Simulation system, simulation apparatus, image forming apparatus, simulation method and program

Abstract

A simulation apparatus simulates a process executed by an image forming apparatus. The simulation apparatus includes a first acquiring unit, an image generating unit and a first output unit. The first acquiring unit acquires an image formation command comprising information of a target image. The image generating unit generates an image, which is expected to be output by the image forming apparatus, based on the acquired image formation command. The first output unit coverts the generated image into data in a predetermined format. The first output unit outputs the converted data.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a system configurative view of a simulation system according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a hardware configurative view of the simulation system;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the simulation system;

FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of an operation screen of an image forming apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of a simulation process in the simulation system;

FIG. 6 is a general view showing a schematic configuration of a computer system containing a simulation apparatus for the image forming apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram showing functions of the simulation apparatus for the image forming apparatus according to the second exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a view showing an example of a printer select screen displayed on a user terminal;

FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of an expansion tray set screen displayed on the user terminal;

FIG. 10 is a view showing an example of a virtual feed information input screen displayed on the user terminal;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view explaining an example of virtual feed information that the simulation apparatus for the image forming apparatus according to the second exemplary embodiment acquires;

FIG. 12 is a view showing an example of an operation panel screen displayed on the user terminal;

FIG. 13 is a view showing an example of a simulation result display screen displayed on the user terminal;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the simulation apparatus for the image forming apparatus according to the second exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of a feed simulation process executed by the simulation apparatus for the image forming apparatus according to the second exemplary embodiment.

Claims

1. A simulation apparatus for simulating a process executed by an image forming apparatus, the simulation apparatus comprising: a first acquiring unit that acquires an image formation command comprising information of a target image;an image generating unit that generates an image, which is expected to be output by the image forming apparatus, based on the acquired image formation command; anda first output unit that coverts the generated image into data in a predetermined format, the first output unit that outputs the converted data.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the image formation command comprises model specification information that specifies a model of the image forming apparatus, andthe image generating unit generates the image, which is expected to be output by the image forming apparatus when the image forming apparatus of the model specified by the model specification information included in the image formation command receives the image formation command.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second acquiring unit that acquires information relating to a feed recording medium placed on a feed paper tray of the image forming apparatus, as virtual feed information;a specifying unit that specifies a recording medium, which is required when the image forming apparatus forms the target image, based on the acquired image formation command; anda display unit that displays a result of a simulation.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a third acquiring unit that acquires operation information representing details of instruction operation, which can be executed with respect to the image forming apparatus, based on a user's specification, wherein:the second output unit outputs the information relating to the recording medium, the information which is expected to be output when the instruction operation is executed with respect to the image forming apparatus, based on the operation information.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: the second acquiring unit acquires information comprising number of the recording medium placed on the feed tray of the image forming apparatus, as the virtual feed information, andthe second output unit outputs the information relating to the recording medium, the information which is expected to be output by the image forming apparatus when number of the specified recording medium is less than the number of the placed recording medium.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: the second acquiring unit acquires at least one of a kind and a size of the recording medium placed on the feed tray of the image forming apparatus, as the virtual feed information, andthe second output unit outputs the information relating to the recording medium, the information which is expected to be output by the image forming apparatus when the specified recording medium is different in at least one of a kind and a size from the recording medium placed on the feed tray of the image forming apparatus.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image generating unit generates the image, which is expected to be formed on the recording medium fed from the feed tray by the image forming apparatus, based on the virtual feed information and the image formation command.

8. A simulation system comprising: the simulation apparatus according to claim 1; anda display unit that displays an operation screen in accordance with the image forming apparatus, wherein:the first acquiring unit acquires the image formation command based on information input through the displayed operation screen.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein: the image formation command comprises model specification information that specifies a model of the image forming apparatus, andthe image generating unit generates the image, which is expected to be output by the image forming apparatus when the image forming apparatus of the model specified by the model specification information included in the image formation command receives the image formation command.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising: a command generating unit that generates the image forming command based on the information input through the displayed operation screen, wherein:the first acquiring unit acquires the image formation command generated by the command generating unit.

11. A simulation system comprising: the simulation apparatus according to claim 1;a display unit that displays an operation screen in accordance with the image forming apparatus;a client device; anda server device, wherein:the first acquiring unit acquires the image formation command based on information input through the displayed operation screen,the client device comprises the display unit,the display unit displays the operation screen by means of a web browser,the server device comprises the first acquiring unit, the image generating unit and the first output unit,the first acquiring unit acquires the image forming command based on the information input through the operation screen displayed by the web browser, andthe first output unit outputs the generated image to the web browser.

12. A method for simulating a process executed by an image forming apparatus, the method comprising: acquiring an image formation command comprising information of a target image;generating an image, which is expected to be output by the image forming apparatus, based on the acquired image formation command;converting the generated image into data in a predetermined format; andoutputting the converted data.

13. A computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a process for simulating a process executed by an image forming apparatus, the process executed by the computer comprising: acquiring an image formation command comprising information of a target image;generating an image, which is expected to be output by the image forming apparatus, based on the acquired image formation command;converting the generated image into data in a predetermined format; andoutputting the converted data.

14. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for enabling a computer to execute a process for simulating a process executed by an image forming apparatus, the process executed by the computer comprising: acquiring an image formation command comprising information of a target image;generating an image, which is expected to be output by the image forming apparatus, based on the acquired image formation command;converting the generated image into data in a predetermined format; andoutputting the converted data.