US 2024/0177128 A1Published application

Image forming apparatus that manages log for use in calculating usage fee, control method for image forming apparatus, and storage medium

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorYOSHIHIRO YAMAGISHI

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Abstract

An image forming apparatus that ensures a log for use in calculating a usage fee is properly stored in a nonvolatile memory of the apparatus. When an image sensor detects completion of drawing on a recording medium by a printing unit while a chargeable job is executed, a flag is updated to a first state. Then, an output unit is instructed to output the recording medium, and monitoring of an output sensor is started. When the output sensor no longer detects the recording medium after the output unit is instructed to output the recording medium, the flag is updated to a second state and the log is updated. In a case where an error occurs during the detection of the recording medium by the output sensor after the output unit is instructed to output the recording medium, the chargeable job is terminated without the log being updated.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus comprising:

a printing unit that performs drawing on a recording medium;
an image sensor that detects completion of drawing on a recording medium by the printing unit;
an output unit that outputs a recording medium;
an output sensor that detects a status of output of a recording medium by the output unit;
a nonvolatile memory that stores first information for use in calculating a usage fee for the image forming apparatus and second information indicating whether or not drawing on a recording medium by the printing unit is completed;
a memory storing instructions;
and
at least one processor that executes the instructions to:
upon the image sensor detecting completion of drawing on a recording medium by the printing unit during execution of a chargeable job, carry out a first updating process including updating the second information to a first state indicating completion of the drawing;
after the second information is updated to the first state, carry out a first output starting process including instructing the output unit to output the recording medium and starting monitoring of the output sensor;
carry out a second updating process in a case where the output sensor being monitored no longer detects the recording medium after the output unit is instructed to output the recording medium in the first output starting process, the second updating process including updating the second information to a second state which is different from the first state and updating the first information;
and
terminate the chargeable job without updating the first information in a case where an error occurs in the image forming apparatus during detection of output of the recording medium by the output sensor being monitored after the output unit is instructed to output the recording medium in the first output starting process.

10 more elements

A control method for an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising:

a printing unit that performs drawing on a recording medium;
an image sensor that detects completion of drawing on a recording medium by the printing unit;
an output unit that outputs a recording medium;
an output sensor that detects a status of output of a recording medium by the output unit;
and
a nonvolatile memory that stores first information for use in calculating a usage fee for the image forming apparatus and second information indicating whether or not drawing on a recording medium by the printing unit is completed,
the control method comprising:
upon the image sensor detecting completion of drawing on a recording medium by the printing unit during execution of a chargeable job, carrying out a first updating process including updating the second information to a first state indicating completion of the drawing;
after the second information is updated to the first state, carrying out a first output starting process including instructing the output unit to output the recording medium and starting monitoring of the output sensor;
carrying out a second updating process in a case where the output sensor being monitored no longer detects the recording medium after the output unit is instructed to output the recording medium in the first output starting process, the second updating process including updating the second information to a second state which is different from the first state and updating the first information;
and
terminating the chargeable job without updating the first information in a case where an error occurs in the image forming apparatus during detection of output of the recording medium by the output sensor being monitored after the output unit is instructed to output the recording medium in the first output starting process.

9 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method for an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising:

a printing unit that performs drawing on a recording medium;
an image sensor that detects completion of drawing on a recording medium by the printing unit;
an output unit that outputs a recording medium;
an output sensor that detects a status of output of a recording medium by the output unit;
and
a nonvolatile memory that stores first information for use in calculating a usage fee for the image forming apparatus and second information indicating whether or not drawing on a recording medium by the printing unit is completed,
the control method comprising:
upon the image sensor detecting completion of drawing on a recording medium by the printing unit during execution of a chargeable job, carrying out a first updating process including updating the second information to a first state indicating completion of the drawing;
after the second information is updated to the first state, carrying out a first output starting process including instructing the output unit to output the recording medium and starting monitoring of the output sensor;
carrying out a second updating process in a case where the output sensor being monitored no longer detects the recording medium after the output unit is instructed to output the recording medium in the first output starting process, the second updating process including updating the second information to a second state which is different from the first state and updating the first information;
and
terminating the chargeable job without updating the first information in a case where an error occurs in the image forming apparatus during detection of output of the recording medium by the output sensor being monitored after the output unit is instructed to output the recording medium in the first output starting process.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/496,783Filed 27 Oct 2023
Priority: JP 2022-19213730 Nov 2022
Published: 30 May 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G06F 3/1234
Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels: errors handling and recovery, e.g. reprinting
G06F 3/1207
Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management: resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission
G06F 3/121
Specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect: facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
G06F 3/1239
Print job management: restricting the usage of resources, e.g. usage or user levels, credit limit, consumables, special fonts