JP7574085B2 - Image forming apparatus and communication system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a communication system that determine the type of recording material and form images.

In image forming devices using electrophotography or inkjet printing, image forming conditions may be controlled according to the type of recording material on which the image is formed. In such cases, in order to form images of higher quality, it is necessary to accurately determine the type of recording material.

Patent document 1 describes an image forming device that detects the state of the surface of a recording material based on image data obtained by reading the surface of the recording material with a reading sensor, and sets fixing processing conditions according to the detection results. Patent document 2 describes an image forming device that detects characteristic values of the recording material, and if the detected characteristic values are within a range of characteristic values corresponding to the type of recording material specified by the user, uses image formation conditions associated with that range. In this case, the accuracy of recording material discrimination is improved by updating the range of characteristic values for discriminating the type of recording material.

JP 2002-182518 A JP 2018-005083 A

However, due to the characteristics of the sensor used to detect the characteristic values of the recording material, and the variation in characteristics that occurs during the manufacture of the recording material, similar detection results may be obtained even for different types of recording material. In such cases, it may be difficult to accurately determine the type of recording material based on the detected characteristic values. As a result, it may not be possible to form an image under image formation conditions (e.g., fixing conditions and transfer conditions) that are suitable for the type of recording material, and the image formation quality may deteriorate.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a technology for improving the accuracy of identifying the type of recording material and forming higher quality images.

An image forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a detection means for detecting a characteristic value indicating a characteristic of a recording material fed from a paper feed section, a discrimination rule for discriminating a type of the recording material based on the characteristic value of the recording material, and a discrimination means for discriminating the type of the recording material based on the characteristic value detected by the detection means, a control means for controlling image forming conditions for forming an image on the recording material in accordance with the type of the recording material discriminated by the discrimination means, a collection means for collecting an operation history of the image forming apparatus, and an adjustment means for adjusting the discrimination rule used by the discrimination means based on the operation history collected by the collection means. The image forming apparatus is provided with a judgment means for displaying a confirmation screen on a display unit of the image forming apparatus to allow a user to confirm the quality of an image formed on a recording material, and judging the reliability of the discrimination rule used by the discrimination means based on user input via the confirmation screen, wherein the adjustment means resets the discrimination rule when the judgment means judges that the reliability has decreased after adjusting the discrimination rule , and the discrimination means has an individual discrimination rule for each user of the image forming apparatus, and the adjustment means adjusts the discrimination rule corresponding to each user based on the analysis results of the operation history for each user .

A communication system according to one aspect of the present invention is a communication system including an image forming apparatus and a server device capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus is provided with a detection means for detecting a characteristic value indicating a characteristic of a recording material fed from a paper feed unit, a discrimination rule for discriminating the type of the recording material based on the characteristic value of the recording material, and a discrimination means for discriminating the type of the recording material based on the characteristic value detected by the detection means, a control means for controlling image forming conditions for forming an image on the recording material in accordance with the type of the recording material discriminated by the discrimination means, and a collection means for collecting an operation history of the image forming apparatus and transmitting the collected operation history to the server device, wherein the server device is provided with an adjustment means for adjusting the discrimination rule corresponding to the image forming apparatus, which is held in the server device, based on the operation history received from the image forming apparatus, and a result of adjustment of the discrimination rule by the adjustment means. and a transmitting means for transmitting data indicating the result of the adjustment to the image forming apparatus, wherein the discrimination means updates the discrimination rule used for the discrimination based on the data indicating the adjustment result received from the server device, and the server device further comprises a judging means for judging reliability of the discrimination rule used by the discrimination means based on a user's input via a confirmation screen displayed on a display unit of the image forming apparatus so that the user can confirm the quality of the image formed on the recording material, and the adjustment means resets the discrimination rule when the judging means judges that the reliability has decreased after the adjustment of the discrimination rule , and the discrimination means has the discrimination rule individually for each user of the image forming apparatus, and the adjustment means adjusts the discrimination rule corresponding to the image forming apparatus and to each user based on an analysis result of the operation history for each user .

The present invention makes it possible to improve the accuracy of identifying the type of recording material and produce higher quality images.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration example of an image forming apparatus (printer); A block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration related to printer control. A block diagram showing a configuration example of a detection device. A block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control unit. A diagram showing a specific example of an analytical model and a discrimination rule, and an example of adjusting the discrimination rule. 1 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process executed by a control unit. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control unit (embodiments 2 and 3). FIG. 1 shows an example of adjusting the discrimination rule (Examples 2 and 3). FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control unit (Example 4); 11 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process executed by a control unit (Example 4). FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a confirmation screen displayed on an operation display unit (Example 4); A diagram showing an example of a printer's operation history and an example of the analysis results of the operation history. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a communication system and an example of the hardware configuration of a management server (Embodiment 5). FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the printer 100 and the management server 300 (Embodiment 5).

The following embodiments are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined in any combination. In addition, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

[Example 1]
<Image forming apparatus>
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration example of an image forming apparatus according to embodiments 1 to 4. The printer 100 shown in Fig. 1 is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and is configured as a tandem color laser printer including an intermediate transfer belt and a plurality of image forming units arranged in parallel. The image forming apparatus may be configured as, for example, a copier, a multifunction peripheral (MFP), or a facsimile machine.

The printer 100 has an image forming unit that forms images using yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) developers. In the attached drawings and the following description, the suffixes Y, M, C, and K of the reference numbers indicate that the colors of the developer (toner) that the corresponding parts are intended for are yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, respectively. In the following description, when it is not necessary to distinguish between colors, reference numbers are used without the suffixes Y, M, C, and K. For example, when photosensitive drum 11 is written, it indicates each of photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K.

The photosensitive drum 11 (photoconductor) is an image carrier that carries a developer (toner) of the corresponding color. The charging roller 12 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 11 to a predetermined potential. The optical unit 13 forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 11 by irradiating the charged photosensitive drum 11 with a laser beam based on image data (image signal) of the corresponding color. The process cartridge 14 includes a developing roller 15. The developing roller 15 sends toner stored in the process cartridge 14 to the photosensitive drum 11, and forms a toner image on the photosensitive drum 11 by visualizing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 using the toner.

The primary transfer roller 16 transfers (primary transfer) the image (toner image) formed on the photosensitive drum 11 onto the intermediate transfer belt 17. The intermediate transfer belt 17 is an intermediate transfer body that carries the image transferred from each photosensitive drum 11. The intermediate transfer belt 17 is driven by a drive roller 18.

The secondary transfer roller 19 transfers (secondary transfer) the image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 17 onto the recording material P transported along the transport path from the paper feed cassette 2. The fixing unit 20 applies heat and pressure to the image (toner image) on the recording material P transported along the transport path, thereby fixing the image to the recording material P. The pair of paper discharge rollers 21 discharges the recording material P, which has been fixed by the fixing unit 20, onto a paper discharge tray.

