JP2013119250A - Image forming apparatus and image forming program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform efficient sleep control by which both of reducing power consumption and shortening a start-up time are satisfied, in an image forming apparatus having a serial connection configuration.SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes a communication control part 16 independently of a main control module 12, the communication control part 16 in which power can be turned on and off separately from the main control module 12 and which communicates with a slave 18 to which an instrument 22 provided in each part of the image forming apparatus 10 is connected. Thus, the power to other parts can be turned off, while supplying the power to the communication control part 16 and each slave 18 serial connected to the communication control part 16, so that other areas can be shifted to sleep control, in such a state that the power to the communication control part 16 and each slave 18 is turned on.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming program.

  The image forming apparatus is controlled so as to shift to a so-called power saving state that suppresses power consumption when a condition such as no input or operation of image information is performed for a predetermined time or more. There are many. As techniques for performing such transition control to the power saving state, for example, techniques described in Patent Documents 1 to 4 have been proposed.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, printing failure information derived from the printing unit is held, and setting information is held as a condition for setting a predetermined printing problem as a condition not to shift to the sleep mode. And even if the device has been stopped for a certain period of time, if the condition is satisfied by checking its state information with a predetermined condition, the mode transition management means will not allow the transition from the normal mode to the sleep mode Has been proposed.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 2, in response to an activation request from the power saving state, the removable sheet conveying device is activated in order according to a predetermined order, thereby shortening the time until the first image formation time. It has been proposed.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 3, when the current state is stopped, the current state is temporarily saved in the main memory, power supply to most devices such as the CPU and HDD is stopped, and the saved memory state is written back when returning. In STR (Suspend To Ram) that returns to the state before suspending with low power consumption and high speed without restarting the OS or the like, it is determined whether or not the register value indicating the state of the device is an expected value. If it is not the expected value, it is proposed that the device is reset and the register value setting process is executed and repeated until the register value reaches the expected value.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 4, an image forming unit that can control power supply / stop and that forms an image based on image information, and a unit that can control power supply / stop and image formation. Each of a plurality of control function units that transmit / receive information or signals related to image formation to / from the unit is connected to the in-machine LAN, and determines its own power supply / stop state from information obtained through the in-machine LAN Thus, it has been proposed to carry out control of power supply / stop from the power supply unit by itself.

JP 11-268380 A JP 2005-14595 A JP 2010-219639 A JP 2010-56659 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to perform efficient sleep control in an image forming apparatus having serially connected control targets, in which both power consumption and start-up time are reduced.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a main control unit that performs control relating to image formation, the main control unit operates even when the operation is stopped, and is serially connected to a plurality of control targets of the main control unit to control Control the main control means so that the main control means shifts to the power saving state when a communication control means capable of communicating with the target and a predetermined condition for shifting to power saving control are satisfied; and And a power saving control means for controlling the communication control means so as to continue communication with the controlled object.

  3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a main control unit that performs control relating to image formation, the main control unit operates even when the operation is stopped, and is serially connected to a plurality of control targets of the main control unit to control each control. When the communication control means capable of communicating with the target, the detection means for detecting the presence of the user based on the detection result of the detection means for detecting a person, and a predetermined condition for shifting to power saving control are established In addition, when the main control unit and the communication control unit control the main control unit and the communication control unit so as to shift to a power saving state, and the user is detected by the detection unit, it relates to image formation. Power saving control means for controlling the communication control means so that the serial connection between the communication control means and the control target is restored prior to the main control means before an instruction is given. It is characterized in that.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the power saving control means causes the main control means to enter a power saving state when a predetermined condition for shifting to power saving control is satisfied. The main control means is controlled so as to shift, and communication with the predetermined control object is continued, and the communication control means is controlled so that a control object other than the control object shifts to a power saving state. It is characterized by that.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or third aspect of the invention, when the communication control unit shifts to the power saving control, the communication frequency with the control target is the power saving. The communication with the controlled object is controlled so as to be lower than before the shift to control.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the invention, the power saving control means is configured such that the main control means and the communication control means are set when a predetermined condition for shifting to power saving control is satisfied. After the control of the main control unit and the communication control unit so as to shift to a power saving state, when a person is detected by the detection unit, the communication control unit and the communication control unit The communication control means is controlled such that only the serial connection with the predetermined control target is restored in advance.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the second or fifth aspect, when the communication control unit returns prior to the main control unit, the communication frequency with the control target is less than The communication with the controlled object is controlled to be lower than before the shift to power control.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming program that causes a computer to function as each unit constituting the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, compared with the case where the serial connection is interrupted during the power saving control, in the image forming apparatus having the serially connected control target, both the power consumption reduction and the start-up time are reduced. There is an effect that efficient sleep control can be performed.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce power consumption in an image forming apparatus having a serially connected control target, compared to a case where a configuration in which serial connection is restored in advance when a person is detected is detected. There is an effect that it is possible to perform an efficient sleep control in which both start-up times are shortened.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that power saving can be achieved as compared with the configuration in which communication with all the controlled objects is continued.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, there is an effect that power saving can be achieved as compared with the case where the communication frequency with the control target is not changed after the shift to the power saving control.

