JP2002229394A - Printer system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To bring a printer into a printable state without letting a user wait for a longer time than necessary. SOLUTION: When a user opens a dialog box for printing from an application 11 on a host computer 1 by using a keyboard and a mouse 5, a standby mode control part 29 switches a standby mode from level 4 to level 3. Moreover, when the user outputs a print instruction from the dialog box for printing on the application 11, the standby mode control part 29 switches the standby mode from level 3 to level 2. Further, printing data are outputted from a printer driver 10 accompanied by the print instruction, the standby mode control part 29 switches the standby mode from level 2 to level 1. Furthermore, when these outputted print data are outputted to an engine 28 as print information for one page in a print data generation part 15a in a printer device 14, the standby mode control part 29 switches the standby mode from level 1 to READY.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for reducing power consumption in a printer device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a so-called plain paper facsimile apparatus and an electrophotographic printer apparatus such as a page printer have been used. In these apparatuses, a toner image formed on a sheet is fixed on the sheet by a heat fixing device. In many cases, if the time during which no print data is received and the printing operation is not performed continues for a certain fixed time or more, in order to save power consumption, for example, the power supply rate of the heater for the heat fixing unit is reduced to save power. to go into. In this power saving mode, the temperature of the thermal fixing device is controlled to be lower than the printable temperature.

FIG. 12 is a time chart showing the operation of the printer having the power saving mode. As shown in the figure, in a printer device provided with a power saving mode, a printing execution state (that is, an actual operation state of the apparatus main body, hereinafter referred to as a READY mode, a READY state, or simply READY) and an operation state The standby state (that is, the power saving state of the apparatus main body, and hereinafter, the standby mode (level 1) and the sleep mode (level 2) are repeated.

That is, in FIG.
After EADY, the state where the printing operation is not performed becomes 15
After a minute, the printer enters the level 1 standby mode. In a state in which the printing operation is not performed in the state of the level 1 standby mode, the printer enters the level 2 sleep mode for 15 minutes, and then enters the level 2 sleep mode. The printing operation is performed when the printing operation is not performed for, for example, more than 10 minutes.
The state shifts to ADY (the time required for this shift is called a wake time).

[0005]

In a printer or the like having the above-described power saving mode, the REA is increased as time passes.
A state change occurs from DY to the standby mode of level 1 and from the standby mode of level 1 to the sleep mode of level 2 (in the above case, the state changes without performing the printing operation.
A state change had occurred after 5 minutes).

For this reason, for example, when the set temperature of the heater in the standby mode is lowered, the power consumption in the standby mode is reduced, but the wake time from the release of the standby mode to the ready state is increased, and the performance is reduced. On the other hand, if the set temperature of the heater in the standby mode is increased, the above problem can be prevented, but the power consumption increases.

For example, consider a case where printing is performed every hour using a printer having the above-described power saving mode.
In this case, at the start of printing each time, the state changes from the sleep mode of level 2 to READY, so that a long wake time is required, which is inconvenient.

[0008] Further, let us consider a case where the frequency of use differs depending on the time of the day. For example, it is conceivable that the usage frequency is low during the night or during the lunch break. In this case, the time during which the printer device is not used in the standby mode may increase, and the power consumption cannot be reduced.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a host apparatus for transmitting a process having a low relevance to a processing request and a process having a high relevance to a processing request to a printer. And a printer device that has a plurality of power saving modes and operates by receiving the respective processes from a higher-level device. In the printer system, the printer device saves power for the less relevant processes. Achieved by providing a printer system having a control unit for canceling a power saving mode with a high power saving level and canceling a power saving mode with a low power saving rate for the highly relevant processing. It is possible.