The printer 100 includes a paper feed cassette 2 (paper feed section 1) and a paper feed tray 3 (paper feed section 2) as paper feed sections for feeding recording material P used in image formation. The paper feed cassette 2 stores the recording material P used in image formation. The paper feed roller 4a is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown) to feed the recording material P from the paper feed cassette 2 to the transport path. The recording material P fed from the paper feed cassette 2 to the transport path is transported by a transport roller pair 5. The recording material P used in image formation is loaded in the paper feed tray 3. The paper feed roller 4b is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown) to feed the recording material P from the paper feed tray 3 to the transport path.

The printer 100 includes a detection device 30 that detects the characteristics (characteristic values) of the recording material P. The detection device 30 is disposed on the transport path of the recording material P. In this embodiment, the detection device 30 is provided at a position on the transport path between the registration roller pair 6 and the secondary transfer roller 19. The detection device 30 detects the characteristics (characteristic values) of the recording material that is fed from the paper feed cassette 2 or the paper feed tray 3 and transported along the transport path.

The printer 100 of this embodiment has a discrimination function that discriminates (characterizes) the type of recording material P based on the characteristic values of the recording material P detected by the detection device 30. As described below, the discrimination function is installed in the control unit 110 (FIG. 2). Examples of characteristic values that characterize the type of recording material P include basis weight and surface properties. The detection device 30 has a basis weight sensor 31 that detects the basis weight of the recording material P, and a surface property sensor 32 that detects the surface property of the recording material P. The basis weight sensor 31 has a transmitter 31a that emits ultrasonic waves and a receiver 31b that receives the ultrasonic waves.

<Image Forming Operation>
The printer 100 includes a control unit 110 (FIG. 2) that includes a CPU 111. The control unit 110 performs overall control of the image forming operation of the printer 100. When print data including a print command and image information (image data) is input from an external device such as a host computer 200 (FIG. 2), the control unit 110 controls each device in the printer 100 to start the image forming operation (printing operation).

First, the control unit 110 starts feeding the recording paper P by controlling the feeding and transport mechanism of the recording material P. The recording material P is sent to the transport path by being fed from the paper feed cassette 2 by the paper feed roller 4a, or by being fed from the paper feed tray 3 by the paper feed roller 4b. The recording material P sent to the transport path stops once while being sandwiched between the pair of registration rollers 6.

The control unit 110 controls the timing of feeding and transporting the recording material P in synchronization with the timing of the image forming operation that forms an image on the intermediate transfer belt 17. Specifically, the transport of the recording material P waiting at the position of the registration roller pair 6 is resumed in synchronization with the timing of the image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 17 reaching the secondary transfer position (between the intermediate transfer belt 17 and the secondary transfer roller 19).

The control unit 110 controls each device to execute the following series of image forming operations in synchronization with the operation of feeding and transporting the recording material P as described above. First, the charging roller 12 charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 11 to a predetermined potential. The optical unit 13 exposes the charged photosensitive drum 11 to a laser beam corresponding to the image data contained in the input print data, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 11.

Then, the developing roller 15 develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 with toner of the corresponding color, thereby forming a toner image on the photosensitive drum 11. The photosensitive drum 11 is in contact with the intermediate transfer belt 17 and rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 17. As a result, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 moves to the primary transfer position (between the intermediate transfer belt 17 and the photosensitive drum 11).

The primary transfer rollers 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K transfer the toner images of each color formed on the photosensitive drums 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K, respectively, in a superimposed order onto the intermediate transfer belt 17. As a result, a color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 17, which is a toner image made of Y, M, C, and K toners.

The color image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 17 moves to the secondary transfer position as the intermediate transfer belt 17 rotates, and is transferred onto the recording material P by the secondary transfer roller 19. The color image transferred to the recording material P is fixed onto the recording material by applying heat and pressure from the fixing unit 20. The recording material P that has been fixed by the fixing unit 20 is discharged onto the discharge tray by the pair of discharge rollers 21. This completes the image formation operation for one sheet of recording material P.

<Control configuration>
Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration related to the control of the printer 100 of this embodiment. The printer 100 is communicably connected to a host computer 200 via a network such as a LAN. The host computer 200 is capable of transmitting print data and print instructions to the printer 100 via the network. The host computer 200 includes a main body unit 201 and an operation display unit 202. The operation display unit 202 includes a display (display unit) not shown in Fig. 2, and an operation unit (input device) such as a keyboard and a mouse.

The printer 100 includes a video controller 101, an operation display unit 102, and an engine controller 103. The operation display unit 102 includes an operation unit (input device) such as an operation panel and operation buttons not shown in FIG. 2. The video controller 101 outputs print data and print instructions received from the host computer 200 to the engine controller 103.

The engine controller 103 includes a control unit 110 including a CPU 111, a ROM 112, and a RAM 113, a system bus 104, and an IO port 105. The CPU 111 loads a program stored in the ROM 112 into the RAM 113 and executes it. The storage area of the RAM 113 is used as a working area for the CPU 111. The CPU 111 can access the IO port 105 via the system bus 104. The IO port 105 is connected to various devices within the printer 100, such as the fixing unit 20, the detection device 30, and various actuators 40 for conveying the recording material and forming an image. The CPU 111 controls each device that can be connected via the IO port 105.

<Detection device>
3 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the detection device 30. FIG. 3A shows a configuration related to detection of the basis weight of the recording material P, and FIG. 3B shows a configuration related to detection of the surface properties of the recording material P. As described above, the detection device 30 has a basis weight sensor 31 and a surface property sensor 32. The detection device 30 detects a characteristic value indicating the characteristics of the recording material P fed from the paper feed unit (paper feed cassette 2 or paper feed tray 3). In this embodiment, the detection device 30 detects the basis weight of the recording material P and a value indicating the surface properties of the recording material P as characteristic values. The detection device 30 performs the following operations based on an instruction from the control unit 110.

Figure 3 (A) shows the basis weight sensor 31. When the control unit 110 instructs the transmission of ultrasonic waves, the transmission control unit 36 generates a drive signal and supplies it to the transmitter 31a. The transmitter 31a vibrates a diaphragm according to the drive signal and transmits ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic waves are attenuated according to the basis weight as they pass through the recording material P. The receiver 31b outputs a detection signal according to the received ultrasonic waves. For example, in the case of a recording material P with a small basis weight (thin paper), there is little attenuation, and therefore the peak value of the detection signal output by the receiver 31b is large. Conversely, in the case of a recording material P with a large basis weight (thick paper), there is much attenuation, and therefore the peak value of the detection signal output by the receiver 31b is small.

