JP2007141068A - Image formation device performing power management control in network environment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information processing system which can perform power consumption control more effectively, by shifting devices with low use frequency to a sleep mode promptly. <P>SOLUTION: When a certain image formation device shifts to the sleep mode, this device transmits a sleep notification packet including information of use frequency. When other image formation device receives the sleep notification packet, the device compares the frequency with its own use frequency in the use frequency information. When the device detects that a device whose use frequency is higher than its own use frequency, the device also shifts to the sleep mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technology for controlling a device equipped with a power management function in various devices in a local area network (LAN) environment.

  In recent years, mobile devices such as notebook computers have become widespread. However, such mobile devices are required to reduce power consumption and be able to be used for a longer time with a built-in battery.

  In recent years, there has been a worldwide movement to reduce environmental impact. There are cases where restrictions are set such as not permitting the sale of electrical appliances that have regulations at the national level and do not meet the regulations. In the future, regulations on power consumption will also become stricter.

  For this reason, it is considered that it will be necessary to provide a device with a power management function in the future. The power management function reduces power consumption by stopping part of the function while the user is not using it, and returns to the normal state when there is user operation or access from another host used by the user. It is a function to return.

In order to effectively control this power management function, the conventional technique has proposed a method of performing power management control by managing a history of usage frequency (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-070716

  In the prior art, power management is controlled by history management of a single image forming apparatus.

  In the case of an information processing apparatus connected to a network, the power management control method based on such usage frequency information is more effective in power saving control if it can acquire the usage frequency information of other devices connected to the network. There was no such control method.

The invention according to claim 1 is an information processing apparatus connected to a network.
Power saving control means for performing power saving control;
A sleep notification transmission means capable of transmitting a sleep notification packet including usage frequency information;
A sleep notification receiving means capable of receiving a sleep notification packet including usage frequency information;
A usage counting means for counting usage;
It is an information processing apparatus characterized by comprising.

The invention according to claim 2 is an information processing apparatus connected to a network.
Power saving control means for performing power saving control;
A sleep notification receiving means capable of receiving a sleep notification packet including usage frequency information;
A usage counting means for counting usage;
It is an information processing apparatus characterized by comprising.

The invention according to claim 3 is an information processing apparatus connected to a network.
Power saving control means for performing power saving control;
A sleep notification transmission means capable of transmitting a sleep notification packet including usage frequency information;
A usage counting means for counting usage;
It is an information processing apparatus characterized by comprising.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the sleep notification transmission unit includes:
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sleep notification packet can be transmitted using the information obtained by the usage count accounting means as usage frequency information.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the sleep notification transmission means includes:
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sleep notification packet can be transmitted prior to power saving control by the power saving control means.

The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the sleep notification transmission means includes:
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is capable of transmitting a sleep notification packet prior to a power saving control shift or power shutdown by an operation from a user. is there.

The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that the sleep notification receiving means includes:
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is possible to analyze a packet notified by the sleep notification transmission unit and acquire usage frequency information.

The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that the usage count account means is:
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of times is counted in accordance with the print control.

The invention according to claim 9 is characterized in that the power saving control means includes:
The power saving control can be determined based on the comparison between the usage frequency information obtained by the sleep notification receiving unit and the usage frequency obtained from the usage count accounting unit. 1 to 8 information processing apparatuses.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, the power saving control means includes:
10. The usage frequency information obtained by the sleep notification receiving unit and the usage frequency obtained from the usage count accounting unit are compared, and if the received usage frequency is higher, power saving control is performed. Information processing apparatus.

The invention according to claim 11 is characterized in that the power saving control means includes:
10. The usage frequency information obtained by the sleep notification receiving unit is compared with the usage frequency obtained from the usage count accounting unit, and if the received usage frequency is lower, the sleep notification packet is ignored. This is an information processing device.

  As described above, when a certain image forming apparatus enters the sleep mode, the sleep notification packet including the usage frequency information is transmitted. When the other image forming apparatus receives the sleep notification packet, it looks at the usage frequency information and compares it with the usage frequency of its own device. When it is detected that a device having a higher use frequency than the own device has entered the sleep mode, it is determined that the device is unlikely to be used, and the own device also enters the sleep mode. When it is detected that a device having a lower frequency of use than the own device has entered the sleep mode, control is performed in the standby mode.

  By performing this control, a device that is unlikely to be used can be quickly put into the sleep mode. As a result, more effective power consumption control can be performed.

  The best mode for carrying out the invention is the following embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus that performs power management control in a network environment according to the present exemplary embodiment.

  In the embodiment of the present specification, an example using an image forming apparatus connected to a host is given. However, the present invention is not limited to an image forming apparatus, and other peripheral devices may be an information processing apparatus connected to a network. Included in the rights.

  In the figure, reference numeral 100 denotes an overall configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus. A controller unit 110 processes data received from the host. Reference numeral 119 denotes an operation panel unit, which includes keys for setting the state of the image forming apparatus, a liquid crystal panel for performing display, and LEDs.

