Method of and apparatus for image formation, and computer product

Abstract

Common portions of applications are extracted as common system service. A platform is formed by the common system service and a general purpose OS. A printer application, a copy application, and various applications are mounted on the platform. As a result, each software (application) corresponding to a printer, a copier, a facsimile device, and so on can be developed efficiently and the productivity of the apparatus as a whole can be improved.

1 . An image forming apparatus, comprising at least one of a printing section or an imaging section, 
 wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to be capable of being installed with a plurality of applications for implementing image formation processing, and the image forming apparatus is installed with an operating system and a program for controlling the image formation processing, the program is operable on the operating system and is capable of being accessed and commonly used by the plurality of applications,    wherein the image forming apparatus is installed with a plurality of programs, and the image forming apparatus controls the image forming processing, which is commonly used by the plurality of applications, by performing an inter-program communications between programs among the plurality of programs,    
   
   
       2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of programs comprises: 
 an engine-control program for conducting an engine control, and    a memory-control program for conducting a memory control, wherein the apparatus controls the image formation processing by performing the inter-program communications between the engine-control program and the memory-control program.    
   
   
       3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of programs further comprises: 
 an operation-panel-control-program for controlling an operation-panel; and    a system-control-program for conducting a system-control of the image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus controls the image formation processing by performing the inter-program communications between the system-control-program and the operation-panel-control-program.    
   
   
       4 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of programs further comprises: 
 a network-control-program for controlling a network, wherein the image forming apparatus controls the image formation processing by performing the inter-program communications between the network-control-program and other control-programs.    
   
   
       5 . An image forming method operated with an image forming apparatus having at least one of a printing section or an imaging section, 
 wherein the image forming apparatus is capable of being installed with a plurality of applications for implementing image formation processing,    wherein the image forming apparatus is operated by an operating system and a plurality of programs, wherein the programs are executed on the operating system for controlling the image formation processing which are commonly used by the plurality of applications by performing an inter-program communications among the programs.    
   
   
       6 . The image forming method according to  claim 5 , wherein the apparatus controls the image formation processing by performing the inter-program communications between an engine-control program for conducting an engine control and a memory-control program for conducting a memory control,  
   
   
       7 . The image forming method according to  claim 6 , wherein the apparatus controls the image formation processing by performing the inter-program communications between an operation-panel-control-program for controlling an operation-panel and a system-control-program for conducting a system-control of the image forming apparatus,  
   
   
       8 . The image forming method according to  claim 7 , wherein the image forming apparatus controls the image formation processing by performing the inter-program communications between a network-control-program for controlling a network and other control-programs.  
   
   
       9 . A computer readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform operations, the instructions includes a program installed in an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprises at least one of a printing section or an imaging section, 
 wherein the image forming apparatus is capable of being installed with a plurality of applications configured to implement image formation processing,    wherein the image forming apparatus is operated by an operating system and a plurality of programs, wherein the programs are executed on the operating system for controlling the image formation processing which are commonly used by the plurality of applications by performing an inter-program communications among the programs.    
   
   
       10 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 9 , wherein the medium has instructions stored therein for controlling the image formation processing by performing the inter-program communications between an engine-control program for conducting an engine control and a memory-control program for conducting a memory control.  
   
   
       11 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 10 , wherein the medium has instructions stored therein for controlling the image formation processing by performing the inter-program communications between an operation-panel-control-program for controlling an operation-panel and a system-control-program for conducting a system-control of the image forming apparatus.  
   
   
       12 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 11 , wherein the medium has instructions stored therein for controlling the image formation processing by performing the inter-program communications between a network-control-program for controlling a network and other control-programs.