JP3093342B2 - Power saving method and printing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a power saving method and a printing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an information processing unit and a print control unit, which are main control units, are individually controlled to save power in a print unit of a system device independently controlled, transition states such as a stop state and a standby state are considered. And their management was performed by the main control unit.

[0003]

However, in the above conventional example, there is a problem that the busy state is present at various places due to the convenience of the printing unit, and the main control unit is in a waiting state during that time. Also, when transferring data such as print data to the printing unit, the printing unit side is not accepted unless it is in a standby state,
Both time and power were wasted.

[0004] In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a printing apparatus for power saving that can save power consumption by performing fine power saving control.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a method for power saving according to the present invention comprises an active mode and an active mode in which driving power is supplied to a printer unit and the printer unit is ready for printing. Ready power is not supplied to the printer unit compared to
Sleep Mode in which the clock of the CPU that controls the printer unit is slower than in Mode and Ready Mode
It is characterized in that a Stop Mode in which no clock is supplied to the CPU is switched compared to de and Sleep Mode. Further, the printing apparatus of the present invention, printing means for printing based on the received data,
Active Mode, Act in which drive power is supplied to the printing unit and the printing unit is ready to print.
Ready Mode, Ready Mode in which drive power is not supplied to the printing means as compared to the active mode.
Sleep Mode and Sleep Mo in which the clock of the CPU controlling the printing means is slower than that of
Stop where no clock is supplied to the CPU compared to de
It is characterized by having processing means for switching the mode.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as a personal computer) as an information processing apparatus according to the present invention. The personal computer 1 includes an apparatus main body 101, a keyboard 1
02, an upper cover 104 having a display unit 103, and each unit such as the printer 2. Upper cover 104
Is rotatably attached to the apparatus main body 101 via hinges 104a provided at both ends of the rear edge. As a result, when the apparatus is used, the upper cover 104
The display unit 103 can be opened to a position where the display unit 103 can be easily viewed by its rotation, and can be closed when not in use to function as a cover. As a display element of the display unit 103, a liquid crystal display element is used because the display unit can be thin.

A printer unit 2 using an ink jet recording head is disposed in front of a display unit 103,
It is stored in the apparatus main body 101. The printer unit 2 has an opening (not shown) that can be opened and closed by an operator so that the recording head can be replaced.

The recording paper 3 is inserted from a paper feed port 101a provided below the keyboard 102, is conveyed in a conveyance path penetrating the inside of the apparatus main body 101, and is discharged from a paper discharge port (not shown) at the rear of the apparatus. You. The keyboard 102 is the device body 1
01 is rotatably mounted via hinges 102a provided on both sides. Thus, even when a relatively short recording paper such as an envelope or a postcard is used, the keyboard 102 can be opened upward and the recording paper 3 can be inserted deep into the transport path. As described above, since the transport path of the recording paper 3 is provided below the keyboard 102, even when the recording paper is set, the keyboard 102 and the display unit 103 are provided.
Various operations using the printer operation SW 105 are possible.

[Schematic Block Diagram of Host-Printer] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a host computer and a printer.

First, in the host computer, the central processing unit (CPU) controls the main control, and the BIOS ROM instructs the basic control.
(Basic Input Output System
m ROM). From floppy disk (FDD) and hard disk (HDD) to floppy disk controller (FDC) and hard disk controller (H
DC) to read the application program and execute the program using the system memory (RAM). At this time, the screen display method is LC
Characters and the like are displayed on a liquid crystal (LCD) using a D controller (LCDC), and key input from a keyboard (KB) is performed via a keyboard controller (KBC). Here, a numerical processor (FP)
U) supports arithmetic processing for the CPU. The real-time clock (RTC) indicates the current elapsed time. Even when the power of the entire system is turned off, the operation is performed by the dedicated battery. A DMA controller (DMAC) performs data transfer without a CPU in order to perform high-speed data transfer between memory and memory, between memory and I / O, and between I / O and I / O. Interrupt controller (IRQC)
Receives an interrupt from each I / O and performs processing according to the priority. The timer (TIMER) has a free running timer of several channels and performs various time managements. In addition, there are a serial interface (SIO) and an expansion port (PORT) connected to the outside, and an LED for notifying a user of an operation state.