  According to the fifth aspect of the invention, there is an effect that power saving can be achieved as compared with the case where serial connection with all the control objects is restored in advance.

  According to the invention of claim 6, it is possible to save power compared to the case of communicating with the control object at the same communication frequency as before the power saving control when the serial connection is restored in advance. effective.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, compared to the case where this configuration is not adopted, an efficient sleep in which both power consumption and start-up time are reduced in an image forming apparatus having a serially connected control target. There is an effect that control can be performed.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a partial configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the conventional image forming apparatus with which the slave was serially connected. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by a main control module in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by a sleep control module in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by a communication control unit in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed in a slave in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow from a transition to a sleep control to a return in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow from a shift to a sleep control at the time of failure in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention to a return. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow from a transition to a sleep control to a return in an image forming apparatus when an operation of an operation unit or the like is a sleep release trigger. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a part of image forming apparatus concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by a sleep control module in an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by a communication control unit in an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by a human sensor control unit in the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow from a transition to sleep to a return in an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a partial configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the dotted line arrow of FIG. 1 shows supply of electric power.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a main control module 12, a sleep control module 14, a communication control unit 16, a slave 18, and a power supply control unit 20.

  The main control module 12 has a function of controlling the entire image forming apparatus 10. The main control module 12 acquires a state detection result of each part of the image forming apparatus from the communication control unit 16 and performs various controls relating to image formation.

  The sleep control module 14 supplies power to each unit when a predetermined condition is satisfied (for example, when an instruction to perform an image forming operation or an image forming operation is not performed for a predetermined time). So-called power saving control (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as sleep control or simply referred to as sleep) is performed to stop and suppress reduction in power consumption.

  The power control unit 20 controls power supply to each unit of the image forming apparatus 10 in accordance with an instruction from the sleep control module 14 or the like.

  The sleep control module 14 may be incorporated in the main control module 12 or may be incorporated in the power supply control unit 20.

  A plurality of slaves 18 are serially connected to the communication control unit 16, and communication between the communication control unit 16 and the slaves 18 is performed after establishing a communication link with each slave 18. For example, the communication control unit 16 acquires a state detection result of each unit of the image forming apparatus 10 from each slave 18 or gives an operation instruction to the device 22 connected to the slave 18. In addition, the communication control unit 16 supplies power from the power supply control unit 20 to each slave 18.

  Each slave 18 is connected to a device (for example, a sensor or an actuator) 22 provided in each part of the image forming apparatus 10, and responds to an instruction issued from the main control module 12 or the like via the communication control unit 16. Thus, each device 22 is controlled.

  Specifically, each slave 18 includes a communication module 18A, a power supply module 18B, a component control module 18C, and a slave control module 18D, as shown in FIG.

  The communication module 18 </ b> A controls serial connection with the communication control unit 16 and the other slaves 18, communicates with the communication control unit 16, and communicates with other slaves 18.

  The power supply module 18 </ b> B controls the power on / off of the slave 18 in accordance with an instruction from the communication control unit 16.