The basis weight detection unit 37 calculates the basis weight of the recording material P based on the attenuation rate of the peak value of the detection signal output by the receiver 31b, and outputs the basis weight to the control unit 110. The attenuation rate is calculated as the ratio of the peak value Pa acquired when the recording material P is not between the transmitter 31a and the receiver 31b to the peak value Pb acquired when the recording material P is between the transmitter 31a and the receiver 31b. The control unit 110 acquires the peak value Pa by having the transmitter 31a transmit ultrasonic waves when the recording material P is not between the transmitter 31a and the receiver 31b, and having the receiver 31b receive the ultrasonic waves and output a detection signal when the recording material P is not between the transmitter 31a and the receiver 31b. The peak value Pa may be acquired just before the recording material P arrives at the basis weight sensor 31. As a result, the measurement environments of the peak values Pa and Pb are almost the same, and therefore it is expected that the measurement accuracy of the peak values Pa and Pb will be improved.

Figure 3 (B) shows the surface sensor 32. The surface sensor 32 has a light-emitting section 32a such as a light-emitting diode, an imaging section 32b such as an imaging lens, and an image sensor 32c such as a CCD sensor or CMOS sensor. The light-emitting section 32a irradiates light onto the surface of the recording material P. The image section 32b forms an image of the light irradiated from the light-emitting section 32a and reflected by the surface of the recording material P on the imaging surface of the image sensor 32c. The image sensor 32c images the light imaged by the image section 32b.

When the recording material P is transported to the installation position of the surface property sensor 32, the control unit 110 instructs the light emission control unit 38 to cause the light emitting unit 32a to emit light. The light emission control unit 38 supplies a drive current to the light emitting unit 32a in accordance with the light emission instruction. The light emitting unit 32a emits light due to the drive current and irradiates the surface of the recording material P with light. The light irradiated to the recording material P is captured by the imaging sensor 32c via the imaging unit 32b. The image signal output by the imaging sensor 32c is an image signal that indicates the surface image of the recording material P, and is output to the surface property detection unit 39.

The surface image indicated by the image signal input to the surface property detection unit 39 changes depending on the surface property (unevenness) of the recording material P. For example, the surface image of a recording material P with many unevenness (rough surface property), such as that generally referred to as rough paper, will be a surface image with a large proportion of shadows. On the other hand, the surface image of a recording material P with a relatively smooth surface, such as that referred to as coated paper, will be a surface image with few shadows. The surface property detection unit 39 calculates a characteristic value of the surface property of the recording material P from the proportion of shadows in the surface image, and outputs the result to the control unit 110.

Here, the electrical resistance value of the recording material P with a smooth surface is relatively low, and the electrical resistance value of the recording material P with a rough surface is relatively high. Therefore, a large transfer current is required for the recording material P with a smooth surface, and a small transfer current is required for the recording material P with a rough surface. The control unit 110 may adjust the transfer current or transfer voltage applied to the primary transfer roller 16 and the secondary transfer roller 19 according to the detection result of the surface property of the recording material P by the surface property sensor 32 (surface property detection unit 39). This makes it possible to efficiently transfer the toner image and improve the reproducibility of the density of the toner image.

<Control Unit>
Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control unit 110. Each functional unit shown by a block in Fig. 4 is realized by the CPU 111 based on a program stored in the ROM 112 and data stored in the RAM 113. The functions of the control unit 110 are classified into a function related to the operation history of the printer 100, a function related to discrimination of the type of recording material, and a function related to image formation. Each function will be described in order below.

The control unit 110 has a history collection unit 401, a history analysis unit 402, and an operation change unit 403 as functions related to the operation history of the printer 100. The history collection unit 401 collects the operation history of the printer 100 and stores (preserves) it in the RAM 113. The history analysis unit 402 analyzes the operation history collected by the history collection unit 401. Specifically, the history analysis unit 402 extracts and processes information that can be the basis for changing the printer operation from the collected operation history, and stores the obtained information in the RAM 113 as the analysis result. The operation history of the printer 100 and the details of the analysis will be described later.

The operation modification unit 403 adjusts (changes) the discrimination rule 412 used by the recording material discrimination unit 405 based on the operation history collected by the history collection unit 401. More specifically, the operation modification unit 403 adjusts the discrimination rule 412 based on the analysis result of the operation history by the history analysis unit 402.

The control unit 110 further has a detection control unit 404 and a recording material discrimination unit 405 as functions related to discriminating the type of recording material. The detection control unit 404 controls the detection device 30 to obtain characteristic values indicating the characteristics of the recording material P, and provides the obtained characteristic values to the recording material discrimination unit 405. The recording material discrimination unit 405 has an analysis model 411 for analyzing the characteristics of the recording material, and discrimination rules 412 for discriminating the type of recording material based on the characteristic values of the recording material. The analysis model 411 is a model for evaluating the relationship between the characteristic values of the recording material P and the type of recording material P.

In this embodiment, the analytical model 411 is a model that defines the range of each characteristic value for each type (paper type) of recording material in a real number space (characteristic value space) expressed by one or more characteristic values. In addition, the discrimination rule 412 defines a criterion for associating the characteristic value of the recording material P with one of a plurality of predetermined paper types. In this embodiment, the discrimination rule 412 corresponds to a boundary (discrimination boundary) in the characteristic value space for discriminating (identifying) one paper type based on the characteristic value. For example, the discrimination rule 412 defines a boundary between the range of characteristic values to be discriminated from the first type as the type of recording material and the range of characteristic values to be discriminated from the second type. The recording material discrimination unit 405 discriminates the type of recording material P based on such discrimination rule 412 and the characteristic value detected by the detection device 30.

Figure 5 (A) is a diagram showing a specific example of the analytical model 411 and the discrimination rule 412 in this embodiment. Here, for ease of explanation, it is assumed that two types of recording material (paper types 1 and 2) are to be discriminated. In the example of Figure 5 (A), the analytical model 411 defines a range Ac1 in which the characteristic value of paper type 1 can take place and a range Ac2 in which the characteristic value of paper type 2 can take place in a two-dimensional real number space represented by two characteristic values (basis weight and surface property). The ranges (characteristic value ranges) in which the characteristic values of multiple paper types can take place may overlap. When characteristic values within such overlapping ranges are detected, it means that there are multiple candidates (candidate paper types) for the paper type to be discriminated based on the characteristic values.

In the example of FIG. 5(A), a discrimination boundary R12 between paper type 1 and paper type 2 is shown as a discrimination rule 412 for discriminating (identifying) one paper type based on a characteristic value in a two-dimensional real number space (characteristic value space). The discrimination boundary R12 defines the boundary between a range Aj1 in which the type of recording material should be discriminated as paper type 1 (first type) and a range Aj2 in which the type of recording material should be discriminated as paper type 2 (second type) based on the detected characteristic value.

