METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, PROGRAM FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract

In a copy operation for a first sheet of requested plural sheets, a reading unit reads a document and a data conversion section converts the document image data into recording data. A recording unit records the recording data, while the recording data is stored in an image memory. A data amount of recording data to be stored in the image memory is determined. If, when a copy operation for a first sheet is completed, all of recording data is incapable of being stored in the image memory and the determined data amount of recording data is equal to or smaller than an available storage capacity of the image memory on condition that a read operation and a record operation are separately executed, a residual sheet record operation is executed by separately executing the read operation and the record operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary processing procedure for executing a copy operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary processing procedure for executing a direct copy operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary processing procedure for executing a memory storage copy operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary processing procedure for executing a storage data record operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary processing procedure for executing a memory storage operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 7A to 7C illustrate exemplary memory allocation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating another exemplary processing procedure for executing a copy operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating another exemplary processing procedure for executing a memory storage copy operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising: a reading unit configured to read a document image and generate read data;a storage unit including a read buffer, an image memory, and a record buffer, the read buffer being configured to temporarily store the read data received from the reading unit;a conversion unit configured to convert the read data stored in the read buffer into recording data and compressed recording data, the record buffer being configured to temporarily store the recording data, the image memory being configured to store the compressed recording data;a determining unit configured to determine a data amount of the compressed recording data to be stored in the image memory when a copy operation for plural sheets for a one-page document is executed;a recording unit configured to record the recording data; anda control unit configured to, if, when a copy operation for a first sheet is completed, all of compressed recording data for one page converted by the conversion unit is incapable of being stored in the image memory and the determined data amount is equal to or smaller than a difference between a memory capacity of the storage unit and a memory capacity of one of the read buffer or the record buffer, execute a first copy operation based on the compressed recording data stored in the image memory by separately performing a read operation by the reading unit and a record operation by the recording unit.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if, when a copy operation for a first sheet is completed, all of compressed recording data for one page converted by the conversion unit can be stored in the image memory, the control unit executes a second copy operation for succeeding sheets based on the compressed recording data stored in the image memory.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to further execute a third copy operation for simultaneously performing a read operation by the reading unit and a record operation by the recording unit, and wherein, if the first copy operation is feasible, the control unit executes one of the first copy operation or the third copy operation, whichever requires a shorter time for execution.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if, when a copy operation for a first sheet is completed, all of compressed recording data for one page converted by the conversion unit cannot be stored in the image memory and the determined data amount exceeds the difference between the memory capacity of the storage unit and the memory capacity of one of the read buffer or the record buffer, the control unit executes a third copy operation for simultaneously performing a read operation by the reading unit and a record operation by the recording unit.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conversion unit expands the compressed recording data stored in the image memory and outputs the expanded data to the recording unit.

6. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus, the method comprising: reading a document image to generate read data;converting the read data into recording data and compressed recording data;storing the compressed recording data into an image memory;determining a data amount of the compressed recording data to be stored in the image memory when a copy operation for plural sheets for a one-page document is executed;recording the recording data; andif, when a copy operation for a first sheet is completed, all of compressed recording data for one page is incapable of being stored in the image memory and the determined data amount is equal to or smaller than a difference between (A) a memory capacity of one of a read buffer configured to temporarily store read data or a record buffer configured to temporarily store recording data and (B) a memory capacity of all of the image memory, the read buffer, and the record buffer, executing a first copy operation based on the compressed recording data stored in the image memory by separately performing the read operation and the record operation.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising, if, when a copy operation for a first sheet is completed, all of compressed recording data for one page can be stored in the image memory, executing a second copy operation for succeeding sheets based on the compressed recording data stored in the image memory

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising executing a third copy operation for simultaneously performing the read operation and the record operation, and if the first copy operation is feasible, executing one of the first copy operation or the third copy operation, whichever requires a shorter time for execution.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising, if, when a copy operation for a first sheet is completed, all of compressed recording data for one page cannot be stored in the image memory and the determined data amount exceeds the difference between (A) the memory capacity of one of the read buffer or the record buffer and (B) the memory capacity of all of the image memory, the read buffer, and the record buffer, executing a third copy operation for simultaneously performing the read operation and the record operation.

10. The method according to claim 6, further comprising expanding the compressed recording data stored in the image memory and recording the expanded data.

11. a computer-readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions for controlling an image processing apparatus, the storage medium comprising: computer-executable instructions for reading a document image;computer-executable instructions for converting read data into recording data and compressed recording data;computer-executable instructions for storing the compressed recording data into an image memory;computer-executable instructions for determining a data amount of the compressed recording data to be stored in the image memory when a copy operation for plural sheets for a one-page document is executed;computer-executable instructions for recording the recording data; andcomputer-executable instructions for, if, when a copy operation for a first sheet is completed, all of compressed recording data for one page is incapable of being stored in the image memory and the determined data amount is equal to or smaller than a difference between (A) a memory capacity of one of a read buffer configured to temporarily store read data or a record buffer configured to temporarily store recording data and (B) a memory capacity of all of the image memory, the read buffer, and the record buffer, executing a first copy operation based on the compressed recording data stored in the image memory by separately performing the read operation and the record operation.