  The component control module 18 </ b> C controls devices connected to the slave 18. For example, when a sensor (for example, a paper feed operation detection sensor, a paper size detection sensor, a paper presence / absence detection sensor, etc.) is connected to the slave 18, the sensor of the image forming apparatus using the sensor is in accordance with an instruction from the communication control unit 16. The state is monitored, and the monitoring result is transmitted to the communication control unit 16. When an actuator (various actuators such as a paper transport motor and a paper discharge motor) is connected to the slave 18, the actuator connected to the slave 18 is driven in response to an operation instruction from the communication control unit 16. Control.

  The slave control module 18D comprehensively controls the communication module 18A, the power supply module 18B, and the member control module.

  By the way, in the conventional image forming apparatus, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, there is a configuration in which a plurality of slaves 18 connected to devices 22 provided in each part of the image forming apparatus are serially connected. In such an image forming apparatus, the main control unit 24 includes a control module 26 for controlling the slave 18. When serially connected to the slaves 18 as described above, the control module 26 needs to perform complicated work to establish a link by communicating with each slave 18, so that the power supply cannot be easily turned on / off. . For this reason, the conditions for shifting to the sleep control are also limited in the main control unit 24 itself, and the frequency of the sleep control decreases. Even when the sleep control is entered, the power supply to the sleep region 28 shown in FIG. 2 is stopped, so that the serial connection link is cut off, and energization to the main control unit 24 is started at the start-up. 26 and the slave 18 need to establish a link for serial connection, and it takes time until communication is possible.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, a communication control unit that can turn on / off the power separately from the main control module 12 and performs communication with the slave 18 to which the device 22 provided in each unit of the main image forming apparatus 10 is connected. 16 is provided independently of the control module 12. When the condition for the sleep control module 14 to shift to the sleep control is satisfied, the main control module 12 is controlled to shift to the sleep control, and the communication control unit 18 continues to communicate with the slave 18. It comes to control.

  That is, when shifting to the sleep control, power is supplied to the other parts while supplying power to the communication control unit 16 and each slave 18 serially connected to the communication control unit 16. In the state where the power source of the region indicated by the dotted line is turned on, the region of the alternate long and short dash line can be shifted to the sleep control.

  Next, the operation of each unit of the image forming apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the main control module 12 in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In step 100, it is determined whether or not a sleep condition (condition for shifting to sleep control) is satisfied. This determination is performed by, for example, determining whether or not an operation or instruction has been performed on the image forming apparatus 10 for a predetermined time or more, and if the determination is negative, wait until the determination is positive. 102. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 102, a sleep request is made to the sleep control module 14, and the process proceeds to step 104.

  In step 104, it is determined whether or not a sleep instruction has been received from the sleep control module 14. The process waits until the determination is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 106. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 106, the power other than the signal receiving part from the communication control unit 16 is turned off except for the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18, and the process proceeds to step 108.

  In step 108, it is determined whether or not there is a sleep release request. In this determination, it is determined whether or not there is a request for canceling the sleep from the sleep control module 14, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 110. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 110, the power supplies other than the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 are turned on, and the series of processing ends.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the sleep control module 14 in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In step 200, it is determined whether or not a sleep request has been received from the main control module 12, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed and proceeds to step 202. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 202, the sleep operation request is transmitted to the communication control unit 16, and the process proceeds to step 204.

  In step 204, the main control module 12 is instructed to sleep, and the power is turned off except for the signal (sleep release trigger) receiving part, and the process proceeds to step 206. That is, the determination at the above-described step 104 in the process of the main control module 12 is affirmed.

  In step 206, it is determined whether or not a sleep release trigger has been received from the communication control unit 16, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed and proceeds to step 208.

  In step 208, the power is turned on, a sleep release request is issued to the main control module 12, and the series of processes is terminated.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by the communication control unit 16 in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In step 300, it is determined whether a sleep operation request has been received. That is, it is determined whether or not the sleep operation request is transmitted in Step 202 in the process of the sleep control module 14, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed and proceeds to Step 302.

  In step 302, it is determined whether or not the sleep operation request is a sleep operation request due to a failure. If the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 304. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 316.

  In step 304, the devices other than the predetermined slave 18 are shifted to sleep, and the flow proceeds to step 306. That is, by transmitting a sleep request from the communication control unit 16 to the slave 18 to be shifted to sleep, the slave 18 is shifted to sleep.

  In step 306, a data transmission request is made to the slave 18 which is set at a lower frequency than usual, and the process proceeds to step 308.

