Image Forming Apparatus and Computer Readable Recording Medium

Abstract

An image forming apparatus comprises a display unit; and a display controlling unit that causes the display unit to display a first ready screen and a second ready screen. The first ready screen is displayed when a job can be accepted, and the first ready screen indicates that a job can be accepted and has a first button for detecting operator's input of a request for displaying a screen having first information. The second ready screen is displayed when a job can be accepted after input of the request is detected, and the second ready screen has the first information and has a second button for detecting input of a request for displaying second information other than the first information.

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a display unit; and   a display controlling unit that causes the display unit to display a first ready screen and a second ready screen,   wherein the first ready screen is displayed when a job can be accepted, and the first ready screen indicates that a job can be accepted and has a first button for detecting operator's input of a request for displaying a screen having first information; and the second ready screen is displayed when a job can be accepted after the input is detected, and the second ready screen has the first information and has a second button for detecting input of a request for displaying second information other than the first information.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first information contains information on at least one of consumable goods and information record media. 
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first information contains information on the number of sheets of information record media consumed for each section. 
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first information contains information on the number of consumed sheets with each size of information record media. 
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first information contains information on the number of consumed sheets of information record media in each paper drawer. 
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first information contains information on the number of sheets of information record media that have been printed in each of color printing and monochrome printing. 
     
     
         7 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a display unit; and   a display controlling unit that causes the display unit to display a first ready screen and a second ready screen,   wherein the first ready screen is a screen indicating that a job can be accepted when a job can be accepted, and the first ready screen has a first button for detecting operator's input of a request for displaying a screen that does not have any information on consumable goods and information record media; and the second ready screen has a second button for detecting input of a request for displaying a screen that has information on at least one of consumable goods and information record media when a job can be accepted after input of the request to the first button is detected, and the second ready screen does not have any information on consumable goods and information record media.   
     
     
         8 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second ready screen has a third button for registering the second ready screen as a default screen, the default screen displaying initially when a job can be accepted. 
     
     
         9 . A computer readable recording medium storing an image forming program that can be installed in an image forming apparatus with a display unit and causes the display unit to display ready screens indicating that a job can be accepted, the image forming program causing a computer in the image forming apparatus to perform features comprising:
 a first display controlling feature for causing the display unit to display a first ready screen indicating that a job can be accepted when a job can be accepted; and   a second display controlling feature for causing the display unit to display a second ready screen when a job can be accepted after detecting input operation on the first ready screen by an operator to request for displaying a screen that has first information, the second ready screen having the first information and a second button for detecting input of a request for displaying a screen that has second information other than the first information.   
     
     
         10 . A computer readable recording medium storing an image forming program that can be installed in an image forming apparatus with a display unit and causes the display unit to display ready screens indicating that a job can be accepted, the image forming program causing a computer in the image forming apparatus to perform features comprising:
 a first display controlling feature for causing the display unit to display a first ready screen indicating that a job can be accepted when a job can be accepted; and   a second display controlling feature for causing the display unit to display a second ready screen when a job can be accepted after detecting input operation on the first ready screen by an operator to request for displaying a screen that does not have any information on consumable goods and information record media, the second ready screen having none of information on consumable goods and information record media and having a second button for detecting input of a request for displaying a screen that has information on at least one of consumable goods and information record media when a job can be accepted.   
     
     
         11 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a display unit;   a characteristic existence determining unit that determines whether a finished print job has a predetermined characteristic based on attribution information of the finished print job and/or a characteristic value on the finished print job; and   a display controlling unit that causes the display unit to display a ready screen when a job can be accepted if the characteristic existence determining unit determines that a finished print job has a predetermined characteristic, the ready screen indicating that a job can be accepted and having information chosen from predetermined information according to the characteristic of the finished print job.   
     
     
         12 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a display unit;   a characteristic existence determining unit that determines whether a finished print job has a predetermined characteristic based on at least one of the type of the finished print job and a threshold set on the finished print job; and   a display controlling unit that causes the display unit to display a ready screen when a job can be accepted if the characteristic existence determining unit determines that a finished print job has the predetermined characteristic, the ready screen indicating that a job can be accepted and having information chosen from predetermined information according to the characteristic of the finished print job.   
     
