IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF CHANGING EXECUTION ORDER OF JOBS, METHOD OF CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

摘要

An image forming apparatus capable of changing the execution order of jobs to thereby suppress occurrence of downtime caused when an operator cannot replenish or replace a consumable. A print queue manages the execution order of jobs. A paper-out prediction section predicts a time at which replenishment or replacement of a consumable to be consumed by the execution of the jobs becomes necessary. An operator absence schedule input section receives an input of a time period during which an operator who is to replenish or replace the consumable cannot replenish or replace the consumable. A job order automatic changing section changes the execution order of the jobs such that the predicted time will not come during the time period, when possible.

主权项

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a time prediction unit configured to predict a time period required from start to completion of execution of each of jobs; a queue management unit configured to manage an execution order of the jobs; a time prediction unit configured to predict a time at which replenishment or replacement of a consumable to be consumed by the execution of the jobs becomes necessary; an input unit configured to have a time period input thereto during which an operator who is to replenish or replace the consumable cannot replenish or replace the consumable; and an order changing unit configured to, when it is possible to change the execution order of the jobs managed by said queue management unit such that the time predicted by said time prediction unit will not come during the time period input via said input unit, change the execution order of the jobs such that the predicted time will not come during the input time period.