  In step 308, it is determined whether data is received from the slave 18, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 310. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 310, the change in the component state is confirmed, and the process proceeds to step 312. That is, it is confirmed whether or not the state of the components of the image forming apparatus 10 confirmed by the slave 18 has changed.

  In step 312, the component state received from slave 18 is stored in the memory, and the process proceeds to step 314.

  In step 314, it is determined whether there is a sleep release trigger. This determination is based on the confirmation result of the change in the component state in step 310, whether or not the image forming apparatus 10 is operated by a user of the image forming apparatus 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as a user) to change the component state. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 306 to repeat the above-described processing. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 328.

  On the other hand, in step 316, other than the slave 18 that is the failure target is shifted to sleep, and the flow shifts to step 318. That is, by transmitting a sleep request from the communication control unit 16 to the slaves 18 other than the failure target, the slave 18 is shifted to sleep.

  In step 318, a data transmission request is made in the predetermined slave 18 at a lower frequency than usual, and the process proceeds to step 320.

  In step 320, it is determined whether or not data has been received from the slave 18, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed and proceeds to step 310. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 322, the change in the component state of the failure target slave 18 is confirmed, and the process proceeds to step 324. That is, it is confirmed whether or not the state of the components of the image forming apparatus 10 confirmed at the failure target slave 18 has changed.

  In step 324, the component status received from the slave 18 is stored in the memory, and the process proceeds to step 326.

  In step 326, it is determined whether there is a sleep release trigger. This determination is based on the confirmation result of the change in the component state in step 322, and it is determined whether or not the state of the component has changed as a result of the user operating the image forming apparatus 10 to replace the failure target component. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 318 and the above-described processing is repeated. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 328.

  In step 328, a sleep release trigger is transmitted to the sleep control module 14, and the series of processing ends. That is, the determination in step 206 of the sleep control module 14 is affirmed. At this time, an activation request is made to the slave 18 that has shifted to sleep.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the slave 18 in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In step 400, it is determined whether or not a data transmission request is made from the communication control unit 16. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 402, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 406.

  In step 402, the state of the component connected to the slave 18 is searched, and the process proceeds to step 404.

  In step 404, the retrieved component status is transmitted to the communication control unit 16, and the series of processing ends.

  On the other hand, in step 406, it is determined whether or not there is a sleep request from the communication control unit 16. If the determination is negative, the series of processing ends, and if the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 408. .

  In step 408, the process shifts to the sleep state and shifts to step 410. That is, the power supply other than the part corresponding to the instruction to return from sleep is turned off to save power.

  In step 410, it is determined whether or not there is an activation request from the communication control unit 16. The process waits until the determination is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 412. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 412, an instruction is received from the communication control unit 16 to return from sleep, and a series of processing ends.

  Next, a specific flow from the transition to the sleep control to the return from the sleep control performed by executing each process as described above will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow from the transition to the sleep control to the return in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The main control module 12 issues a sleep request to the sleep control module 14 after a predetermined time has elapsed since the operation started. The sleep control module 14 accepts this and transmits a sleep mode operation request to the communication control unit 16 to instruct the main control module 12 to sleep, and turns off the power supply other than the sleep release trigger receiving part. As a result, in the main control module 12, the power supplies other than the signal reception other than the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 are turned off.

  The communication control unit 16 accepts the sleep mode operation request from the sleep control module 14 and starts the sleep mode operation. In the operation in the sleep mode, the slaves 18 other than the predetermined slave 18 are shifted to the sleep mode, and a data (component state) transmission request is made to the predetermined slave 18 at a frequency lower than normal in the sleep mode. .

  In addition, when the slave 18 receives a data transmission request from the communication control unit 16, the component state is searched and data is transmitted to the communication control unit 16. The communication control unit 16 confirms the received component state change and stores the data. To store. At this time, when an action by the user is performed and the sensor state changes, the component state searched by the slave 18 changes. When the component state changes, the communication control unit 16 transmits a sleep release trigger to the sleep control module 14.

