JP2008148385A - Electronic equipment, its control method, and its control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily prevent a large inrush current from flowing in a breaker 72 when electric power is supplied to a plurality of laser printers 20 all at once. <P>SOLUTION: When a power supply unit 34 of the laser printer 20 comes into a state that electric power can be supplied from an original power source 73 to a heater 33, a main controller sets a remainder obtained by dividing a serial number peculiar to each laser printer 20 by a value 16 as a power supply starting time. The power supply unit 34 waits for the power supply starting time to elapse before starting the power supply to the heater 33. With this structure, when a plurality of the laser printers 20 is connected to the one original power source 73, the possibility decreases that electric power is supplied all at once to each heater 33. Thus, it is possible to easily prevent the large inrush current from flowing in the breaker 72 at a time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device, a control method thereof, and a control program thereof.

In an office or the like having a plurality of printers, if the electronic devices in the office are activated at the same time at the start of business, a large inrush current may flow through the breaker due to excessive power consumption. In order to prevent a large inrush current from flowing through the breaker, for example, as in Patent Document 1, it is considered to use a multi-printer control device that controls the operation of a plurality of connected printers. This multi-printer control device detects the status of a plurality of connected printers and constantly monitors the power consumption of other devices, so that each printer connected so as not to consume more than a certain amount of power at a time. The operation can be controlled.
JP-A-11-143663

  However, such a method requires a device for detecting the state of another electronic device, and requires information communication for constantly monitoring the power consumption of the other device. For this reason, it takes a lot of trouble to install, and a problem is that traffic is burdened by information communication.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an electronic device that can easily prevent a large inrush current from flowing to a breaker attached to an original power source to which a plurality of electronic devices are connected, An object is to provide a control method and a control program thereof.

  The present invention adopts the following means in order to achieve the above-mentioned object.

The electronic device of the present invention is
A power consuming device that consumes power; and
Power supply means capable of supplying power from an original power source to the power consuming device;
Identification information storage means for storing identification information capable of identifying the other electronic device;
The identification information stored in the identification information storage means is used using a correspondence rule determined so that at least two or more power supply start times correspond to all identification information including identification information of other electronic devices. Power supply start time setting means for setting the corresponding power supply start time;
When the power supply means is ready to supply power from the main power source to the power consuming device, the power supply waits for the power supply start time set by the power supply start time setting means to elapse. Power supply control means for controlling the power supply means so that power supply to the consuming device is started;
It is equipped with.

  In this electronic device, the power supply start time corresponding to the identification information using a correspondence rule determined so that at least two or more power supply start times correspond to all the identification information including identification information of other electronic devices. Ask for. Then, when the power supply means is ready to supply power from the original power supply to the power consuming device, the power supply means starts supplying power to the power consuming device after waiting for the power supply start time to elapse. As a result, when a plurality of electronic devices of the present invention are connected to one original power source, the power supply means of all the electronic devices can supply power from the original power source to the power consuming device. However, it is unlikely that power will be supplied to the power consuming devices all at once. Therefore, a large inrush current is applied to the breaker attached to the main power source to which a plurality of electronic devices are connected without requiring special settings by the user or information communication for monitoring other electronic devices by the electronic device. Can be easily prevented from flowing.

  In the electronic device of the present invention, the identification information storage means is means for storing a number as the identification information, and the power supply start time setting means is a remainder value obtained by dividing the number by a predetermined integer of 2 or more. Alternatively, it is possible to use a correspondence rule determined so that at least two or more power supply start times correspond. In this way, it is possible to determine the number of power supply start times based on a predetermined integer. At this time, the power supply start time setting means is a means using a correspondence rule determined so that different power supply start times correspond to the remainder values obtained by dividing the number by a predetermined integer of 2 or more. There may be. In this way, when a plurality of electronic devices of the present invention are connected to one original power source, the power supply means of all the electronic devices can supply power from the original power source to the power consuming device, The possibility that power is simultaneously supplied to the power consuming devices of the electronic devices can be further reduced. The predetermined integer may be the maximum number of electronic devices that can be connected to one original power source.

  The electronic apparatus of the present invention may include a printing mechanism that performs electrophotographic printing, and the power consuming device may be a heater of a fixing device that constitutes the printing mechanism. Since the heater of the fixing device constituting the printing mechanism for performing electrophotographic printing consumes a large amount of power, the effect of the present invention can be effectively obtained by controlling the power supply start timing for the heater.

