JPH0666072B2 - Copier management device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a copying machine management apparatus for managing the number of copies in a copying machine.

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in the management device for a copying machine disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-27846, copying is possible by inserting a department card in which an arbitrary department number is recorded. Therefore, it is managed and stored in the memory in the management device.

Cards used in this type of management device have conventionally been issued by recording a predetermined amount of money and the number of copies at the time of issuing the card on the copying machine or card maker side. However, the maximum amount of money and the maximum number of sheets that can be set often differ depending on the mode of use on the user side, and the task of storing and issuing various maximum amounts of money and the maximum number of sheets on a card is complicated. Could not improve this point.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, and to provide a management device in which a user can arbitrarily set an upper limit amount and write the upper limit value in a recording medium such as a card. The purpose is to do.

The management device of the present invention is a management device of a copying machine, which is connected to a copying machine main body and manages a copying operation based on predetermined information stored on the storage medium by mounting a predetermined storage medium. An inserting unit for inserting a storage medium, a reading unit for reading information from the storage medium inserted in the inserting unit, and a copying operation of the copying machine main body based on the upper limit usage amount read from the storage medium by the reading unit. Copying operation control means for controlling permission and prohibition, key input means for setting the upper limit of the usage amount of the copying machine, and writing for writing the upper limit usage amount set by the input means into a storage medium inserted in the insertion section. And means.

With the above configuration, the device user can set the maximum usage
When input by the input means, the upper limit usage amount is written in a recording medium such as a card. Then, the control means controls permission and prohibition of the operation of the device based on the upper limit usage amount stored in the mounted storage medium.

First Embodiment An external view of an example of an electrophotographic copying machine to which the present invention is applied is shown in FIG.
Shown in the figure. A copying machine management device 101 for managing the copying machine body 100 by a magnetic card is installed on the copying machine body 100 by being electrically connected, and the copying machine management device 101 is also arranged on the operation unit 102 of the copying machine body 100. It is also associated with the operation key 103 including the numeric keypad.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a schematic structure of an example of the electrophotographic copying machine 100 to which the present invention is applied. First, the structure and operation of the copying machine will be briefly described with reference to this drawing.

A photoconductor drum 10 is rotatably supported in the direction of the arrow in the figure at approximately the center of the main body of the copying machine. Around it, an erase lamp 11, a charging charger 12, a developing device 13, and a transfer charger 14 are provided. A cleaning device 15 and the like are sequentially arranged. The original (not shown) is placed on the original placing glass 21, and the lamp 22, the reflecting mirrors (m1) to (m4) and the lens (2
The image is scanned by the optical system 20 including 3), and its image is sequentially projected on the photosensitive drum 10. The structure of the optical system and the operation itself related to scanning are well known and will not be described in particular.

The sheet feeding device 30 comprises a sheet feeding roller 31 'and a holding mechanism 32 for holding the laminated sheet (S), and rotates the sheet feeding roller 31' in synchronization with the copying operation, thereby the laminated sheet (S). Are sequentially sent out from the topmost one, and are conveyed toward the photoconductor drum 10 via the conveyance rollers 33, 34, the timing roller 35, and the like.

In the above configuration, the photoconductor drum 10 rotates with the start of the copying operation, and an image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor drum 10 by charging, exposing, and developing, and this image is conveyed in synchronization with the image forming operation. Is transferred onto the copy sheet by the transfer charger 14. The copy sheet after the transfer is separated from the surface of the photosensitive drum 10, passes through the fixing device 16 to be image-fixed, and is then discharged onto the tray 17. After the photoconductor drum 10 is transferred, the cleaning device 15 and the erase lamp 11 remove the residual toner and the residual charge, and prepare for the next copying.

Note that M1 is a main motor that drives the photoconductor drum 10, the optical system 20, the copy sheet conveying system, and the like, M2 is a developing motor, CL1 and CL2 are clutches for scanning and returning the optical system 20, and CL3 is The timing roller clutch and CL4 are paper feed roller clutches.

The configuration and operation of the copying machine management apparatus 101 will be described step by step.

FIG. 3 is an external view of the copying machine management apparatus 101, which includes a card insertion section 301, a display section 602, operation keys SW1 and SW2, a magnetic card reader & writer section 601, which will be described later, a control CPU 600, and the like.