  When the sleep control module 14 receives a sleep release trigger from the communication control unit 16, the sleep control module 14 is turned on to make a sleep release request to the main control module 12. When the main control module 12 accepts the sleep release request, the main control module 12 returns from sleep by turning on the power other than the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the main control module 12 can be turned on and off separately, and the communication that communicates with the slave 18 to which the device 22 provided in each part of the main image forming apparatus 10 is connected. The control unit 16 is provided to control the main control module 12 to shift to the sleep control when the condition for the sleep control module 14 to shift to the sleep control is satisfied, and the communication control unit 18 communicates with the slave 18. By controlling to continue, the transition to sleep control and recovery can be effectively performed even when connected to the slave serially. Sleep control is performed.

  In addition, even when a failure occurs in the image forming apparatus 10, it is possible to shift to sleep control. For example, as illustrated in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow from the shift to the sleep control at the time of failure in the image forming apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention until the return.

  The main control module 12 temporarily stops when a failure occurs after the operation starts, and makes a stop (sleep) request to the sleep control module 14. The sleep control module 14 accepts this, transmits a stop mode operation request to the communication control unit 16 to instruct the main control module 12 to sleep, and turns off the power other than the part for receiving the sleep release trigger. As a result, in the main control module 12, the power supplies other than the signal reception other than the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 are turned off.

  The communication control unit 16 accepts the stop mode operation request from the sleep control module 14 and starts the stop mode operation. In the operation in the stop mode, the slaves 18 other than the failure target slave 18 shift to the sleep mode, and a data (component state) transmission request is made to the failure target slave 18 at a lower frequency than normal, which is not the stop mode.

  In addition, when the slave 18 receives a data transmission request from the communication control unit 16, the component state is searched and data is transmitted to the communication control unit 16. The communication control unit 16 confirms the received component state change and stores the data. To store. At this time, when an action such as repair is performed by the user and the sensor state changes, the component state searched by the slave 18 changes. When the component state changes, the communication control unit 16 transmits a sleep release trigger to the sleep control module 14.

  When the sleep control module 14 receives a sleep release trigger from the communication control unit 16, the sleep control module 14 is turned on to make a sleep release request to the main control module 12. When the main control module 12 accepts the sleep release request, the main control module 12 returns from sleep by turning on the power other than the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18.

  In this embodiment, the case where the state of the component connected to the slave 18 changes is set as the sleep release trigger. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the operation of the operation unit or the like may be set as the sleep release trigger. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow from the transition to the sleep control in the image forming apparatus 10 when the operation of the operation unit or the like is set as a sleep release trigger.

  The main control module 12 issues a sleep request to the sleep control module 14 after a predetermined time has elapsed since the operation started. The sleep control module 14 accepts this and transmits a sleep mode operation request to the communication control unit 16 to instruct the main control module 12 to sleep, and turns off the power supply other than the sleep release trigger receiving part. As a result, in the main control module 12, the power supplies other than the signal reception other than the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 are turned off.

  The communication control unit 16 accepts the sleep mode operation request from the sleep control module 14 and starts the sleep mode operation. In the operation in the sleep mode, the slaves 18 other than the predetermined slave 18 are shifted to the sleep mode, and a data (component state) transmission request is made to the predetermined slave 18 at a frequency lower than normal in the sleep mode. .

  In addition, when the slave 18 receives a data transmission request from the communication control unit 16, the component state is searched and data is transmitted to the communication control unit 16. The communication control unit 16 confirms the received component state change and stores the data. To store.

  Here, when the sleep control module 14 receives a sleep release trigger from the operation unit or the like, the sleep control module 14 turns on the power of the sleep control module 14 and makes a sleep release request to the main control module 12. Then, the main control module 12 receives the component state from the communication control unit 16 by returning the power to the main control module 12 and performing a component state transmission request to the communication control unit 16.

In the first embodiment, the example in which the region of the one-dot chain line is shifted to the sleep state in the state where the dotted line region in FIG. 1 is energized has been described, but when this state further passes a predetermined time, The region may be shifted to sleep.
(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a partial configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those in the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals.

  In the first embodiment, the communication control unit 16 that can be turned on and off independently from the main control module 12 is continuously energized to shift to sleep so that the link with the slave 18 is not interrupted. In this embodiment, the communication control unit 16 is also turned off to further reduce power consumption and to efficiently return from sleep. It is.

