# US 2008/0186527 A1 · Image forming apparatus, print sheet selection method and recording medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0186527 A1 - Document ID: US20080186527A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/027,129 - Filed: 2008-02-06 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-07 - Assignees: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Hiroshi EGUCHI; Tatsuya Eguchi; Kiyohito Tsujihara; Shigeo Tomita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080186527A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/1252: {for sheet based media} - G06F 3/1208: {resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview} - G06F 3/121: {Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted} - G06F 3/1219: {with regard to consumables, e.g. ink, toner, paper} - G06F 3/1234: {Errors handling and recovery, e.g. reprinting (G06F3/1261 takes precedence)} - H04N 1/2307: {Circuits or arrangements for the control thereof, e.g. using a programmed control device, according to a measured quantity (H04N1/27, H04N1/29 take precedence)} - H04N 1/233: {according to characteristics of the data to be reproduced, e.g. number of lines} - H04N 1/2353: {Selecting a particular reproducing medium from amongst a plurality of media or from a particular tray, e.g. paper or transparency} - H04N 1/32133: {on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header} - H04N 2201/0094: Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception - H04N 2201/3225: of data relating to an image, a page or a document - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image forming apparatus comprises at least one printer that prints inputted image data on a plurality of types of print sheets, an expiration time attribute detector that detects from the image data, data representing an expiration time attribute, and a controller that judges based on the detection result drawn by the expiration time attribute detector, on which type of print sheets the image data should be printed, among the plurality of types of print sheets, then controls the image forming apparatus itself based on the judgment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: at least one printer that prints inputted image data on a plurality of types of print sheets; an expiration time attribute detector that detects from the image data, data representing an expiration time attribute; and a controller that judges based on the detection result drawn by the expiration time attribute detector, on which type of print sheets the image data should be printed, among the plurality of types of print sheets, then controls the image forming apparatus itself based on the judgment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of print sheets include paper, paper-like mediums and electronic paper, and the printer printing the image data on electronic paper correspond to a writer writing image data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the data representing an expiration time attribute corresponds to a date or a certain keyword representing an expiration time of the image data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the expiration time attribute detector detects from a profile of the image data, the data representing an expiration time attribute. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a display, and wherein the controller makes a warning displayed on the display, if the expiration time attribute detector detects from the image data, the data representing an expiration time attribute. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The image forming apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the controller accepts a user instruction given to select a type of print sheets on which the image data is to be printed, after making that warning displayed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image forming apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the controller cancels print processing if a user instruction to select a type of print sheets is not given within a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The image forming apparatus as recited in claim 5, further comprising: a sheet type detector that detects a type of print sheets loaded in a sheet feed tray; and a judger that judges a validity period left behind is either short or long based on the present date and the detected data representing an expiration time attribute, if the expiration time attribute detector detects that data from the image data, and wherein: the controller makes the image data written on electronic paper without making a warning displayed on the display, if the judger judges the validity period left behind is short and the sheet type detector detects electronic paper loaded in a sheet feed tray. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller accepts a user instruction given to select a type of print sheets, then switches between operation modes depending on the selected type of print sheets. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image forming apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein: the controller cancels print processing, if the judger judges the validity period left behind is small based on the present date and the detected data representing an expiration time attribute, and the selected type of print sheets is ordinary paper; the controller makes a warning displayed on the display and accepts the user selecting instruction, if the judger judges the validity period behind is short based on the present date and the detected data representing an expiration time attribute, and the selected type of print sheets is OHP sheets; and the controller makes the image data written on electronic paper, if the selected type of print sheets is electronic paper. ### Claim 11 A print sheet selection method comprising: printing inputted image data on a plurality of types of print sheets; detecting from the image data, data representing an expiration time attribute; and judging based on the detection result drawn in the detection step, on which type of print sheets the image data should be printed, among the plurality of types of print sheets, then controlling an image forming apparatus based on the judgment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The print sheet selection method as recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of types of print sheets include paper, paper-like mediums and electronic paper, and printing the image data on electronic paper in the printing step corresponds to writing image data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The print sheet selection method as recited in claim 11, wherein the data representing an expiration time attribute corresponds to a date or a certain keyword representing an expiration time of the image data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The print sheet selection method as recited in claim 11, further comprising: displaying a warning on a display if the data representing an expiration time attribute is detected from the image data. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The print sheet selection method as recited in claim 14, further comprising: detecting a type of print sheets loaded in a sheet feed tray; judging a validity period left behind is either short or long based on the present date and the data representing an expiration time attribute, if the data is detected from the image data; and writing the image data on electronic paper without displaying the warning on a display, if the validity period left behind is judged as being short and electronic paper is detected as being loaded in a sheet feed tray in the sheet type detection step. ### Claim 16 A recording medium storing in itself a print sheet selection program to make a computer of an image forming apparatus execute: printing inputted image data on a plurality of types of print sheets; detecting from the image data, data representing an expiration time attribute; and judging based on the detection result drew in the detection step, on which type of print sheets the image data should be printed, among the plurality of types of print sheets, then controlling the image forming apparatus based on the judgment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The recording medium storing in itself the program as recited in claim 16, wherein the plurality of types of print sheets include paper, paper-like mediums and electronic paper, and printing the image data on electronic paper in the printing step corresponds to writing image data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The recording medium storing in itself the program as recited in claim 16, wherein the data representing an expiration time attribute corresponds to a date or a certain keyword representing an expiration time of the image data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The recording medium storing in itself the program as recited in claim 16, to make the computer further execute: displaying a warning on a display if the data representing an expiration time attribute is detected from the image data. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The recording medium storing in itself the program as recited in claim 16, to make the computer further execute: detecting a type of print sheets loaded in a sheet feed tray; judging a validity period left behind is either short or long based on the present date and the data representing an expiration time attribute, if the data is detected from the image data; and writing the image data on electronic paper without displaying the warning on a display, if the validity period left behind is judged as being short and electronic paper is detected as being loaded in a sheet feed tray in the sheet type detection step.