in a front portion of the document setting table


2


. At one-side portion of the operation-control panel


4


, a copy button


5


for initiating a copying process, a stop button


6


for terminating the copying process, a ten-key


7


for setting the number of copies, and a size-setting button


25


as a size-setting means for setting the size of the paper sheets serving as the image receipt body.




A display portion


9


is provided at the other side portion of the operation-control panel


4


. At one side portion of the display portion


9


, an enlargement copy key


10


and a reduction (i.e. microcopy key


11


are arranged. At the other side portion, an automatic operation key


12


and a NO key


13


are arranged as the determination key.




At the display portion


9


, a message display portion


16


is arranged as a first display means. The message display portion


16


displays an operation procedure to be performed by a user. At the behind of the message display portion


16


, a copy-image display portion


15


is arranged as a second display means. The copy-image display portion


15


displays an image of sizes of a paper sheet of a predetermined size and a document set on the table. At one side of the message display portion


16


, a magnification display portion


17


is provided for displaying a copy-magnification rate.





FIGS. 2

to


4


, each shows an image of sizes of a paper sheet PI and a document GI displayed on the copy-display portion


15


.





FIG. 2

is an image of sizes of the document and the preset paper in the case where the document set on the document setting table


2


differs in orientation from a paper sheet of a predetermined size.




In this case, the message display portion


16


displays a message: (1) “The document differs from the paper in orientation. Please change the orientation of the paper”; (2) “The document will extend over the paper sheet if a regular copy is made. Do you want to make a microcopy?”; or (3) “Do you want to use a larger paper sheet?





FIG. 3

is an image of sizes of the document and the paper sheet of a predetermined size in the case where the document set on the document setting table


2


is smaller than the paper sheet set on the document setting table


2


.




In this case, the message display portion


16


displays a message: (4) “Do you want to make an enlarged copy?”; or (5) “Do you want to use a smaller paper sheet”.





FIG. 4

shows an image of sizes of the document and the paper sheet of a predetermined size set on the document setting table


2


in the case where the document and the paper sheet are equal in size.




In this case, the message display portion displays a message: (6) “A microcopy is made. Press the copy button”; (7) “An enlarged copy is made. Press the copy button”; or (8) A regular copy is made. Press the copy button.





FIG. 5

is a block diagram showing a structure of an operation-control section.




The automatic-operation key


12


and NO key


13


are connected to the determination means


21


by way of signal paths. To the determination means


21


, the message display portion


16


and the copy-image display portion


15


are connected by way of a control circuit.




To the determination means


21


, a detection means


22


and a size setting button


25


are connected by way of the signal paths. The detection means


22


detects the size of the document set on the document setting table


2


and the orientation of the longitudinal side of the document.




The detection means


21


displays the message of the operation procedure to be performed by a user on the message display portion


16


, on the basis of the detection signal transmitted from the detection means


22


and the setting signal set by the size setting button


25


, or on the basis of the operation signal transmitted from the automatic operation key


12


and NO key


13


. At the same time, the detection means


21


allows the copy image display portion


15


to display an image of sizes of the paper PI and an image of the document GI.




Then, the operation to be carried out before the image forming operation is initiated, will be explained with reference to the flow charts of

FIGS. 6-8

.




First, a user sets a document on the document setting table


2


(Step S


1


). Then, when the user wishes to automatically determine the orientations of the set document and the paper sheet of a preset size, the user presses the automatic operation key


12


(Step S


2


). By the operation, the document size and the longitudinal orientation of the document can be detected by the detecting means


22


(Step S


3


). Thereafter, whether the longitudinal orientation of the document matches with that of the paper sheet of a predetermined size, is determined by the determination means


21


on the basis of the detection data transmitted from the detection means


22


(Step S


4


). If the orientations of the document and the sheet is determined the same, then, the dimensional relationship between them is determined by the determination means


21


(Step S


5


). If it is determined that the document has the same size as the paper sheet, the message “a regular copy is made. Press the copy button” is displayed on the message display portion


16


(Step S


6


). At this time, the copy-image display portion


15


displays an image of the sizes of the document G


1


and the paper size P


1


as shown in FIG.


4


. An operator looks at these display messages and then presses the copy button


5


. Then, the copy-making process is initiated (Step S


7


).




