IMAGE FORMING SYSTEM, METHOD OF REALIZING SIMULATED PRINTING OPERATION, PROGRAM FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING THE PROGRAM

Abstract

An image forming system which is capable of realizing a highly accurate simulated printing operation thereby shortening a development schedule and reducing development costs. In the image forming system, a plurality of printer functional modules perform operations for printing. A plurality of printer drivers drive the printer functional modules, respectively. A system controller is connected to the printer drivers via a general-purpose bus to control the printer drivers. A bus I/F connects an external computer to the image forming system via the general-purpose bus. Printer control software constructs a printer control environment enabling control identical to the control by the system controller to be performed on the printer drivers, on the external computer, to thereby carry out printer control. Simulation software cooperates with the printer control software to simulatively realize printing operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image forming system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of essential parts of a printer appearing in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal construction of a printer driver appearing in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the internal construction of a system controller appearing in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of software in the system controller;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of implementation of the system controller, a general-purpose bus, and the printer driver on printed circuit boards;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the image forming system with the printer divided into two functional modules;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of implementation of the system controller, the general-purpose bus, and printer drivers on printed circuit boards in the case where the printer is divided into the two functional modules;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of implementation of the system controller, the general-purpose bus, and the two printer drivers in the case where the printer drivers are implemented on the same printed circuit board;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram useful in explaining how an operation verification environment is constructed in an environment where the printer driver and one of the printer functional modules are not present;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of software within a PC appearing in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12A is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of the printer divided into the two functional modules;

FIG. 12B is a view of a controlled object included in the printer functional module as a temperature adjustment control module appearing in FIG. 12A;

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing details of the arrangement of a fixing device appearing in FIG. 12B;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the configuration of software in a PC for simulatively realizing the printing operation of an image forming system according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of software in a PC for simulatively realizing printing operation by combining operation of an actual devise, operation of a virtual device, and operation of jig software.

Claims

1. An image forming system comprising: a plurality of operating units that perform operations for printing;a plurality of printer driver units that drive said operating units, respectively;a control unit connected to said printer driver units via a general-purpose bus interface to control said printer driver units;a connection unit that connects an external computer to the image forming system via the general-purpose bus interface;a printer control unit that constructs a printer control environment enabling control identical to the control by said control unit to be performed on said printer driver units, on the external computer, to thereby carry out printer control; anda simulated printing operation-realizing unit that cooperates with said printer control unit to simulatively realize a printing operation.

2. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein said simulated printing operation-realizing unit comprises: a simulation unit that simulates an operation obtained by controlling a printer driver unit virtually implemented as a means substituted for a specific one of said printer driver units in the constructed printer control environment, the simulated operation being associated with an operation obtained by controlling the specific one of said printer driver units, anda simulated operation-realizing unit that simulatively realizes a printing operation by combining the simulated operation and an operation obtained by controlling another one of said printer driver units different from the specific one in the constructed printer control environment.

3. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein said simulated printing operation-realizing unit comprises: a substitutive control unit that performs substitutive control of a specific one of said printer driver units in place of control thereof performed in the constructed printer control environment, anda simulated operation-realizing unit that simulatively realizes a printing operation by combining an operation obtained by controlling the specific one of said printer driver units by the substitutive control and an operation obtained by controlling another one of said printer driver units different from the specific one in the constructed printer control environment.

4. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein said simulated printing operation-realizing unit comprises: a simulation unit that simulates an operation obtained by controlling a printer driver unit virtually implemented as a means substituted for a first one of said printer driver units in the constructed printer control environment, the simulated operation being associated with an operation obtained by controlling the first one of said printer driver units,a substitutive control unit that performs substitutive control of a second one of said printer driver units in place of control thereof performed in the constructed printer control environment, anda simulated operation-realizing unit that simulatively realizes a printing operation by combining the simulated operation, an operation obtained by controlling the second one of said printer driver units by the substitutive control, and an operation obtained by controlling another one of said printer driver units different from the first and second ones in the constructed printer control environment.

5. An image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the general-purpose bus interface is implemented by a PCI-EXPRESS bus.