4 and 5 show the schematic internal structure.

A data recording timing detection pulse disk 43, a pulse detection sensor 44, a card transfer upper roller 42, a read / write magnetic head 41, a card transfer guide 401, a card transfer motor 45, and a card in order from the card insertion portion 301 to the right. A termination detection switch SW4 is provided.

Further, a card edge detection actuator 52, a card edge detection switch SW3, and a card transportation lower roller 51 are sequentially arranged from the left side of the front of the copying machine management apparatus 101.

Next, a series of operations from card insertion to card ejection will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, a magnetic card 31 classified by department, individual, total, erase, service person, etc. is inserted from the card insertion unit 301 of the copying machine management apparatus 101, and the card tip detection switch SW3 is turned on.
Then, the conveyance motor 45 is rotated in the normal direction (counterclockwise toward FIG. 4) to convey the card 31 to the upper roller 42 and the lower roller 51.
The sheet is conveyed along the sandwiching conveyance guide 401. Control through magnetic head 41 during card transfer here
The data on the card 31 is loaded into the CPU 600. When the leading end of the card 31 turns on the card end detection switch SW4, the carry motor 45 is stopped and the data previously fetched by the control CPU 600 is processed.

This processing enables, for example, the copying operation of the copying machine 100, the number of copies to be stored by department or size, the paper jam and trouble information by location or time,
Alternatively, it is processing such as displaying the stored information on the display unit 602.

Next, when the operation key SW2 is turned on, after the processing such as turning off the display on the display unit 602 and prohibiting the copy operation of the copying machine 100, the conveyance motor 45 is rotated in the reverse direction, and if there is no need to record data on the card, the card is removed. The insertion portion 301 is discharged as it is, and a series of operations is completed.

When it is necessary to record data on the card 31, the output of the data recording timing detection pulse disk 43 that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the motor 45 is controlled via the sensor 44.
Data is recorded on the card 31 through the magnetic head 41 in synchronization with the ejection operation of the card 31 taken into the CPU 600. When the data recording is completed, the transport motor 45 is stopped and the motor is rotated forward to check the recorded data.
The above data is taken into the control CPU 600 through the magnetic head 41.

When the tip of the card 31 turns on the card edge detection switch SW4, the control CPU 600 performs arithmetic processing on the data previously recorded on the card 31 and the data read after recording, and if the former and latter data match. When it is judged that the data has been correctly recorded, the conveyance motor 45 is reversed and the card 31 is inserted into the insertion portion
To discharge and complete a series of operations. If they do not match, it is determined that a recording error has occurred, and the recording and reading processes are repeated again as described above. Here, the format of the data recorded on the magnetic card may be the one standardized by JIS B9561, or may be a unique data format.

6 and 7 are circuit diagrams of the copying machine management apparatus 101.

CPU600 has a magnetic card read / write unit 601, a display unit 602,
A printer 603, operation keys and various switches 604, an external program ROM 605, an external RAM 606, and a clock 607 are connected to the input / output ports 74 to 78 shown in FIG. External RAM6
06 and the clock 607 are backed up by a battery 608 so that the recorded contents are not erased when the power is turned off.

The magnetic card read / write unit 601 includes a read head 71, a waveform demodulation and shaping unit 79, an input gate 81, and a write head 7.
2. Comprised of the waveform modulator 80 and the like.

In the present embodiment, the magnetic head 41 has an example in which the read 71 and the write 72 are separate, but a single gap head common to both read and write may be used.

The PCU 600 of the copier management device 101 is the CP of the copier body 100.
It is connected to U609 by a communication signal line 610, and data is transmitted and received through this signal line.

The terminals of the CPU 600 used for transmitting and receiving this data are, as shown in Table 1, a serial out terminal S ₀ for serial data transfer, a serial in terminal Si for reception, a data sampling clock terminal ▲ ▼ and an interrupt terminal.

As a concrete data transfer system, the one proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-127133 or the like, or any other system may be used.

From the CPU 609 of the copier body 100 to the CPU 600 of the copier management device 101
An example of data transferred to the table is shown in Tables 2 and 3, and conversely CP
Tables 4 and 5 show examples of data transferred from the U600 to the CPU 609.