The electronic device control method of the present invention includes:
A power consuming device that consumes power, a power supply unit that can supply power from the original power source to the power consuming device, and an identification information storage unit that stores identification information that can identify the other electronic device. A method for controlling an electronic device by computer software,
(A) The identification stored in the identification information storage means using a correspondence rule determined so that at least two or more power supply start times correspond to all identification information including identification information of other electronic devices Obtaining the power supply start time corresponding to the information;
(B) When the power supply means is able to supply power from the original power source to the power consuming device, the power supply start time waits for the power supply start time set in step (a) to elapse. Controlling the power supply means to start power supply to the power consuming device;
Is included.

  In this electronic device control method, the power corresponding to the identification information is determined by using a correspondence rule determined so that at least two or more power supply start times correspond to all identification information including identification information of other electronic devices. Obtain the supply start time. Then, when the power supply means becomes able to supply power from the original power source to the power consuming device, the electronic device is configured to wait for the power supply start time to elapse and start supplying power to the power consuming device. To control. As a result, when a plurality of electronic devices of the present invention are connected to one original power source, the power supply means of all the electronic devices can supply power from the original power source to the power consuming device. However, it is unlikely that power will be supplied to the power consuming devices all at once. Therefore, a large inrush current is applied to the breaker attached to the main power source to which a plurality of electronic devices are connected without requiring special settings by the user or information communication for monitoring other electronic devices by the electronic device. Can be easily prevented from flowing. In this method for controlling an electronic device, various aspects of the electronic device described above may be adopted, or steps for realizing the functions of the electronic device described above may be added.

  The control program of the present invention is a control program for causing one or a plurality of computers to realize each step of the electronic device control method described above. The control program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium (for example, a hard disk, ROM, FD, CD, DVD, etc.), or a computer via a transmission medium (communication network such as the Internet or LAN). May be distributed to another computer, or may be exchanged in any other form. If this program is executed by a single computer or each step is shared and executed by a plurality of computers, the same effect as the control method described above can be obtained.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of a configuration of a laser printer 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The laser printer 20 of the present embodiment is configured as a full-color electrophotographic printer that employs an intermediate transfer method, and supplies power to the printing mechanism 21 that forms an image on the recording paper S and to each part of the laser printer 20. And a main controller 40 for controlling the entire laser printer 20. In this embodiment, the printing medium is described as “recording paper”, but it is not intended to specify the material, but includes other materials such as a film other than paper.

  The printing mechanism 21 includes a photoconductor 22 provided for each color, an exposure unit 24 that irradiates a laser on the photoconductor 22 to form an image for each color as an electrostatic latent image, and an electrostatic for each color formed. A developing unit 26 for developing the latent image, an intermediate transfer belt 28 to which the toner image developed for each color is transferred, and a secondary transfer unit for transferring the full-color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 28 to the recording paper S 30 and a fixing unit 32 that fixes and discharges the full-color toner image transferred onto the recording paper S. On the basis of the print data, the exposure unit 24 applies on each of the photoreceptors 22C, 22M, 22Y, 22K provided for each color of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). Laser irradiation is performed, and an image for each color is formed on each color photoconductor 22 as an electrostatic latent image. Next, the developing unit 26 attaches toner based on the electrostatic latent image for each color formed on the photosensitive member 22, and transfers the toner image developed for each color to the intermediate transfer belt 28. The toner image transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 28 is transferred to the recording paper S as a full-color toner image by the secondary transfer unit 30 and fused and fixed to the recording paper S by the fixing unit 32 heated by the heater 33.

  The power supply unit 34 is an ammeter provided in the middle of a power switch 62 connected to a power cord 68 having a plug 69 and a power supply line 65 wired from the power switch 62 to each part excluding the heater 33 of the laser printer 20. 66, and a heater switch 64 provided in the middle of the wiring from the middle point of the wiring connecting the power switch 62 and the ammeter 66 to the heater 33. The plug 69 is inserted into the power tap 74. The power tap 74 is switched between connection and disconnection with the original power source 73 by an on / off operation of the breaker 72. In the present embodiment, the power switch 62 is always set to on. Therefore, when the breaker 72 is switched from OFF to ON, the power tap 74 and the original power supply 73 are connected, and the power supply unit 34 is connected to the heater 33 of the laser printer 20 via the power cord 68, the power switch 62 and the power supply line 65. Supply power to all parts except. At this time, the ammeter 66 detects that a current has flowed. The power supply to the heater 33 is performed after the heater switch 64 is turned on. As shown in FIG. 2, 16 laser printers 20 are connected to the power tap 74, and each power switch 62 is always set to ON. For this reason, when the breaker 72 is switched from OFF to ON, power is supplied to all parts except the heater 33 in all the laser printers 20 connected to the original power source 73.