6. A method of realizing a simulated printing operation for an image forming system including a plurality of operating units that perform operations for printing, a plurality of printer driver units that drive the operating units, respectively, and a control unit connected to the printer driver units via a general-purpose bus interface to control the printer driver units, comprising: a connection step of connecting an external computer to the image forming system via the general-purpose bus interface;a printer control step of constructing a printer control environment enabling control identical to the control by the control unit to be performed on the printer driver units, on the external computer, to thereby carry out printer control; anda simulated printing operation-realizing step of cooperating with said printer control step to simulatively realize a printing operation.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said simulated printing operation-realizing step comprises: a simulation step of simulating an operation obtained by controlling a printer driver unit virtually implemented as a means substituted for a specific one of the printer driver units in the constructed printer control environment, the simulated operation being associated with an operation obtained by controlling the specific one of said printer driver units, anda simulated operation-realizing step of simulatively realizing a printing operation by combining the simulated operation and an operation obtained by controlling another one of the printer driver units different from the specific one in the constructed printer control environment.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein said simulated printing operation-realizing step comprises: a substitutive control step of performing substitutive control of a specific one of the printer driver units in place of control thereof performed in the constructed printer control environment, anda simulated operation-realizing step of simulatively realizing a printing operation by combining an operation obtained by controlling the specific one of the printer driver units by the substitutive control and an operation obtained by controlling another one of the printer driver units different from the specific one in the constructed printer control environment.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein said simulated printing operation-realizing step comprises: a simulation step of simulating an operation obtained by controlling a printer driver unit virtually implemented as a means substituted for a first one of the printer driver units in the constructed printer control environment, the simulated operation being associated with an operation obtained by controlling the first one of said printer driver units,a substitutive control step of performing substitutive control of a second one of the printer driver units in place of control thereof performed in the constructed printer control environment, anda simulated operation-realizing step of simulatively realizing a printing operation by combining the simulated operation, an operation obtained by controlling the second one of the printer driver units by the substitutive control, and an operation obtained by controlling another one of printer driver units different from the first and second ones in the constructed printer control environment.

10. A program for causing an external computer to execute a method of realizing a simulated printing operation for an image forming system including a plurality of operating units that perform operations for printing, a plurality of printer driver units that drive the operating units, respectively, and a control unit connected to the printer driver units via a general-purpose bus interface to control the printer driver units, the program comprising: a connection module for connecting the external computer to the image forming system via the general-purpose bus interface;a printer control module for constructing a printer control environment enabling control identical to the control by the control unit to be performed on the printer driver units, on the external computer, to thereby carry out printer control; anda simulated printing operation-realizing module for cooperating with said printer control module to simulatively realize a printing operation.

11. A program according to claim 10, wherein said simulated printing operation-realizing module comprises: a simulation module for simulating an operation obtained by controlling a printer driver unit virtually implemented as a means substituted for a specific one of the printer driver units in the constructed printer control environment, the simulated operation being associated with an operation obtained by controlling the specific one of said printer driver units, anda simulated operation-realizing module for simulatively realizing a printing operation by combining the simulated operation and an operation obtained by controlling another one of the printer driver units different from the specific one in the constructed printer control environment.

12. A program according to claim 10, wherein the simulated printing operation-realizing module comprises: a substitutive control module for performing substitutive control of a specific one of the printer driver units in place of control thereof performed in the constructed printer control environment, anda simulated operation-realizing module for simulatively realizing a printing operation by combining an operation obtained by controlling the specific one of the printer driver units by the substitutive control and an operation obtained by controlling another one of the printer driver units different from the specific one in the constructed printer control environment.

13. A program according to claim 10, wherein the simulated printing operation-realizing module comprises: a simulation module for simulating an operation obtained by controlling a printer driver unit virtually implemented as a means substituted for a first one of the printer driver units in the constructed printer control environment, the simulated operation being associated with an operation obtained by controlling the first one of said printer driver units,a substitutive control module for performing substitutive control of a second one of the printer driver units in place of control thereof performed in the constructed printer control environment, anda simulated operation-realizing module for simulatively realizing a printing operation by combining the simulated operation, an operation obtained by controlling the second one of the printer driver units by the substitutive control, and an operation obtained by controlling another one of the printer driver units different from the first and second ones in the constructed printer control environment.

14. A storing medium storing the program according to claim 10 in a computer-readable manner.