The recording material discrimination unit 405 applies the analytical model 411 to the characteristic values of the recording material P acquired by the detection control unit 404. As a result, the recording material discrimination unit 405 can determine candidate paper types based on the characteristic values using the relationship between the paper types (paper types 1 and 2) and the characteristic value ranges (Ac1 and Ac2) determined in the analytical model 411, as shown in the example of FIG. 5(A).

The recording material discrimination unit 405 further discriminates the type of recording material P from the candidate paper types by applying discrimination rules 412 to the characteristic values of the recording material acquired by the detection control unit 404. Specifically, as described above, when the characteristic value ranges corresponding to multiple paper types overlap, multiple paper types are obtained as candidates. In that case, by applying discrimination rules 412 to the characteristic values, the discrimination result of the recording material can be uniquely determined (i.e., one paper type can be obtained as the discrimination result).

The control unit 110 further has a formation control unit 406 as a function related to image formation. The formation control unit 406 controls image formation conditions for forming an image on a recording material P according to the type of the recording material P identified by the recording material identification unit 405. Specifically, the formation control unit 406 sets image formation conditions according to the identified type of recording material P, and controls the image forming unit so that an image is formed on the recording material P according to the set image formation conditions. The image formation conditions include, for example, at least one of the following:
the fixing temperature for fixing the image on the recording material P in the fixing section 20;
A transfer voltage or current supplied to the primary transfer roller 16 and the secondary transfer roller 19 .
The conveying speed of the recording material P (the rotation speed of the motors that drive the rollers for feeding and conveying the recording material P), which is controlled through the various actuators 40 .
Using the set image forming conditions, the formation control unit 406 controls the various actuators 40 and the fixing unit 20. By such control, it may be possible to form an image under image forming conditions suitable for the recording material P used by the user.

<Collection and analysis of operation history>
Fig. 12A shows an example of the operation history of the printer 100 collected by the history collection unit 401 in this embodiment. The history collection unit 401 collects information such as that shown in Fig. 12A as the operation history of the printer 100 each time an image is formed (printed) on a recording material, and stores it in the RAM 113. In this embodiment, each time an image is formed on a recording material, the execution time, the corresponding user, the paper feed unit that feeds the recording material, and the candidate paper type identified based on the characteristic values detected by the detection device 30 are stored as the operation history.

Figure 12 (B) shows an example of the analysis results of the operation history by the history analysis unit 402 in this embodiment. The history analysis unit 402 analyzes the operation history for image formation on a specified number of sheets of recording material most recently (e.g., 1040 sheets) and stores the analysis results in the RAM 113. In the example of Figure 12 (B), the history analysis unit 402 acquires data indicating the frequency of use of each type of recording material (paper type) as the analysis results of the operation history.

<Adjustment of discrimination rules>
5B shows an example of adjusting the discrimination rule (discrimination boundary R12) for discriminating between two paper types (paper type 1 and paper type 2). In the example of FIG. 5B, similar to the example of FIG. 5A, the ranges that the corresponding characteristic values can take overlap between paper type 1 and paper type 2. In this embodiment, the operation modification unit 403 adjusts the discrimination boundary R12 based on the operation history of the printer 100.

First, when there is insufficient prior knowledge about the operation of the printer 100 (i.e., information about the operation history), an initial discrimination boundary Rref is set as the discrimination boundary R12 between paper type 1 and paper type 2. Rref is a discrimination boundary that is determined in advance to minimize the possibility of misidentification of the paper type. For example, to minimize the possibility of misidentification between paper type 1 and paper type 2, as shown in FIG. 5(B), Rref is determined to bisect the range where the characteristic value ranges overlap.

The recording material discrimination unit 405 uses a predetermined initial discrimination rule (initial discrimination boundary) as the discrimination rule 412 unless the discrimination rule (discrimination boundary R12) is changed by the operation modification unit 403. The operation modification unit 403 is configured to change (adjust) the discrimination rule (discrimination boundary R12) used by the recording material discrimination unit 405 based on the analysis result of the operation history by the history analysis unit 402.

In this embodiment, an example of adjusting the discrimination rules based on the frequency of use of paper types, which is based on the analysis results of the operation history of the printer 100, will be described. That is, the operation modification unit 403 adjusts the discrimination rules based on the frequency of use of each type of recording material (paper type), which is obtained as a result of analyzing the operation history of the printer 100. Specifically, the operation modification unit 403 adjusts the discrimination rules so that paper types that are used relatively frequently are identified as discrimination results for paper types in preference to paper types that are used relatively infrequently. For example, the discrimination rules are adjusted so that paper types that are used at a rate equal to or higher than a predetermined rate (e.g., 80%) (paper type 1 in the example of FIG. 12B) are identified as discrimination results in preference. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of discrimination of paper types based on characteristic values.

The analysis result shown in FIG. 12(B) indicates that paper type 1 is used more frequently than other paper types. When such an analysis result is obtained as a result of analyzing the operation history of the printer 100, the operation change unit 403 changes the discrimination boundary R12 (discrimination rule) between paper type 1 and paper type 2 from Rref to Rcm, as shown in FIG. 5(B). The discrimination boundary Rcm is set to be in contact with the boundary of the characteristic value range Ac1 of paper type 1. In this way, the operation change unit 403 adjusts the discrimination boundary R12 so as to expand the range Aj1 corresponding to the paper type (paper type 1) that is used more frequently among paper types 1 and 2. By adjusting the discrimination boundary R12 in this way, when a characteristic value within a range where the characteristic value range Ac1 of paper type 1 and the characteristic value range Ac2 of paper type 2 overlap is obtained, the frequently used paper type 1 is identified as the paper type discrimination result.

In this way, when multiple candidate paper types are identified based on the characteristic values, the more frequently used paper type is preferentially identified as the discrimination result, making it possible to improve the accuracy of paper type discrimination based on the characteristic values. As a result, it becomes possible to set image formation conditions that are more suitable for the paper type being used depending on the paper type discrimination result, making it possible to form higher quality images.

The discrimination rule may be adjusted, for example, by preparing N different discrimination rules in advance and selecting a discrimination rule to be used as discrimination rule 412 from the N discrimination rules.

<Processing Procedure>
Next, the procedure of the process executed by the control unit 110 in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the engine controller 103 receives a print command from the video controller 101, in S101, the control unit 110 starts a paper feed operation to feed the recording material P from the paper feed unit (paper feed cassette 2 or paper feed tray 3) and conveys the recording material P. Next, in S102, the control unit 110 (detection control unit 404) controls the detection device 30 to obtain the characteristic values of the recording material P. The detection device 30 detects the characteristic values of the recording material P using the basis weight sensor 31 and surface property sensor 32, and outputs the detection result to the detection control unit 404.

