Claims
- 1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a first timer for timing the exclusive use time of the apparatus to complete a first job currently executing; a comparator for comparing the measured exclusive use time to a previously set threshold value; and a controller for controlling the execution of a second job different from the first job based on the comparison result of the comparator.
- 2. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said controller interrupts the execution of the first job and starts the execution of the second job when the exclusive use time measured by the timer exceeds the threshold value.
- 3. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2,
wherein said controller restarts the execution of the first job after the second job operation ends.
- 4. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2,
wherein said controller starts the execution of a third job after the second job operation ends.
- 5. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2,
wherein said controller determines a next job to be executed after the second job operation ends, based on operation input from a user.
- 6. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:
a second timer for timing the exclusive use time of the apparatus by a second job, wherein said controller interrupts the execution of the second job and restarts the execution of the first job when the exclusive use time of the timed second job exceeds a predetermined value.
- 7. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a first determination device for determining whether or not the current moment is included in a specified time zone, wherein said controller controls the execution of the second job based on the determination result.
- 8. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 7,
wherein said specified time zone is a time zone of heavy use of the image forming apparatus, and the time zone is determined in accordance with the usage condition of the image forming apparatus.
- 9. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a second determination device for determining whether or not there is the second job, wherein said controller controls the execution of the second job based on the determination result.
- 10. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9,
wherein said controller interrupts the execution of the first job and starts execution of the second job when the second determination device determines that there is the second job after the exclusive use time timed by the first timer exceeds the threshold value.
- 11. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 9,
wherein said first timer clears the current count time and restarts counting, when the exclusive use time measured by the first timer exceeds the threshold value and the second determination device determines there is the second job.
- 12. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
an operation panel for changing the threshold value via operation by a user.
- 13. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a first determination device for determining whether or not the current time zone is included in a specified time zone; a second determination device for determining whether or not the number of printed sheets of a currently executing first job has exceeded a previously set threshold value; and a controller for controlling the execution of a second job different from the first job based on the determination results of the first determination device and the second determination device.
- 14. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 13,
wherein said controller interrupts the execution of the first job and starts the execution of the second job, when the first determination device determines that the current time zone is included in the specified time zone and the second determination device determines the number of printed sheets of the first job exceeds the threshold value.
- 15. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 14,
wherein controller restarts the execution of the first job after the second job operation ends.
- 16. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:
an operation panel for changing the threshold value via operation by a user.
- 17. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:
a third determination device for determining whether or not there is the second job , wherein said controller controls the execution of the second job based on the determination result of the third determination device.
- 18. An image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 17, further comprising:
a fourth determination device for determining whether or not the number of remaining print sheets of a currently executing first job exceeds a specific value, wherein said controller controls the execution of the second job based on the determination result of the fourth determination means.
- 19. A method of controlling jobs in an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:
starting the execution of a first job; measuring the exclusive use time of the apparatus by a currently executing first job; comparing the measured exclusive use time with a previously set threshold value; and interrupting execution of the first job based on the comparison result and starting execution of a second job different from the first job.
- 20. A method of controlling jobs in an image forming apparatus, comprising the steps of:
executing a first job; determining whether or not the current moment is included in a specified time zone; determining whether or not the number of printed sheets of the first job exceeds a previously set threshold value; and interrupting the execution of the first job and starting execution of a second job different from the first job when the current moment is determined to be included in the specified time zone and the number of printed sheet of the first job is determined to exceed a threshold value.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2000-074625 |
Mar 2000 |
JP |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is based on Patent Application No. 2000-74625 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.