Image forming device and recording sheet selection method therefor

Abstract

An image forming device including a document tag reader that detects a contactless IC tag (document tag) attached to the document. If the document tag reader detects a document tag attached to a document, the tagged document is recognized as having a high management level, and a tagged recording sheet is fed (selected) from a sheet tray storing tagged recording sheets to which a contactless IC tag (sheet tag) is attached. On the other hand, if the document tag reader does not detect a document tag, the document is recognized as having a low management level, and a not-tagged recording sheet is fed (selected) from a sheet tray storing not-tagged recording sheets to which a contactless IC tag (sheet tag) is not attached.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and the other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a specific embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an outline configuration diagram of a copier in the embodiment;

FIG. 2A shows a tagged document or a tagged recording sheet used in the copier;

FIGS. 2B and 2C show tagged recording sheets used in the modifications of the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a part of an ADF included in the copier;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a part of a paper feed unit included in the copier;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an operation panel included in the copier;

FIG. 6A shows an example of a display screen of a liquid crystal touch panel included in the operation panel;

FIG. 6B shows an example of the display screen in a modification of the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the construction of a control unit included in the copier;

FIG. 8A shows a management level holding unit and a management level information storing unit that are included in a document feeding/image reading control unit constituting the control unit;

FIG. 8B shows a document tag information storing unit and a tag information write flag that are included in a sheet transport/image formation control unit constituting the control unit;

FIG. 9 is part of a flowchart showing the procedure of a process executed by the control unit;

FIG. 10 is part of a flowchart showing the procedure of a process executed by the control unit;

FIG. 11 is part of a flowchart showing the procedure of a process executed by the control unit;

FIG. 12 is part of a flowchart showing the procedure of a process executed by the control unit; and

FIG. 13 is part of a flowchart showing the procedure of a process executed by the control unit, in a modification to the embodiment.

Claims

1. An image forming device for reading out an image from a document and forming the read-out image on a recording sheet, comprising: a management level information acquiring unit operable to acquire management level information of the document;a storing unit operable to separately store different types of recording sheets that respectively correspond to different document management levels; anda recording sheet selecting unit operable to select, in accordance with the management level information acquired by the management level information acquiring unit, a type of recording sheet on which an image is to be formed, from among the recording sheets stored in the storing unit.

2. The image forming device of claim 1, wherein the management level information acquiring unit includes a receiving unit operable to receive, from a user, management level information of the document, and acquires the management level information of the document via the receiving unit.

3. The image forming device of claim 1, wherein the document is assigned with one of management levels that differ depending on whether the document is a tagged document attached with a contactless IC tag or a not-tagged document that is not attached with a contactless IC tag, andthe management level information acquiring unit includes a document tag detecting unit operable to detect whether or not a contactless IC tag is attached to the document, and acquires a result of the detection by the document tag detecting unit as the management level information of the document.

4. The image forming device of claim 3, wherein the storing unit stores two types of recording sheets: a tagged recording sheet attached with a contactless IC tag; and a not-tagged recording sheet that is not attached with a contactless IC tag,the document tag detecting unit further has a function to read out tag information from a contactless IC tag attached to the tagged document, andthe image forming device further comprisesa tag information writing unit operable to, if the recording sheet selecting unit selects a tagged recording sheet, write the tag information read out by the document tag detecting unit to a contactless IC tag attached to the selected tagged recording sheet.

5. The image forming device of claim 1, wherein the document is assigned with one of management levels that differ depending on whether the document is a tagged document attached with a contactless IC tag or a not-tagged document that is not attached with a contactless IC tag, the management level information acquiring unit includes:a receiving unit operable to receive, from a user, management level information of the document; anda document tag detecting unit operable to detect whether or not a contactless IC tag is attached to the document, andthe management level information acquiring unit acquires a result of the detection by the document tag detecting unit as the management level information of the document, regardless of a result of the reception by the receiving unit.

