Abstract: A control program is previously stored in a flash ROM, and when update of the control program stored in the flash ROM is requested, control is changed to that based on a program stored in a mask ROM, and a control program as the subject of update is received and written into the flash ROM under the control of the program stored in the mask ROM. When writing of the new control program into the flash ROM has ended and the update of the control program in the flash ROM has been completed, the control is changed to that based on the updated control program. Further, information indicating whether or not the update of the control program has been normally completed is stored in an EEPROM, and control processing is performed based on the control program stored in the flash ROM or the control program stored in the mask ROM in accordance with the information.

Abstract: This invention provides a printing apparatus which controls to inhibit any inadvertent write to a memory in an expendable so as to securely manage the exchange timing and the like of the expendable. For this purpose, the expendable such as a toner cartridge or the like comprises a rewritable nonvolatile memory (21) which holds information indicating whether or not its service life has expired. When the toner cartridge is attached to the printing apparatus, it is ready to communicate with a printer engine controller in the printing apparatus, and write to the nonvolatile memory (21) can be made in accordance with an instruction from a control unit. A lock functional unit (21a) writes information indicating write inhibition at a predetermined address in the nonvolatile memory (21), thus inhibiting write to the address position that stores the information indicating whether or not its service life has expired.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is equipped with a process cartridge detachable therefrom, where the process cartridge includes an element relating to image formation. A drive time of the process cartridge driven in the image forming apparatus is counted and it is judged whether an accumulation of the drive time counted reaches a predetermined value. When it is judged that the accumulation of the drive time reaches a predetermined value, an image forming condition of the image forming apparatus is changed over at a timing when the image forming apparatus does not conduct image formation.

Abstract: A control program is previously stored in a flash ROM, and when update of the control program stored in the flash ROM is requested, control is changed to that based on a program stored in a mask ROM, and a control program as the subject of update is received and written into the flash ROM under the control of the program stored in the mask ROM. When writing of the new control program into the flash ROM has ended and the update of the control program in the flash ROM has been completed, the control is changed to that based on the updated control program. Further, information indicating whether or not the update of the control program has been normally completed is stored in an EEPROM, and control processing is performed based on the control program stored in the flash ROM or the control program stored in the mask ROM in accordance with the information.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus on which a paper handling apparatus is detachably mountable is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image processing section that processes an externally inputted image signal, an image forming section that forms an image on a paper sheet based on the image signal processed by the image processing section, and a control section that controls the image forming section based on an instruction from the image processing section, wherein the control section transmits to the image processing section a paper delivery signal indicating a timing to deliver paper sheets from the image forming section to the paper handling apparatus. The image processing section controls the paper handling apparatus based on the paper delivery signal received from the control section.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising input means for inputting print data from the exterior, ID setting means for setting an ID for each page of the print data inputted by the input means, print condition designation means for designating the print condition, corresponding to the ID set by the ID setting means, print reservation means for reserving a print operation by storing the ID and the print condition in a print reservation memory, control means for causing the reserved print operation to be executed according to the content of the print reservation memory, and reservation cancellation means adapted, upon receiving an instruction to cancel a print reservation, to erase the corresponding ID and print condition from the print reservation memory, if a sheet corresponding to the designated ID in the print reservation memory is in a stand-by state for sheet feeding.

Abstract: An engine control unit and corresponding method of controlling the engine in which the engine control unit receives a print reservation command for plural pages prior to a print request command from a printer control unit. When the engine control unit received the print reservation command for the plural pages, it is judged whether or not a sheet feed operation of recording sheets can be performed. When it is judged that the recording sheets can be fed, the recording sheets are fed and transported to a predetermined position on a transportation path with a minimum constant interval corresponding to the sheet size by sheet feed rollers or transportation rollers, then printing operation is performed according to the print request command.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus on which a paper handling apparatus is detachably mountable is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image processing section that processes an externally inputted image signal, an image forming section that forms an image on a paper sheet based on the image signal processed by the image processing section, and a control section that controls the image forming section based on an instruction from the image processing section, wherein the control section transmits to the image processing section a paper delivery signal indicating a timing to deliver paper sheets from the image forming section to the paper handling apparatus. The image processing section controls the paper handling apparatus based on the paper delivery signal received from the control section.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus mountable a detachable unit mounting a memory in a main body of the apparatus, a memory-access-reservation control unit for accepting a request of an access with respect to a nonvolatile memory provided in a process cartridge in which a photosensitive drum, a toner and the like are integrated is provided in an engine control unit. When there is a request of an access with respect to the nonvolatile memory from a printer controller, the memory-access-reservation control unit accesses the nonvolatile memory in accordance with the request of the access. Upon completion of the access, the fact is notified to the printer controller. In response to the notification, the printer controller requests transmission of read information or confirms that a writing operation has been normally ended, by communicating with the engine control unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a unit with a non-volatile memory provided in a toner cartridge. By controlling the method in which data is written to a non-volatile memory, data that has been rewritten in the memory due to malfunction can be restored. The apparatus includes a detector for detecting the amount of toner remaining in the cartridge. On the basis of this information, a memory controller writes data, which indicates that cartridge replacement is necessary, to a prescribed area of the non-volatile memory. A memory locking unit inhibits rewriting of this area once data has been written. If it is judged by the memory controller that rewriting of the data halted in mid-course, write-protect by the memory lock function unit is cancelled and rewrite is allowed to be completed again, after which rewrite is inhibited.