Here, the processing request is a printing request, and the processing highly relevant to the processing request is to issue a printing instruction. If the request having low relevance to the processing request does not limit the content of the processing having low relevance as described in claim 2, the request that the user deems appropriate can be determined. For example, if the application program involves printing, the activation of the application can be set as a process that is less relevant to the processing request. Further, when the content of the process having low relevance is limited as in claim 3, the process that satisfies the condition of this limitation,
For example, in this case, opening a print dialog box may be a process that is less relevant to the process request.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power-saving mode having a plurality of stages, and which of the plurality of power-saving modes is set to a lower limit value for each time period of a day. Storage means for storing a table that determines the following, and a timer, in the printer device, the control means, based on the timer, from the table in the storage means,
This can be achieved by providing a printer device characterized by selecting the lower limit value for each time zone.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a host apparatus for transmitting a process highly relevant to a processing request to a printer, and a plurality of power saving modes.
In a printer system to which a printer device that receives and processes the above-described process from a higher-level device is connected, the printer device sets any one of the plurality of stages of the power saving mode to a lower limit value for each time zone of a day. Storage means for storing a table that determines whether or not, when a printing start signal is received from the higher-level device, when the printing start signal is received from the upper device, the timer is provided with a totaling means for totaling the reception time for each time zone,
A printer configured to reflect the result of the counting by the counting means in a table in the storage means, and to select the lower limit value for each time zone from the table in the storage means based on the timer. This can be achieved by providing a system.

According to the present invention, the frequency of use of the printer for each time zone of the day is always compared with the latest frequency of use by the totaling means. Can be reflected in

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. <First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a system outline diagram for explaining the present embodiment.

In FIG. 1, a host computer 1 and a printer 14 are connected. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the host computer 1 of FIG. In FIG. 1, a host computer 1 includes a processor 2, a display device 3 as a display, a keyboard 4, a mouse control unit 5, a ROM 6, a RAM 7, an operating system (OS) 8, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, and a CD-ROM.
Media drive 9 as ROM, printer driver 1
0, application program 11, printer I / F
12.

When the operator (user) turns on the power of the host computer 1, the loader (not shown) uses the loader (not shown).
The program of the OS 8 is loaded into the RAM 7. The user loads the OS 8 program with the OS 8 program loaded.
An application program 11 such as word processing software executed on S8 is executed to edit a document,
When the editing operation is completed, the edited document is output from the printer.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the printer device 14 shown in FIG. In FIG.
4 is a personal computer interface 16, a CPU 17, R
OM 18, RAM 19, panel control unit 20, buffer 2
1, analysis unit 22, drawing data processing unit 23, image memory 24, video control unit 25, engine controller 2
6, the print head 27 and the like.

In this example, when the user performs a series of operations such as editing a document and printing the edited document by operating a keyboard and a mouse, these series of operations are performed as follows.
The operations are classified into three categories: (a) operations highly relevant to printing, (b) operations low relevant to printing, and (c) operations other than the above (a) and (b).

In this example, the operation of opening the print dialog box is performed as the operation (b), and the OK button is left-clicked while the print dialog box is opened as the operation (a). , A print request to the printer).

The condition common to both the above (a) and (b) is that the operation is always performed when printing is performed. On the other hand, the difference between the above (a) and (b) is that in the above (b), an option of whether or not to print is given regardless of the passage of time (only by opening a print dialog box, The user
On the other hand, in (a) above, the print request has already been transmitted to the printer, and if left unattended, the document is printed from the printer. Output.

In this case, even if the user issues a print cancel request, if the request is delayed, the printing may be terminated (immediately after the print request is issued, printing is not performed by the print cancel request. You have options, but over time this option will disappear.)

In the present embodiment, as a result of the print instruction from the printer in (a), (a-1) output of print data from the printer driver, (a-2) one page Output to the engine due to the completion of the print information, and as a whole, READY
The configuration has four standby modes in addition to the state.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing how the state transition between these modes occurs. By the operation (b), the standby mode state at level 4 is released to level 3. At the time when the operation (b) is performed, if the level of the standby mode is 3 to 1, the level release operation is not performed.

When the print instruction is output from the application program on the host computer to the printer by the operation (a), the standby mode at level 3 is released to level 2. When the operation (a) is performed and the level of the standby mode is 2 or 1, the level release operation is not performed.

