JP2003124822A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform stable communication. SOLUTION: A communication control part 23 which writes and reads data to and out of an IC memory 213, applies ASK (amplitude shift keying) modulation to digital data by a modulating and demodulating circuit 232 amplifies the obtained ASK modulation signal by an amplifying circuit 2331, and sends the resulting signal by a coil antenna 236. According to the result of comparison between the output level of the amplifying circuit 2331 and a specific reference level, the power supply voltage from a transmission power supplying 2332 to the amplifying circuit 2331 is controlled.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording device such as a copying machine or a laser beam printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a non-contact type IC memory is provided in a mounting unit such as a removable cartridge, and communication between the non-contact type IC memory and a control section in an image recording apparatus is performed wirelessly. Image recording devices such as laser beam printers are known.

An example of such an image recording apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-338329. According to this image recording apparatus, an IC memory unit in an IC memory unit provided in a cartridge is used. , The writing / reading device provided outside the cartridge communicates with the transmitting / receiving antenna on the cartridge side and the transmitting / receiving antenna on the writing / reading device by radio waves of a predetermined frequency, and is transmitted to the transmitting / receiving antenna on the cartridge side. Induced electromagnetic field is generated,
Electric power is supplied to the non-contact type IC memory in the cartridge.

By using such a technique, the state of the cartridge can be easily confirmed by using, for example, a personal computer connected to the image recording apparatus, and further, by using a network or the like, various conditions can be obtained. Utilization methods are possible.

[0005]

However, since there are variations in the parts used in the writing / reading device, the transmission voltage waveform may not be constant and the communication may become unstable. In the worst case, the communication may not be performed. There were times when I couldn't.

Further, when the communication distance between the transmission / reception antenna of the writing / reading device and the transmission / reception antenna on the cartridge is changed due to the mounting state of the cartridge in the image recording apparatus or the like, the IC memory is changed due to load fluctuation. Since the amplitude of the signal received by the unit and the writing / reading device changes, it has been difficult to perform stable communication.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide an image recording apparatus capable of more stable communication.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image having a non-contact type IC memory unit having a transmitting / receiving means and an IC memory, and a writing / reading means for writing / reading data to / from the IC memory. In the recording device, the writing / reading means includes a modulating means for ASK-modulating digital data, an amplifying means for amplifying an ASK-modulated signal from the modulating means, and a transmitting means for transmitting the ASK signal amplified by the amplifying means. And a first voltage control means for controlling the power supply voltage of the power supply means according to the result of comparing the output level of the amplification means with a predetermined reference level. It is characterized by having.

In claim 1, the writing / reading means may have a first transmitting / receiving antenna for transmitting / receiving a signal.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the writing / reading means detects the level of the ASK signal received from the first transmitting / receiving antenna and the A detected by the detecting means.
Second voltage control means for controlling the power supply voltage of the power supply means according to the result of comparing the level of the SK signal with a predetermined reference level can be provided.

In the first aspect, the transmitting / receiving means may have a second transmitting / receiving antenna for transmitting / receiving a signal.

In the present invention, the first transmitting / receiving antenna may be a coil antenna.

In claim 4, the second transmitting / receiving antenna may be a coil antenna.

In the first aspect, the IC memory can be a non-volatile memory.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
An embodiment of is shown. This is a laser beam printer 10
1 is an example. The structure of the laser beam printer 101 is shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 107 denotes a laser scanner, which includes a laser unit 113, a polygon 114, an imaging lens 115, and a folding mirror 1.
16 and.

The laser unit 113 emits laser light modulated based on the image signal VDO sent from the computer 131 connected to the laser beam printer 101. Polygon 114 is laser unit 1
The laser light from 13 is guided onto the photosensitive drum 117 via the imaging lens 115 and the folding mirror 116 and is scanned on the photosensitive drum 117.

Reference numeral 108 denotes a cartridge, which is necessary for a known electrophotographic process, such as a photosensitive drum 117, a primary charging roller 119, a developing device 120, and a transfer charging roller 12.
1 and a cleaner 122, and the non-contact type I
It has a C memory unit 21.

Reference numeral 102 is a cassette for storing the recording paper S. Reference numeral 103 denotes a cassette presence / absence sensor, which detects the presence / absence of the recording sheet S in the cassette 102. A cassette size sensor 104 is composed of a plurality of micro switches,
The size of the recording paper S is detected.

Reference numeral 105 denotes a paper feed roller, which is a cassette 10
A pair of recording papers S of two are fed out one by one, and a pair of registration rollers 10
6 is to be transported. The registration roller pair 106 synchronously conveys the recording sheet S.

A fixing device 109 thermally fixes the toner image transferred onto the recording sheet S by the transfer charging roller 121, and includes a fixing film 109a and a pressure roller 1.
09b, a ceramic heater 109c provided with a heating element provided inside the fixing film, and a ceramic heater 10.
Thermistor 109d for detecting the surface temperature of the heating element 9c
Have and. Reference numeral 110 denotes a paper discharge sensor, which is a fixing device 109.
The conveyance state of the recording sheet S after being fixed by is detected. Reference numeral 111 denotes a paper discharge roller, which discharges the recording paper S after fixing onto the stacking tray 112.

Reference numeral 123 denotes a main motor, which applies a driving force to the paper feed roller 105 via a paper feed roller clutch 124, and the registration roller pair 106 to the registration roller 12
5, a driving force is applied to the unit of the cartridge 108 including the photosensitive drum 117, and the fixing unit 109.
The drive force is also applied to the paper discharge roller 111.

126 is an engine controller,
The electrophotographic process by the laser scanner 107, the cartridge 108, and the fixing device 109 is controlled, and the conveyance of the recording paper in the laser beam printer 101 is controlled. 1
27 is a video controller, which is a computer 131
And general-purpose interface (Centronics, RS232C
Etc.), the image information sent from this general-purpose interface is expanded into bit data, and the obtained bit data is sent to the engine controller 126 as a VDO signal.

A communication control unit 23 has a coil antenna 236 and communicates with the non-contact type IC memory unit 21.

FIG. 1 will be described. In FIG. 1, 21,2
3, 101, 126 and 236 show the same parts as in FIG.
The communication control unit 23 includes a communication control circuit 231, a modulation / demodulation circuit 232, a transmission circuit 233, a reception circuit 234, a feedback circuit 237, a capacitor 235, and a coil antenna 236. The capacitor 235 and the coil antenna 236 form a resonance circuit.

The communication control circuit 231 controls communication with the engine controller 126. Modulation and demodulation circuit 2
32 is ASK for the digital signal from the communication control circuit 231
(Amplitude Shift Keying) modulation, while receiving circuit 2
The ASK signal from 34 is demodulated to a digital signal. FIG. 3 shows an example of the relationship between the transmission data and the transmission voltage waveform.

The transmission circuit 233 has an amplifier circuit 2331 and a transmission power source 2332. The amplifier circuit 2331 amplifies the ASK signal from the modulation / demodulation circuit 232 so that the peak value of the transmission amplitude voltage becomes the voltage of the transmission power supply 2332.

The feedback circuit 237 is the transmission circuit 23.
3 detects the voltage of the transmission signal output from the transmission signal generator 3, and transmits the transmission power supply 2332 according to the difference between the detected voltage and a predetermined reference voltage.
It controls the output voltage of the. Although the level of the output voltage waveform changes due to the modulation, it is usually about several percent, and this change can be ignored.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the feedback circuit 237 shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, 301 is a diode for half-wave rectification. A filter 300 has a resistor 302 and a capacitor 303, and integrates the voltage from the diode 301. 304 is an operational amplifier,
The output of the filter 300 is coupled to the inverting terminal, and the reference power supply Vda is connected to the non-inverting terminal. 305 is an interface circuit with the transmission power supply 2332.

Next, the communication control section 23 at the time of writing data
The operation of will be described. In the communication control unit 23, the digital signals serially transmitted from the engine controller 126 and including the digital signal instructing the data writing are
The communication control circuit 231 performs predetermined processing, and the modulation / demodulation circuit 232 performs ASK modulation. Then, the obtained ASK modulated signal is amplified by the amplifier circuit 2331 so that the peak voltage value of the transmission amplitude voltage becomes the voltage of the transmission power source 2332, and is transmitted from the coil antenna 236.

The output voltage of the amplifier circuit 2331 is compared with a predetermined reference voltage by the feedback circuit 237, and the voltage of the transmission power source 2332 is controlled according to the comparison result.

On the other hand, in the non-contact type IC memory unit 21, the AS received by the coil antenna 211 is used.
The K signal is demodulated, data writing is instructed by the obtained digital signal instructing data writing, and the data is written in the IC memory 213 which is a nonvolatile memory. Further, the electromagnetic induction to the coil antenna 211 causes I
The power of the C memory 213 can be obtained.

Next, the communication controller 23 at the time of reading data
The operation of will be described. When a digital signal instructing to read data is serially transmitted from the engine controller 126, in the communication control unit 23, the communication control circuit 231 performs a predetermined process and the modulation / demodulation circuit 232 performs ASK.
Is modulated. Then, the obtained ASK modulated signal is amplified by the amplifier circuit 2331 so that the peak voltage value of the transmission amplitude voltage becomes the voltage of the transmission power source 2332, and is transmitted from the coil antenna 236.

The output voltage of the amplifier circuit 2331 is compared with a predetermined reference voltage by the feedback circuit 237, and the voltage of the transmission power source 2332 is controlled according to the comparison result.

On the other hand, when the coil antenna 211 receives a signal instructing the reading of data, the received ASK signal is demodulated into a digital signal. Then, the data reading is instructed by the obtained digital signal instructing the data reading, the data is read from the IC memory 213, ASK-modulated, and then the coil antenna 2
Sent from 11.

The ASK signal received by the coil antenna 236 is subjected to predetermined processing by the receiving circuit 234, demodulated into a digital signal by the modulation / demodulation circuit 232, and transmitted to the engine controller 126 by the communication control circuit 231.

In this embodiment, an example in which the non-contact type IC memory unit 21 is mounted on the cartridge 108 has been described. The same effect can be obtained when an IC memory is mounted.

<Second Embodiment> FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
An embodiment of is shown. Compared with the first embodiment, this embodiment is different in the configuration of the communication control unit.

That is, in the first embodiment, in the communication control unit 23, the input of the feedback circuit 237 is coupled to the output of the amplification circuit 2331, and the feedback circuit 237 causes the output voltage of the amplification circuit 2331 and a predetermined reference. The voltage Vda is compared, and the voltage supplied to the amplifier circuit 2331 by the transmission power supply 2332 is controlled according to the comparison result.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the communication control unit 523 employs the feedback circuit 537 (FIG. 6) which differs from the feedback circuit 237 of the first embodiment only in the reference voltage Vdb. , The input of the feedback circuit 537 is coupled to the output of the receiving circuit 234, the feedback circuit 537 compares the output voltage of the receiving circuit 234 with a predetermined reference voltage Vdb, and the amplification by the transmission power supply 2332 is performed according to the comparison result. The supply voltage to the circuit 2331 is controlled.

In this embodiment, since the communication control section 523 is configured in this way, when the data is transmitted from the laser beam printer 101 to the non-contact type IC memory unit 21, the data is transmitted between the coil antenna 211 and the coil antenna 236. 7 is longer than the normal communication distance, the amplitude voltage of the received signal becomes voltages VO1 and VI1 as shown in FIG. 7A, while the communication distance is shorter than the normal communication distance. , The amplitude voltage is, for example, as shown in FIG. 7B, the voltages VO2 (> VO1) and VI2 (> VI1).
Therefore, even if the voltage value changes depending on the communication distance,
The received waveform can be kept constant, and stable communication can be performed.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention,
With the above configuration, stable communication can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a laser beam printer 101 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a relationship between transmission data and a transmission voltage waveform.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a feedback circuit 237 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a feedback circuit 537 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a relationship between a distance between coil antennas 211 and 236 and a received voltage amplitude.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 Non-contact IC memory unit 23,523 Communication control unit 101 laser beam printer 108 cartridges 211,236 coil antenna 212,235 capacitors 213 Non-contact type IC 231 Communication control circuit H.232 modulator / demodulator circuit 233 Transmitter circuit 234 Receiver circuit 237,537 Feedback circuit 2331 amplifier circuit 2332 Transmission power supply

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G03G 21/16 H04B 1/59 5K060 G06K 17/00 H04N 1/00 106C H04B 1/59 G03G 15/00 554 H04N 1/00 106 B41J 29/00 E F term (reference) 2C061 AP04 AQ06 CF01 CG01 CG15 HJ10 HN15 2H027 EE08 EE10 EJ17 ZA07 2H071 BA20 BA32 5B058 CA15 CA17 CA22 KA02 5C062 AA02 AA05 AA37 AB10 AB16 AB49 AC58 BA00 5K060 CC04 HH31 JJ21 LL01 LL11

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image recording apparatus comprising: a non-contact type IC memory unit having a transmitting / receiving means and an IC memory; and a writing / reading means for writing / reading data to / from the IC memory. Modulating means for ASK modulating digital data, amplifying means for amplifying an ASK modulated signal from the modulating means, transmitting means for transmitting the ASK signal amplified by the amplifying means, and power supply for supplying power to the amplifying means An image recording apparatus comprising: a supply unit; and a first voltage control unit that controls a power supply voltage of the power supply unit according to a result of comparison between an output level of the amplification unit and a predetermined reference level. 2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the writing / reading unit has a first transmitting / receiving antenna for transmitting / receiving a signal. 3. The detecting / writing means according to claim 2, wherein the writing / reading means detects the level of the ASK signal received from the first transmitting / receiving antenna, and the level of the ASK signal detected by the detecting means. And a second voltage control means for controlling the power supply voltage of the power supply means in accordance with the result of comparison of the reference levels of 1. 4. The transmitting / receiving means according to claim 1,
An image recording apparatus having a second transmitting / receiving antenna for transmitting / receiving a signal. 5. The image recording device according to claim 2, wherein the first transmitting / receiving antenna is a coil antenna. 6. The image recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second transmitting / receiving antenna is a coil antenna. 7. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the IC memory is a non-volatile memory.