In addition to the above-described controls of a general personal computer, a notebook personal computer (personal computer) must be compatible with at least two power supplies of an AC adapter / battery. It requires power and has the following configuration. EL inverter circuit on-off / power supply to FDD / power supply to HDD / printer-off / time control of power supply to devices other than RAM and VRAM, CLOCK control of CPU etc., suspend / resume A host power management unit (host PM unit) for controlling a power control procedure and the like at the time of operation, and a RAM based on an instruction signal from the host PM unit.
A refresh controller for switching the VRAM between the suspend mode and the cpu-clock mode to refresh the VRAM; and a charge controller capable of driving the host while charging the secondary battery.

The printer is connected to the host computer by a general-purpose parallel interface.
Data transmission / reception is performed at the register level of the I / O port, and the image of the connection is the same as when exchanging with an external printer.

[Structure of Printer Driver] FIG. 4 shows the structure of a print head and a head driver.

Here, in the present embodiment, the discharge unit has 64 discharge ports, and # 1 to # 64 indicate numbers corresponding to the positions of the discharge ports provided in the discharge unit. R1 to R64 are heating resistors as ejection energy generating elements provided corresponding to the ejection ports # 1 to # 64, respectively. The heating resistors R1 to R64 are divided into blocks each having eight units, and the switching transistors Q1 to Q8 of the common side driver circuit are commonly used for each block.
Is connected. The transistors Q1 to Q8 turn on / off the energization paths in accordance with on / off of the control signals COM1 to COM8, respectively. In addition, D1 to D64 arranged on the current supply path to each of the heating resistors R1 to R64 are diodes for preventing backflow.

The on / off transistors Q9 to Q16 of the segment side driver circuit are connected to the heating resistors at the corresponding positions between the blocks. The transistors Q1 to Q16 control signals SEG1 to SEG, respectively.
The power supply path to the heating resistor is turned on / off according to the on / off operation of 8.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart for driving the head according to the above configuration. At a certain position in the head scanning direction, the common-side control signals COM8 to COM1 are sequentially turned on. When the switch is turned on, one block is selected and becomes energized. Therefore, in the selected block, the segment-side control signal S according to the recorded image is selected.
By turning on or off each of EG8 to SEG1, the heating resistor is selectively energized, and the ink is ejected according to the heat generation to perform dot recording.

FIG. 13 shows a printer unit 2 using an ink jet recording system to which the present invention is embodied or applied.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining an internal configuration of the device. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 5001 denotes an ink tank, and reference numeral 5012 denotes a recording head coupled thereto. The ink tank 5001 and the print head 5012 form an integral replaceable cartridge. Reference numeral 5014 denotes a carriage for attaching the cartridge to the printer body, and reference numeral 5003 denotes a guide for scanning the carriage in the sub-scanning direction.

Reference numeral 5000 denotes a platen roller for scanning the recording paper 3 in the main scanning direction. Reference numeral 5024 denotes a paper feed motor for rotating the platen roller. The carriage 5014 includes a flexible cable (not shown) for supplying a signal pulse current for driving and a current for controlling the head temperature to the recording head 5012, a print cable having an electric circuit for controlling the printer. It is connected to a plate (not shown).

Further, the printer unit 2 having the above configuration will be described in detail. The carriage 5014 that engages with the spiral groove 5004 of the lead screw 5005 that rotates via the driving force transmission gears 5011 and 5009 in conjunction with the forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor 5013 has a pin (not shown).
It is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b. Reference numeral 5002 denotes a paper holding plate, which applies paper to the platen 5 in the carriage movement direction.
000. Reference numerals 5007 and 5008 denote home position detecting means for confirming the presence of the lever 5006 of the carriage 5014 in this area by photocouplers and switching the rotation direction of the motor 5013. 5016
Denotes a cap member 502 for capping the front surface of the recording head.
Reference numeral 5015 denotes a suction unit for sucking the inside of the cap, and performs suction recovery of the recording head 5012 through the opening 5023 in the cap.