According to the above (a-1), information is sent to the printer in accordance with the output of the print data from the printer driver in the host computer, and the standby mode at level 2 is released to level 1. Is done. At the time of (a-1), if the level of the standby mode is 1, the level release operation is not performed.

According to the above (a-2), information is sent to the standby mode control unit in response to the engine output by the completion of one page of print information in the printer main body issued by the I / F controller, and the information is at level 1. The standby mode state is released, and control is performed so as to be ready. As the information of (a-2), it is not necessary to wait until the printing information of one page is completed.
When% is completed, standby release information may be generated.

Further, in the above example, an application such as word processing software which easily accompanies printing is used. However, it is not necessary to use the word processing software. Instead of opening a dialog box, for example, the application may be triggered. It is also possible to classify applications based on whether the application involves printing or not, and to change the content of the above (b) according to the type of application according to this classification.

In the above example, the print instruction is issued from the application program. However, the print instruction does not necessarily go through the application program.
It is also possible to give a print instruction by specifying a specific document (such as a text file) from the OS.

FIG. 5 shows a configuration diagram of the software of this embodiment. In the figure, on the OS of the host computer,
It is assumed that a plurality of applications (abbreviated as AP in the figure) can be executed, and a print instruction is issued from each of the APs to a printer-side I / F controller via a printer driver. This print instruction is indicated by a broken arrow in FIG. 5 as a flow of the standby release request. When the print engine receives the standby release request via the I / F controller, the print engine notifies the I / F controller of the changed standby status in accordance with the release request. The I / F controller that has received the standby status notifies the higher-level printer driver of the standby status.

Similarly, the notification of the standby status is performed in the order of the printer driver and the application.
The standby status is indicated by a solid arrow in FIG. FIG. 6 shows an application (or OS),
9 is a flowchart when the printer driver and the I / F controller receive a standby status and when a print command is received. In the following, for simplicity, I
The flow of the flowchart will be described by limiting to the / F controller. Further, the application program in the case of issuing a print instruction from the application program does not receive the standby release request in FIG. 6 and does not receive the print command. Also,
The same applies to the OS when issuing a print instruction from the OS.

In the normal mode, when the I / F controller receives the standby status (YES in S601 and S602), the received standby level is stored (S60).
603), and notifies the stored standby level to the higher level (S604). If the I / F controller has received the standby release request command (YES in S605), the I / F controller transfers the standby release request command to a lower level (S606).

If the I / F controller has received the print command (YES in S607), in S608
It is determined whether the stored standby level is its own standby level. This is, as shown in FIG.
In the case of the / F controller, only the standby mode state at level 1 is released to be ready, so that when the level of this standby mode is other than 1, it is not necessary to transmit a standby release request command to the lower level. It is.

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart when the print engine receives a standby release request and when it receives a print command. If printing has not been performed for 5 minutes or more (YES in S702), the standby level is lowered by one from the current level (S70).
3), and notifies the I / F controller of the updated standby level (S704). If the current standby level is already 4 in this step S703, the level cannot be lowered any more, so that the current standby level value is maintained.

When the print engine receives the standby release request command (Yes in S705),
Increase the standby level by one level from the current level (S
706), the updated standby level is notified to the I / F controller (S707). This S706
, The current standby level is already READY
In the case of, since the level cannot be raised any more, the current value of the standby level is maintained as it is.

If the print engine has received the print command (YES in S708), the print engine is set to the READY state (S709), and then the standby level is set to RE.
The I / F controller is notified of the ADY state (S710). As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, since the standby release timing is advanced by the device or program closer to the user performing standby release, the warm-up time of the heater of the fixing device is increased. It is no longer a problem, and the printer can be put in print-ready state without waiting unnecessarily. <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the printer controller 40 of this embodiment and its peripherals. In FIG. 8, the CPU 4
1 is a ROM in which a printer control program is stored
An instruction is read out from 42 and various controls are executed. The timer 45 has a clock and a calendar function, and is turned off.
It is also operated by a battery (not shown).

