JP2001211276A - Image processor and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processor for reducing power consumption of a chip, in which plural functional blocks to constitute a controller to execute various functions are incorporated, to suppress temperature rise of the chip and the increase processing speed. SOLUTION: A serial controller 127 starts a communication processing with a scanner unit via a scanner I/F 140, while power is supplied by an instruction of a CPU 112, and when no response is obtained from a scanner part, even after a prescribed time elapses, a clock signal to a scanner controller in a main controller 111 is interrupted by the instruction of the CPU 112. The clock signal to a printer controller in the main controller 111 is similarly interupted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus such as a digital copier including a scanner and a printer, and a control method therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the progress of HDL, simulation, and packaging technology, a one-chip microcomputer (hereinafter, chip) in which a plurality of functional blocks constituting a controller for executing various functions are incorporated in one chip. Has been done. Also, usually in such chips,
In order to consider mass production in terms of design and cost, the same product is often used for a plurality of products.

[0003]

However, such a chip becomes large-scale, and if all the internal function blocks are operated simultaneously, a large amount of heat is generated, and the chip itself may be destroyed. There was a point.

In such a case, supplying a clock to a function block which is known not to be used in the chip in advance requires not only extra power consumption but also accelerates the temperature rise of the chip and It can also cause destruction.

Further, supplying a clock to a function block that is not used in advance causes a problem that the processing speed of the entire apparatus is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an image processing apparatus capable of reducing power consumption of a chip, suppressing a temperature rise of the chip, and improving a processing speed. And a control method thereof.

[0007]

The image processing apparatus and the control method thereof according to the present invention are configured as follows.

(1) An image processing apparatus to which a device having a predetermined function can be connected, comprising: a device control means for controlling the device; and a communication means for communicating with the device. The clock signal from the device control means is cut off when communication with the device is impossible.

(2) In the image processing apparatus of (1), the device is a scanner.

(3) In the image processing apparatus of (1), the device is a printer.

(4) In the image processing apparatus of (1), the device is a facsimile machine.

(5) In a control method of an image processing apparatus to which a device having a predetermined function can be connected, a device control means controls the device, performs communication with the device by a communication means, and performs a communication with the device by the communication means. When communication with the device is impossible, a clock signal from the device control means is cut off.

[0013]

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a composite image input / output system (compound image input / output device) as a first embodiment.
Will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an image input / output device (image processing device) according to a first embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes an image input / output system (image input / output device). A reader unit (image input device) 200 optically reads a document image and converts it into image data. The reader unit 200 includes a scanner unit 210 having a function of reading a document, and a document feeding unit 250 having a function of conveying document sheets.

A printer unit (image output device) 300 conveys a recording sheet, prints image data thereon as a visible image, and discharges the recording sheet outside the apparatus. The printer unit 300 includes a paper feeding unit 310 having a plurality of types of recording paper cassettes, a marking unit 320 having a function of transferring and fixing image data to recording paper, and a device for sorting and stapling printed recording paper and performing external printing. Output unit 33 with the function of outputting to
0.

The control unit (controller unit) 110 is electrically connected to the reader unit 200 and the printer unit 300, and further connected to host computers 401 and 402 via a network (LAN) 400.

The control unit 110 controls the reader unit 200 to read the image data of the original, and
0 to output image data to recording paper to provide a copy function. Also, the image data read from the reader unit 200 is converted into code data, and
A scanner function of transmitting code data received from the host computer via the network 400 to image data and outputting the image data to the printer unit 300 is provided.

The operation unit 150 is connected to the control device 110, is constituted by a liquid crystal touch panel, and provides a user I / F for operating the image input / output system. CD-RO
M160 is connected to the control device 110,
Is controlled by

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the configuration of the reader section 200 and the printer section 300 of FIG. Leader section 20
The original feeding unit 250 feeds the originals one by one onto the platen glass 211 one by one in the leading order, and discharges the originals on the platen glass 211 after the reading operation of the original is completed. When the original is conveyed onto the platen glass 211, the lamp 212 is turned on, and the optical unit 213 is turned on.
Is started, and the original is exposed and scanned.

At this time, the reflected light from the original is reflected by the mirror 2
CCD by 14, 215, 216 and lens 217
It is guided to an image sensor (hereinafter referred to as CCD) 218. In this manner, the scanned image of the document is stored in the CCD 218.
Read by. The image data output from the CCD 218 is subjected to predetermined processing,
Transferred to

The laser driver 321 of the printer unit 300
Drives the laser light emitting unit 322, and causes the laser light emitting unit 322 to emit a laser beam corresponding to the image data output from the control device 110. The laser beam is applied to the photosensitive drum 323, and a latent image corresponding to the laser beam is formed on the photosensitive drum 323. The developer is attached to the latent image portion of the photosensitive drum 323 by the developing device 324.

