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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9723162-B2
Application number	US-201414292225-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	Oct 11, 2013
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

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 controller that executes a print job using a resource; and
at least one hardware processor and a memory storing instructions configured to implement:
an acquirer that acquires resource information related to the resource used to execute the print job;
a predictor that predicts an event that possibly occurs in the apparatus on the basis of the resource information;
a display information generator that generates display information for displaying a period of execution of the print job to be executed, and for displaying a degree of influence of the event on execution of the print job by modifying the appearance of an icon representing the print job based on the degree of influence, wherein the degree of influence indicates if the print job may be stopped during the execution due to the occurrence of the event;
a display controller that controls display of the display information; and
a schedule changer that changes a schedule of the print job in accordance with an instruction from a user, the instruction being made by designating the icon displayed representing the print job,
wherein the display information generator updates the display information based on the print job for which the schedule has been changed.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the display controller has a function of automatically adjusting a time range for display of the display information.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the specifier specifies a timing of execution of a process for preventing possible occurrence of the event,
wherein the display information generator generates the display information further including information for displaying the timing of execution specified by the specifier along the same time axis.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the display information generator generates display information including information indicating correspondence between the event and the timing of execution of the process for preventing possible occurrence of the event.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a display position receiver that receives a display position of the timing of execution specified by the specifier, displayed by a display, and changed by a user.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an execution order receiver that receives an order of execution of print jobs displayed by a display and changed by a user.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the appearance of the icon is modified from a start of the print job to a finish of the print job.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a schedule information generator that generates schedule information including an order of execution of received print jobs, wherein
the predictor that predicts a timing of occurrence of the event as the received print jobs are executed in accordance with the order of execution on the basis of the schedule information and the resource information, and
the display information generator that generates display information for displaying the timing of occurrence of the event and the period of execution of the print job to be executed along the same time axis.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the display information generator updates the degree of influence of the event on execution of the print job by modifying the appearance of the icon representing the print job based on the print job for which the schedule has been changed.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer integrated in an image forming apparatus to function as:
a controller that executes a print job using a resource;
an acquirer that acquires resource information related to the resource used to execute the print job;
a predictor that predicts an event that possibly occurs in the apparatus on the basis of the resource information;
a display information generator unit that generates display information for displaying a period of execution of the print job to be executed, and for displaying a degree of influence of the event on execution of the print job by modifying the appearance of an icon representing the job based on the degree of influence, wherein the degree of influence indicates if the print job may be stopped during the execution due to the occurrence of the event;
a display controller that controls display of the display information; and
a schedule changer that changes a schedule of the print job in accordance with an instruction from a user, the instruction being made by designating the icon displayed representing the print job,
wherein the display information generator updates the display information based on the print job for which the schedule has been changed.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program according to claim 7 , wherein the appearance of the icon is modified from a start of the print job to a finish of the print job.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program according to claim 7 further comprising:
a schedule information generator that generates schedule information including an order of execution of received print jobs, wherein
the predictor that predicts a timing of occurrence of the event as the received print jobs are executed in accordance with the order of execution on the basis of the schedule information and the resource information, and
the display information generator that generates display information for displaying the timing of occurrence of the event and the period of execution of the print job to be executed along the same time axis.

Assignees

• Fuji Xerox Co Ltd

Inventors

• Abe Takahide

Classifications

• G06F3/1285

  Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server · CPC title

• H04N2201/3215

  of a time or duration · CPC title

• H04N1/00663

  Indicating relating to handling of media · CPC title

• G06K15/1823

  for evaluating the resources needed, e.g. rasterizing time, ink, paper stock · CPC title

• H04N2201/3273

  Display · CPC title