Further in the step S


4


, if it is determined by the determination means


22


that the longitudinal side of the set document is not the same as that of the paper of a predetermined size in orientation, the message display portion


16


displays “Document and paper sheet differ in orientation, please change orientation of the document” (Step S


8


). At this time, an image of sizes of the paper sheet P


1


and. the document G


1


is displayed on the copy-image display portion


15


, as shown in FIG.


2


.




A user determines whether the document is changed in orientation (Step


9


). When the orientation of document is changed into the same orientation of the paper (Step S


10


), the process after Step S


2


is carried out.




When the orientation of the document is not changed in Step S


9


, the automatic operation key


12


is pressed (Step S


11


) and the process after Step


12


(described later) is carried out.




On the other hand, in Step S


5


, if it is determined by the determination means


21


that the document is larger than the paper, the message display portion


16




a


displays the message “Document will extend over the paper if a regular copy is made. Do you want to make a microcopy?” (Step S


12


). When the reduction (i.e. microcopy) is made, an automatic key


12


is pressed (Step S


13


). As a result, the image of the document is automatically reduced (Step


14


) and a reduction rate is displayed on the magnification display portion


17


(Step S


15


). At the same time, the display portion


16


displays the message “Microcopy is made. Press the copy button”. When a user presses the copy button


5


in accordance with the display, copying process is initiated (Step S


7


).




Furthermore, in Step


5


, if it is determined by the determination means


21


that the document is smaller than the paper sheet of a predetermined size, the message display portion


16


displays the message “Do you want to make an enlarged copy?” (Step S


17


). At this time, the image of sizes of the paper PI and the document GI is displayed on the copy-image display portion


15


, as shown in FIG.


3


. When the enlarged copy is made, the user presses the automatic operation key


12


(Step S


18


). By this operation, the image on the document is automatically enlarged (Step S


19


) and the magnification rate is displayed on the magnification display portion


17


(Step S


20


). The message “Enlarged copy is made. Press the copy button” is displayed on the image display portion


16


(Step S


21


). When a user presses the copy button


5


in accordance with the message on the display, a copying process is initiated (Step S


7


).




In Step


12


, in the case where the reduction (i.e. microcopy) is not made, whether or not the preset paper is the smallest or not is determined as shown in

FIG. 7

(Step S


22


). When it is determined that the paper size is the smallest, the message “Do you want to use a larger paper sheet?” is displayed on the image display portion


16


(Step S


23


). When an enlarged copy is not made, the NO key


13


is pressed. By this operation, the process after Step


6


shown in

FIG. 6

is carried out.




In Step


23


, when a larger paper sheet is used, the automatic operation key


12


is pressed (Step


24


). By this operation, the paper sheet is automatically replaced with larger one (Step S


25


) and the process after step S


3


shown in

FIG. 6

is carried out.




In Step S


17


shown in

FIG. 6

, when the enlarged copy is not made, whether the paper size is the largest or not is determined (Step S


26


in the FIG.


8


). When the size is maximum, the message “Do you want to use a smaller paper one?” is displayed (Step S


27


). When a smaller paper is not used, the NO key is pressed. By this operation, the process after step S


6


shown in

FIG. 6

is carried out.




When the smaller paper sheet is used in Step S


27


, the automatic operation key


12


is pressed (Step S


28


). By this operation, the paper is automatically changed (Step S


39


) and the process after step S


3


shown in

FIG. 6

is carried out.




As described, according to the present invention, when the automatic key


12


is pressed, whether or not the document is set on the document setting table


2


in the same orientation as that of the paper of a preset size, is automatically determined. Then, the operation procedure which should be performed by a user is displayed on the message display portion


16


in accordance with the determination results. Simultaneously, the image of sizes of the document GI and the document PI is displayed on the copy-image display portion


15


. Therefore, a desired copy can be made only by performing the operation in accordance with the message on the display.




Therefore, even if the document of an indefinite size is used, it is possible to make a desired copy securely by a single operation without making copies repeatedly several times. Therefore, extra time and trouble are required and the cost unnecessarily increases.




Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.



