Image forming apparatus configured to predict an event based on resource information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10104248-B2
Application number	US-201815888536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2018
Priority date	Oct 11, 2013
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a schedule information generation unit that generates schedule information including an order of execution of received jobs; an acquisition unit that acquires resource information related to a resource used to execute a job; a prediction unit that predicts a timing of occurrence of an event that possibly occurs in the apparatus as the received jobs are executed in accordance with the order of execution on the basis of the schedule information and the resource information; a display information generation unit that generates display information for displaying a period of execution of the job to be executed and the timing of occurrence of the event along the same time axis, and for displaying a degree of influence of the event on execution of the job; and a display controller that controls display of the display information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a schedule information generator that generates schedule information of received print jobs which are to be executed, the schedule information including an order of execution of the print jobs;
an acquirer that acquires resource information related to paper to be used to execute the print jobs;
a predictor that predicts, based on the schedule information and the resource information, paper depletion that will occur in the image forming apparatus during the execution of the print jobs;
a display controller that controls to display execution time period of the print jobs along time axis and degree of influence of the predicted paper depletion regarding the execution of the print jobs by changing color of the displayed execution time period, and, in response to the degree being high, information on a tray in which the predicted paper depletion will occur, the information on the tray being displayed in an area which is divided by a line from an area in which the execution time period is displayed;
an auto switcher that switches trays, in response to paper being depleted during the execution of the print jobs, from a first tray in which the depletion occurs to a second tray in which same-sized paper with the paper in the first tray is loaded; wherein
the display controller controls, even in a case where the paper depletion occurs during the execution of the print jobs, not to display the information on the first tray in a case where the same-sized paper is loaded in the second tray and the trays are switched.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller that controls to allow a user to load paper in the first tray without stopping the execution of the print jobs while the switched second tray is being used.

Assignees

• Fuji Xerox Co Ltd

Inventors

• Abe Takahide

Classifications

• G06F3/1259

  Print job monitoring, e.g. job status · CPC title

• G06F3/1235

  caused by end of consumables, e.g. paper, ink, toner · CPC title

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title

• H04N1/00411

  the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen · CPC title

• G06F3/121

  Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted · CPC title