US5729791A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image forming apparatus with control to allow imaging of second group to interrupt imaging of first group
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1997-03-10
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Granted: 1998-03-17
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Expires: 2017-03-10
Abstract
Abstract An image forming apparatus includes a sorter with a plurality of accommodating units for sorting sheets on which images have been formed. The sorter is detachably mountable to the image forming unit, and has a first control unit for allowing image formation of a second group by interrupting image formation of a first group upon reception of an interrupt instruction to perform image formation of images of the second group while image formation of images of the first group is suspended, and for resuming image formation of the first group after the image formation of the second group has been completed, and a second control unit for changing units to accommodate sheets in the sorter so as to accommodate sheets on which images of the first group have been formed and sheets on which images of the second group have been formed in different accommodating units in accordance with the instruction of the interrupt, a detector for detecting the mounting or detaching of the sorter, and a prohibition unit for prohibiting interrupt of image formation of the second group during image formation of the first group when the detector detects the detaching of the sorter.
Inventors
- 👤 Satoru Kutsuwada
- 👤 Yoshihiko Suzuki
- 👤 Kenji Kobayashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:10
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/65; G03G15/6538; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00567; H04N1/00641; H04N1/00912; H04N1/00915; H04N1/00917; H04N1/32; H04N1/32502; H04N1/32507; H04N1/32512; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00204; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/0077; H04N2201/0081; H04N2201/0082; H04N2201/0086; H04N2201/0087
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming an image on a sheet from one of at least a first group and a second group; sorting means including a plurality of accommodating units for sorting sheets on which images have been formed by said image forming means, said sorting means being detachably attached to said image forming means; first control means for allowing image formation from the second group by interrupting image formation from the first group upon reception of an interrupt instruction, thereby allowing image formation from the second group to proceed while image formation of images from the first group is suspended, and for resuming the image formation of images from the first group after the image formation from the second group has been completed; second control means for changing units to accommodate sheets in said sorting means so as to accommodate sheets on which images of the first group have been formed and sheets on which images of the second group have been formed in different accommodating units in accordance with the interrupt instruction; detection means for detecting whether said sorting means is attached; and prohibition means for prohibiting interrupt of image formation of the second group during image formation of the first group when said detection means detects a detaching of said sorting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
220 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming an image on a sheet from one of at least a first group and a second group; sorting means including a plurality of accommodating units for sorting sheets on which images have been formed by said image forming means, said sorting means being detachably attached to said image forming means; first control means for allowing image formation from the second group by interrupting image formation from the first group upon reception of an interrupt instruction, thereby allowing image formation from the second group to proceed while image formation of images from the first group is suspended, and for resuming the image formation of images from the first group after the image formation from the second group has been completed; second control means for changing units to accommodate sheets in said sorting means so as to accommodate sheets on which images of the first group have been formed and sheets on which images of the second group have been formed in different accommodating units in accordance with the interrupt instruction; detection means for detecting whether said sorting means is attached; and prohibition means for prohibiting interrupt of image formation of the second group during image formation of the first group when said detection means detects a detaching of said sorting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image formation of the first group comprises image formation in a first mode, and wherein the image formation of the second group comprises image formation in a second mode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first and second modes comprise either ones of a printing mode in which an image from a computer is formed, a copying mode in which an image of an original is formed, a facsimile mode in which an image received by facsimile communication is formed, and a filing mode in which a retrieved image is formed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the images of the first group and the images of the second group are images from different image generating sources.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
152 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming on a sheet an image from one of at least a first group and a second group; control means for allowing image formation from the second group by interrupting image formation from the first group upon reception of an interrupt instruction, thereby allowing image formation of images from the second group to proceed while image formation of images from the first group is suspended, and for resuming the image formation of the first group after the image formation from the second group has been completed; detection means for detecting a presence or absence of sorting means for sorting sheets on which images have been formed by said image forming means; and prohibition means for prohibiting an interrupt of image formation from the second group during image formation from the first group when said detection means detects an absence of said sorting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
152 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming on a sheet an image from one of at least a first group and a second group; control means for allowing image formation from the second group by interrupting image formation from the first group upon reception of an interrupt instruction, thereby allowing image formation of images from the second group to proceed while image formation of images from the first group is suspended, and for resuming the image formation of the first group after the image formation from the second group has been completed; detection means for detecting a presence or absence of sorting means for sorting sheets on which images have been formed by said image forming means; and prohibition means for prohibiting an interrupt of image formation from the second group during image formation from the first group when said detection means detects an absence of said sorting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