Reference numeral 5017 denotes a cleaning blade.
Reference numeral 019 denotes a member that enables the blade 5017 to move in the front-rear direction, and these members are supported by the main body support plate 5018. It goes without saying that the blade is not limited to this form, and a well-known cleaning blade can be applied to this embodiment. Reference numeral 5021 denotes a lever for starting suction for suction recovery, and a cam 502 which engages with the carriage 5014.
It moves with the movement of 0, and the driving force from the drive motor is controlled by known transmission means such as clutch switching.

That is, by reversely rotating the drive motor 5013 from the home position of the carriage 5014, the power transmission gear 5011 is switched to 5010 (not shown), and the drive force from the drive motor 5013 is changed to the cam 5020.
To the lever 5021 via the
It is configured so that capping, cleaning, and suction recovery can be performed.

[Block Diagram of Printer] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a control system of the printer unit.

Here, the CPU-P is a microprocessor-type CPU that performs main control of the printer unit, and executes desired processing based on printer commands and data obtained from a host via a parallel IF described later. ROM
-P is a ROM for storing programs, character generators (CG), and other fixed data corresponding to recording control procedures and the like executed by the CPU-P, and RAM-P is a work area used as a register and print data for one line. TIMER, RTC-P with a RAM having areas such as a line buffer for storing data, a dot development buffer re-developed into dots, an INPUT buffer from a parallel IF, etc.
TIMER1-P for obtaining a drive phase time of a paper feed motor (FM) / heater, etc. RTC for knowing the elapsed time of the recovery operation, and IF transfer control / power saving control / RAM
A combined control unit combining access control / printer port control is connected to the BUS of the CPU-P. Each printer drive control signal is output from the complex control UNIT, and the FM drive circuit / CM drive circuit / head driver /
The heater driver converts the drive level into a drive level such as FM / CM / BJ-Head / heater. Vcc1P-off / Vcc from composite control UNIT as power saving control signal
It has a power control signal of 2P-off / Vp-off and Printer-off / printer sensors / operation panel as input signals. Print
The power supply of Vcc1-P is performed only by the change from the active state to the inactive state of the er-off signal, and the power supply can be performed only to the composite control UNIT / CPU-P / RAM-P. Vcc1P-off is equal to Prin
The ter-off signal is adjusted according to the driving condition of the printer,
The power supply Vcc1P can be turned off at the changed OFF timing. That is, the power is not cut off when the head is in the cap open state, and no fatal trouble is caused.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of the composite control unit.

The functional blocks are mainly a parallel IF adapter functioning as an IF adapter from the host side, and the RAM-P input port via the parallel IF adapter.
IF-data fetch controller for storing parallel data on out-buffer (IB), refresh controller for generating refresh timing of RAM-P, RA
A BJ-head / CM control unit that reads out the one-line dot development data (PB) on the MP and drives and prints the BJ head and also controls the phase magnetism of the carrier, and an FM / heater / LED etc. A printer port controller to be driven;
F data capture controller, refresh controller and BJ-
A head / CM control unit, a RAM access control unit that has an access right according to priority for the four access requests of the CPU-P, and a printer PM unit that performs power saving control. Note that INT is an interrupt signal used for a hard interrupt in FIG. 22 described later. It is generated based on a signal from the IF data capture control unit, the paper insertion sensor, or the panel SW, and generates an interrupt signal to the CPU-P.
This is the hard interrupt shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the IO register (PIO / IO) seen from the host side of the parallel IF adapter. IF send data / IF receive is shown.
data / IF status / Buffer SP
/ IF control registers.

FIG. 8 shows the configuration of the IO register (PIF / IO) that can be seen from the printer side in the IF data fetching control unit, but IB start / IB end / IB P
OINT / IB status / IB control information / IB
It consists of each register of send date.