Here, it is assumed that each information content of the transfer data is coded as shown in Tables (1) to (4) below, for example.

The status signals are, for example, as shown in Table 6.

Next, the control operation of the copying machine will be described.

In step S1 shown in FIG. 8, reset of each flag (including copy flag), set number of sheets, paper feed port, paper size,
Initialize data such as copy magnification.

Then, in step S2, the main timer for defining the length of one routine is set. In step S3, the operation unit 10
Input processing from various keys and switches including the second operation key 103 and output processing to the motor, solenoid and display device are performed.

In step S4, the copying machine management apparatus 10 is connected by the above-mentioned communication
When the copy status signal transmitted from the control CPU 600 of 1 is 0 (that is, when the copy status signal is 0, the copy operation is possible, and when it is 1 it is prohibited), and the copy is prohibited To proceed to step S11. If the copy is possible, it is determined in step S5 whether or not the copy flag F is 1 (that is, the copying machine body 100 is in the standby state when the copy flag is 0, and the copying is in progress when the copy flag is 1). In the case, the process proceeds to step S8, and in the case of 0, it is determined in step S6 whether or not the print key of the operation key 103 is pressed, and in the case of NO, the process proceeds to step S1.
If the answer is YES, the copy flag F is set to 1 in step S7, and the process proceeds to step S8. In step S8, various copying processes are performed. In step S9, it is determined whether or not copying is completed. If YES, the copy flag F is reset in step S10 and the process proceeds to step S11. Proceed to step S11.

In step S11, the above-described various data transmission and reception processing is performed.

Then, in step S12, it is determined whether or not the main timer set in step S2 has expired. If YES, the process returns to step S2, and if NO, step S12 is repeated and the length of one routine is adjusted.

Next, the operation of the copying machine management apparatus 101 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

When the power of the copying machine 100 is turned on in FIG. 9A, first, in step S20, the initial setting of the management apparatus 101 is performed. Next, in step S21, it is determined whether or not the magnetic card 31 is inserted in the card insertion portion 301 by the card front end detection switch SW3, and when the magnetic car 31 is already inserted when the power is turned on, the motor is detected in step S23. If the magnetic card is not inserted or the magnetic card is removed, the motor 45 is stopped in step S22. Then, in step S24, "CARD" is displayed on the display unit 602, and in step S25, it is determined whether the card leading edge detection switch SW3 is turned on, that is, whether the card is inserted. If the card is inserted, When the process proceeds to step S26, and if not inserted, step S25 is repeated.

In step S26, the motor 45 is rotated in the normal direction to convey the card 31 along the conveyance guide 401 to the inside. In step S27, the data on the conveyed card is controlled through the magnetic head 41.
The process of loading in the CPU 600 is performed. In step S28, it is determined whether or not the card end detection switch SW4 is turned on, that is, whether or not the card 31 is completely fed inside, and if it is fed, the motor 45 is stopped in step S29, and the card is in the middle of feeding. If there is, the process of step S27 is repeated.

In step S30, it is determined whether or not the card ejection switch SW2 has been pressed. If so, in step S31 the copying machine 100
The copy status signal ((2) in Table 5) to be transferred to is set to the copy disabled state, and subsequently, the motor 45 is reversely rotated in step S32. In step S33, it is determined whether the write flag is 1.

The write flag is a flag that is set to '1' when data needs to be written on the card and reset to '0' otherwise.

When the write flag is "0", the process proceeds to step S21, and the card ejection process is performed as it is. If the write flag is "1", data write processing is performed in step S34.
The writing process is performed by modulating the write data in synchronization with the write timing pulse input to the CPU 600 by the pulse disk 43 and the detection sensor 44 that rotate in synchronization with the card conveyance.
Is a process performed by turning on / off a current flowing through the write head 72 of the magnetic head 41.

In step S35, it is determined whether or not the writing process has been completed, that is, whether or not all data has been written. If YES, the process proceeds to step S36, and if NO, steps S34 and S35 are repeated.