Claims
  • 1. An image forming apparatus comprisinga document setting portion on which a document is to be set; size determination means for selecting a size of an image receipt body to which an image of the document is transferred, from a plurality of sizes; detection means for detecting the orientation and size of the document set on the document setting; determination means for determining whether or not the orientations of the set document and the image receipt body are equal to each other, and whether the sizes of the set document and the image receipt body of a predetermined size are equal to each other; display means for displaying a plurality of operation procedure messages as a menu for selection by a user when the determination means determines that the sizes of the set document and the image-receipt body of a predetermined size are not equal to each other; selecting means for allowing the user to select one of the plurality of operation procedure messages displayed by the display means; and operation means for performing an operation on the basis of the one of the operation procedure messages selected by the selecting means.
  • 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of operation procedure messages include:a first message corresponding to “Do you want to make an enlarged copy of a microcopy”; a second message corresponding to “Do you want to select a one-size larger image-receipt body”; and a third message corresponding to “Do you want to select a one-size smaller image-receipt body”.
  • 3. An image forming apparatus comprising:a document setting portion on which a document is to be set; size determination means for selecting a size of an image receipt body to which an image of the document is transferred, from a plurality of sizes; detection means for detecting the orientation and size of the document set on the document setting; determination means for determining whether or not the orientations of the set document and the image receipt body are equal to each other, and whether the sizes of the set document and the image receipt body of a predetermined size are equal to each other; display means for displaying a message of an operation procedure which should be performed by a user in accordance with the determination results from the determination means; and operation means for performing an operation on the basis of the message displayed on the display means, wherein the message displayed by the display means is “Do you want to make an enlarged copy?” or “Do you want to use a smaller image-receipt body?”.
  • 4. An image forming apparatus comprising:a document setting portion on which the document is to be set; size determination means for selecting a size of an image receipt body to which an image of the document is transferred, from a plurality of sizes; detection means for detecting the orientation and size of the document set on the document setting portion; determination means for determining whether or not the orientations of the set document and the image receipt body are equal to each other, and whether the sizes of the set document and the image receipt body of a predetermined size are equal to each other; first display means for displaying a plurality of operation procedure messages as a menu for selection by a user when the determination means determines that the sizes of the set document and the image-receipt body of a predetermined size are not equal to each other; second display means for displaying an image of sizes of the document and an image receipt body of a determined size; selecting means for allowing the user to select one of the plurality of operation procedure messages displayed by the display means; and operation means for performing an operation on the basis of the one of the operation procedure messages selected by the selecting means.
  • 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the plurality of operation procedure messages include:a first message corresponding to “Do you want to make can enlarged copy of a microcopy”; a second message corresponding to “Do you want to select a one-size larger image-receipt body”; and a third message corresponding to “Do you want to select a one-size smaller image-receipt body”.
  • 6. An image forming apparatus comprising:a document setting portion on which the document is to be set; size determination means for selecting a size of an image receipt body to which an image of the document is transferred, from a plurality of sizes; detection means for detecting the orientation and size of the document set on the document setting portion; determination means for determining whether or not the orientations of the set document and the image receipt body are equal to each other, and whether the sizes of the set document and the image receipt body of a predetermined size are equal to each other; first display means for displaying a message of an operation procedure which should be performed by a user in accordance with the determination results from the determination means; second display means for displaying an image of sizes of the document and the image receipt body of a determined size; and operation means for performing an operation on the basis of the messages displayed on the first and second display means, wherein the message displayed by the display means is “Do you want to make an enlarged copy?” or “Do you want to use a smaller image-receipt body?”.
  • 7. A method of forming an image, comprising:a document setting step of setting a document; a size determination step of selecting a size of the image-receipt body to which an image of the document is transferred, from a plurality of sizes; a detection step of detecting the orientation and size of the document set on the document setting portion on the instructions of automatic determination in the instruction step; a determination step of determining whether or not the orientations of the set document and the image receipt body are equal to each other, and whether the sizes of the set document and the image receipt body of a predetermined size are equal to each other; a display step of displaying a plurality of operation procedure messages as a menu for selection by a user when the determination means determines that the sizes of the set document and the image-receipt body of a predetermined size are not equal to each other; a selecting step of allowing the user to select one of the plurality of operation procedure messages displayed by the display step; and an operation step of performing an operation on the basis of the one of the operation procedure messages selected by the selecting step.
  • 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of operation procedure messages include:a first message corresponding to “Do you want to make an enlarged copy of a microcopy”; a second message corresponding to “Do you want to select a one-size larger image-receipt body”; and a third message corresponding to “Do you want to select a one-size smaller image-receipt body”.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Number Name Date Kind
4260248 Murata et al. Apr 1981 A
4666289 Kawano May 1987 A
4682877 Fujiwara et al. Jul 1987 A
5287159 Sakakibara Feb 1994 A
6285842 Katamoto et al. Sep 2001 B1
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
8-314334 Nov 1996 JP