Image forming apparatus including means for warning an operator of a potential illegal copying operation before the copying operation and method of controlling the same

Claim 2

An image forming apparatus comprising: color image reproducing means for reproducing an original image in multiple colors; operating means for performing a predetermined input relating to the reproduction of the color image; first control means for displaying a predetermined warning in response to an operation of said operating means for performing the predetermined input relating to the reproduction of the color image without regard to whether the original image is a specified image or not and disabling input through said operating means after the display of the warning; confirmation input means for inputting confirmation of the display of said warning by an operator; and second control means for enabling subsequent input through said operating means in response to input through said confirmation input means.

Claim 3

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said operating means includes select means for selecting color image forming mode for forming the image in multiple colors, and said first control means displays said warning in response to selection of the color image forming mode by said select means, and disables the input through said operating means after the display of the warning.

Claim 4

The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the input operation disabled by said first control means after the display of the warning is the operation for instructing setting of the image forming operation mode.

Claim 5

The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said image forming operation mode is an operation mode for an original including a photograph.

Claim 6

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input operation disabled by said first control means after the display of the warning is the operation for instructing start of the image reproducing operation.

Claim 7

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first control means further has notifying means for notifying a third party of the fact that an operator performs an operation relating to reproduction of a color image in response to the operation of said operating means.

Claim 8

The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said notifying means sounds a warning sound for notification to the third party.

Claim 9

The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said notifying means performs warning display other than warning sound for notification to the third party.

Claim 10

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said color image reproducing means is full-color image reproducing means.

Claim 11

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said displayed warning is a display to the effect that copying of a bill is illegal.

Claim 12

An image forming apparatus comprising: color image reproducing means for reproducing an original image in multiple colors; operating means for performing a predetermined input relating to the reproduction of the color image; first control means for displaying a predetermined warning in response to an operation of said operating means for performing the predetermined input relating to the reproduction of the color image without regard to whether the original image is a specified image or not and disabling image reproducing operation; confirmation input means for inputting confirmation of the display of said warning by an operator; and second control means for enabling the image reproducing operation in response to input through said confirmation input means.

Claim 13

An image forming apparatus comprising: color image reproducing means for reproducing an original image in multiple colors; operating means for performing a predetermined input relating to the reproduction of the color image; first control means for displaying a predetermined warning in response to an operation of said operating means for performing the predetermined input relating to the reproduction of the color image without regard to whether the original image is a specified image or not and disabling image reproducing operation; confirmation input means for inputting confirmation of the display of said warning by an operator; and second control means for enabling the image reproducing operation in response to input through said confirmation input means.

Claim 14

The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said operating means includes select means for selecting color image forming mode for forming the image in multiple colors, and said first control means displays said warning in response to selection of the color image forming mode by said select means, and disables the image reproducing operation.

Claim 15

The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising mono-color image reproducing means for reproducing the original image in a single color.

Claim 16

The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first control means further has notifying means for notifying a third party of the fact that an operator performs an operation relating to reproduction of a color image in response to the operation of said operating means.

Claim 17

The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said notifying means sounds a warning sound for notification to the third party.

Claim 18

The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said notifying means performs warning display other than warning sound for notification to the third party.

Claim 19

The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said second control means further has notifying means for notifying a third party of the fact that the image reproducing operation is performed by said color image reproducing means.

Claim 20

The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said color image reproducing means is full-color image reproducing means.

Claim 21

The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said displayed warning is a display to the effect that copying of a bill is illegal.

Claim 22

An image forming apparatus comprising: select means for selecting a color image forming mode for forming an image in multiple colors; color image reproducing means for reproducing an original image in multiple colors when said color image forming mode is selected; and notifying means for notifying a third party other than an operator of the fact that the operator is performing a color image forming operation only in response to selection of the color image forming mode by said select means or the image reproducing operation by said color image reproducing means.

Claim 23

An image forming apparatus comprising: select means for selecting a color image forming mode for forming an image in multiple colors; color image reproducing means for reproducing an original image in multiple colors when said color image forming mode is selected; and notifying means for notifying a third party other than an operator of the fact that the operator is performing a color image forming operation only in response to selection of the color image forming mode by said select means or the image reproducing operation by said color image reproducing means.

Claim 24

The image forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said notifying means sounds a warning sound for notification to the third party.

Claim 25

The image forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said notifying means performs display for notification to the third party.

Claim 26

The image forming apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said notifying means is accompanied by display means independent of said image forming apparatus, and sends to said display means a signal representing that the color image forming operation is being performed in response to selection of the color image forming mode by said select means or the image reproducing operation by said color image reproducing means.