Then, at a timing synchronized with the start of the laser beam irradiation, a recording sheet is fed from one of the cassettes 311 and 312 and transported to the transfer section 325 to record the developer adhered to the photosensitive drum 323. Transfer to paper.
The recording paper carrying the developer is conveyed to the fixing unit 326, and the developer is fixed on the recording paper by the heat and pressure of the fixing unit 326. The recording paper that has passed through the fixing unit 326 is discharged by a discharge roller 327.
The paper discharge unit 330 bundles the discharged recording papers and sorts the recording papers, and staples the sorted recording papers.

When double-sided recording is set,
After the recording paper is conveyed to the discharge roller 327, the rotation direction of the discharge roller 327 is reversed, and the flapper 328 is rotated.
To the re-feed conveyance path 329. Refeeding conveyance path 32
9 is transferred to the transfer unit 32 at the timing described above.
5 is fed.

<Description of Control Unit> The function of the control unit 110 will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG.

The main controller 111 shown in FIG.
Mainly CPU 112, bus controller 113, various I
/ F controller circuit.

The CPU 112 and the bus controller 113 control the entire operation of the control device 110.
The U 112 operates based on a program read from the ROM 114 via the ROM I / F 115. Also, the operation of interpreting PDL (page description language) code data received from the host computer and developing it into raster image data is described in this program and processed by software. The bus controller 113 controls data transfer input / output from each I / F, and performs arbitration at the time of bus contention and controls DMA data transfer.

The DRAM 116 is a DRAM I / F 117
Connected to the main controller 111,
It is used as a work area for the operation of the CPU 112 and an area for storing image data.

The codec 118 converts the raster image data stored in the DRAM 116 into MH / MR / MMR.
/ JBIG and the like, and conversely, the compressed and accumulated code data is expanded to raster image data. The SRAM 119 is used as a temporary work area of the Codec 118. Codec 118 is I / F1
20 and connected to the main controller 111,
Transfer of data to and from the RAM 116 is controlled by the bus controller 113 and DMA-transferred.

Network Controller 1
21 is a main controller 111 by an I / F 122.
Connected to an external network via a connector 122. The network is generally Ethernet.

An extension connector 124 for connecting an extension board and an I / O control unit 126 are connected to the general-purpose high-speed bus 125.
Are connected. As a general-purpose high-speed bus, PC
I bus.

The I / O control unit 126 includes the reader unit 20
0, an asynchronous serial communication controller 127 for transmitting and receiving control commands to and from each CPU of the printer unit 300
Are connected to external I / F circuits 140 and 145 via an I / O bus 128.

The panel I / F 132 is connected to the LCD controller 131 and has an I / F for displaying on a liquid crystal screen on the operation unit 150 and a key input I / F 130 for inputting hard keys and touch panel keys. It is composed of

The operation unit 150 has a liquid crystal display unit, a touch panel input device attached on the liquid crystal display unit, and a plurality of hard keys. A signal input by a touch panel or a hard key is transmitted to the CPU 112 via the above-described panel I / F 132, and the liquid crystal display unit displays the panel I / F.
520 to display the image data sent from the 520. The liquid crystal display displays a function display, image data, and the like in the operation of the image forming apparatus (image input / output device).

The real-time clock module 133
Is for updating / saving the date and time managed in the device, and is backed up by the backup battery 134.

The E-IDE interface 161 is for connecting an external storage device. A hard disk or a CD-ROM drive can be connected via this I / F to write and read programs and image data.

The connectors 142 and 147 are connected to the reader unit 200 and the printer unit 300, respectively, and the synchronous serial I / Fs 143 and 148 and the video I / F 14
4,149.

The scanner I / F 140 has a connector 142
The scanner is connected to the main controller 111 via the scanner bus 141, and the image received from the reader 200 is subjected to optimal binarization according to the contents of processing in the subsequent process. And a function of performing a magnification process of main scanning and sub scanning, and a function of outputting a control signal generated based on a video control signal transmitted from the reader unit 200 to the scanner bus 141. Have.

Data transfer from the scanner bus 141 to the DRAM 116 is controlled by the bus controller 113.