Next, in S103, the control unit 110 (recording material discrimination unit 405) applies the analytical model 411 to the characteristic values obtained in S102 to identify candidate paper types in discriminating the paper type of the recording material P. Furthermore, in S104, the control unit 110 (recording material discrimination unit 405) discriminates the paper type of the recording material P by applying the discrimination rule 412 (discrimination boundary R12) to the characteristic values. Specifically, when multiple paper types are identified as candidates by applying the analytical model 411, the discrimination rule 412 is applied to discriminate the paper type of the target recording material P. Note that, when one paper type is identified by applying the analytical model 411 in S103, the control unit 110 may generate a paper type discrimination result without applying the discrimination rule 412.

After the paper type of the recording material P has been determined in S103 and S104, the control unit 110 (forming control unit 406) sets image forming conditions in S105 according to the determined paper type. The image forming conditions include, for example, one or more of the fixing temperature, the conveying speed of the recording material P, and the transfer voltage or transfer current. Furthermore, in S106, the control unit 110 controls the image forming operation so that an image is formed on the recording material P according to the set image forming conditions.

In S106, each time one page or a predetermined number of pages are printed (image formed), in S107 the control unit 110 (history collection unit 401) acquires (collects) operation history related to the image formation performed in S106. Then, in S108, the control unit 110 (history analysis unit 402) determines whether the amount of operation history (collected amount) collected in S107 and stored in RAM 113 is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. Here, the predetermined amount is, for example, the amount of operation history corresponding to the image formation of 1000 pages. If the collected amount of operation history is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount, the control unit 110 advances the process to S109, and if the collected amount of operation history is not equal to or greater than the predetermined amount, the control unit 110 advances the process to S111.

In S109, the control unit 110 (history analysis unit 402) analyzes the latest operation history of the printer 100 and stores the analysis results in the RAM 113. Furthermore, in S110, the control unit 110 (operation change unit 403) adjusts the discrimination rules 412 based on the analysis results of the operation history of the printer 100. Specifically, when the characteristic value ranges corresponding to multiple paper types in the analysis model 411 partially overlap, the discrimination rules 412 are adjusted to increase the likelihood that a frequently used paper type will be identified (preferentially identified) based on the characteristic values in the overlapping range.

After completing the adjustment of the discrimination rule 412, in S111, the control unit 110 determines whether or not a print instruction has been issued for printing the next page, and if a print instruction has not been issued for the next page, the control unit 110 ends the process according to the procedure in FIG. 6. On the other hand, if a print instruction has been issued for the next page, the control unit 110 returns the process to S101. In this case, the control unit 110 starts the paper feed operation again (S101), sets image formation conditions according to the paper type discrimination result, performs image formation (S102 to S106), and adjusts the discrimination rule 412 based on the collected operation history (S107 to S110).

As described above, in this embodiment, the detection device 30 detects a characteristic value indicating the characteristics of the recording material P fed from the paper feed unit. The control unit 110 (recording material discrimination unit 405) discriminates the type of recording material P based on the detected characteristic value and the discrimination rule 412 for discriminating the type of recording material based on the characteristic value of the recording material. The control unit 110 (formation control unit 406) controls the image formation conditions for forming an image on the recording material P according to the discriminated type of recording material P. The control unit 110 (history collection unit 401) collects the operation history of the printer 100. The control unit 110 (operation change unit 403) adjusts the discrimination rule 412 used by the recording material discrimination unit 405 based on the collected operation history.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to improve the accuracy of identifying the type of recording material. Therefore, it becomes possible to form an image under image forming conditions suitable for the recording material used by the user, depending on the result of identifying the type of recording material (paper type). For example, it becomes possible to set the fixing temperature according to the recording material P, thereby suppressing excessive energy consumption associated with the fixing process. In addition, by appropriately setting the print mode according to the result of identifying the type of recording material, it becomes possible to improve the productivity of the entire system.

Note that this embodiment is not limited to the above, and various modifications are possible. For example, the items or range of the operation history of the printer 100 to be collected and analyzed may be changed. Also, the amount of movement of the discrimination boundary may be adjusted according to the ratio of the frequency of use of each paper type. Furthermore, the analysis model 411 and the discrimination rule 412 are not limited to the above, and for example, a configuration may be applied in which parameters related to the discrimination rule are adjusted in a recording material characteristic analysis model based on a method such as a neural network. Also, a configuration may be applied in which multiple analysis models are prepared and the optimal analysis model is selected according to the discrimination rule.

[Example 2]
In the second embodiment, an example will be described in which the control unit 110 (operation change unit 403) adjusts the discrimination rule 412 for each paper feed unit independently based on the analysis result of the operation history of the printer 100. In the following, the description of the parts common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and the description will be mainly focused on the parts different from the first embodiment.

Figure 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control unit 110 in this embodiment. This embodiment differs from embodiment 1 in that the recording material discrimination unit 405 in the control unit 110 has multiple discrimination rules 412 corresponding to different paper feed units. In other words, the recording material discrimination unit 405 has an individual discrimination rule 412 for each paper feed unit that is the source of the recording material.

As described above, the operation change unit 403 in the first embodiment changes (adjusts) the discrimination rule 412 used by the recording material discrimination unit 405 and common to multiple paper feed units, based on the analysis result of the operation history of the printer 100 by the history analysis unit 402. However, cases can also be assumed in which different paper types are used for each paper feed unit. For example, because paper feed tray 3 (paper feed unit 2) is a paper feed unit in which the user manually inserts recording materials each time it is used, various types of recording materials tend to be used. In contrast, paper feed cassette 2 (paper feed unit 1) tends to be used continuously with a specific type of recording material.

Assuming the above-mentioned case, in this embodiment, the history analysis unit 402 analyzes the operation history of the printer 100 for each paper feed unit of the printer 100. FIG. 12C shows an example of the analysis result of the operation history by the history analysis unit 402 in this embodiment. The history analysis unit 402 analyzes the operation history for image formation on a predetermined number of sheets (e.g., 1040 sheets) of recording material for each paper feed unit, and stores the analysis result in the RAM 113. As the analysis result of the operation history, the history analysis unit 402 acquires data indicating the use frequency of each paper type independently for each paper feed unit. In the example of FIG. 12C, data is obtained indicating that the use frequency of paper type 1 and the use frequency of paper type 2 are approximately equal for paper feed unit 1, and that the use frequency of paper type 1 is higher than paper type 2 for paper feed unit 2.

The operation modification unit 403 adjusts the discrimination rules 412 for each paper feed unit based on the analysis results of the operation history by the history analysis unit 402. FIG. 8(A) shows a specific example of the analysis model 411 and discrimination rules 412 in this embodiment, and shows an example of adjusting the discrimination rules for discriminating between two paper types (paper type 1 and paper type 2) based on the analysis results shown in FIG. 12(C). In the example of FIG. 8(A), similar to the example of FIG. 5(B) in the first embodiment, the ranges that the corresponding characteristic values can take (characteristic value ranges) of paper type 1 and paper type 2 overlap.

