JP2006350801A - Image formation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve problems of a conventional system in which a means for restoring an image formation device vanishes in transition to a restorable power saving mode carried out only by an address solution starting request when a proxy response server is in a condition impossible to proxy respond while unnecessary power is consumed when transition to the restorable power saving mode is prohibited. <P>SOLUTION: In this image formation system, the image formation device having a plurality of steps of power saving modes, among which the power saving mode restorable only by a predetermined starting request is included, is connected to a network, and during transition to the power saving mode restorable only by the predetermined starting request, a proxy response server connected to the same network returns a proxy response. If the proxy response server cannot perform proxy response in spite of establishment of a transition condition to the power saving mode restorable only by the predetermined starting request, transition to a power saving mode with the lowest power consumption among power saving modes requiring no proxy response is carried out, and consequently, unnecessary power consumption is suppressed in the image formation device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technology for power saving in an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a multi function printer (MFP) connected to a network.

  Conventionally, several technologies relating to power saving of image forming apparatuses such as printers and MFPs connected to a network have been proposed.

  Among them, there is a multi-stage power saving mode that includes a power saving mode that can be restored only by address resolution activation request, and all but the address resolution activation request is entered during the power saving mode that can be restored only by address resolution activation request. When an image forming apparatus that does not respond to the request is connected to the network and the image forming apparatus is in the low power mode that can be recovered only by an address resolution request, a proxy response is sent to the proxy response server connected to the same network. There is a system for reducing power consumption by performing the above. In this system, it is common to shift to each power saving mode when a predetermined condition is met.

As a conventional example, for example, Patent Document 1 can be cited.
JP 2003-108342 A

  However, in the above-described conventional example, when the proxy response server is in a state where proxy response is not possible, there is no means for returning the image forming apparatus if a transition is made to a power saving mode that can be recovered only by an address resolution activation request. End up. In addition, because the proxy response server is unable to perform proxy response, if it does not shift to the power saving mode that can be recovered by only address resolution activation request, it will be requested despite the request to increase the power saving effect. Next, the current power saving mode is maintained until a request to shift to a power saving mode that has a higher power saving effect than the current power saving mode is received, not the power saving mode that can be restored only by the address resolution activation request. , Useless power is consumed.

  The present invention aims to solve the above-described problems. To this end, in the image forming system of the present invention, a client device connected to a network and a print request or status request from a client device via the network. An image forming apparatus having a multi-stage power saving mode that performs processing according to a request such as, and a proxy response at the time of transition to a power saving mode that is connected to the network and can be restored only by an address resolution activation request The client apparatus includes a function and a process for issuing a request such as a print request or a status request to the image forming apparatus, and the image forming apparatus enters the power saving mode according to a specific condition. Before the transition to the power saving mode that can be restored by only address resolution activation request Confirming means and step for confirming whether or not a response is possible to the proxy response server, a notification means and step for notifying the proxy response server of the transition at the time of transition to a power saving mode that can be restored only by an address resolution activation request, and power saving Means and process for controlling and managing the mode, and when the proxy response server cannot perform proxy response, transition to the power saving mode having the highest power saving effect among the power saving modes in which the image forming apparatus can respond And means for notifying, and when the proxy response server detects a proxy availability confirmation request from the image forming apparatus via the network, it notifies whether the proxy response is possible, and the image formation. Upon detecting a power saving transition notification from the apparatus, a power saving registration unit that registers the image forming apparatus as a power saving transition apparatus; A function and process for monitoring network traffic and detecting a request to a power-saving image forming apparatus registered in the power saving registration unit, and a power saving that can return the image forming apparatus only by an address resolution activation request When it is necessary to return from the mode, a function and a process for issuing an address resolution activation request to the image forming apparatus are included.

