Communication method executed in image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus comprises a plurality of control devices including at least a first control device and a second control device, and a communication line for communication between the plurality of control devices. The first control device includes a first communication unit configured to, in a first communication mode, transmit a control instruction to the second control device or receive information from the second control device, and, in a second communication mode, communicate time information for synchronizing a time that serves as a reference for execution timing of the control instruction in the second control device, and a first timer configured to indicate a time that serves as a reference for time-based synchronization in the second communication mode.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.