Image forming apparatus that makes FPOT (first print out time) appropriate in accordance with time taken to expand image information and to reduce deterioration of consumable items

摘要

When a pre-rotation sequence is started at a time at which a print-start notification command is transmitted, in the case where a predicted time period is longer than a time period taken to perform the pre-rotation sequence, an appropriate FPOT is not realized. To determine whether the pre-rotation sequence can be started at a time at which a print reservation command that is to be transmitted before transmission of the print-start notification command is transmitted to the engine, a drum-rotation permission command is provided, whereby, in the case of immediately starting the pre-rotation sequence, the pre-rotation sequence can be started earlier than the pre-rotation sequence is started, reducing the FPOT. In the case of not immediately starting the pre-rotation sequence, a time period taken to perform image expansion and the time period taken to perform the pre-rotation sequence can be made to coincide with each other, reducing consumable items deterioration.

主权项

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a first control unit that controls image information for performing image formation; and a second control unit that is capable of communicating with the first control unit and that controls an image forming operation, wherein the first control unit transmits, on the basis of a result of analyzing the image information using a first analysis method and a time period taken to perform a pre-rotation sequence that is a preparation operation for starting image formation, a first command associated with the start of the pre-rotation sequence to the second control unit, wherein, after the first control unit has transmitted the first command, the first control unit transmits, on the basis of a result of analyzing the image information using a second analysis method, a second command associated with a time period taken to expand the image information, a processing load of the second analysis method being larger than that of the first analysis method, wherein, when the received first command is a command indicating that the pre-rotation sequence will be started, the second control unit starts the pre-rotation sequence in accordance with the first command, and wherein, when the received first command is not a command indicating that the pre-rotation sequence will be started, the second control unit starts the pre-rotation sequence in accordance with the second command that has been received after the second control unit has received the first command.