As explained above, according to the present invention,
An image forming apparatus having a multi-stage power saving mode including a power saving mode that can be restored only by a predetermined activation request is connected to the network, and is on the same network during the transition to the power saving mode that can restore only the predetermined activation request. In a system in which a proxy response server connected to the server makes a proxy response, the proxy response server is unable to perform a proxy response even if the conditions for shifting to the power saving mode that can be restored with only a predetermined activation request are met In addition, the image forming apparatus does not shift to the power saving mode that can be restored only by a predetermined activation request, and shifts to the power saving mode with the least power consumption among the power saving modes that do not require a proxy response. By doing so, wasteful power consumption of the image forming apparatus can be suppressed.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram schematically showing an embodiment of the present invention.

  In this system, a client apparatus 101, an image forming apparatus 102, and a proxy response server 104 are connected via a network 103 so that they can communicate with each other. Image data created or processed by the client apparatus is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 102 via the network 103 and printed. When the image forming apparatus 102 shifts to a power saving state that can be recovered only by an address resolution activation request that does not respond to a request from the client apparatus 101, the proxy response server 104 responds to the request from the client apparatus 101. I do.

  2 and 3 are block diagrams showing the configurations of the image forming apparatus 102 and the proxy response server 104, respectively.

  The image forming apparatus 102 is connected to the network 103 and controls a power supply to a network monitoring unit 201 that monitors the network 103, a processing unit 202 that responds to and processes requests, and components in the image forming apparatus. The power supply control unit 203, the power saving mode management unit 204 for instructing and managing the transition to the power saving mode, and a proxy response to the proxy response server when shifting to the power saving mode that can be restored only by an address resolution activation request And a proxy response requesting unit 205 for notifying the transition to the power saving mode.

  Further, the proxy server 104 is connected to the network 103, a network monitoring unit 301 that monitors the network 103, a proxy response management unit 302 that manages proxy responses, and a power saving registration that registers notification information from the image forming apparatus 102. A proxy response issuing unit 304 that performs a proxy response when a request that does not require a return to the image forming apparatus 102 registered in the power saving registration unit 302 is detected by the network monitoring unit 301; A startup request issuing unit 305 that issues a startup request when a request that requires the device 102 to return is detected.

  In the above configuration, an embodiment will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  The image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment has a four-stage power saving mode. Each power saving mode is a power saving mode in which the power consumption decreases from the first power saving mode to the fourth power saving mode. The mode is a power saving mode that can be restored only by an address resolution activation request.

  The image forming apparatus 102 uses the power saving mode management unit 204 to check whether the power saving mode transition condition is satisfied (S101). If it is determined that the power saving mode transition condition is satisfied, the power saving mode management unit 204 shifts to the fourth power saving mode, which is a power saving mode in which the established transition condition can be restored only by an address activation solution request. It is determined whether it is a request (S102). If the established power saving mode transition condition is a request for shifting to the fourth power saving mode, the proxy response request unit 205 checks whether the proxy response server 104 can perform a proxy response (S103). The proxy response server 104 determines whether a proxy response is possible by the proxy response management unit 302, and replies to the image forming apparatus 102 whether the proxy response is possible. If the image forming apparatus 102 receives an answer that the proxy response is possible from the proxy response server, the proxy response request unit 205 notifies the proxy response server 104 of the proxy response content, and the power control unit 203 receives the fourth response. A command is issued to set the power supply state in the power saving mode, and the process proceeds to the fourth power saving mode (S104). During the transition to the fourth power saving mode, the proxy response management unit 302 monitors the network 103 via the network interface unit 301, and determines whether the request is a proxy response when there is a request to the image forming apparatus 102. Perform (S107). If it is a request for performing a proxy response, a proxy response is issued from the proxy response issuing unit 304 to the image forming apparatus 102, the process returns to step S107, and if it is a request for returning the image forming apparatus 102 from the fourth power saving mode, start The request issuing unit 305 issues an address resolution activation request for returning the image forming apparatus 102 from the fourth power saving mode. When the network interface unit 201 detects the address resolution activation request from the proxy response server 104 in the image forming apparatus 102, the power saving mode management unit 204 enters a power supply state in which the power control unit 203 returns from the fourth power saving mode. To return to the designated power saving mode (S110).