  The main controller 40 is provided on a main board 36 attached to the lower part of the laser printer 20 and is configured as a microprocessor centered on a CPU 42. The main controller 40 stores a ROM 44 storing various processing programs and temporarily stores data. RAM 46, an interface (I / F) 48 for exchanging information with an external device, and an input / output port (not shown). The ROM 44 includes a serial number assigned to each laser printer 20, various control programs for controlling the laser printer 20 such as a power supply processing routine described later, and the maximum number of laser printers 20 that can be connected to a single power source. Is remembered. Here, the serial number is a value unique to the laser printer 20 and is composed of an 8-digit number. The RAM 46 is provided with a print buffer area, and print data is temporarily stored in the print buffer area. The main controller 40 receives signals related to operations from the various parts of the printing mechanism 21 and signals related to current detection from the ammeter 66 from an input port (not shown), and a print job or the like from the user PC 60 receives an I / F 48. Is input via. Further, the main controller 40 outputs a signal for controlling on / off of the heater switch 64 and a signal for controlling each part of the printing mechanism 21 through an output port (not shown), and print status information or the like is output from the I / F 48. To the user PC 60.

  Next, the operation of the laser printer 20 of the present embodiment configured as described above, particularly the operation of the heater switch control process will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a heater switch control processing routine executed by the CPU 42 of the main controller 40. This heater switch control processing routine is stored in the ROM 44. This heater switch control processing routine is executed by the CPU 42 when the user starts power supply to each part (excluding the heater 33) including the main controller 40 of the laser printer 20 by switching the breaker 72 from OFF to ON. The Note that the start of power supply to each unit other than the heater 33 may be determined by the ammeter 66 detecting a current.

  When this heater switch control processing routine is started, first, the CPU 42 reads the serial number stored in the ROM 44 and substitutes the value of the serial number into the variable i. (Step S100) Subsequently, the CPU 42 sets the power supply start time based on a correspondence rule that the remainder obtained by dividing the variable i by the maximum number (for example, 16) is defined as the power supply start time (step S110). Thereby, the electric power supply start time according to the maximum number can be set. The maximum number is stored in advance in the ROM 44 as the number of laser printers 20 that can be connected to the same power source 73. Further, the power supply start time is determined by setting the remainder as a minute. For example, when the remainder is the value 1, the power supply start time is determined as 1 minute.

  Next, after waiting for the power supply start time calculated in step S110, the CPU 42 sends a control signal for turning on the heater switch 64 (step S120). Here, since the 16 laser printers 20 connected to the original power source 73 have different serial numbers, it is unlikely that all the remainders obtained by dividing each serial number by the value 16 will be the same value. For this reason, there is little possibility that the power supply start times to the heaters 33 of the 16 laser printers 20 are all the same.

  Here, the correspondence between the components of the present embodiment and the components of the present invention will be described. The laser printer 20 of this embodiment corresponds to the electronic apparatus of the present invention, the heater 33 corresponds to the power consuming device, the power supply unit 34 corresponds to the power supply means, the serial number corresponds to the identification information, and the ROM 44 identifies The main controller 40 corresponds to information storage means, the power supply start time setting means and power supply control means, the main power source 73 corresponds to the main power source, and the printing mechanism 21 corresponds to the printing mechanism. In the present embodiment, an example of the method for controlling the power supply apparatus of the present invention is also clarified by describing the operation of the laser printer 20.

  According to the laser printer 20 of the present embodiment described in detail above, 16 types of power supply start times that are the maximum number are set to correspond to all serial numbers including the serial numbers of other laser printers 20. The power supply start time corresponding to the serial number is obtained using the correspondence rule. Then, when the power supply unit 34 is in a state where the power from the main power supply 73 can be supplied to the heater 33, the supply of power to the laser printer 20 is started after the power supply start time elapses. As a result, when a plurality of laser printers 20 are connected to one source power source 73, the power supply units 34 of all the laser printers 20 can supply power from the source power source 73 to the heater 33. However, it is unlikely that power will be supplied to the heaters 33 all at once. Accordingly, the power supply 73 to which the plurality of laser printers 20 are connected is connected to the original power supply 73 without requiring special settings by the user or information communication for monitoring the other laser printers 20 by the laser printer 20. It is possible to easily prevent a large inrush current from flowing through the attached breaker 72 at a time.

  Further, the value obtained by dividing the serial number stored in the ROM 44 in step S110 is set to a value 16 which is the maximum number, and the value obtained by dividing the serial number is increased, and the power supply start time is associated with the remainder divided by the maximum number. By attaching, the possibility that electric power is supplied to the laser printer 20 all at once can be further reduced.