Claim 27

The image forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein a predetermined warning different from the notification by said notifying means is displayed for the operator in response to selection of the color image forming mode by said select means.

Claim 28

The image forming apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising: confirmation input means for inputting confirmation of the display of said warning by the operator; and means for enabling the image reproducing operation of said color image reproducing means in response to input through said confirmation input means.

Claim 29

The image forming apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising: copy-protected original determining means for determining whether the original is a copy-protected material; and second notifying means for notifying the third party other than the operator of the fact that the original is the copy-protected material when said copy-protected original determining means determines that the original is the copy-protected material.

Claim 30

The image forming apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said color image reproducing means is full-color image reproducing means.

Claim 31

An image forming apparatus comprising: select means for selecting a monochrome image forming mode for printing an image in a single black color and a color image forming mode for printing an image in multiple colors; monochrome image forming means for printing an image corresponding to an original image in a single black color when said monochrome image forming mode is selected; color image forming means for printing an image corresponding to an original image in multiple colors when said color image forming mode is selected; notifying means for notifying a third party other than an operator of the fact that the operator is performing a color printing operation; and notification control means for performing the notification by said notifying means only in response to the selection of the color image forming mode by said select means or the printing operation by said color image forming means, and disabling the notification by said notifying means when said monochrome image forming mode is selected.

Claim 32

An image forming apparatus comprising: select means for selecting a monochrome image forming mode for printing an image in a single black color and a color image forming mode for printing an image in multiple colors; monochrome image forming means for printing an image corresponding to an original image in a single black color when said monochrome image forming mode is selected; color image forming means for printing an image corresponding to an original image in multiple colors when said color image forming mode is selected; notifying means for notifying a third party other than an operator of the fact that the operator is performing a color printing operation; and notification control means for performing the notification by said notifying means only in response to the selection of the color image forming mode by said select means or the printing operation by said color image forming means, and disabling the notification by said notifying means when said monochrome image forming mode is selected.

Claim 33

The image forming apparatus being connectable to an external control apparatus via a communication line and comprising: color image reproducing means for reproducing an original image in multiple colors; copy-protected original determining means for determining whether the original color image is a copy-protected material or not; transmission means for sending control information of said image forming apparatus to said external control apparatus; and transmission control means for sending at predetermined timing from said transmission means a signal representing the fact that the original is copy-protected when said copy-protected original determining means determines that the original is a copy-protected original.

Claim 34

The image forming apparatus being connectable to an external control apparatus via a communication line and comprising: color image reproducing means for reproducing an original image in multiple colors; copy-protected original determining means for determining whether the original color image is a copy-protected material or not; transmission means for sending control information of said image forming apparatus to said external control apparatus; and transmission control means for sending at predetermined timing from said transmission means a signal representing the fact that the original is copy-protected when said copy-protected original determining means determines that the original is a copy-protected original.

Claim 35

The image forming apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said transmission control means further sends a signal representing the fact that the color image reproducing operation is being performed in response to the image reproducing operation by said color image reproducing means.

Claim 36

The image forming apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising: operating means for performing predetermined input relating to said color image reproduction, wherein said transmission control means further sends a signal representing the fact that the color image reproducing operation is being performed in response to the operation of said operating means.

Claim 39

The method of controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 32, wherein a color image forming mode for forming the image in multiple colors can be selected, said display of the warning is performed in response to selection of said color image forming mode, and the input by the operation after the display of the warning is disabled.

Claim 40

The method of controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said input by the operation disabled after said display of the warning is an input by the operation for instructing start of the image reproducing operation.

Claim 41

The method of controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 32, wherein a third party is notified of the fact that an operator performs an operation relating to the reproduction of the color image in response to said input by the operation.

Claim 44

The method of controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 36, wherein a color image forming mode for forming the image in multiple colors can be selected, said display of the warning is performed and the image reproducing operation is disabled in response to selection of said color image forming mode.

Claim 45

The method of controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 36, wherein a third party is notified of the fact that an operator performs an operation relating to the reproduction of the color image in response to said input by the operation.

Claim 46

The method of controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 36, wherein a third party is notified of the fact that the operation is the reproduction of the color image.

Claim 49

The method of controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 40, wherein a signal representing the fact that the color image forming operation is being performed is sent to display means independent of said image forming apparatus in response to selection of said color image forming mode or said color image reproducing operation.

Claim 50

The method of controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 40, wherein it is determined whether the original is a copy-protected material, and the third party other than the operator is notified of the fact that the original is the copy-protected material when said original is the copy-protected material.