  In step S102, if the power saving mode management unit 204 determines that it is not a request for shifting to the fourth power saving mode, it instructs the power supply control unit 203 to enter the power supply state of the designated power saving mode, and The mode is shifted to (S106). After shifting to the designated power saving mode, the power saving mode management unit 204 determines whether the conditions for shifting to another power saving mode are satisfied (S108). When the power saving mode transition condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S102, where it is determined whether or not it is a request for transition to the fourth power saving mode. When the power saving mode transition condition is not satisfied, the process proceeds to step S109, The power saving mode management unit 204 determines whether there is a return request from the power saving mode. If there is no power saving mode return request, the process proceeds to step S108, where it is determined whether or not the power saving mode transition condition is satisfied. If there is a power saving mode return request, the process proceeds to step S110 to enter the designated power saving mode. Return.

  In step S103, when the image forming apparatus 102 obtains a reply that the proxy response is not possible from the proxy response server 104 or there is no response from the proxy response server 104, the image forming apparatus 102 is in a power saving mode in which no proxy response is required. The process shifts to a third power saving mode, which is a power saving mode with a small power consumption (S105). After shifting to the third power saving mode, the power saving mode management unit 204 determines whether or not a condition for shifting to another power saving mode is satisfied (S108). When the power saving mode transition condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S102, where it is determined whether or not it is a request for transition to the fourth power saving mode. When the power saving mode transition condition is not satisfied, the process proceeds to step S109, The power saving mode management unit 204 determines whether there is a return request from the power saving mode. If there is no power saving mode return request, the process proceeds to step S108, where it is determined whether or not the power saving mode transition condition is satisfied. If there is a power saving mode return request, the process proceeds to step S110 to enter the designated power saving mode. Return.

1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing an embodiment of an image forming system of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the image forming apparatus in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the proxy response server of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the operation example of one Embodiment of this invention image forming system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Client device 102 Image forming apparatus 103 Network 104 Proxy response server 201 Network interface unit 202 Processing unit 203 Power control unit 204 Power saving mode management unit 205 Proxy response request unit 301 Network interface unit 302 Proxy response management unit 303 Power saving registration unit 304 Proxy response issuing unit 305 Activation request issuing unit

Claims (1)

An image forming apparatus that responds and processes in response to a request from a client device via a network, and a proxy server that is connected to the network and performs a proxy response of the image forming apparatus,
The image forming apparatus includes:
A network interface unit that is an interface unit with the network, a main unit that has a multi-stage power saving mode including at least one power saving mode that can be restored only by a predetermined activation request, and that performs image forming processing; Control of transition to / return to power mode and a power saving mode control unit for detecting a predetermined activation request signal addressed to the own device via the network, a power source control unit for performing power control of the image forming apparatus, and the network A proxy response requesting unit that issues a request to the proxy response server connected to
When the proxy response server detects a network interface unit, which is an interface unit with the network, and a proxy response confirmation request and proxy response request from the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus can be restored only by a predetermined activation request. A power saving registration unit for registering proxy response contents and information of the image forming apparatus as a device in a power saving mode, and the image forming in the power saving mode in which the image forming apparatus can be restored only by a predetermined activation request. When a request to the apparatus is detected, a proxy response issuing unit that responds as a proxy for the image forming apparatus, and an activation request issuing unit that issues an activation request for restoring the image-type apparatus that can be restored only by a predetermined activation request; Including,
The image forming apparatus has means for confirming whether the proxy response server can perform a proxy response before requesting the proxy response to the proxy response server, and when the proxy response server replies that the proxy response is impossible, Or, when there is no response from the proxy response server, shifting to the power saving mode having the highest power saving effect among the power saving modes in which the image forming apparatus can respond;
An image forming system.

Images