The printer I / F 145 has a connector 147
Is connected to the main controller 111 by a printer bus 146, and performs smoothing processing on the image data output from the main controller 111, and
A control signal generated based on the video control signal sent from the printer unit 300.
It also has a function of outputting to the printer bus 146.

The transfer of the raster image data developed on the DRAM 116 to the printer unit is controlled by the bus controller 113, and transferred to the printer unit 300 via the printer bus 146 and the video I / F 149.
Will be transferred.

<Description of Main Controller> FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main controller 111.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 401 denotes a processor core, which is connected to a system bus bridge (SBB) 402 via a 64-bit processor bus (P bus). The SBB 402 is a 4 × 4 64-bit cross bus switch, and is connected to a memory controller 403 that controls an SDRAM or a ROM having a cache memory in addition to the processor controller 401 via a dedicated local bus (MC bus). Further, a G bus 404 which is a graphic bus, and an IO bus 40 which is an IO bus
5 and a total of four buses. SBB
402 is designed so that simultaneous parallel connection between these four modules can be ensured as much as possible.

The data compression / decompression unit (cod
ec) 418 are also connected via a codec I / F.

The G bus 404 is a G bus arbiter (GBA).
A scanner / printer controller (S
PC 408). Also, the IO bus 405 is
The emphasis control is performed by an IO bus arbiter (BBA) 407. In addition to the SPC 408, a power management unit (PM
U) 409, interrupt controller (IC) 41
0, serial interface controller (SIC) 411 using UART, USB controller 412,
Parallel interface controller (PIC) 413 using IEEE1284, L using Ethernet
AN controller (LANC) 414, LCD panel,
Key, general-purpose input / output controller (PC) 415, PCI
It is also connected to a bus interface (PCIC) 416.

An operation panel 417 having a display panel and a keyboard is connected to the PC 415.

<Description of Interrupt Controller> The interrupt controller 410 is connected to the IO bus 405 via the IO bus interface, and integrates each functional block in the main controller chip and an interrupt from outside the chip. Supports redistribution into 6 levels of external and non-maskable interrupts (NMI).

Each functional block is a power management unit 4
09, serial interface controller 411,
USB controller 412, parallel interface controller 413, Ethernet controller 41
4, a general-purpose IO controller 415, a PCI interface controller 416, a scanner / printer controller 408, and the like.

<Description of Memory Controller> The memory controller 403 is connected to an MC bus, which is a local bus dedicated to the memory controller, via an MC bus interface, and controls a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), a flash ROM, and a ROM.

<Description of System Bus Bridge> FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of an SB 402. As shown in FIG. 5, the SBB 402 includes a multi-bus that provides interconnection between an IO bus (input / output bus), a G bus (graphic bus), a P bus (processor local bus), and an MC bus using a cross bus switch. Channel bidirectional bus bridge. With the cross bus switch, two systems of connections can be simultaneously established, and high-speed data transfer with high parallelism can be realized.

The SBB 402 includes an IO bus interface for connecting to the IO bus 405, a G bus interface 2006 for connecting to the G bus 404, a CPU interface slave port 2002 for connecting to the processor core 401, and a memory controller. In addition to having a memory interface master port for connecting to the 403, it includes an address switch 2003 for connecting an address bus and a data switch 2004 for connecting a data bus. A cache invalidation unit 200 for invalidating a cache memory of a processor core.
5 is provided.

<Description of PCI Bus Interface> P
The CI bus interface 416 includes an IO bus that is a general-purpose IO bus inside the main controller and an IO bus outside the chip.
This is a block that interfaces between PCI buses, which are buses.

<Description of G bus arbiter and B bus arbiter> G bus arbitration is a central arbitration system, and has a dedicated request signal and a grant signal for each bus master.

The arbiter can program the control method. In addition, as a method of giving priority to the bus masters, a fair arbitration mode in which all bus masters have the same priority and the bus right is imparted fairly,
One of the priority arbitration modes in which the priority of any one bus master is raised and the bus is used preferentially can be designated.

The B bus arbiter 407 receives a bus use request of the B bus 405, which is an IO general-purpose bus, and after arbitration, gives use permission to one selected master.
Prohibits two or more masters from accessing the bus at the same time.

The arbitration system has three levels of priorities, and a plurality of masters can be assigned to each priority in a programmable manner.

<Scanner Controller / Printer Controller> FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a connection configuration of the scanner controller / printer controller.
The printer controller 408 is a block that is connected to a scanner and a printer via a video I / F and interfaces with the internal buses G bus and B bus.
It is roughly divided into the following three blocks (see FIG. 5).