  The image forming apparatus 11 according to the second embodiment is configured to further include a human sensor control unit 30 as compared to the first embodiment.

  That is, in the image forming apparatus 11, a human sensor 32 is connected in addition to the main control module 12, the sleep control module 14, the communication control unit 16, the slave 18, and the power supply control unit 20, as shown in FIG. A human sensor control unit 30 is provided. The main control module 12, the sleep control module 14, the communication control unit 16, the slave 18, and the power supply control unit 20 have basically the same configurations as those in the first embodiment, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The human sensor control unit 30 monitors the presence of a user who performs an action on the image forming apparatus 11 with the human sensor 32 and detects the approach of the user. 16 is output, and the communication control unit 16 is returned before the main control module 12. That is, before the user operates the image forming apparatus 11, the user establishes a serial connection link between the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 in advance. Before issuing the instruction, a serial connection link between the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 is established. As a result, when the user gives an instruction to the image forming apparatus 11, it can be performed in the same manner as the return from the sleep control of the first embodiment.

  As the human sensor 32, various sensors such as an infrared sensor, a visible light sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a radio wave sensor can be applied, but an infrared sensor is preferable in terms of sensitivity and cost.

  Next, the operation of each unit of the image forming apparatus 11 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. In addition, since the process of the main control module 12 and each slave 18 is the same as 1st Embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the sleep control module 14 in the image forming apparatus 11 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In step 500, it is determined whether or not a sleep request has been received from the main control module 12, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 502. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 502, the sleep operation request is transmitted to the communication control unit 16, and the process proceeds to step 504.

  In step 504, it is determined whether a sleep release trigger has been received from the communication control unit 16. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 520, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step 506.

  In step 506, an operation start instruction is output to the human sensor control unit 30, and the process proceeds to step 508.

  In step 508, a stop command for the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 is output to the communication control unit 16, and the process proceeds to step 510.

  In step 510, the parts other than the signal receiving part from the human sensor control unit 30 are stopped, and the process proceeds to step 512.

  In step 512, it is determined whether an activation signal has been received from the human sensor control unit 30. The process waits until the determination is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 514. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 514, the sleep control module is activated (returned), an activation instruction is output to the communication control unit 16, and the process proceeds to step 516.

  In step 516, it is determined whether or not a sleep release trigger is received from the communication control unit 16. The process waits until the determination is affirmed, and the process proceeds to step 518. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 518, the main control module 12 is requested to cancel the sleep, and the series of processing ends.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by the communication control unit 16 in the image forming apparatus 11 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In step 600, it is determined whether a sleep operation request has been received. That is, it is determined whether or not the sleep operation request is transmitted in step 502 in the process of the sleep control module 14, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 602.

  In step 602, each slave 18 is stopped by outputting a stop command to the slave 18, and the process proceeds to step 604.

  In step 604, parts other than the signal receiving part of the communication control unit 16 are stopped, and the process proceeds to step 606.

  In step 606, it is determined whether an activation signal has been received. That is, it is determined whether or not the start instruction is output in step 514 in the processing of the sleep control module 14, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 608. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 608, the communication control unit 16 is activated and the process proceeds to step 610. In other words, the communication control unit 16 is activated to activate a predetermined slave 18 to establish a serial connection link. At this time, in the present embodiment, only the predetermined slave 18 is activated. However, all the slaves 18 may be activated to establish serial connection links.

  In step 610, a data transmission request is made to the slave 18 that has been set at a lower frequency than usual, and the process proceeds to step 612.

  In step 612, it is determined whether or not data is received from the slave 18, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed and the process proceeds to step 614. If another instruction is given during the standby, the instructed process may be performed.

  In step 614, the change in the component state is confirmed, and the process proceeds to step 616. That is, it is confirmed whether or not the state of the parts of the image forming apparatus 11 confirmed by the slave 18 has changed.

  In step 616, the component state received from the slave 18 is stored in the memory, and the process proceeds to step 618.

  In step 618, it is determined whether there is a sleep release trigger. The determination is based on the result of confirming the change in the component state in step 614 to determine whether or not the user has operated the image forming apparatus 11 to change the component state. Returning to step 610, the above-described processing is repeated, and if the determination is affirmative, the routine proceeds to step 620.