FIG. 9 shows the configuration of an IO register (PFM / IO) that can be seen from the printer side in the printer port control unit. The configuration is made up of registers for FM phase magnetism / SH heater signal / LED control.

FIG. 10 shows the configuration of the IO register (PBJ / IO) seen from the printer side in the BJ-head / CM control unit. PB start / PB end / PB
POINT / PB status / PB control information / CM
It consists of each register of Aitomagnet.

FIG. 11 shows the configuration of an IO register (PFM / IO) that can be seen from the printer side in the printer PM unit, and is composed of each register of PPM status / PPM control information.

FIG. 12 shows a print buffer (PB) controlled by the BJ-head / CM controller on the RAM-P of FIG.
Receiving buffer (IB) controlled by F data capture control unit
The area arrangement of the address of FIG.

The print buffer area is for setting a data area necessary for printing, and has a start address (PB STAR).
T) and the end address (PB END), the stored data is read out in order from the start address by the BJ-head / CM control unit within that range, and the stored data is read out from the RAM-P until the end address is reached. ,
Sends a control signal to the head driver. At this time, the print data address pointer (PB point) indicates the data address of the data currently being transmitted and the data being transmitted.

Similarly, the reception data buffer area sets a data area necessary for reception, and includes a start address (I
B START) and the end address (IB END), the stored data is read out from the start address by the IF data acquisition control unit in that range, and the stored data is read out from the RAM-P until the end address is reached. Sends a control signal to the head driver.
At this time, the reception data address pointer (IB point)
Indicates a data address at which data has been received.

FIG. 14 shows the detailed layout of the memory map on the RAM on the host side in FIG. The RAM has addresses 0000h to A0000h as standard areas and 100,000h to FE0000h as extended areas.
The area has a size of 40 KB and 15 MB. RAM
Are memory mapped so as to be arranged in these areas.

The first part 00000h of the standard area of the RAM
000400h has an area for storing an interrupt vector, in which an entry address of each process for the interrupt is stored.

The video RAM area shown in FIG.
The IOS ROM area is arranged in the LCDC of FIG. 2, the video BIOS ROM area holds a program for video control, and the video RAM area holds video display data.

The area from C8000h to E0000h is an extended ROM area and is a ROM area used by an extended port or the like.

The area from F0000h to 10000h is arranged in the ROM BIOS and holds a BIOS program for performing various I / O processes.

FIG. 15 shows an address map of each I / O. Data is exchanged with each piece of hardware by reading and writing data to and from address ports set in each piece of hardware. Explaining a keyboard as an example, data exchange with a keyboard controller is performed via ports arranged at addresses 60h to 64h, and data from the keyboard can be received by reading out a data receiving port among these ports. .

The same applies to other addresses.

Here, what is indicated by the parallel centronics 1 to 3 indicates the interface area, which is an I / O space common to the interface area of the printer.

FIGS. 16 and 17 show the contents of the interrupt vector of FIG. 14 in detail, where hardware interrupts from Oh to Fh are assigned to software interrupts, and interrupt interrupts from software after 10h are assigned to software interrupts.

The program of the address registered in each entry is executed for each interrupt. Each entry contains a ROM BIOS program or RAM
An address to a program in the program is set, and each processing is executed at the time of hardware interruption and at the time of software interruption, and each processing is performed.

Hereinafter, each process after the main body power is turned on will be described.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart when the power is turned on.
First, the process proceeds to step S1. The soft reset process using the keyboard also enters step S1, as in the case of turning on the power. POST processing is performed in step S1, and POS processing is performed.
The T process is a power-on-self-test, in which each hardware is tested and initialized. Next, proceeding to step S2, a boot program is loaded for starting the system program. The boot program is stored in a floppy disk (FD) or a hard disk (HD), and is arranged in, for example, track 0, sector 0. The boot program is loaded by reading track 0 and sector 0 into the memory. Steps S1 to S2 exist in the ROM BIOS. Next, the process proceeds to step S3, where the loaded boot program is executed. The boot program is F
D or a program for loading a program for loading an OS program from the HD. Then, the process proceeds to step S4 to load an OS load program. Next, the process proceeds to step S5, where the OS load program is executed. The OS load program is a program for loading the OS into the memory, and first loads the I / O driver in step S6. An I / O driver is an I / O driver.
This is a program for controlling O, and the OS exchanges data with various I / Os by means of an I / O driver.
Next, the process proceeds to step S7, where an I / O test and initialization are performed. Next, the process proceeds to step S8 to load the OS into the memory. When the preparations for the execution of the OS in the steps up to this point are completed, the process proceeds to step S9, where the OS is executed. The OS processes input from the keyboard, displays various messages on a display, and exchanges with the operator. The OS executes various command processes according to the input of various commands by the operator.