Scanner controller The scanner controller is connected to the scanner via a video I / F, and performs operation control and data transfer control. G bus / B bus An I / F unit (GBI) 4301A is connected by an IF bus to perform data transfer and read / write of a register.

Printer controller The printer controller is connected to the printer via a video I / F, and performs operation control and data transfer control. The GBI 4301B is connected to the GBI 4301B by an IF bus, and data transfer and register read / write are performed.

G bus / B bus I / F unit (GB
I) A unit for connecting the scanner controller 4302 and the printer controller 4303 to the G bus or the B bus. The scanner controller 4302 and the printer controller 4303 are independently connected to each other.
It is connected to both the bus and the B bus.

CP bus A bus for directly connecting image data of the scanner and the printer and a synchronization signal for horizontal / vertical synchronization.

<Description of Power Management Unit> This is a large-scale ASIC with a built-in CPU. Therefore, if all the internal logic operates simultaneously, a large amount of heat is generated,
The chip itself may be destroyed. In order to prevent this, the main controller 111 performs power management for each block, that is, power management, and further monitors power consumption of the entire chip.

The power management is performed individually by each block. Information on the power consumption of each block is collected in a power management unit (PMU) 409 as a power management level. The PMU 409 sums up the power consumption of each block and monitors the power consumption of each block of the main controller at a time so that the value does not exceed the limit power consumption.

Next, in this embodiment, when the reader device 200 is not connected, that is, when the image input / output system performs processing as shown in FIG.
1 will be described.

First, the composite image input / output device system 100
When the power supply of the control device 110 is turned on,
It becomes N. In the control device 110, first, the main controller 111 turns on the supply of the operation clock to each unit in the control device 110. As shown in FIG. 13, the clock is supplied by opening the gate 503 by the CPU 401 instructing the clock control 502 included in each functional block to supply the clock.

At this time, the scanner controller (device control means) 4302 and the G-Bus /
The clock is also supplied to the B-Bus I / FUnit 4301A by the above-described clock control 502.

In STEP 102, the CPU 401 controls the serial communication controller (communication means) 127 via the I / O control unit 126, and performs the scanner I / O by serial communication.
An attempt is made to start communication processing with the reader device 200 via F140 and the connector 142.

If there is a response from the reader device 200 in STEP 103, the process proceeds to STEP 104, and the configuration information of the reader device (for example, resolution or DF unit 2)
50, etc.), and the process ends.

If there is no response from the reader device 200 in STEP 103, the process proceeds to STEP 105. In STEP 103, the communication timeout time (predetermined time) is measured, and if the predetermined time has elapsed, the processing is performed by the STE.
P104, otherwise return to STEP103 and wait for a response from the reader device 200.

If a time-out occurs in STEP 104, the process proceeds to STEP 106.

In STEP 106, the CPU 401 recognizes that the reader device 200 is not connected, and the scanner controller 4302 and the G-Bus / B-Bus I /
The clock control 502 provided in the FUnit 4301A is instructed to stop supplying the clock, and the gate 503 is closed.

Thus, the block 501 of the machine, that is, the scanner controller 4302 and the G-Bus / BB
The operation of the us I / FUnit 4301A completely stops. As described above, the scanner controller 43, which is a functional block constituted by a single chip together with the CPU 401,
When the reader device 200, which is supposed to be connected earlier than the reader device 200, is not connected, the CPU 401 controls the clock control circuit 502 included in the functional block 501, and the scanner controller 4302 and the G-
The clock supply to the Bus / B-Bus I / FUnit 4301A can be stopped.

As described above, in the present embodiment, when the reader device 200 is not connected after the power is turned on, the entire device can operate without considering the processing load of the process on the reader device 200 at all. In addition, the entire device can operate efficiently, and the fear that the main controller chip (main controller 111) is destroyed by the temperature rise or the power consumption can be reduced.

(Second Embodiment) The first embodiment has described the case where the reader device 200 is not connected.

In this embodiment, the processing when the printer 300 is not connected as shown in FIG.
A description will be given along the flowchart of FIG.

First, when the power of the composite image input / output system 100 is turned on, the power of the control device 110 is turned on. In the control device 110, first, the main controller 11
1 turns on the supply of the operation clock to each unit in the control device 110. As shown in FIG. 13, the clock is supplied to the clock control 502 included in each functional block as shown in FIG.
When U401 instructs clock supply, gate 5
03 is opened.