  Further, the laser printer 20 includes a printing mechanism 21, and the power consumption of the heater 33 is larger than that of other units by controlling the power supply start time supplied to the heater 33 constituting the printing mechanism 21. The significance of applying is great.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various modes as long as it belongs to the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the laser printer 20 is a tandem full-color laser printer including the photoconductor 22 and the developing unit 26 for each color, but a direct transfer method, a transfer drum method, a transfer belt method, and the like are adopted. The printer may be a laser printer, a monochrome printer using only black toner, or a complex machine such as a facsimile machine or a copier. Furthermore, the printer is not limited to a laser printer, and may be a printer of various known types such as an ink jet printer.

  In the above-described embodiment, the serial number stored in the ROM 44 is read in step S100, but instead of the serial number, a number provided in advance by the laser printer 20 such as a MAC address or USBID may be used. A random number table or other values stored in advance in the laser printer 20 may be used, or a built-in clock that indicates the time from the time of manufacture may be used, and the value indicated by the built-in clock may be used. A random number generated by the random number generator may be used.

  In the above-described embodiment, the remainder obtained by dividing the serial number by the value 16 in step S110 is the power supply start time, but the last digit of the serial number may be the power supply start time. Usually, products purchased at the same time have consecutive serial numbers, so the same effect can be obtained.

  In the embodiment described above, the remainder of dividing the serial number by the value 16 in step S110 is set as the power supply start time. The remainder obtained by dividing the number of seconds at the current time by the value of the random number generated by the random number generator may be used.

  In the embodiment described above, power supply to the plurality of power supply units 34 is started all at once by turning on and off the breaker 72. However, the power supply tap 74 is not limited to the breaker 72, and the power tap 74 supplies power to the laser printer 20. A switch for switching on / off of supply may be provided, and power supply may be started simultaneously by the switch.

1 is a configuration diagram showing an outline of the configuration of a laser printer 20. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a connection state of a laser printer. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of a heater switch control processing routine.

Explanation of symbols

  20 Laser printer, 21 Printing mechanism, 22 Photoconductor, 24 Exposure unit, 26 Development unit, 28 Intermediate transfer belt, 30 Secondary transfer unit, 32 Fixing unit, 33 Heater, 34 Power supply unit, 36 Main board, 40 Main controller, 42 CPU, 44 ROM, 46 RAM, 48 I / F, 60 User PC, 62 Power switch, 64 Heater switch, 65 Power supply line, 66 Ammeter, 68 Power cord, 69 Plug, 72 Breaker, 73 Original power supply, 74 Power strip, S recording paper

Claims (6)

A power consuming device that consumes power; and
Power supply means capable of supplying power from an original power source to the power consuming device;
Identification information storage means for storing identification information capable of identifying the other electronic device;
The identification information stored in the identification information storage means is used using a correspondence rule determined so that at least two or more power supply start times correspond to all identification information including identification information of other electronic devices. Power supply start time setting means for setting a corresponding power supply start time;
When the power supply means is ready to supply power from the original power source to the power consuming device, the power supply start time set by the power supply start time setting means waits for the time to elapse. Power supply control means for controlling the power supply means so that power supply to the power consuming device is started;
With electronic equipment. The identification information storage means is means for storing a number as the identification information,
The power supply start time setting means uses a correspondence rule determined so that at least two power supply start times correspond to a remainder value obtained by dividing the number by a predetermined integer of 2 or more. ,
The electronic device according to claim 1. The identification information storage means is means for storing a number as the identification information,
The power supply start time setting means is means for using a correspondence rule determined so that different power supply start times correspond to the remainder values obtained by dividing the number by a predetermined integer of 2 or more.
The electronic device according to claim 2. The electronic device according to claim 1,
Equipped with a printing mechanism that performs electrophotographic printing,
The power consuming device is a heater of a fixing device constituting the printing mechanism.
Electronics. A power consuming device that consumes power, a power supply unit that can supply power from the original power source to the power consuming device, and an identification information storage unit that stores identification information that can identify the other electronic device. A method for controlling an electronic device by computer software,
(A) The identification stored in the identification information storage means using a correspondence rule determined so that at least two or more power supply start times correspond to all identification information including identification information of other electronic devices Obtaining the power supply start time corresponding to the information;
(B) When the power supply means is able to supply power from the original power source to the power consuming device, the power supply start time waits for the power supply start time set in step (a) to elapse. Controlling the power supply means to start power supply to the power consuming device;
A method for controlling an electronic device.   6. A control program for causing one or more computers to implement each step of the electronic device control method according to claim 5.

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