FIG. 19 is a flow chart for explaining the POST of S1 in FIG. 18 in detail. A test is performed on the FPU (numerical operation processor) in FIG. 2 (step S10). Next, the ROM is tested (step S11). Next, the power supply and the battery are checked (step S1).
2). Next, the LCD adapter for testing and initializing the LCD and the LCD adapter includes a RAM and a ROM, and also checks them (step S13). Next, the interrupt controller is tested and initialized (step S
14). Next, a timer test is performed (step S1).
5). Next, a test of the DMA controller is performed (step S16). Next, a keyboard and a keyboard controller are tested (step S17). Next, test and initialization of the serial / parallel port are performed (step S
18). Next, it is checked whether it is a soft reset (step S19). If it is a soft reset, the process skips the RAM test and initialization process in step S20 and proceeds to step S21. If it is not a soft reset, the process proceeds to step S20 to test and initialize the RAM. Then F
The test of D is performed (step S21). Next, an HD test is performed (step S22). Next, a test of the real-time clock is performed (step S23). Next, a printer test is performed. The printer test checks various printer ports and printer connection (step S24). Next, an LED test is performed (step S25). Then come back. By the above processing, the POST processing shown in S1 of FIG. 18 is performed, and when there is an error or the like in each device, the error is notified.

FIG. 33 is a detailed flowchart of capping. By rotating the drive motor 5013 in the reverse direction from the home position of the carriage 5014, the power transmission gear is switched, and the lever 502 is switched via the cam 5020.
Move 1 In order to move the lever 5021 to the capping position, the following three controls (S301 to S303) are required as a capping flow. First, when the carriage 5014 is at the home position, the drive motor 5013 is rotated in the reverse direction by 34 steps, and the drive transmission gears 5010 and 5011 are switched (S301). Next, the cap member 50 is further rotated 11 steps in the reverse direction.
22 once away from the recording head 5012 (S30).
2) Further, the cap member 5022 is further rotated 45 steps in the opposite direction to press the cap member 5022 against the surface of the recording head 5012, and
The capping is completed (S303).

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram of the software control flow on the printer side.

In step S51, initialization processing is performed. If Printer-off setting has been performed by the host, the process proceeds to S56 to be END, and if Printer-off setting has not been performed by the host, the process proceeds to S52. Similarly, in the power saving control process of S52, the host sends a Printer-
If the “off” setting has been made, the process moves to S56 and becomes END.
If the Printer-off setting has not been made from the host, the process proceeds to three parallel processes of S53, S54, and S55. S53 is a dot data expansion process for expanding character code data in the line buffer into actual one-line dot data. S54 is a process in which dot data of the next line is aligned and a print start command for that line is executed or a sequential execution command is issued. In a series of printing processes when executed, S5
Reference numeral 5 denotes a command fetch analysis process for interpreting commands and data fetched into the INPUT buffer and creating a line buffer. When the processes of S53, S54, and S55 are completed, the process returns to the power saving control process of S52 again.

FIG. 21 is a detailed flowchart of the initialization processing of FIG.

