Image forming method

Abstract

An image forming method applied to an image forming apparatus including an image inputting unit for inputting image data, a memory for storing the image data inputted from the image inputting unit, and a printer for forming the image data on an image forming medium. At a start of image forming processing on the image data inputted from the image inputting unit, if the printer is performing any other processing, all the image data inputted by the image inputting unit is stored in the memory. The printer performs image forming processing on the image data stored in the memory after completing performing the other processing.

1 . An image forming method applied to an image forming apparatus having a scanner for reading a document image, an interface for receiving image data and a print job request via a communication network, a memory for storing image data input by the scanner or interface, a printer for forming the image data on an image forming medium, and an operation panel by which an operation condition of a copying job for reading out a document image to form an image on the image forming medium and a start instruction of the copying job are input, the method comprising: 
 receiving at least first and second print jobs to be printed by the printer;    starting printing by the printer of the first print job;    starting reading image data for a copying job by the scanner during a time that the printer is printing the first print job, wherein the copying job is received as a sequential type operation condition in which images of the copying job are formed on the image forming medium by actuating the printer every time image data of a document is input by the scanner;    reading whole image data of all document sheets of the copying job by the scanner to store the read image data in the memory by the scanner before the printer forms images on the image forming medium of the copying job;    completing the printing of the first print job;    starting printing by the printer, if the copying job is a priority job, to form images of the copying job stored in the memory on an image forming medium after the printing of the first print job is completed, and printing the second print job by the printer after the printer completes forming images on the image forming medium of the copying job; and    starting printing by the printer, if the second print job is a priority job, of the second print job after the printing of the first print job is completed, and forming images on an image forming medium of the copying job by the printer after the printer completes printing the second print job.    
   
   
       2 . An image forming method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 registering each of the at least first and second print jobs and the copying job in a printing queue according to a printing order; and    ordering the printing order of the printing queue based on the priority job designation of the copying job or the second print job.    
   
   
       3 . An image forming method according to  claim 2 , wherein the reading image data of the copying job is started after the second print job is received, and 
 wherein the ordering step includes placing the copying job ahead of the second print job in the printing order of the printing queue if the copying job is the priority job.    
   
   
       4 . An image forming method according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 printing each job in the printing queue in accordance with the printing order of the printing queue.    
   
   
       5 . An image forming method according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 receiving a new job;    determining if the new job is a priority job; and    placing the new job in the printing order of the printing queue in accordance with the new job being determined to be a priority job or not.    
   
   
       6 . An image forming method according to  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 placing the new job immediately after the job currently being printed if the new job is determined to be a priority job.    
   
   
       7 . An image forming method according to  claim 1 , further comprising feeding the document sheets of the copying job sequentially with an automatic document feeder (ADF).  
   
   
       8 . An image forming method according to  claim 7 , wherein the sequential type operation condition involves a one-side reading and one-side printing of document sheets fed by the ADF.  
   
   
       9 . An image forming method applied to an image forming apparatus having a scanner for reading a document image, an interface for receiving image data and a print job request via a communication network, a memory for storing image data input by the scanner or interface, a printer for forming the image data on an image forming medium, and an operation panel, the method comprising: 
 receiving at least first and second print jobs to be printed by the printer;    starting printing by the printer of the first print job;    starting reading image data for a copying job by the scanner during a time that the printer is printing the first print job, wherein the copying job is received as a sequential type operation condition in which images of the copying job are formed on an image forming medium by actuating the printer every time image data of a document is input by the scanner;    reading image data of all document sheets of the copying job by the scanner to store the read image data in the memory before the printer starts printing the copying job using the stored image data;    completing the printing of the first print job;    starting, if the copying job is a priority job, printing by the printer of the copying job using the stored image data after the printer completes printing the first print job, and printing the second print job by the printer after the printer completes printing the copying job; and    starting, if the second print job is a priority job, printing by the printer of the second print job after the printer completed printing the first print job, and printing by the printer the copying job using the stored image data after the printer completes printing the second print job.    
   
   
       10 . An image forming apparatus comprising: 
 a scanner for reading a document image;    an interface for receiving image data and a print job request via a communication network;    a memory for storing image data input by the scanner or interface;    a printer for forming the image data on an image forming medium; and    an operation panel by which an operation condition of a copying job for reading out a document image to form an image on the image forming medium and a start instruction of the copying job are input; and    a controller configured to: 
 receive at least first and second print jobs to be printed by the printer;  
 start printing by the printer of the first print job;  
 start reading image data for a copying job by the scanner during a time that the printer is printing the first print job, wherein the copying job is received as a sequential type operation condition in which images of the copying job are formed on the image forming medium by actuating the printer every time image data of a document is input by the scanner;  
 read whole image data of all document sheets of the copying job by the scanner to store the read image data in the memory by the scanner before the printer forms images on the image forming medium of the copying job;  
 complete the printing of the first print job;  
 start printing by the printer, if the copying job is a priority job, to form images of the copying job stored in the memory on an image forming medium after the printing of the first print job is completed, and printing the second print job by the printer after the printer completes forming images on the image forming medium of the copying job; and  
 start printing by the printer, if the second print job is a priority job, of the second print job after the printing of the first print job is completed, and forming images on an image forming medium of the copying job by the printer after the printer completes printing the second print job.  
   
   
   
       11 . An image forming apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to: 
 register each of the at least first and second print jobs and the copying job in a printing queue according to a printing order; and    order the printing order of the printing queue based on the priority job designation of the copying job or the second print job.    
   
   
       12 . An image forming apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to: 
 start reading image data of the copying job after the second print job is received; and    place the copying job ahead of the second print job in the printing order of the printing queue if the copying job is the priority job.    
   
   
       13 . An image forming apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the printer prints each job in the printing queue in accordance with the printing order of the printing queue.  
   
   
       14 . An image forming apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to: 
 receive a new job;    determine if the new job is a priority job; and    place the new job in the printing order of the printing queue in accordance with the new job being determined to be a priority job or not.    
   
   
       15 . An image forming apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to place the new job immediately after the job currently being printed if the new job is determined to be a priority job.  
   
   
       16 . An image forming apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising an automatic document feeder (ADF) that sequentially feeds the document sheets of the copying job.  
   
   
       17 . An image forming apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the sequential type operation condition involves a one-side reading and one-side printing of document sheets fed by the ADF.  
   
   
       18 . An image forming apparatus comprising: 
 a scanner for reading a document image;    an interface for receiving image data and a print job request via a communication network;    a memory for storing image data input by the scanner or interface;    a printer for forming the image data on an image forming medium;    an operation panel; and    a controller configured to: 
 receive at least first and second print jobs to be printed by the printer;  
 start printing by the printer of the first print job;  
 start reading image data for a copying job by the scanner during a time that the printer is printing the first print job, wherein the copying job is received as a sequential type operation condition in which images of the copying job are formed on an image forming medium by actuating the printer every time image data of a document is input by the scanner;  
 read image data of all document sheets of the copying job by the scanner to store the read image data in the memory before the printer starts printing the copying job using the stored image data;  
 complete the printing of the first print job;  
 start, if the copying job is a priority job, printing by the printer of the copying job using the stored image data after the printer completes printing the first print job, and printing the second print job by the printer after the printer completes printing the copying job; and  
 start, if the second print job is a priority job, printing by the printer of the second print job after the printer completed printing the first print job, and printing by the printer the copying job using the stored image data after the printer completes printing the second print job.