When writing is completed, the motor is rotated forward in step S36, the data previously written on the card in step S34 is read again in step S37, and it is determined in step S38 whether SW4 is ON or not. Repeats steps S37 and S38. If YES, the motor is stopped in step S39 and the process proceeds to step S40.

In step S40, it is determined whether or not the data written in step S34 and the data read in step S37 are equal. If they are not equal, the process returns to step S32 and the writing process is performed again. If they are equal to each other, the process returns to step S21 to perform the card ejection process and end the series of operations.

If the card ejection switch SW2 is not pressed in step S30, the process proceeds to step S41 in FIG. 9 (b).

In step S41, it is determined whether or not the read card is a department card. If YES, the process is performed in step S42 and the process returns to step S30. If NO, it is determined in step S43 whether the card is a personal card, and if YES, step S43.
The process is performed at 44 and the process returns to step S30. If NO, the process proceeds to step S45.

Similar processing is performed in steps S45 to S50 for counting, deleting, and serviceman cards.

If the card is not a serviceman card in step S49, it is determined that the card is defective or different in reading, "ERROR" is displayed on the display unit 602 in step S51, and the process returns to step S21 to perform card ejection processing.

10 to 14 show steps S42, S44, S46, in FIG. 9 (b).
It is a flow chart which shows details of processing of S48 and S50.

In FIG. 10 (a), it is first determined in step S101 whether or not the department number setting mode is set. If YES, step S102
If NO, the process proceeds to step S105. The department number setting mode is a mode for recording an arbitrary department number on the department card. This judgment is based on the data read from the card, for example, if the department number is a specific number (such as "00"). In some cases, or depending on whether a dedicated flag is set or not. An example of the data format on the card is shown in FIG.

In step S102, whether the department number has been input, that is, copying machine 1
The operation key 103 on the operation unit 102 of 00 is used to determine whether or not the department number has been input. If the department number has been input, step S1
Set the department number entered in the write data area in 03, set the write flag to 1 in step S104, and set in step S3.
Return to 0. If the department number is not entered, the process directly returns to step S30.

By this operation, the department code can be entered with the key.

If it is determined in step S101 that the department number is not set, that is, if the department number is already recorded,
In step S105, it is determined whether the collation number setting mode is set.

The collation number is a number for determining whether or not the card inserted in the specific management apparatus 101 can be used, and the card 31
The verification number written above and the battery of the management device 101
Only cards with matching verification numbers stored in the memory 606 backed up by the 608 can be used.

The collation number setting mode is a mode for recording the collation number on the card as in the department number setting mode.

In the verification No. setting mode, transfer the verification No. stored in the memory in step S106 to the write data area,
In step S104, the write flag is set to 1 and the process returns to step S30.

If it is not in the verification No. setting mode, that is, verification is already performed on the card N
If o. is recorded, the verification numbers on the card and the memory are compared in step S107, and if they do not match, “NOGOOD” is displayed on the display unit 602 in step S114 and the operator is notified of the card. Indicates that it cannot be used, and step S2
Return to 1 to eject the card.

If they match, the copy is enabled in step S108, it is determined in step S109 whether the operation key SW1 is turned on, and if it is turned on, the display unit 602 displays the department number, paper size, and department. When the operation key SW1 is turned off, the total number of copies for each paper size is displayed. In step S111, the department number and the total number of copies for each department are displayed, and the process proceeds to step S112.

In step 112, it is determined whether the copying machine 100 has started copying and fed paper, and if the paper is fed, in step S113, change the contents of the corresponding total area according to the department number and paper size. Then, the process returns to step S30, and if the sheet is not fed, the process directly returns to step S30.

In FIG. 10 (b), it is determined in step S120 whether or not the balance setting mode. Personal cards are not cards that can be permanently copied like department cards, and are cards that cannot be copied when a certain amount of money or number of sheets is reached, and the upper limit value is set by the balance.
Whether or not the balance is set is determined by the same determination as in the department number setting mode.In the balance setting mode, whether or not the balance is set by the operation key 103 of the copying machine 100 in step S121. If there is an input, the balance is set in the write data area in step S122,
In step S123, set the write flag to 1 and
Return to S30. If there is no input, the process directly returns to step S30.