Abstract: An engine control unit receives a print reservation command for plural pages prior to a print request command from a printer control unit. When the engine control unit received the print reservation command for the plural pages, it is judged whether or not a sheet feed operation of recording sheets can be performed. When it is judged that the recording sheets can be fed, the recording sheets are fed and transported to a predetermined position on a transportation path with a minimum constant interval corresponding to the sheet size by sheet feed rollers or transportation rollers, then printing operation is performed according to the print request command.

Abstract: An engine control unit and corresponding method of controlling the engine in which the engine control unit receives a print reservation command for plural pages prior to a print request command from a printer control unit. When the engine control unit received the print reservation command for the plural pages, it is judged whether or not a sheet feed operation of recording sheets can be performed. When it is judged that the recording sheets can be fed, the recording sheets are fed and transported to a predetermined position on a transportation path with a minimum constant interval corresponding to the sheet size by sheet feed rollers or transportation rollers, then printing operation is performed according to the print request command.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to make it possible to extend a degree of freedom on designing and further improve the reliability when an output control is performed according to a status change of a printer engine. When there is the status change of the printer engine, whether an output monitoring timer of a CCRT signal is OFF or not is detected. If NO, whether the counting operation of the timer has been finished or not is discriminated. When the counting operation of the timer is finished, the timer operation is stopped. After the timer operation was stopped, the CCRT signal is set to “true”. When a status request command from an image controller is received, a transmission preparation of a current state of the printer engine is started. After completion of the transmission preparation of the status signal, an SBSY signal is set to “true” and the CCRT signal is set to “false”. After that, the timer is set to a predetermined value and the counting operation is started.

Abstract: Provided is an image processing apparatus that maintains uniformity of image quality in print of identical images and that improves the performance of a printer.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus constituted by an image forming apparatus main body and an apparatus unit having a non-volatile memory, which is provided in a toner cartridge, for storing prescribed data. By controlling the method in which data is written to a non-volatile memory, data content that has been rewritten in the memory due to the occurrence of a malfunction can be restored. The apparatus includes a detector for detecting and reporting amount of toner remaining in the cartridge. On the basis of this information, a memory controller writes data, which indicates that cartridge replacement is necessary, to a prescribed area of the non-volatile memory. A memory locking unit inhibits rewriting of this area once data has been written to this area. If it is judged by the memory controller that rewriting of the data halted in mid-course, write-protect by the memory lock function unit is cancelled and rewrite is allowed to be completed again, after which rewrite is inhibited.

Abstract: An engine control unit receives a print reservation command for plural pages prior to a print request command from a printer control unit. When the engine control unit received the print reservation command for the plural pages, it is judged whether or not a sheet feed operation of recording sheets can be performed. When it is judged that the recording sheets can be fed, the recording sheets are fed and transported to a predetermined position on a transportation path with a minimum constant interval corresponding to the sheet size by sheet feed rollers or transportation rollers, then printing operation is performed according to the print request command.

Abstract: An engine control unit of a printer engine checks he status of each part of the printer, and if there is any change in the status, generates a predetermined representative status of changes and outputs a status change signal to a controller (RIP). The controller is informed of a change in the status by the status change signal, and reads the predetermined representative status to discriminate the changed status from unchanged statuses. In accordance with the discriminated status, the current status can be read. Accordingly, it is not necessary to periodically read the statuses, improving the efficiency of an image forming process. A status change informing control unit in the engine control unit sets a changing status bit of a basic status or status change signal and sends it to the controller, when there occurs a change in any data of a presence/absence and paper size of a paper sheet at a paper feeding port and a loading state of an optional paper feeder.

Abstract: A pressure sensor (1) having a first terminal (35), the first terminal (35) including a horizontal portion (61) and a vertical portion (62) at an intermediate portion thereof and being elastically deformable. A portion of the first terminal (35) being inserted and soldered to a circuit substrate (33) has a collar portion (63) being abutted around a through-hole (51) of the circuit substrate (33). The first terminal (35) is fixed at a state being pressed to the circuit substrate (33) by the collar portion (63) and being slightly compressed between a base member (32). When the circuit substrate (33) and the base member (32) are spaced apart by circumambient heat, the first terminal (35) can follow by the compressed margin. When the first terminal (35) itself is thermally expanded, the first terminal (35) can follow by an elastic deformation of the horizontal portion (61) and the vertical portion (62).

Abstract: There is disclosed an image forming apparatus comprising input means for inputting print data from the exterior, ID setting means for setting an ID for each page of the print data inputted by the input means, print condition designation means for designating the print condition, corresponding to the ID set by the ID setting means, print reservation means for reserving a print operation by storing the ID and the print condition in a print reservation memory, control means for causing the reserved print operation to be executed according to the content of the print reservation memory, and reservation cancellation means adapted, upon receiving an instruction to cancel a print reservation, to erase the corresponding ID and print condition from the print reservation memory, if a sheet corresponding to the designated ID in the print reservation memory is in a stand-by state for sheet feeding.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image forming apparatus comprising input means for inputting print data from the exterior, ID setting means for setting an ID for each page of the print data inputted by the input means, print condition designation means for designating the print condition, corresponding to the ID set by the ID setting means, print reservation means for reserving a print operation by storing the ID and the print condition in a print reservation memory, control means for causing the reserved print operation to be executed according to the content of the print reservation memory, and reservation cancellation means adapted, upon receiving an instruction to cancel a print reservation, to erase the corresponding ID and print condition from the print reservation memory, if a sheet corresponding to the designated ID in the print reservation memory is in a stand-by state for sheet feeding.