     
         13 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the characteristic existence determining unit determines that a finished print job has a predetermined characteristic if a coverage rate of the finished print job is equal to or greater than the threshold, and the display controlling unit causes the display unit to display a ready screen having information on a remaining amount of toner if the characteristic existence determining unit determines that a finished print job has the predetermined characteristic. 
     
     
         14 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the characteristic existence determining unit determines that a finished print job has a predetermined characteristic if the number of sheets printed in the finished print job is equal to or greater than the threshold, and the display controlling unit causes the display unit to display a ready screen having information on each paper drawer if the characteristic existence determining unit determines that a finished print job has the predetermined characteristic. 
     
     
         15 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the characteristic existence determining unit determines that a finished print job has a predetermined characteristic if the type of the finished print job is section management printing and the difference between an uppermost limit value of the number of printed sheets on any one section of all sections including a section that requested execution of the finished print job and the number of sheets that has been printed for the section is less than the threshold, and the display controlling unit causes the display unit to display a ready screen having information on one or more sections on which the difference is less than the threshold and/or information on a section containing a terminal device that requested execution of the finished print job if the characteristic existence determining unit determines that a finished print job has the predetermined characteristic. 
     
     
         16 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the characteristic existence determining unit determines that a finished print job has a predetermined characteristic if the type of the finished print job is staple printing and a remaining amount of staples after the finished print job is less than the threshold, and the display controlling unit causes the display unit to display a ready screen having information on the staples if the characteristic existence determining unit determines that a finished print job has the predetermined characteristic. 
     
     
         17 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 12  further comprising a display period setting-up unit that sets a display period of the ready screen to a period within the period from the end of the finished print job to the beginning of a next print job. 
     
     
         18 . A computer readable recording medium storing an image forming program that can be installed in an image forming apparatus with a display unit, the image forming program causing a computer in the image forming apparatus to perform features comprising:
 a characteristic existence determining feature for determining whether a finished print job has a predetermined characteristic based on attribution information of the finished print job and/or a characteristic value on the finished print job; and   a display controlling feature for causing the display unit to display a ready screen when a job can be accepted if it is determined that a finished print job has the predetermined characteristic in terms of the characteristic existence determining feature, the ready screen indicating that a job can be accepted and having information chosen from predetermined information according to the characteristic of the finished print job.   
     
     
         19 . A computer readable recording medium storing an image forming program that can be installed in an image forming apparatus with a display unit, the image forming program causing a computer in the image forming apparatus to perform features comprising:
 a characteristic existence determining feature for determining whether a finished print job has a predetermined characteristic based on at least one of the type of the finished print job and a threshold on the finished print job; and   a display controlling feature for causing the display unit to display a ready screen when a job can be accepted if it is determined that a finished print job has the predetermined characteristic in terms of the characteristic existence determining feature, the ready screen indicating that a job can be accepted and having information chosen from predetermined information according to the characteristic of the finished print job.   
     
     
         20 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a display unit; and   a display controlling unit that causes the display unit to display a ready screen after a print job is finished if an error has occurred while the print job is being executed, the ready screen having information chosen based on an error type of the error.   
     
     
         21 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a display unit;   an error determining unit that determines whether an error has occurred while a print job is being executed or not after the print job is finished; and   a display controlling unit that causes the display unit to display a ready screen that has information chosen based on an error type of the error if the error determining unit determines that the error has occurred while the print job is being executed.   
     
     
         22 . The image forming apparatus according  claim 20  further comprising a display period setting-up unit that sets a display period of the ready screen to a period within the period from the end of the finished print job to the beginning of a next print job. 
     
     
         23 . The image forming apparatus according  claim 20 , wherein the error type indicates that a remaining amount of toner becomes zero, and the ready screen has information on the remaining amount of toner. 
     
     
         24 . The image forming apparatus according  claim 20 , wherein the error type indicates that the size of an information record medium supplied in any one of paper drawers is not identical to the size of an information record medium that has been set on the paper drawer, and the ready screen has information on each of the paper drawers. 
     
     
         25 . The image forming apparatus according  claim 20 , wherein the error type indicates that a remaining amount of information record media becomes zero in any one of paper drawers, and the ready screen has information on each of the paper drawers. 
     
