Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus that executes a job for forming an image on a recording material in accordance with an instruction from a controller that processes image data, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming unit for forming the image on the recording material;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the image forming unit to start a preparatory operation of the image forming unit after a first instruction has been received from the controller, and start an image forming operation of the image forming unit when the preparatory operation is complete and a second instruction is received from the controller,
• wherein the control unit:
• controls so as to execute the job while switching an operation mode between a first mode and a second mode, the first mode being an operation mode in which, when the first instruction has been received, the preparatory operation is started before the second instruction is received, and the second mode being an operation mode in which, when the first instruction has been received, the preparatory operation is not started until the second instruction is received;
• and
• in a case of execution in the first mode, controls to switch the operation mode from the first mode to the second mode based on information pertaining to the number of jobs in which the image forming operation has been started in response to the second instruction after the preparatory operation has been completed.

An image forming apparatus that executes a job for forming an image on a recording material in accordance with an instruction from a controller that processes image data, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming unit for forming the image on the recording material;
• and
• a control unit configured to control the image forming unit to start a preparatory operation of the image forming unit after a first instruction has been received from the controller, and start an image forming operation of the image forming unit when the preparatory operation is complete and a second instruction is received from the controller,
• wherein the control unit:
• controls so as to execute the job while switching an operation mode between a first mode and a third mode, the first mode being an operation mode in which, when the first instruction has been received, the preparatory operation is started at a first timing before the second instruction is received, and the third mode being an operation mode in which, when the first instruction has been received, the preparatory operation is started at a second timing which is after the first timing, before the second instruction is received, and after a predetermined length of time has passed after the first instruction has been received;
• and
• in a case of execution in the first mode, controls to switch the operation mode from the first mode to the third mode based on information pertaining to the number of jobs in which the image forming operation has been started in response to the second instruction after the preparatory operation has been completed.

An image forming apparatus that executes a job for forming an image on a recording material in accordance with an instruction from a controller that processes image data, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming unit for forming the image on the recording material;
• and
• a control unit that controls the image forming unit to start a preparatory operation of the image forming unit after a first instruction has been received from the controller, and start an image forming operation of the image forming unit when the preparatory operation is complete and a second instruction has been received from the controller,
• wherein the control unit:
• controls so as to execute the job while switching an operation mode between a first mode and a second mode, the first mode being an operation mode in which, when the first instruction has been received, the preparatory operation is started before the second instruction is received, and the second mode being an operation mode in which, when the first instruction has been received, the preparatory operation is not started until the second instruction is received;
• and
• in a case of execution in the second mode, controls to switch the operation mode from the second mode to the first mode based on information pertaining to the number of jobs for which a second time is longer than a first time, the first time being a time from when the first instruction is received to when the second instruction is received, and the second time being a time from when the preparatory operation is started to when the preparatory operation is completed.

An image forming apparatus that executes a job for forming an image on a recording material in accordance with an instruction from a controller that processes image data, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming unit for forming the image on the recording material;
• and
• a control unit that controls the image forming unit to start a preparatory operation of the image forming unit after a first instruction has been received from the controller, and start an image forming operation of the image forming unit when the preparatory operation is complete and a second instruction has been received from the controller,
• wherein the control unit:
• controls so as to execute the job while switching an operation mode between a first mode and a third mode, the first mode being an operation mode in which, when the first instruction has been received, the preparatory operation is started at a first timing before the second instruction is received, and the third mode being an operation mode in which, when the first instruction has been received, the preparatory operation is started at a second timing which is after the first timing, before the second instruction is received, and after a predetermined length of time has passed after the first instruction has been received;
• and
• in a case of execution in the third mode, controls to switch the operation mode from the third mode to the first mode based on information pertaining to the number of jobs for which a second time is longer than a first time, the first time being a time from when the first instruction is received to when the second instruction is received, and the second time being a time from when the preparatory operation is started to when the preparatory operation is completed.