FIG. 9 shows a temporal change pattern of the fixing roll temperature corresponding to each power saving mode. Printer power ON
Thereafter, the mode is changed to the READY mode (a in the figure), and printing is enabled. However, in the printer device of this example, when the time during which printing is not performed reaches a certain value, the temperature of the fixing roll is controlled to decrease. b
As shown in 〜f, different time change patterns are shown.

That is, FIG. 2B shows a state in which a transition is made from a level 1 standby mode (abbreviated to STB1; the same applies hereinafter) to a READY mode in response to a print instruction.
FIG. 4D shows a case where a transition is made to the READY mode in response to a print instruction from STB2.
FIG. 5E shows the state when the mode changes to the DY mode, and FIG.
Indicates a transition from the sleep mode to the ready mode in response to a print instruction. In the second embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, a sleep mode (also referred to as SLEEP) is provided in addition to the four standby modes (STB1 to STB4).

FIG. 10 shows the above-mentioned modes (READY, STB1 to STB4, SLEEP) for each time zone of the day.
This indicates which of the modes is set as the lower limit. In the figure, the printer does not operate because it does not normally work during the time period after 10:00 p.m. and before 7:00 in the morning and during lunch break (12:00 to 1:00), and the power saving mode is SLE.
The mode is set to the EP mode. On the other hand, from 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning and from 3:00 to 6:00 in the afternoon, the printer is frequently used.
The power saving mode is a READY mode. In order to create such a table, for example, it is conceivable to actually record the frequency of use of the printer for each time zone of the day. A plurality of types of mode patterns are stored in the ROM 42 and can be selected by the user. The selected mode pattern is stored in the EEPROM 44 and
Reference numeral 41 reads a timer 45 at any time, selects a mode suitable for the corresponding time, and controls the fixing temperature controller 51 via the I / O port 50.

As described above, in FIG. 10, the value of the mode determined for each time zone indicates the lower limit of the time change of the power saving mode in this time zone. More specifically, in FIG. 9A, the lower limit is set to the default SLEEP mode, and the time change pattern is as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, in FIG. 4B, the lower limit is set to the READY mode. For this reason, in the time period shown in FIG. 9B, the fixing roll temperature is set to the temperature corresponding to the READY mode (20 in FIG. 9).
(Less than 0 ° C.). Also, in FIG.
This lower limit is STB2. For this reason, the fixing roll temperature that was in the READY mode at the start of the time zone in FIG. C shows, for example, a time-varying pattern as shown in FIG.

In the figure, since the lower limit of the fixing roll temperature is given by STB2, unless a print instruction is given, a-b
The fixing roll temperature decreases in the order of −c. Thereafter, when there is a print instruction (point A in FIG. 11), the STB2 changes the READY state.
Transition to mode occurs. As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the power saving mode can be selected according to the usage pattern of the printer for each time zone. By setting the mode to the READY mode, the wake time can be reduced. By setting the power saving mode to a mode in which the temperature of the fixing roll is low, such as the SLEEP mode, during a period of time when the power is hardly used, power consumption can be reduced. <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The third embodiment of the present invention is the second embodiment of the present invention.
Is applied to a printer connected to a host computer via a network. That is, in this example, the use frequency of the printer is constantly monitored, and the mode pattern is updated as needed in accordance with the use frequency of the individual user.

As a method of monitoring the frequency of use, the time is read by the timer 45 shown in FIG. 8 every time a print start signal is received by the I / F controller 47 shown in FIG. The data is collected over several days and compared with the current mode pattern. If there is any deviation, the mode pattern after the correction is corrected.
And store it in M44.

As described above, according to the third embodiment, it is possible to select the power saving mode according to the usage pattern of the individual user.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention, the standby release timing is advanced by the device or program closer to the user performing the standby release, so that the heater of the fixing unit is warmed up. Time does not become a bottleneck, and the printer can be put into a printable state without waiting unnecessarily.