At S61, an interrupt MASK process is performed, and at S6
Proceed to 2. In S62, ROM-P, RAM-P, TI
A device check such as MER-P is performed, and the flow advances to S63. In S63, the above registers (PIF / IO, PFM
/ IO, PBJ / IO, PPM / IO), etc., to initialize the device IO register to the desired settings, and then proceed to S65. In S65, it is determined whether the printer is in the cap position.
If NO, the printer initialization process of mechanically positioning the printer in S66, and the recovery process of capping after repeating the recovery suction of the head until ink is discharged, and then proceed to S70. PRINTE in S70
Depending on the presence or absence of R-off, the flow branches into a flow following S71, S72, and S73 and a flow returning to main as it is. A series of processes from S71 to S73 in the presence of PRINTER-off is performed by sleep, which will be described later.
This is the procedure of the CPU-P when shifting to the Mode.
/ IO is set to Sleep Mode and CPU-P is set to H
alt processing. Also, PRINTER-of
If f does not exist, the process returns to main.

FIG. 22 is a detailed flowchart of the power saving control process of FIG.

At S80, an interrupt MASK process is performed, and at S8
Proceed to 1. In S81, according to whether or not the printer drive control is being performed, if the printer drive control is being performed, the interrupt MASK is canceled in S103, and the process returns to Main. If the printer drive control is not being performed, the process proceeds to S82. In S82, 1
If the one-dot dot data development process has been completed according to whether or not the line dot data development process has been completed, the printer is currently operating in S83 depending on whether or not the printer is currently operating. In this case, the process proceeds to step S103. If the printer is not currently operating, the printer driving power supply Vp is turned on in step S84, and the process also proceeds to step S103. Returning to the original, if the one-line dot data development process is not completed, the process proceeds to S85.
After Vp is turned off in S85, the process proceeds to S86. If the dot data development process is completed depending on whether the dot data development process is completed, the process proceeds to S88 and the dot data development process is completed. If not, S87
In S87, depending on whether Printer-off is present or absent, if PRINTER-off is present, the process proceeds to S71 in FIG. 21 to perform END processing in S71 and S72, and if PRINTER-off is not present, the same applies. The process proceeds to S103. In S88, depending on whether or not there is data in the INPUT buffer, if there is no data in the INPUT buffer, the process proceeds to S87, and the INPUT is performed.
If there is data in the buffer, at S90 TIME
The RP setting mode is released, and the subsequent S91, S92, S
Reference numeral 93 denotes a procedure which is performed in such a manner that the hardware 93 is set to wake up again by an external interrupt. After setting sleep, the hardware interrupt is released and Halt is set. If there is a hardware interrupt in the state of S93, S100, S101, S
Halt release corresponding to 102, Ready release such as command release corresponding to Sleep release and hardware interrupt
Mode resumption processing is performed, and the process proceeds to S103.

FIG. 23 is a diagram in which the state of the printer PM changes according to conditions.

After the RESET, the printer PM is in the state indicated by A, but changes to the state indicated by B when the sleep of the PMM / IO is set. The change in state A is cp
There is no other change than A → B due to the sleep setting of uP.
Next, there are two kinds of changes in the state B, that is, the state changes to the state A due to the occurrence of paper insertion, operation SW, data input, and the like, and the state changes to the state C by a Printer-off signal from the host.

FIG. 24 is a transition diagram of the entire printer system.

The states are as follows: all clocks, STOP MODE without power supply, all power supplies and CL
ActiveMod with normal OCK and printable
e, ReadyMode in which printer drive power is not supplied compared to Active Mode, and Vcc power supply to only CPU-P, controller and RAM-P, and CPU-P and RAM-P are basically stopped. Sleep Mode, which only holds the contents of the memory and the registers.

A description will be given below in connection with the change system of each mode and the control system of the CPU-P and the change system of the controller.

At the time of RESET, the mode becomes READY Mode, which is realized by using a change system of RESET → A in FIG.

Next, for READY Mode, R
The first change from the EASY Mode is READY
Mode → Active Mode and S in FIG.
By 84, the CPU-P controls. READY Mo
In the second variation system from de, if there is no data that can be processed in a state where printing is completed in a series of processes of CPU-P from S81 to S93 in FIG. 22, Sleep is set in the controller and Halt is set. By Sleep setting,
The controller changes A → B in FIG.
The mode changes from DY Mode to Sleep Mode.

