Image forming apparatus with a wireless tag communication device that radiates a radio wave to two areas

A method performed by an image forming apparatus that includes:

• a housing,
• a manual feed tray on which a printing medium with a wireless tag is placeable, the manual feed tray including a first portion that is located inside the housing and a second portion that is located outside the housing,
• a conveyance mechanism disposed in the housing and configured to convey the printing medium,
• an image forming unit disposed in the housing and configured to form an image on the printing medium, and
• a wireless tag communication device including an antenna, disposed in the housing above the first portion of the manual feed tray, and configured to communicate with the wireless tag by radiating, via the antenna, a radio wave to each of:
• a first area that is on a conveyance path along which the printing medium is conveyed by the conveyance mechanism and located downstream of the manual feed tray and
• a second area that is on the manual feed tray at a location corresponding to the first portion of the manual feed tray, the method comprising:
• in response to an operation for printing an image on a printing medium and writing data into a wireless tag attached to the printing medium:
• controlling the conveyance mechanism to convey the printing medium and controlling the wireless tag communication device to radiate a first radio wave to write the data into the wireless tag attached to the printing medium, and
• controlling the image forming unit to form the image on the printing medium;
• and
• in response to an operation for reading the data from the wireless tag attached to the printing medium placed on the manual feed tray,
• determining whether a reading condition is satisfied, the reading condition requiring that the operation for reading data is received while the printing medium is placed on the manual feed tray and conveyance of the printing medium by the conveyance mechanism is not being performed,
• upon determining that the reading condition is satisfied, controlling the wireless tag communication device to radiate a second radio wave to read the data from the wireless tag without conveying the printing medium by the conveyance mechanism, and
• upon determining that the reading condition is not satisfied, outputting information indicating that the reading condition is not satisfied.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a processor of an image forming apparatus to perform a process, the image forming apparatus that includes:

• a housing,
• a manual feed tray on which a printing medium with a wireless tag is placeable, the manual feed tray including a first portion that is located inside the housing and a second portion that is located outside the housing,
• a conveyance mechanism disposed in the housing and configured to convey the printing medium,
• an image forming unit disposed in the housing and configured to form an image on the printing medium, and
• a wireless tag communication device including an antenna, disposed in the housing above the first portion of the manual feed tray, and configured to communicate with the wireless tag by radiating, via the antenna, a radio wave to each of:
• a first area that is on a conveyance path along which the printing medium is conveyed by the conveyance mechanism and located downstream of the manual feed tray and
• a second area that is on the manual feed tray at a location corresponding to the first portion of the manual feed tray, the process including:
• in response to an operation for printing an image on a printing medium and writing data into a wireless tag attached to the printing medium:
• controlling the conveyance mechanism to convey the printing medium and controlling the wireless tag communication device to radiate a first radio wave to write the data into the wireless tag attached to the printing medium, and
• controlling the image forming unit to form the image on the printing medium;
• and
• in response to an operation for reading the data from the wireless tag attached to the printing medium placed on the manual feed tray,
• determining whether a reading condition is satisfied, the reading condition requiring that the operation for reading data is received while the printing medium is placed on the manual feed tray and conveyance of the printing medium by the conveyance mechanism is not being performed,
• upon determining that the reading condition is satisfied, controlling the wireless tag communication device to radiate a second radio wave to read the data from the wireless tag without conveying the printing medium by the conveyance mechanism, and
• upon determining that the reading condition is not satisfied, outputting information indicating that the reading condition is not satisfied.