  A controller CPU 111 controls a controller unit of the image forming apparatus. A ROM 112 stores a program for controlling the controller unit. Reference numeral 113 denotes a RAM, which is a readable / writable memory. An image forming unit 114 processes the received image and prints it. A network communication control unit 115 is connected to the network environment, and can receive image data from a host connected to the network environment and print it on the image forming apparatus. Reference numeral 116 denotes an RTC (Real Time Clock), which manages a return time for extending the lease of an IP address. Reference numeral 117 denotes an EEPROM, which is a readable / writable memory. An operation panel I / F unit 118 communicates with the operation panel.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a power management control method based on sleep notification in the present embodiment.

  In the figure, printer A and printer B are image forming apparatuses connected to a network. The operation on the side where the printer A transmits the sleep notification packet and the side where the printer B receives the sleep notification packet is shown.

  In step S201, the printer A transmits a sleep notification packet. Then enter sleep mode. In step S211, the printer B receives the sleep notification packet. In S212, the usage frequencies of the printer A and the printer B are compared. When it is determined that the use frequency of the printer A is higher, the process proceeds to S213 and the sleep mode is set. When it is determined that the usage frequency of the printer A is higher, the process proceeds to S214 and the standby mode is set.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a configuration for counting the usage frequency. After the power is turned on or resumed, initialization is performed in S301. It will be in a standby state after the initialization is completed. In S302, it is determined whether the sleep time has been reached. If the sleep time has not yet been reached, the process proceeds to S303. In S303, sleep notification detection is determined. If the sleep notification is not received, the process proceeds to S304. In step S304, print job detection is determined. If no print job has been received, the process returns to S302. If a print job is received in S304, the process proceeds to S305 to perform print processing. Thereafter, the counter is incremented in S306. After that, the process returns to S302 and enters the standby state again. When the sleep notification is received in S303, the process proceeds to S307. If it is determined in S307 that the device that has been used more frequently than the own device has entered the sleep mode, the proceeding counter is cleared in S308 to enter the sleep state. If it is determined in S307 that the device that is used less frequently than the own device has entered the sleep mode, the process proceeds to S302, and again enters a standby state. If it is determined in S302 that the sleep time has been reached, the process proceeds to S309. In S309, a sleep notification is transmitted, the process proceeds to S308, the counter is cleared, and a sleep state is entered.

  In this embodiment, a case will be described in which an image forming apparatus that is frequently used is manually shifted to a sleep mode or turned off.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a power management control method based on sleep notification in the present embodiment.

  In step S <b> 401, the printer A is manually operated by the user to turn off the power or enter the sleep mode. In S402, a sleep notification packet is transmitted. Then enter sleep mode. In step S411, the printer B receives the sleep notification packet. In step S412, the usage frequencies of the printer A and the printer B are compared. When it is determined that the use frequency of the printer A is higher, the process proceeds to S413, and the sleep mode is set in S413. When it is determined that the usage frequency of the printer A is higher, the process proceeds to S414 to enter the standby mode.

1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus that performs power management control in a network environment in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a power management control method based on a sleep notification in the first embodiment. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a configuration for counting use frequency in the first embodiment. It is a flowchart explaining the power management control method by the sleep notification in Example 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Image forming apparatus 110 Controller part 111 CPU
112 ROM
113 RAM
114 Image forming unit 115 Network control unit 116 RTC
117 EEPROM
118 Operation panel I / F section 119 Operation panel section

Claims (11)

In an information processing device connected to a network,
Power saving control means for performing power saving control;
A sleep notification transmission means capable of transmitting a sleep notification packet including usage frequency information;
A sleep notification receiving means capable of receiving a sleep notification packet including usage frequency information;
A usage counting means for counting usage;
An information processing apparatus comprising: In an information processing device connected to a network,
Power saving control means for performing power saving control;
A sleep notification receiving means capable of receiving a sleep notification packet including usage frequency information;
A usage counting means for counting usage;
An information processing apparatus comprising: In an information processing device connected to a network,
Power saving control means for performing power saving control;
A sleep notification transmission means capable of transmitting a sleep notification packet including usage frequency information;
A usage counting means for counting usage;
An information processing apparatus comprising: The sleep notification transmission means includes
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sleep notification packet can be transmitted using the information obtained by the usage count accounting means as usage frequency information. The sleep notification transmission means includes
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sleep notification packet can be transmitted prior to performing power saving control by the power saving control unit. The sleep notification transmission means includes
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is capable of transmitting a sleep notification packet prior to a power saving control shift or power shutdown by an operation from a user. The sleep notification receiving means includes
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is possible to analyze a packet notified by the sleep notification transmission means and acquire usage frequency information. The usage count account means is:
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of times is counted with the print control. The power saving control means includes:
The power saving control can be determined based on the comparison between the usage frequency information obtained by the sleep notification receiving unit and the usage frequency obtained from the usage count accounting unit. 1 to 8 information processing apparatuses. The power saving control means includes:
10. The usage frequency information obtained by the sleep notification receiving unit and the usage frequency obtained from the usage count accounting unit are compared, and if the received usage frequency is higher, power saving control is performed. Information processing device. The power saving control means includes:
10. The usage frequency information obtained by the sleep notification receiving unit is compared with the usage frequency obtained from the usage count accounting unit, and if the received usage frequency is lower, the sleep notification packet is ignored. Information processing device.

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