If it is determined in step S120 that the balance is not in the setting mode, that is, if the balance is already recorded on the card, it is determined in step S124 whether or not it is in the collation No. setting mode like the department card, and YES. In this case, the verification number is transferred to the write data area, the write flag is set to 1 in step S123, and the process returns to step S30.

If NO, check on the card and memory in step S126.
The numbers are compared, and if they do not match, "NOGOOD" is displayed on the display unit 602 in step S135, and the process returns to step S21.

If they match, the balance read from the card is displayed in step S127, and it is determined in step S128 whether or not the balance is greater than 0. If the balance is 0, the step
The copy is prohibited in S134, and the process returns to step S30.

If the balance is greater than 0, copying is permitted in step S129, and it is determined in step S130 whether paper has been fed.

If no paper is fed, just step
When the paper is fed, the balance is updated in step S131, the balance updated in step S132 is transferred to the writing area, the write flag is set to 1 in step S133, and the process returns to step S30.

In the case of the totaling card in step S46 of FIG. 11, the data such as the number of copies for each department and the number of copies for each size managed / totalized in the memory in step S150 is displayed on the display unit 602, and the process returns to step S30.

In the case of an erase card in step S48 of FIG. 12, it is determined in step S160 whether or not the operation key SW1 is turned on. If it is turned on, "ALL CLEAR" is displayed in step S161 and the memory is stored in step S162. The various data managed above are erased and the process returns to step S21.

If the operation key SW1 is not turned on, "CLEAR" is displayed in step S163 and the process returns to step S30.

In the case of a serviceman card in step S50 of FIG. 13, various information of paper jams and troubles of the copying machine main body 1 managed in the memory are displayed on the display portion in step S170, and the process returns to step S30.

FIG. 14 shows the processing when an interrupt is issued from the copier CPU 609.

When an interrupt occurs, the information to be transmitted in step S180 is set in the serial transfer register (not shown), and in step S181
The serial data is transmitted / received at the same time in synchronization with the clock transmitted from the CPU 609, and when the transmission / reception is completed, the information sent from the copying machine side is stored in the memory in step S182, and the data received in step S183 is stored. JA inside
If the M / trouble information is included, step S184
Then, the contents of the corresponding memory area are updated and the interrupt processing is ended.

If no JAM / trouble has occurred, the interrupt process is terminated.

It should be noted that although the above-described embodiment has been described with respect to the management device of the copying machine, it can be applied to other optional devices of the present invention.

In the device of the present invention, the above-mentioned setting of the upper limit value such as the balance and the number of copies, etc. is, of course, performed by the general affairs department etc. in the case of a company, and each department as a user or general user It does not mean that you can make settings. Even if a general user can perform such a setting in operation, such operation is not taught.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As described above, according to the present invention, means for setting the upper limit value of the amount representing the use of the device is provided and the upper limit value is written in the recording medium. As a result, the device can be managed with a value suitable for the user, and the recording medium can be easily issued.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied,
FIG. 1 (B) is a plan view showing the operation panel of the copying machine of FIG. 1 (A), FIG. 2 is a side view showing the inside of the copying machine of FIG. 1 (A), and FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the inside of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a front view showing the inside of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the control apparatus. FIG. 7 is a detailed circuit diagram of FIG. 6, and FIGS. 8 to 14 are flowcharts showing the operation of the control device.
FIG. 15 is an example of the storage format of the recording medium. 100 …… Copier body, 101 …… Management device, 604 …… Key, 6
00 …… CPU.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-57-27846 (JP, A) JP-A-57-32452 (JP, A) Actually developed JP-A-55-82658 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A management device of a copying machine, which is connected to a copying machine main body and manages a copying operation based on predetermined information stored on the storage medium by mounting a predetermined storage medium, wherein the storage medium is inserted. An inserting unit, a reading unit for reading information from the storage medium inserted in the inserting unit, and permission and prohibition of the copying operation of the copying machine main body based on the upper limit usage amount read from the storage medium by the reading unit. A copy operation control means for controlling the above, a key input means for inputting an upper limit of the usage amount of the copying machine, and a writing means for writing the upper limit usage amount input by the key input means into a storage medium inserted in the insertion section. A management device for a copying machine, characterized by comprising: