JP2004219857A - Control for power consumption by detecting remaining amount - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrain power consumption by cutting off power supply to a part related to the detection of remaining amount from information obtained from a detection part to detect the remaining amount in a digital camera or the like. <P>SOLUTION: The remaining amount of consumables such as color material and paper is detected by a remaining amount detection part, and the remaining amount of the color material is compared to examine the color material whose remaining amount is the least. Then, amount by which printing is performed in the case of printing entire paper with the least remaining amount is examined to estimate the smallest number of printed sheets. By controlling a power supply part by a control part until printing the paper by the estimated number, power supply to the part related to the detection of the remaining amount is turned off. When printing operation is performed to print the paper by the smallest number of printed sheets, the power supply to the part related to the detection of the remaining amount is turned on. The same operation is repeated until the consumables are depleted. By controlling in such a way, the power consumption is restrained by turning off the power supply when the consumables are sufficient. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that detects a remaining amount of consumables and controls power supply.
[0002]
[Prior art]
At present, the spread of digital cameras is remarkable, and various types of digital cameras are on sale.
[0003]
Some of such digital cameras are equipped with an image forming apparatus, and printers capable of printing by connecting to the digital cameras are also on the market. However, in such mobile devices, there is a serious problem that the capacity of a battery serving as a power source is limited and the use time and the number of times are limited. For this reason, efforts have been made recently to increase the capacity of the battery and at the same time to reduce the power consumption of the device, and power savings will be sought in the future.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems of the related art in an image forming apparatus that requires color materials, photographic paper, and the like mounted on a mobile device that requires power saving.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve this object, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention has the following functions.
This image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus including a plurality of storage units for storing a plurality of color materials, respectively, and a paper having a variable print length. Before the printing operation, the remaining amount of consumables such as each color material and paper is determined. It performs detection and controls the power supply based on the information.
[0006]
The following means is used as a power control method. The remaining amount detection unit detects the remaining amount of consumables such as each color material and paper, compares the remaining amount of the color material, and checks the smallest remaining amount. When printing is performed on the entire paper with the smallest remaining amount, the printable amount is checked, and the minimum number of prints is estimated. The control unit controls the power supply unit until the estimated number of sheets are printed, thereby turning off the power of the part related to the remaining amount detection. After that, when the printing operation is performed and the minimum number of printed sheets is printed, the power supply for the portion related to the remaining amount detection is turned on. Repeat until the consumables are exhausted. With the above control, when there is enough consumables, the power consumption is reduced by turning off the power.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
[0008]
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a control circuit that performs power control of a detection unit, a remaining amount information processing unit, and the like related to remaining amount detection based on an output of the detection. The remaining amount detection unit 101 has a function of detecting the remaining amount of the color material. The paper remaining amount detection unit 102 has a function of detecting the remaining amount of paper. The comparing unit 103 has a function of obtaining the smallest remaining amount among the remaining amount data sent from the remaining color amount detecting units 101. The analysis unit 104 has a function of determining how much printing is possible based on the data sent from the units 102 and 103. The control unit 105 obtains information on the printable amount obtained from the analysis unit, and controls the power supply unit 106 so that the power is turned ON / OFF until printing is performed for the printable amount. The power supply unit has a function of controlling the power by the detection unit, the comparison unit, and the analysis unit based on a signal from the control unit 105.
[0009]
The color material remaining amount detection unit has the following means. A method of measuring the weight of the color material storage unit with a sensor to detect the remaining amount, a method of physically detecting the color material in the storage unit with an optical sensor, and a change in inductance using an electrode provided in the color material storage unit May be used to detect the remaining amount by measuring the amount of color material consumed, such as a method of detecting the amount of colorant electrically or magnetically.
[0010]
The paper remaining amount detection unit may use a sensor that detects a physical change according to the remaining amount of paper, a method of detecting the remaining amount by measuring the amount of paper used, or the like.
[0011]
The basic processing operation will be described. In FIG. 1, prior to the printing operation, the remaining amount detection unit 101 detects the remaining amount of each color material. At 102, the remaining amount of paper is detected. In step 103, the remaining amount data sent from 101 is compared, and the smallest remaining amount data is selected. 104 analyzes the minimum printable amount from the remaining amount data obtained in 103 and the remaining amount data of the paper detected in 102, and transfers the analyzed data to the CPU 105 which is a control unit of the printer. The CPU controls 106 to cut off the power of 101, 102, 103 and 104 until printing is performed for the calculated data, thereby reducing power consumption. When printing is performed for the calculated data, a signal is sent to 106, the remaining amount is detected again, and the number of printable sheets is analyzed. By performing this operation, the power consumption of the circuit related to the remaining amount detection is reduced.
[0012]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the first embodiment. This processing procedure will be described. First, in step S201, the remaining amounts of the color materials and the paper are detected. In S202, the minimum printable amount is calculated using the circuit described in FIG. In S203, it is determined whether printing is possible with the minimum printable amount. If printing is not possible, the process advances to step S208 to notify the host that the color materials and paper are insufficient. If printing is possible, the process advances to step S204 to turn off the power of a circuit related to remaining amount detection.
[0013]
In step S205, printing is performed in accordance with print data transmission from the host. In S206, it is determined whether the printing has been performed up to the minimum printable amount calculated in S202. If the minimum printable amount has not been reached, the process returns to S205 to perform a normal printing operation. If it has reached the minimum printable amount, in step S407, the power of the circuit related to the remaining amount detection is turned on. Then, the process returns to S201.
[0014]
(Second embodiment)
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer according to the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, the remaining amount detection processing is performed by a special circuit and controlled by the CPU of the printer. In the second embodiment, the host computer performs image processing. Therefore, a special circuit required in the first embodiment is not required, and there is no need to store a control program in the ROM, so that the cost can be reduced as compared with the first embodiment.
[0015]
In the figure, reference numeral 301 denotes a host unit for transmitting and receiving commands and image data, and 302, a printer control circuit unit for controlling a printer. Reference numeral 303 denotes a head for performing printing.
[0016]
The head is provided with a color material remaining amount detection unit 304 such as a sensor for detecting the remaining color material amount. Reference numeral 305 denotes a remaining paper amount detecting unit for detecting the remaining amount of paper.
[0017]
The printer circuit control unit 302 includes a CPU 306 that performs overall control of a printing operation, an interface unit 307 that inputs and outputs data to and from the host unit 301, a ROM 308 that stores a program that controls the printer, and a readable and writable data. RAM 309 as a memory, head control unit 310 for transmitting a printing operation and print data to head 303, ink remaining amount detection control unit 312 for inputting data information from color material remaining amount detecting unit 304 provided in head 303, CPU There is a power control unit 313 capable of turning on / off the power related to the remaining amount detection by control.
[0018]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the second embodiment. This processing procedure will be described. First, in S409, the printer detects the remaining amount of the color material and paper. In step S401, the host receives information on the remaining amounts of the color materials and paper. In step S402, the minimum printable amount is calculated from the information on the remaining amounts of the color materials and the paper. In step S403, it is determined whether printing is possible with the minimum printable amount. If printing is not possible, the process advances to step S408 to notify that the color materials and paper are insufficient. If printing is possible, the process advances to step S404 to turn off the power of a circuit related to remaining amount detection, and transmits a signal to the printer. Then, a printing process is performed in S405. In step S406, it is determined whether printing has been performed up to the minimum printable amount calculated in step S402. If the minimum printable amount has not been reached, the flow returns to S405 to perform a normal printing operation. If the minimum printable amount has been reached, a signal for turning on the power supply of a circuit related to the remaining amount detection on the printer side is transmitted in S407. Then, the process returns to S401.
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the print amount is calculated by detecting the remaining amount of consumables, and the power of the remaining amount detection unit and the remaining amount information processing unit is turned off until the calculated amount is printed. By doing so, power consumption can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the second embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
101 Remaining amount detecting unit 102 Paper remaining amount detecting unit 103 Comparing unit

Claims (2)

In an image forming apparatus including a plurality of storage units that respectively store a plurality of color materials,
Color material remaining amount detection means for detecting the remaining amount of each color material prior to the printing operation;
Comparing means for comparing information obtained from the color material remaining amount detecting means and outputting the remaining amount of the color material having the smallest remaining amount;
Analyzing means for analyzing a printable amount from information obtained from the comparing means;
Power supply means for supplying power related to the remaining amount detection,
Control means for controlling the power supply from information on the printable amount obtained from the analysis means,
An image forming apparatus comprising: An image forming apparatus, comprising: a plurality of storage units each storing a plurality of color materials; and paper capable of changing a printing size according to a desired size.
Color material remaining amount detection means for detecting the remaining amount of each color material prior to the printing operation;
Compares information obtained from the remaining amount of paper that detects the remaining amount of paper that can be printed according to the size desired with the remaining amount of color material, and outputs the remaining amount of the color material with the smallest remaining amount Comparing means for comparing;
Analyzing means for analyzing a printable amount from information obtained from the comparing means;
Power supply means for supplying power related to the remaining amount detection,
Control means for controlling the power supply from information on the printable amount obtained from the analysis means,
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images