8A plots measurement samples showing characteristic values detected by the detection device 30 for each paper type and each paper feed unit. In this embodiment, as described above, for paper feed unit 1 in which the frequency of use of paper type 1 and the frequency of use of paper type 2 are approximately equal, the corresponding discrimination boundary Rsrc1 is left unchanged at the initial discrimination boundary Rref. On the other hand, for paper feed unit 2 in which the frequency of use of paper type 1 is higher than that of paper type 2, the corresponding discrimination boundary Rsrc2 is adjusted so that paper type 1, which is used more frequently, is preferentially identified as the discrimination result within the overlapping range of characteristic value ranges. In the example of FIG. 8A, the discrimination boundary Rsrc2 is adjusted (from the initial discrimination boundary Rref) so that it contacts the boundary of the characteristic value range Ac1 of paper type 1. In this way, the discrimination rule 412 corresponding to each paper feed unit is adjusted based on the frequency of use of each type of recording material in each paper feed unit.

By adjusting the discrimination boundary (discrimination rule 412) for each paper feed unit in this way, it becomes possible to minimize the possibility of misdiscrimination between paper type 1 and paper type 2 for paper feed unit 1, while increasing the discrimination accuracy of frequently used paper type 1 for paper feed unit 2. In other words, it becomes possible to accurately discriminate the recording material that the user actually uses.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 110 (recording material discrimination unit 405) discriminates the paper type of the target recording material P based on the characteristic values detected by the detection device 30 (S104 in FIG. 6), it applies discrimination rules 412 corresponding to the paper feed unit from which the recording material is fed. This discrimination rule 412 is adjusted independently for each paper feed unit as described above (S110).

As described above, the control unit 110 (recording material discrimination unit 405) of this embodiment adjusts the discrimination rule 412 corresponding to each paper feed unit based on the analysis results of the operation history of each paper feed unit. In this way, by adjusting the discrimination rule 412 for each paper feed unit, it is possible to further improve the accuracy of discriminating the type of recording material compared to embodiment 1.

[Example 3]
In the third embodiment, an example will be described in which the control unit 110 (operation change unit 403) adjusts the discrimination rule 412 for each user independently based on the analysis result of the operation history of the printer 100. In the following, the description of the parts common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and the description will be mainly focused on the parts different from the first embodiment.

The functional configuration example of the control unit 110 in this embodiment is the same as that in the second embodiment (FIG. 7). However, in this embodiment, the recording material discrimination unit 405 has a discrimination rule 412 for each user who uses the printer 100.

As described above, the operation modification unit 403 in the first embodiment modifies (adjusts) the discrimination rule 412 used by the recording material discrimination unit 405 and common to multiple users, based on the analysis result of the operation history of the printer 100 by the history analysis unit 402. However, it is also possible that the type of recording material (paper type) used will differ for each user. For example, there are cases where the type of image (e.g., graphics, text, or photographs) printed by the printer 100 differs for each user, or there are cases where a paper type exists that is used only by users involved in a specific task (e.g., accounting).

Assuming the above-mentioned case, in this embodiment, the history analysis unit 402 analyzes the operation history of the printer 100 for each user who uses the printer 100. FIG. 12(D) shows an example of the analysis result of the operation history by the history analysis unit 402 in this embodiment. The history analysis unit 402 analyzes the operation history for image formation on a specified number of sheets (e.g., 1040 sheets) of recording material most recently for each paper feed unit, and stores the analysis result in the RAM 113. As the analysis result of the operation history, the history analysis unit 402 acquires data indicating the frequency of use of each paper type independently for each user. In the example of FIG. 12(D), it is shown that with regard to paper types 1 and 2, user A uses paper type 2 frequently, and users B and C use paper type 1 frequently.

The operation modification unit 403 adjusts the discrimination rules 412 for each paper feed unit based on the analysis results of the operation history by the history analysis unit 402. FIG. 8(B) shows a specific example of the analysis model 411 and discrimination rules 412 in this embodiment, and shows an example of adjusting the discrimination rules for discriminating between two paper types (paper type 1 and paper type 2) based on the analysis results shown in FIG. 12(D). In the example of FIG. 8(B), similar to the example of FIG. 5(B) in the first embodiment, the ranges that the corresponding characteristic values can take (characteristic value ranges) of paper type 1 and paper type 2 overlap.

In FIG. 8(B), measurement samples showing characteristic values detected by the detection device 30 are plotted for each paper type and for each user. In this example, between paper type 1 and paper type 2, user A uses only paper type 2, while users B and C use only paper type 1, and there is a bias in the frequency of use of paper types for each user. In such a case, the corresponding discrimination boundary is adjusted so that the paper type with the highest frequency of use for each user is preferentially identified as the discrimination result. In this way, the discrimination rule 412 corresponding to each user is adjusted based on the frequency of use of each type of recording material for each user.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8B, the discrimination boundary RusrA corresponding to user A is adjusted so that it borders on the boundary of the characteristic value range Ac2 of paper type 2 (from the initial discrimination boundary Rref). That is, for user A, the range in which the type of recording material is determined to be paper type 2 is expanded. In addition, the discrimination boundary RusrB corresponding to user B and the discrimination boundary RusrC corresponding to user C are adjusted so that they border on the boundary of the characteristic value range Ac1 of paper type 1 (from the initial discrimination boundary Rref). That is, for users B and C, the range in which the type of recording material is determined to be paper type 1 is expanded.

In this embodiment, when the control unit 110 (recording material discrimination unit 405) discriminates the paper type of the target recording material P based on the characteristic values detected by the detection device 30 (S104 in FIG. 6), it applies discrimination rules 412 corresponding to the user related to the job. This discrimination rule 412 is adjusted independently for each user as described above (S110).

As described above, the control unit 110 (recording material discrimination unit 405) of this embodiment adjusts the discrimination rule 412 corresponding to each user based on the analysis results of the operation history of the printer 100 for each user. In this way, by adjusting the discrimination rule 412 for each user, it is possible to further improve the accuracy of discrimination of the type of recording material compared to embodiment 1. In other words, it becomes possible to accurately discriminate the recording material that the user actually uses.

This embodiment may be combined with the second embodiment. In addition, in this embodiment, it is also possible to adjust the discrimination rule 412 by combining other conditions such as time of day.

[Example 4]
In the fourth embodiment, an example will be described in which the control unit 110 determines the reliability of the adjusted discrimination rule 412, and when it determines that the reliability has decreased, resets the discrimination rule 412. In the following, a description of the parts common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

<Control Unit>
9 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the control unit 110 in this embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the control unit 110 further includes a reliability determination unit 407. The reliability determination unit 407 has a function of collecting and analyzing information related to the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 and determining the reliability. The reliability determination unit 407 can refer to the analysis result of the operation history by the history analysis unit 402. In addition, the reliability determination unit 407 can transmit and receive instructions or information to and from the operation display unit 102.