     
         26 . The image forming apparatus according  claim 20 , wherein the error type indicates that the number of sheets that has been printed for any one section of all sections reaches an uppermost limit value that has been set on the section, and the ready screen has information on the number of sheets that has been printed and the uppermost limit value with regard to one or more sections that the difference between the uppermost limit value and the number of sheets that has been printed is less than a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         27 . The image forming apparatus according  claim 20 , wherein the error type indicates that a remaining amount of staples becomes zero, and the ready screen has information on the remaining amount of staples. 
     
     
         28 . The image forming apparatus according  claim 20 , wherein the error type indicates that a sheet jam of an information record medium has occurred in a transportation path, and the ready screen has information on the number of times of sheet jams. 
     
     
         29 . A computer readable recording medium storing an image forming program that can be installed in an image forming apparatus with a display unit, the image forming program causing a computer in the image forming apparatus to perform a display controlling feature for causing the display unit to display a ready screen after a print job is finished if an error has occurred while the print job is being executed, the ready screen having information chosen based on an error type of the error. 
     
     
         30 . A computer readable recording medium storing an image forming program that can be installed in an image forming apparatus with a display unit, the image forming program causing a computer in the image forming apparatus to perform features comprising:
 an error determining feature for determining whether an error has occurred while a print job is being executed or not after the print job is finished; and   a display controlling feature for causing the display unit to display a ready screen that has information chosen based on an error type of the error if in terms of the error determining feature it is determined that the error has occurred while the print job is being executed.   
     
     
         31 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a display unit;   a print job list storing unit that stores a print job list containing executable print jobs to be executed;   a print job history information storing unit that stores history information of finished print jobs;   a job receipt permission determining unit that determines whether a next print job can be accepted with reference to the print job list stored in the print job list storing unit;   an executable-job existence determining unit that determines whether a next executable print job to be executed exists or not with reference to the print job list stored in the print job list storing unit, if the job receipt permission determining unit determines that a next print job can be accepted;   a finished-job existence determining unit that determines whether a finished print job exists or not with reference to the history information stored in the print job history information storing unit; and   a display controlling unit that causes the display unit to display either a ready screen having information on the executable print job to be executed or a ready screen having information on the finished print job according to the determination result of the executable-job existence determining unit and the determination result of the finished-job existence determining unit.   
     
     
         32 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the display controlling unit causes the display unit to display a ready screen having information on the executable print job to be executed if the executable-job existence determining unit determines that the executable print job to be executed exists. 
     
     
         33 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the display controlling unit causes the display unit to display a ready screen having information on the finished print job if the finished-job existence determining unit determines that the finished print job exists. 
     
     
         34 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the display controlling unit causes the display unit to display a ready screen having information on the finished print job if the executable-job existence determining unit determines that any executable print jobs to be executed do not exist and the finished-job existence determining unit determines that the finished print job exists. 
     
     
         35 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the information on the executable print job to be executed contains information on a terminal device that requested execution of the executable print job to be executed. 
     
     
         36 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein the information on the executable print job to be executed further contains information on a file name of the executable print job from the terminal device. 
     
     
         37 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the information on the finished print job contains information on a terminal device that requested execution of the finished print job. 
     
     
         38 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the information on the finished print job contains information on an output tray to which a document printed in the finished print job has been output. 
     
     
         39 . The image forming apparatus according  claim 31  further comprising a display period setting-up unit that sets a display period of the ready screen to a period within the period from the end of the finished print job to the beginning of a next print job. 
     
     
         40 . A computer readable recording medium storing an image forming program that can be installed in an image forming apparatus with a display unit, the image forming program causing a computer in the image forming apparatus to perform features comprising:
 a job receipt permission determining feature for determining whether a next print job can be accepted or not with reference to a print job list stored in a print job list storing unit;   an executable-job existence determining feature for determining whether a next executable print job to be executed exists or not with reference to the print job list stored in the print job list storing unit, if in terms of the job receipt permission determining feature it is determined that a next print job can be accepted;   a finished-job existence determining feature for determining whether a finished print job exists or not with reference to history information stored in a print job history information storing unit; and   a display controlling feature for causing the display unit to display either a ready screen having information on the executable print job to be executed or a ready screen having information on the finished print job according to the determination result of the executable-job existence determining feature and the determination result of the finished-job existence determining feature.