6. The image forming device of claim 5, wherein the storing unit stores two types of recording sheets: a tagged recording sheet attached with a contactless IC tag; and a not-tagged recording sheet that is not attached with a contactless IC tag,the document tag detecting unit further has a function to read out tag information from a contactless IC tag attached to the tagged document, andthe image forming device further comprisesa tag information writing unit operable to, if the recording sheet selecting unit selects a tagged recording sheet, write the tag information read out by the document tag detecting unit to a contactless IC tag attached to the selected tagged recording sheet.

7. The image forming device of claim 1, wherein the storing unit stores, respectively in different trays, two types of recording sheets: a tagged recording sheet attached with a contactless IC tag; and a not-tagged recording sheet that is not attached with a contactless IC tag, andthe recording sheet selecting unit includes a sheet tag detecting unit operable to detect whether or not a contactless IC tag is attached to the recording sheets stored in each sheet tray, and selects the type of recording sheet by referring to a result of the detection by the sheet tag detecting unit.

8. A recording sheet selection method for an image forming device that includes a storing unit operable to separately store different types of recording sheets that respectively correspond to different document management levels, reads out an image from a document and forms the read-out image on a recording sheet selected from among the recording sheets stored in the storing unit, the recording sheet selection method comprising: a management level information acquiring step for acquiring management level information of the document; anda recording sheet selecting step for selecting, in accordance with the management level information acquired in the management level information acquiring step, a type of recording sheet from among the recording sheets stored in the storing unit.

9. The recording sheet selection method of claim 8, wherein the management level information acquiring step acquires the management level information by receiving the management level information from a user.

10. The recording sheet selection method of claim 8, wherein the document is assigned with one of management levels that differ depending on whether the document is a tagged document attached with a contactless IC tag or a not-tagged document that is not attached with a contactless IC tag, andthe management level information acquiring step detects whether or not a contactless IC tag is attached to the document, and acquires a result of the detection as the management level information of the document.

11. The recording sheet selection method of claim 10, wherein the storing unit stores two types of recording sheets: a tagged recording sheet attached with a contactless IC tag; and a not-tagged recording sheet that is not attached with a contactless IC tag,the recording sheet selection method further comprises:a document tag information reading step for reading out tag information from a contactless IC tag attached to the tagged document, anda tag information writing step for, if the recording sheet selecting step selects a tagged recording sheet, writing the tag information read out in the document tag detecting step to a contactless IC tag attached to the selected tagged recording sheet.

12. The recording sheet selection method of claim 8, wherein the document is assigned with one of management levels that differ depending on whether the document is a tagged document attached with a contactless IC tag or a not-tagged document that is not attached with a contactless IC tag, the management level information acquiring step includes:a receiving step for receiving, from a user, management level information of the document; anda document tag detecting step for detecting whether or not a contactless IC tag is attached to the document, andthe management level information acquiring step acquires a result of the detection by the document tag detecting step as the management level information of the document, regardless of a result of the reception by the receiving step.

13. The recording sheet selection method of claim 12, wherein the storing unit stores two types of recording sheets: a tagged recording sheet attached with a contactless IC tag; and a not-tagged recording sheet that is not attached with a contactless IC tag,the recording sheet selection method further comprises:a document tag information reading step for reading out tag information from a contactless IC tag attached to the tagged document, anda tag information writing step for, if the recording sheet selecting step selects a tagged recording sheet, writing the tag information read out in the document tag detecting step to a contactless IC tag attached to the selected tagged recording sheet.

14. The recording sheet selection method of claim 8, wherein the storing unit stores, respectively in different trays, two types of recording sheets: a tagged recording sheet attached with a contactless IC tag; and a not-tagged recording sheet that is not attached with a contactless IC tag, andthe recording sheet selecting step includes a sheet tag detecting step for detecting whether or not a contactless IC tag is attached to the recording sheets stored in each sheet tray, and selects the type of recording sheet by referring to a result of the detection by the sheet tag detecting step.