As described above, the operation change unit 403 in the first embodiment changes (adjusts) the discrimination rule 412 used by the recording material discrimination unit 405 based on the analysis result of the operation history of the printer 100 by the history analysis unit 402. However, after the adjustment of the discrimination rule 412, for example, if the paper type normally used by the user is changed, a situation may arise in which the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 currently in use decreases. Even if the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 decreases, it may be possible to restore the reliability by adjusting the discrimination rule 412 at a stage when the operation history of the printer 100 has been sufficiently accumulated. However, if it takes time to accumulate the operation history of the printer 100, a situation may arise in which the discrimination rule 412 with reduced reliability continues to be used.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the reliability determination unit 407 determines the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 used by the recording material discrimination unit 405 and notifies the operation modification unit 403 of the determination result. When the reliability determination unit 407 determines that the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 has decreased, the operation modification unit 403 resets the discrimination rule 412 used by the recording material discrimination unit 405 (for example, to the initial discrimination boundary Rref).

<Processing Procedure>
Next, the procedure of the process executed by the control unit 110 in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 10. In the process of this embodiment, steps S201 to S205 are added to the process of the first embodiment (Fig. 6).

In this embodiment, the control unit 110 executes the same processes as in the first embodiment in S101 to S109. In S109, the control unit 110 (history analysis unit 402) analyzes the latest operation history of the printer 100, and stores the analysis results in the RAM 113, and then proceeds to S201.

In S201, the control unit 110 (the reliability determination unit 407) determines whether or not it is necessary to check the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 being used. For example, the control unit 110 determines that it is necessary to check the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 when the tendency of the candidate paper types (identified in S103) has changed since the time when the discrimination rule RL was last adjusted, and there are multiple candidate paper types in the most recent operation history. If the control unit 110 determines that it is not necessary to check the reliability of the discrimination rule 412, it proceeds to S110. In S110, the control unit adjusts the discrimination rule 412 based on the analysis result of the operation history of the printer 100, and proceeds to S111. On the other hand, if the control unit 110 determines that it is necessary to check the reliability of the discrimination rule 412, it proceeds to S202.

In S202, the control unit 110 (reliability determination unit 407) displays a confirmation screen as shown in FIG. 11 on the operation display unit 102, thereby collecting the input results by the user as reliability information indicating the reliability of the discrimination rule 412. The confirmation screen shown in FIG. 11 prompts the user to confirm print quality. Furthermore, in S203, the control unit 110 (reliability determination unit 407) analyzes the reliability of the current discrimination rule 412 based on the collected reliability information. In this embodiment, if the user selects "Yes" on the confirmation screen shown in FIG. 11, it is determined that the reliability is high (i.e., maintained), and if the user selects "No", it is determined that the reliability is low (i.e., decreased).

Then, in S204, the control unit 110 (reliability determination unit 407) determines whether the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 has decreased, and if the reliability has not decreased, the process proceeds to S110. In S110, the control unit adjusts the discrimination rule 412 based on the analysis results of the operation history of the printer 100, and proceeds to S111. On the other hand, if the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 has decreased, the control unit 110 proceeds to S205. In S205, the control unit 110 (operation change unit 403) resets the discrimination rule 412 to the initial discrimination rule, and proceeds to S111.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 is reduced, it is possible to execute an operation for improving the discrimination accuracy of the type of recording material at an earlier timing. This makes it possible to further improve the discrimination accuracy of the type of recording material compared to the first embodiment.

The collection and analysis of reliability information is not limited to the above-mentioned method, and for example, the display content of the confirmation screen shown in FIG. 11 may be changed according to the discrimination rule 412. In determining the reliability of the discrimination rule 412 (S204), input for multiple items may be accepted from the user via the confirmation screen, and reliability may be analyzed based on the input content for the multiple items.

[Example 5]
In each of the above-described embodiments, the analysis of the operation history of the printer 100 and the adjustment of the discrimination rules based on the analysis results are performed within the printer 100. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which these processes are performed by a server device (management server) capable of communicating with the printer 100. In the following, a description of the parts common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

<System Configuration>
13 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a communication system and an example of the hardware configuration of a management server in this embodiment. In the communication system of this embodiment, the printer 100 is communicably connected to the management server 300 via a network 350. The network 350 can be any network such as a wired LAN, a wireless LAN, or the Internet. The printer 100 can also communicate with external devices such as a host computer 200 via the network 350.

The management server 300 includes a CPU 301, a ROM 302, a RAM 303, a hard disk drive (HDD) 304, and a network interface (I/F) 305, and these devices are connected to a system bus 306. The CPU 301 loads a control program stored in the ROM 302 or the HDD 304 into the RAM 303, and executes the loaded program to control the operation of the entire management server 300.

The ROM 302 stores various programs such as a control program executable by the CPU 301. The RAM 303 mainly functions as the main memory and work area of the CPU 301. The HDD 304 stores various data such as a boot program and various applications. Note that instead of the HDD 304, a storage device such as an SD card or flash memory may be used as an auxiliary storage device. The network I/F 305 communicates data with external devices via a network.

<Control configuration>
Fig. 14 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the printer 100 and the management server 300 in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 14, in this embodiment, the history analysis unit 402 and the operation change unit 403 (Fig. 4) in the first embodiment are provided in the management server 300 as a history analysis unit 1402 and an operation change unit 1403, respectively.

The functional units in the control unit 110, which are shown by blocks in FIG. 14, are realized in the printer 100 by the CPU 111 based on the programs stored in the ROM 112 and the data stored in the RAM 113. In addition, the history analysis unit 1402 and the operation change unit 1403 are realized in the management server 300 by the CPU 301 based on the programs stored in the ROM 302 and the data stored in the RAM 303.

The history analysis unit 1402 and the operation change unit 1403 have the same functions as the history analysis unit 402 and the operation change unit 403 in the first embodiment, respectively. However, in this embodiment, the history collection unit 401 transmits the collected operation history to the management server 300 via the network 350. The history analysis unit 1402 receives the operation history of the printer 100 from the printer 100 (history collection unit 401) and analyzes the received operation history.

The operation modification unit 1403 also adjusts (changes) the discrimination rule 412 used by the printer 100 (recording material discrimination unit 405) based on the operation history received from the printer 100 (history collection unit 401). More specifically, the operation modification unit 1403 adjusts the discrimination rule 412 for the printer 100 (corresponding to the printer 100) stored in the RAM 303 or HDD 304 based on the analysis result of the operation history by the history analysis unit 1402. The operation modification unit 1403 further transmits data indicating the adjustment result of the discrimination rule 412 to the printer 100.