For Active Mode, Ac
The change system from the active mode is only one mode.
The active mode → READY mode is controlled by the CPU-P in S85 of FIG.

In Sleep Mode, Sleep
The first change system from epMode is Sleep Mode.
In the de-> READY mode, a change from B to A in FIG. 23 occurs due to paper insertion, operation SW, data input, and the like, and a hardware interrupt is generated for the CPU-P.
The PU-P side returns from S100 to S103 in FIG. The second variation from Sleep Mode is P
Sleep by the condition in the writer-off signal
In Mode → Stop Mode, it is a change of B → C in FIG. 23 in the controller, and control of the CPU-P does not intervene.

Therefore, when data is not delivered, since most of the time is in the sleep mode, not only power saving is possible, but also a rapid transfer such as a block transfer suddenly occurs from the state in the sleep mode. It is also possible to quickly recover and receive data at the start of data transfer.

Although the present invention has been described with particular reference to an embodiment using a storage system of the ink jet system, it is obvious that the type of printer and the recording system are not limited.

In addition, the present invention has been described only with respect to the embodiment in which the personal computer and the printer are integrated.
A separate type configuration in which the personal computer and the printer are the same battery drive source can be similarly realized.

In addition, when the printer has a single battery drive source, the READY M signal based on the Printer-off signal supplied from the Host unit is added.
Since the ODE → STOP MODE no longer exists, it goes without saying that the mode can be realized in a form excluding this mode.

Further, in the state B in FIGS. 23, 26 and 28, the clock to the CPU-P is set at a low speed, but this is the minimum clock speed at which the register inside the CPU-P can maintain the information and can return. It goes without saying that the clock can be stopped if the CPU-P is capable of static operation. Similarly, RAM-
P is assumed to be a type requiring a refresh such as a low-cost D-RAM and a PS-RAM, but does not require a refresh or has a data holding mode,
It is needless to say that power can be saved if the RAM is capable of holding and restoring data. Also, CPU-
It goes without saying that if the supply voltage in the B state for both P and RAM-P is switched to the lowest voltage that can hold data, power saving can still be achieved.

Further, the host has been described with the personal computer as a main body. However, if the printer unit can be controlled independently, it has a communication means to the outside, such as Japanese WP or a system notebook, or via a bus. Any device can be used as long as all types of communication can be obtained.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 27 shows a state in which a high-speed Block Transmit Mode without the intervention of the CPU-P is added to the state shown in FIG. 24, and a sleep mode in Block start →
The change to Block Transmit Mode is due to the added change of B → D in FIG.
ck Transmit Mode → Ready Mo
The change of de corresponds to the change of D → A in FIG. The other changes are the same as those in FIG.
Block transfer at a higher speed is possible because no refresh of the RAM is interposed. In FIG. 25, only the H-block is added as a signal line, and the description is omitted.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 29 shows a state in which a high-speed Block Transmit Mode without the intervention of the CPU-P is added to the state shown in FIG. 24, and a sleep mode in the Block start →
The change to Block Transmit Mode is due to the added change from B to D in FIG.
ck Transmit Mode → Sleep Mo
The change of de corresponds to the change of D ′ → B in FIG.
The other transitions are the same as those in FIG. 24, and will not be described. However, since the refresh of the RAM is not interposed as compared with the first embodiment, a higher-speed block transfer is possible.

As is clear from the above description, at least the Acti that can be printed when the printer driving power is supplied is provided.
ve Mode and Ready Mode in which printer drive power is not supplied and printer control other than printing can be executed
And the CPU that controls the printer control is completely stopped during the mode, and the Clo is supplied to the CPU that controls the printer control.
Sleep that changes ck from Ready Mode
Active Mode with 3Mode with Active Mode
de → Ready Mode, Ready Mode →
Active Mode, Ready Mode → Sl
eeep mode, sleep mode → ready
By using a power saving control method in which the mode can be changed at least and the mode transitions to the ready mode by RESET input, high-speed data transfer can be performed without being aware of the state of the printer at least in the data transfer part to the printer unit. In addition, since the printer is stopped or not supplied with power except when necessary, a large amount of energy can be saved.