Further, according to the present invention, the power saving mode can be selected according to the usage of the printer for each time zone. By setting, the wake time can be reduced. By setting the power saving mode to a mode in which the temperature of the fixing roll is low, such as the SLEEP mode, during a period of time when the power is hardly used, power consumption can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to select a power saving mode according to the usage form of the individual user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a host computer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of the printer according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a standby release request and a standby status according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows an application,
5 is a flowchart illustrating processing performed by an OS, a printer driver, and an I / F controller.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating processing performed by a print engine in the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a print controller and peripherals according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a pattern of a temporal change of a fixing roll temperature with respect to each power saving mode in the second embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing which mode is the lower limit value for each time zone of the day in the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment in which the lower limit is STB2.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a pattern of a temporal change of a fixing roll temperature when

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a pattern of a temporal change of a fixing roll temperature in a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host computer 2 Processor 3 Display device 4 Keyboard 5 Mouse 6 ROM 7 RAM 8 OS 9 FD / CDROM 10 Printer driver 11 Application program 12 Printer I / F 14 Printer device 15 I / F controller 15a Print data generator 16 Personal computer interface 17 CPU 18 ROM 19 RAM 20 Panel control unit 21 Buffer 22 Analysis unit 23 Drawing data processing unit 24 Image memory 25 Video control unit 26 Engine controller 27 Print head 28 Engine 29 Standby mode control unit 40 Printer controller 41 CPU 42 ROM 43 RAM 44 EEPROM 45 TIMER 46, 48 Parallel / serial I / O 47 I / F controller 49 Head controller 50, 52, 54, 56 I / O port 51 Fixing temperature controller 53 Sensor 55 Motor 57 High voltage unit

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) G06F 1/32 H04N 1/00 C 5C073 3/12 1/29 H H04N 1/00 G03G 21/00 372 1 / 29 G06F 1/00 332Z (72) Inventor Takashi Mori 2-229 Sakuragaoka, Higashiyamato-shi, Tokyo Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Tokyo Office F-term (reference) 2C061 AP03 AQ06 HH11 HK19 HT05 HT13 2H027 DA38 DA50 ED25 EE08 EF16 FA25 FA35 FB19 FC08 5B011 EB08 LL14 5B021 AA01 MM02 5C062 AA13 AB22 AB49 BA04 5C074 AA17 BB02 CC26 DD08 DD09 DD16 EE06 EE14

Claims (7)

[Claims] A host device that transmits a process having a low relevance to the processing request and a process having a high relevance to the processing request to the printer device; And a printer device that receives and operates the printer device, wherein the printer device cancels the power saving mode of a high power saving rate level for the less relevant process, and A printer system comprising control means for canceling a power saving mode of a low power saving rate for processing. 2. The printer system according to claim 1, wherein the processing request is a printing request, and the highly relevant processing includes a printing instruction and a plurality of processings generated in accordance with the printing instruction. 3. The low-relevancy processing is always performed before the high-relevancy processing is performed, and the option of not performing the high-relevancy processing during the low-relevancy processing is time-dependent. 2. An operation which does not change as time elapses.
Or the printer system according to 2. 4. The printer according to claim 1, wherein said control means cancels said power saving mode by switching a set temperature of a heating device in said printer.
3. The printer system according to any one of 3. 5. A storage device that has a plurality of power saving modes, and stores a table that determines which of the plurality of power saving modes is the lower limit for each time zone of the day, a timer, The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the control means selects the lower limit value for each time zone from a table in the storage means based on the timer. 6. A higher-level device that transmits a process highly relevant to a processing request to a printer device, a printer device that has a plurality of power saving modes, receives the process from the higher-level device, and operates. In the printer system to which is connected, the printer device includes a storage unit that stores a table that determines which of the plurality of stages of the power saving mode is the lower limit value for each time zone of the day, and a timer, When receiving a print start signal from the higher-level device, the timer includes a counting unit that counts the reception time for each time zone by the timer, and reflects a counting result by the counting unit in a table in the storage unit; Wherein the lower limit value is selected for each time zone from a table in the storage means based on the timer. 7. The printer according to claim 5, wherein the selection of the lower limit by the control unit is performed by switching a maintenance set temperature of a heating device in the printer device. Printer system.