In the printer 100, when the recording material discrimination unit 405 receives data indicating the adjustment result of the discrimination rule 412 from the management server 300, it updates the discrimination rule 412 being used based on the received data. The recording material discrimination unit 405 performs discrimination processing to discriminate the type of recording material P based on the updated discrimination rule 412 and the characteristic value detected by the detection device 30.

<Processing Procedure>
In this embodiment, in the processing procedure shown in Fig. 6 of the first embodiment, the processes of S109 and S110 are performed by the management server 300. Specifically, the processes of S101 to S108 are the same as those of the first embodiment. However, in S108, if the collected amount is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, the control unit 110 (history analysis unit 402) transmits the collected operation history to the management server 300 and proceeds to S109.

At S109, the CPU 301 (history analysis unit 1402) of the management server 300 analyzes the operation history received from the printer 100. Then, at S110, the CPU 301 (operation change unit 1403) adjusts the discrimination rule 412 corresponding to the printer 100 based on the analysis result of the operation history of the printer 100, and transmits data indicating the adjustment result to the printer 100. In the printer 100, the control unit 110 (recording material discrimination unit 405) updates the discrimination rule 412 used to discriminate the recording material based on the data received from the management server 300. This completes the adjustment of the discrimination rule 412 in the printer 100.

As described above, in this embodiment, the analysis of the operation history of the printer 100 and the adjustment of the discrimination rules based on the analysis results are performed in the management server 300 (server device) that can communicate with the printer 100. In this case, it is possible to obtain the same effect as in the first embodiment.

This embodiment may be combined with the above-mentioned embodiments 2 to 4. That is, the communication system may be configured so that the analysis of the operation history of the printer 100 in embodiments 2 to 4 and the adjustment of the discrimination rules based on the analysis results are performed in the management server 300 in the same manner as in embodiment 1.

The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the following claims are appended to disclose the scope of the invention.

100: Printer (image forming device), 101: Video controller, 103: Engine controller, 110: Control unit, 111: CPU, 20: Fixing unit, 30: Detection device, 31: Basis weight sensor, 32: Surface property sensor, 401: History collection unit, 402: History analysis unit, 403: Operation change unit, 404: Detection control unit, 405: Recording material discrimination unit, 406: Formation control unit, 411: Analysis model, 412: Discrimination rules

Claims (13)

An image forming apparatus,
a detection means for detecting a characteristic value indicating a characteristic of the recording material fed from a paper feed section;
a discrimination rule for discriminating the type of recording material based on a characteristic value of the recording material, and a discrimination means for discriminating the type of the recording material based on the characteristic value detected by the detection means;
a control unit that controls image forming conditions for forming an image on the recording material in accordance with the type of the recording material determined by the determination unit;
a collection unit for collecting an operation history of the image forming apparatus;
an adjustment means for adjusting the discrimination rule used by the discrimination means based on the operation history collected by the collection means;
a determination unit that displays a confirmation screen on a display unit of the image forming apparatus for allowing a user to confirm the quality of the image formed on the recording material, and determines the reliability of the discrimination rule used by the determination unit based on an input from the user via the confirmation screen,
the adjustment means resets the discrimination rule when the determination means determines that the reliability has decreased after the adjustment of the discrimination rule;
the determining means has the determination rule for each user of the image forming device,
The adjustment means adjusts the discrimination rule corresponding to each user based on an analysis result of the operation history of each user.
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: the discrimination rule defines a boundary between a range of characteristic values to be discriminated as a first type as a type of recording material and a range of characteristic values to be discriminated as a second type as a type of recording material;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the boundary based on the operation history. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the discrimination rule based on a frequency of use of each type of recording material obtained as a result of the analysis of the operation history. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the adjustment means adjusts the discrimination rule so that a type of recording material that is used frequently is identified as a discrimination result of the type of recording material in priority to a type of recording material that is used less frequently. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment means adjusts the boundary so as to expand the range corresponding to the type that is more frequently used among the first type and the second type, based on the frequency of use of each type of recording material obtained as a result of the analysis of the operation history. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 or 5, characterized in that the adjustment means adjusts the boundary so that, within a range where the range of possible characteristic values of the first type of recording material overlaps with a range where the characteristic values of the second type of recording material can be, the type of recording material that is more frequently used among the first type and the second type is identified as a result of discrimination of the type of recording material. the discrimination means has the discrimination rule for each paper feed unit which is a paper feed source of the recording material,
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the discrimination rule corresponding to each paper feed unit based on an analysis result of the operation history of each paper feed unit. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the discrimination rule corresponding to each paper feed unit based on a frequency of use of each type of recording material in each paper feed unit. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment unit adjusts the discrimination rule corresponding to each user based on a frequency of use of each type of recording material for each user. 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects a basis weight of the recording material and a value indicating a surface property of the recording material as the characteristic values. Further comprising an image forming means,
11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets image forming conditions according to a type of the recording material, and controls the image forming unit so that an image is formed on the recording material according to the set image forming conditions . 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming conditions include at least one of a fixing temperature for fixing the image onto the recording material, a transfer voltage or transfer current supplied to a transfer means for transferring the image onto the recording material, and a conveying speed of the recording material. A communication system including an image forming apparatus and a server device capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus,
The image forming apparatus includes:
a detection means for detecting a characteristic value indicating a characteristic of the recording material fed from a paper feed section;
a discrimination rule for discriminating the type of recording material based on a characteristic value of the recording material, and a discrimination means for discriminating the type of the recording material based on the characteristic value detected by the detection means;
a control unit that controls image forming conditions for forming an image on the recording material in accordance with the type of the recording material determined by the determination unit;
a collection unit that collects an operation history of the image forming apparatus and transmits the collected operation history to the server apparatus,
The server device includes:
an adjustment unit that adjusts a discrimination rule corresponding to the image forming device, the discrimination rule being stored in the server device, based on an operation history received from the image forming device;
a transmission unit that transmits data indicating a result of the adjustment of the discrimination rule by the adjustment unit to the image forming apparatus,
The discrimination means updates the discrimination rule used for the discrimination based on the data indicating the adjustment result received from the server device,
the server device further includes a determination unit that determines reliability of the discrimination rule used by the discrimination unit based on a user's input via a confirmation screen displayed on a display unit of the image forming device, for allowing a user to confirm a quality of the image formed on the recording material,
the adjustment means resets the discrimination rule when the determination means determines that the reliability has decreased after the adjustment of the discrimination rule;
the determining means has the determination rule for each user of the image forming device,
The adjustment unit adjusts the discrimination rule corresponding to the image forming apparatus and each user based on an analysis result of the operation history for each user.
A communication system comprising:

Images