Printer and facsimile apparatus that can test for a proper functioning ink jet nozzle without printing a test pattern

An image forming apparatus which uses an inkjet printhead which discharges ink and which forms an image on a printing medium by said inkjet printhead, based on image information, comprising:

• an interface unit connecting with a host, and receiving image information transmitted from the host;
• a receiving unit receiving image information transmitted via a communication line;
• a memory storing the image information received by said interface and receiving units;
• a detection device which detects whether or not ink is normally discharged from said inkjet printhead;
• and
• control means for selecting a mode from among plural modes including at least a printer mode and a facsimile mode, the printer mode for performing an image formation based on the image information transmitted from the host, and the facsimile mode for performing an image formation based on the image information transmitted via the communication line, said control means further for, when the printer mode is selected, performing a detection operation by said detection device prior to image formation, and for, when the facsimile mode is selected, storing the image information transmitted via the communication line into the memory and performing a detection operation by said detection device after performing image formation on a predetermined amount of the image information in accordance with the stored image information.

A printing control method adapted to a printing apparatus which uses an ink tank containing a plurality of colored inks including black ink and an inkjet printhead having plural nozzles corresponding to the plurality of colored inks, and which performs printing by discharging ink from the plural nozzles of the inkjet printhead on a print medium, comprising the steps of:

• inputting print data from an external device;
• discriminating, based on the inputted print data, whether a monochrome printing using only the black ink is to be performed or a color printing using the plurality of colored inks is to be performed;
• test-discharging ink from said inkjet printhead toward a detection device so as to detect whether or not ink is normally discharged from said inkjet printhead;
• performing a printing operation, in a case where a first printing mode for printing by using at least one of the plurality of colored inks is selected, when it is detected in accordance with the detection result that all the plurality of colored inks are discharged;
• and
• performing a printing operation, in a case where a second printing mode for printing by using only the black ink is selected, when it is detected in accordance with the detection result that at least the black ink is discharged.

A method of detecting an ink-discharge status in an apparatus which uses an inkjet printhead to discharge ink, which forms an image on a printing medium by said inkjet printhead based on image information, and which comprises:

• an interface unit connecting with a host and receiving image information transmitted from the host;
• a receiving unit receiving image information transmitted via a communication line;
• a memory storing the image information received by said interface and receiving units;
• and a detection device detecting whether or not ink is normally discharged from said inkjet printhead, said method comprising the steps of:
• selecting from among plural modes including at least a printer mode for performing an image formation based on the image information transmitted from the host, and a facsimile mode for performing an image formation based on the image information transmitted via the communication line;
• when the printer mode is selected, performing a detection operation by said detection device prior to image formation, and further performing image formation when it is detected that ink is discharged from said inkjet printhead;
• and
• when the facsimile mode is selected, performing a detection operation by said detecting device after storing the image information transmitted via the communication line into the memory and performing image formation on a predetermined amount of image information in accordance with the stored image information.