96 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming images on sheets; determination means for determining whether sorting of the sheets by sorting means is possible, said sorting means operating interrelatedly with said image forming apparatus; and control means for allowing an image formation job before a preceding image formation job is completed when said determination means determines that sorting by said sorting means is possible, and for inhibiting an image formation job before the preceding image formation job is completed when said determination means determines that sorting by said sorting means is not possible.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
96 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming images on sheets; determination means for determining whether sorting of the sheets by sorting means is possible, said sorting means operating interrelatedly with said image forming apparatus; and control means for allowing an image formation job before a preceding image formation job is completed when said determination means determines that sorting by said sorting means is possible, and for inhibiting an image formation job before the preceding image formation job is completed when said determination means determines that sorting by said sorting means is not possible.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said determination means performs determining by detecting attaching and detaching of said sorting means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of said jobs is performed in a mode selected from printing mode for printing an image from a computer, copying mode for forming an image from an original, facsimile mode for forming an image received by facsimile communication, and file mode for forming a searched image.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising the steps of: forming an image on a sheet; determining whether sorting of the sheet by sorting means is possible or not, said sorting means operating interrelatedly with said image forming apparatus; and allowing an image formation job before a preceding image formation job is completed when said determination of whether sorting by said sorting means is possible, and inhibiting an image formation job before the preceding image formation job is completed when said determination of whether sorting by said sorting means is not possible.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising the steps of: forming an image on a sheet; determining whether sorting of the sheet by sorting means is possible or not, said sorting means operating interrelatedly with said image forming apparatus; and allowing an image formation job before a preceding image formation job is completed when said determination of whether sorting by said sorting means is possible, and inhibiting an image formation job before the preceding image formation job is completed when said determination of whether sorting by said sorting means is not possible.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein said determination is performed by detecting attaching and detaching of said sorting means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein each of said jobs is performed in a mode selected from printing mode for printing an image from a computer, copying mode for forming an image from an original, facsimile mode for forming an image received by facsimile communication, and file mode for forming a searched image.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
100 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming images on sheets; determination means for determining whether a sorting function by sorting means is available, said sorting means operating in association with said image forming apparatus; and control means for starting an image formation job before a preceding image formation job is completed when said determination means determines that the sorting function by said sorting means is available, and for starting an image formation job after the preceding image formation job is completed when said determination means determines that the sorting function by said sorting means is not available.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
100 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming images on sheets; determination means for determining whether a sorting function by sorting means is available, said sorting means operating in association with said image forming apparatus; and control means for starting an image formation job before a preceding image formation job is completed when said determination means determines that the sorting function by said sorting means is available, and for starting an image formation job after the preceding image formation job is completed when said determination means determines that the sorting function by said sorting means is not available.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said determination means performs determining by detecting attaching and detaching of said sorting means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
63 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each of said jobs is performed in a mode selected from one of a printing mode for printing an image from a computer, a copying mode for forming an image from an original, a facsimile mode for forming an image received by facsimile communication, and a file mode for forming an image from a searched database.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said control means receives a request of another image formation job during the preceding image formation job.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising the steps of: forming an image on a sheet; determining whether a sorting function by sorting means is available, said sorting means operating in association with said image forming apparatus; and starting an image formation job before a preceding image formation job is completed when it is determined that the sorting function by said sorting means is available, and starting an image formation job after the preceding image formation job is completed when it is determined that the sorting function by said sorting means is not available.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising the steps of: forming an image on a sheet; determining whether a sorting function by sorting means is available, said sorting means operating in association with said image forming apparatus; and starting an image formation job before a preceding image formation job is completed when it is determined that the sorting function by said sorting means is available, and starting an image formation job after the preceding image formation job is completed when it is determined that the sorting function by said sorting means is not available.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein said determination is performed by detecting attaching and detaching of said sorting means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein each of said jobs is performed in a mode selected from a printing mode for printing an image from a computer, a copying mode for forming an image from an original, a facsimile mode for forming an image received by facsimile communication, and a file mode for forming an image from a searched database.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to the claim 16, wherein a request of another image formation job is received during the preceding image formation job.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-03-16 | 2001-09-15 | 2002-03-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-16 | 2005-09-15 | 2006-03-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-16 | 2009-09-15 | 2010-03-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |