Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Kouji Miyake

Shuhji Fujii

Tsutomu Yoshimoto

Takeshi Nakamura

Takateru Yamamoto

Kenji Tanaka

Kenji Takahashi

Hiroshi Ishii

Kaoru Ishikura

Kazuhiro Mizude

Shinji Kato

Hideyuki Hiro

Kazuhiko Ido

Nobuyasu Yamada

Takeshi Muto

An image forming system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an air cleaner for cleaning air, an image forming apparatus that is settable to a mode for economizing power, and a control unit that causes a display unit of the air cleaner to display an operating state of the image forming apparatus when the image forming apparatus is set to the mode for economizing power. An image forming system according to another embodiment of the present invention includes an image forming apparatus that prints an image on recording paper, an air cleaner that is for cleaning air, and is integrally attached to the image forming apparatus via a support member, and supported above the image forming apparatus by the support member, and a control unit that causes a display unit of the air cleaner to display an operating state of the image forming apparatus.

Image forming system with an air cleaner that displays an operating state of the image forming apparatus

In one embodiment, a network system according to the present invention is a network system in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses are communicably connected via a network, and an electronic device capable of independent operation is communicably connected to each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses. The electronic device includes a data input/output unit that sends/receives control data of the electronic device to/from the image forming apparatus to which the electronic device is connected, and the image forming apparatus includes a data communications unit that sends/receives the control data to/from the electronic device connected to the image forming apparatus, and a network communications unit that sends/receives the control data to/from another image forming apparatus via the network. Furthermore, the data communications unit and the network communications unit of each image forming apparatus send the control data of the electronic device to each of the other electronic devices via the network, the data input/output unit of each of the other electronic devices receives the control data, and each of the other electronic devices operates based on the received control data.

Network system, electronic device, and method for controlling electronic device in network system

In an image forming apparatus, even when power supply to the apparatus is stopped, it is possible to let the user recognize that an electronic file to be used has been erased, and that a necessary electronic file will be erased when the apparatus is to be used after next power on, so that wasteful power supply to the apparatus can be reduced. When the power is shut off, an auto-erased file list or a to-be-erased file list is displayed on electronic paper, in accordance with display setting contents set by the user before power off.

Image forming apparatus

An image forming system is provided with an Image Forming Operation Unit, an Air Cleaning Operation Unit, a power source, and a Control Unit. The Control Unit has a coordinated OFF control function of coordinating a first power supply OFF control for turning off power supply from the power source to the Image Forming Operation Unit and a second power supply OFF control for turning off power supply from the power source to the Air Cleaning Operation Unit, and the coordinated OFF control function is configured to execute the second power supply OFF control when a preset time period elapses after executing the first power supply OFF control. Also, in the image forming system, an air cleaning operation of an air cleaning apparatus is stopped when an image forming apparatus is set to an a night mode or when a fixed time period elapses after the night mode is set. The air cleaning operation of the air cleaning apparatus is restarted when the image forming apparatus is resumed from the night mode.

Image forming system

An image forming apparatus that can support the user in sleep mode is provided. When the apparatus enters sleep mode, guidance information is displayed on an electronic paper. The electronic paper maintains displayed contents even when power is not supplied and, therefore, even when power is not supplied to a display panel in the sleep mode, the display for the user is continuously given, thereby supporting the user.

Image forming apparatus providing user support in sleep mode

An image forming apparatus is provided, in which communication history that may change in a sleep mode is updated and displayed, whereby state of data communication in the sleep mode can be grasped. Even if the image forming apparatus as a whole is stopped, power is supplied only to a communication unit. When data is transmitted/received from an external device, a communication controller of the communication unit that transmitted/received data temporarily drives an electronic paper, so that transmission/reception log is displayed on electronic paper. Thereafter, power supply to the electronic paper is stopped.

When a request for a change in output information and output order of, or cancellation of an output process of, image data obtained from computersis made by a user, a print server apparatusnotifies other users of requested change content and obtains from each user an instruction indicating whether to permit a change process based on the notified change content or not. With this image processing apparatus, when a plurality of users make requests for output processes of respective image data and a change in output order of each image data or the like is requested, other users can confirm the change content and get to other work appropriately so as to enhance the work efficiency.

Image processing apparatus for processing image data based on output order

A connection checking system of the present invention is arranged so as to apply a power supply voltage which is dropped by the resistance to a terminal when the control substrate and the unit are connected. Then, the control section determines that the unit is connected to the control substrate when the dropped voltage is applied to the terminal. On the other hand, when a dropped voltage is not applied to the terminal, the control section determines that the unit is not connected to the control substrate. The connection checking system of the present invention can be realized by using a conventional power supply cable, a signal cable and a terminal, and thus the connection checking system of the present invention can be manufactured at low costs.

Connection checking system, printer device, method of checking connected state, connection checking program, and recording medium storing connection checking program

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Kouji Miyake