Program storable image forming apparatus, control method, and control program

A method in an image forming apparatus having a first execution environment that can execute at least one of first-format instructions for controlling an image forming engine of the image forming apparatus in native mode by using a real-time operating system, and a second execution environment that can execute at least one of second-format instructions defined by a format that does not depend on a type of the image forming apparatus, said method comprising:

• a first control step of controlling processing of execution of the at least one of the first-format instructions in response to the at least one of the second-format instructions of the second execution environment, using at least one of second-format predetermined instructions;
• and
• a recognition step of recognizing, when interpreting the at least one of the second-format instructions from plural applications in the second execution environment, whether or not an instruction to be executed is the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions,
• wherein the image forming apparatus is controlled by executing the at least one the first-format instructions in response to the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions when it has been recognized in said recognition step that the instruction to be executed is the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions, and the image forming apparatus is controlled so as to execute the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions in the second execution environment when it has been recognized in said recognition step that the instruction to be executed is not the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions;
• and
• wherein the second-format predetermined instructions are part of a software interface library which is shared by the plural applications in the second execution environment and each of the second-format instructions corresponds to the first-format instructions which control the image processing engine,
• wherein, when controlling execution of the at least one of the first-format instructions using the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions based on identification information added to the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions, a determination is made whether an instruction included in the first instruction controls a printing processing function within said image forming apparatus, or controls an external image forming apparatus via a communication network, and
• wherein plural first-format instructions correspond to one second-format instruction.

A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-readable control program to be executed in an image forming apparatus having a first execution environment that can execute at least one of the first-format instructions for controlling an image forming engine of said image forming apparatus in native mode by using a real-time operating system, and a second execution environment that can execute at least one of second-format instructions defined by a format that does not depend on a type of the image forming apparatus, said control program causing a CPU (central processing unit) to execute the following steps comprising:

• a first control step of controlling processing of execution of the at least one of the first-format instructions in response to the at least one of the second-format instructions of the second execution environment, using at least one of second-format predetermined instructions;
• a recognition step of recognizing, when interpreting the at least one of the second-format instructions from plural applications software in the second execution environment, whether or not an instruction to be executed is the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions;
• and
• a second control step of controlling the image forming apparatus by executing the at least one of the first-format instructions in response to the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions when, in said recognition step, it has been recognized that the instruction to be executed is the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions, and for controlling the image forming apparatus so as to execute the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions in the second execution environment when, in said recognition step, it has been recognized that the instruction to be executed is not the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions,
• wherein the second-format predetermined instructions are part of a software interface library which is shared by the plural applications in the second execution environment and each of the second-format predetermined instructions corresponds to the first-format instructions which control the image processing engine,
• wherein, when controlling execution of the at least one of the first-format instructions using the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions based on identification information added to the at least one of the second-format predetermined instructions, a determination is made whether an instruction included in the first instruction controls a printing processing function within said image forming apparatus, or controls an external image forming apparatus via a communication network, and
• wherein plural first-format instructions correspond to one second-format instruction.