[0072]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
Power consumption can be saved by performing fine power saving control.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a personal computer in which the present invention is implemented.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram between a host and a printer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a printer IF unit.

FIG. 4 is an electrical configuration diagram of a recording head and a head driver.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart of head driving.

FIG. 6 is an internal block diagram of a composite control unit.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a PIO / IO register.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a PIF / IO register.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a PFM / IO register.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a PBJ / IO register.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a PPM / IO register.

FIG. 12 is an address area diagram of PB and IB of the printer RAM-P.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a printer internal unit.

FIG. 14 is a memory space address map of the host.

FIG. 15 is an IO space address map of a host.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the contents of an interrupt vector.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the contents of an interrupt vector.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a flowchart when power is turned on.

FIG. 19 is a view showing a flowchart of POST.

FIG. 20 is a schematic control flow of the CPU-P of the printer.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating an initialization process control flow of the CPU-P of the printer.

FIG. 22 is a power-saving control process control flow of the CPU-P of the printer.

FIG. 23 is a change diagram of the printer PM controller.

FIG. 24 is a state change diagram as a printer system.

FIG. 25 is an internal block diagram of a complex control unit according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 26 is a change diagram of the printer PM controller according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a state change diagram of the printer system according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 28 is a change diagram of the printer PM controller according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 29 is a state change diagram of the printer system according to the third embodiment.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hisashi Naito 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Tsutomu Takahashi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inside (72) Inventor Masaki Nishiyama 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Jiro Tateyama 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (56) References JP-A-2-106138 (JP, A) JP-A-2-307777 (JP, A) JP-A-2-25363 (JP, A) JP-A-1-2644881 (JP, A) ( 58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 29/38 G06F 3/12

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. An Active Mod in which driving power is supplied to a printer unit and the printer unit is in a printable state.
e, Ready Mode, Ready Mode in which drive power is not supplied to the printer unit compared to Active Mode
Sleep Mode in which the CPU clock for controlling the printer unit is slower than in Mode, and Sleep Mode
St where clock is not supplied to CPU compared to Mode
A method for power saving, characterized by switching opMode. 2. When a print end command is received in an Active Mode state, the mode is switched to Ready Mode, and when there is no data to be processed in the Ready Mode state, the mode is switched to Sleep Mode.
Ready when data is input in the state of p Mode
Switch to Mode, and when a print start command is received in ReadyMode state, Active Mode
e, at the time of reset, switch from the Stop Mode to the Ready Mode, and input the printer-off signal to change from the Sleep Mode to the Stop Mode.
The method for saving power according to claim 1, wherein the method is switched to e. 3. When the drive control of the printer unit is not being performed and the development of the dot data to be printed by the printer unit is not completed, the Ready M is changed from the Active Mode.
2. The method for power saving according to claim 1, wherein the mode is switched to a mode. 4. A printing means for performing printing based on the received data, and an active means in which driving power is supplied to the printing means and the printing means is in a printable state.
Ready Mode, R in which drive power is not supplied to the printing means as compared with Mode, Active Mode.
CP that controls printing means compared to easy Mode
A printing apparatus comprising: a sleep mode in which the clock of U is slowed down; and a processing unit for switching a stop mode in which a clock is not supplied to the CPU as compared with the sleep mode. 5. The processing unit according to claim 1, wherein said processing unit is an Active Mod.
When the print end command is received in the state of e, Read
y Mode, switch to Sleep Mode if there is no data to process in Ready Mode, switch to Ready Mode if data is input in Sleep Mode, and change to Ready Mode.
When a print start command is received in Mode A
active mode, and at reset, St
5. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the mode is switched from an op mode to a ready mode, and the mode is switched from a sleep mode to a stop mode by inputting a printer off signal. 6. The Active Mod when the driving of the printing means is not under control and the development of dot data to be printed by the printing means is not completed.
5. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the mode is switched from e to Ready Mode.