At this time, in STEP 202, the printer controller (device control means) 4303 and the G-Bus /
The clock is also supplied to the B-Bus I / FUnit 4301B by the above-described clock control 502.

In STEP 202, the CPU 401 controls the serial communication controller (communication means) 127 via the I / O control unit 126, and the printer I / O
F145, an attempt is made to start communication processing with the printer device 300 via the connector 147.

If there is a response from the printer device 300 in STEP 203, the process proceeds to STEP 204 to obtain the configuration information of the printer device (for example, the paper size of the paper feed cassette and the maximum number of paper feeds in the cassette). To end.

If there is no response from the printer device 300 in STEP 203, the process proceeds to STEP 205. In STEP 203, the communication timeout time (predetermined time) is measured, and if the predetermined time has elapsed, the processing is terminated by the STE.
P204, otherwise return to STEP 203 and wait for a response from the printer device 300.

If a timeout occurs in STEP 204, the process proceeds to STEP 206.

In STEP 206, the CPU 401 recognizes that the printer device 300 is not connected, and the printer controller 4303 and the G-Bus / B-Bus I /
The clock control 502 provided in the FUnit 4301B is instructed to stop supplying the clock, and the gate 503 is closed.

Thus, the machine block 501, ie, the printer controller 4303 and the G-Bus / BB
The operation of the us I / FUnit 4301B completely stops. As described above, the printer controller 43, which is a functional block composed of one chip together with the CPU 401,
When the printer device 300, which is supposed to be connected earlier than the printer device 03, is not connected, the CPU 401 controls the clock control circuit 502 of the function block 501 to control the printer controller 4303 and the G-
The clock supply to the Bus / B-Bus I / FUnit 4301B can be stopped.

As described above, in this embodiment, when the printer device 300 is not connected after the power is turned on, the entire device can operate without considering the processing load of the process applied to the printer device 300 at all. As in the first embodiment, the entire apparatus can operate efficiently, and the fear that the main controller chip (main controller 111) is destroyed due to the temperature rise or the power consumption can be reduced.

As described above, in the first and second embodiments,
In a digital copier using a one-chip microcomputer, the product configuration is recognized when the power is turned on, and the operation clock is supplied to the functional blocks required when using the device when the device is not connected to the device. By cutting off, the functional blocks are stopped, reducing the power consumption of the chip, and preventing the problems of power consumption that hinders the product from being produced and the problems such as chip destruction due to temperature rise. Other function blocks can be operated efficiently to improve the processing speed.

In the first and second embodiments, a scanner device and a printer device have been described as devices, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a facsimile device or the like as a device.

[0086]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By cutting off the supply of clock signals to unnecessary function blocks, the operation of the function blocks is completely stopped, reducing power consumption, power consumption problems that hinder commercialization, and temperature rise. In addition, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a problem such as chip destruction, and to efficiently operate other functional blocks in the device to improve the processing speed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image input / output device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a reader unit and a printer unit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a controller unit according to the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main controller according to the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main controller according to the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main controller according to the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the configuration of the image input / output device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main controller according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the configuration of the image input / output device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main controller according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an operation clock control configuration according to the first and second embodiments.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Image input / output device 110 Control device 111 Main controller 112 CPU 113 Bus controller 126 I / O control unit 127 Serial communication controller (communication means) 140 Scanner I / F 145 Printer I / F 200 Reader unit 210 Scanner unit 250 Document feed Unit 401 CPU 408 Scanner / Printer Controller 501 Function Block 502 Clock Control 503 Gate 4302 Scanner Controller (Device Control Unit) 4303 Printer Controller (Device Control Unit)

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5B021 AA01 NN11 5B057 AA11 BA13 CH02 CH11 CH14 CH16 5B083 AA08 BB01 CC09 DD01 EF15 GG01 5C062 AA02 AA05 AA27 AA35 AB41 AB47 AB51 AC25 BA00 BA04 BA07

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image processing apparatus to which a device having a predetermined function can be connected, comprising: a device control unit for controlling the device; and a communication unit for communicating with the device. An image processing apparatus, wherein a clock signal from the device control means is cut off when communication with the device is impossible. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is a scanner. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is a printer. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the device is a facsimile machine. 5. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus to which a device having a predetermined function can be connected, wherein a device control unit controls the device, and performs communication with the device by a communication unit. A method for interrupting a clock signal from the device control means when communication with the device is not possible.