  In step 620, the sleep release trigger is transmitted to the sleep control module 14, and the series of processes is terminated. That is, the determination in step 512 of the sleep control module 14 is affirmed. At this time, an activation request is made to slaves 18 that have not been activated other than a predetermined slave 18.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of processing performed by the human sensor control unit 30 in the image forming apparatus 11 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In step 700, it is determined whether or not there is an operation start instruction. In this determination, it is determined whether or not an operation start instruction is output in step 506 in the processing of the sleep control module 14 described above, and the process waits until the determination is affirmed and proceeds to step 702.

  In step 702, search (human detection) by the human sensor 32 is performed. That is, the detection result of the human sensor 32 is acquired, and monitoring of whether or not a person is approaching the image forming apparatus 11 is started.

  In step 704, it is determined whether a person has been detected. The determination determines whether or not the sensor state of the human sensor 32 has changed. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 702 to continue monitoring by the human sensor 32, and the determination is affirmed. If so, the process proceeds to step 706.

  In step 706, an activation signal is output to the sleep control module 14, and the series of processes is terminated. Thereby, the determination in step 512 in the process of the sleep control module 14 is affirmed, and the return of the sleep state is started.

  Next, a specific flow from the transition to the sleep control to the return from the sleep control performed by the above-described processes in the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow from the transition to sleep to the return in the image forming apparatus 11 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  The main control module 12 makes a sleep request to the sleep control module 14 after a lapse of a certain time from the start of operation, and then turns off the power other than the signal reception other than the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18.

  The sleep control module 14 receives a sleep request from the main control module, transmits a sleep mode operation request to the communication control unit 16, and instructs the human sensor control unit 30 to turn on (deep sleep mode). Then, the communication control unit 16 is instructed to stop the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 to stop the parts other than the activation signal reception part from the human sensor control unit 30.

  When the communication control unit 16 accepts the sleep mode operation request from the sleep control module 14, the communication control unit 16 starts the sleep mode operation, and the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 according to a stop command for the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 from the sleep control module 14. 18 is stopped.

  On the other hand, the human sensor control unit 30 turns on the human sensor control unit 30 according to an ON instruction from the sleep control module 14 and performs a search (sensor scan) by the human sensor 32. Here, when the user approaches the image forming apparatus 11, the sensor state changes, and this is detected (human detection) by the human sensor control unit 30. Further, when detecting the person, the human sensor control unit 30 transmits an activation signal for activating the communication control unit 16 to the sleep control module 14.

  When receiving the activation signal of the communication control unit 16 from the human sensor control unit 30, the sleep control module 14 activates other than the signal reception part of the sleep control module 14 and instructs the communication control unit 16 to activate. As a result, the communication control unit 16 is activated, and the predetermined slave 18 is also activated to establish a serial connection link with the predetermined slave 18. After that, as in the first embodiment, the sleep control module 14 detects a change in the component state of the slave 18 or an operation of the operation unit and the like, and performs a process of returning from the sleep state.

  In other words, in the present embodiment, the human sensor control unit 30 is further provided so that the user can operate the image forming apparatus 11 even when the part other than the part that receives the signal from the human sensor control unit 30 is stopped. Before starting, the communication control unit 16 and the slave 18 are activated in advance to prepare for the return from the sleep control. Therefore, power saving can be achieved as compared with the first embodiment, and the return from the sleep is also the first embodiment. Easily recover from sleep without inferior to

  Although the first embodiment and the second embodiment have been described separately, whether to perform sleep control using the human sensor control unit 30 is switched according to the setting of the image forming apparatus. Also good.

  The transmission system used for the image forming apparatuses 10 and 11 according to the above embodiments may be constructed wirelessly, but a wired system is preferable. The wired transmission system can drive the motor and the sensor, and can be operated in a state where only the sensor can be operated by shutting off the power supply to the motor when shifting to the sleep control.

  In addition, each process shown in the flowcharts in each of the above embodiments may be realized by a hardware configuration or may be realized by a software configuration as a program.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10, 11 Image forming apparatus 12 Main control module 14 Sleep control module 16 Communication control part 18 Slave 22 Equipment 30 Human sensor control part 32 Human sensor

Claims (7)

Main control means for controlling image formation;
Communication control means that operates even when the main control means is stopped, and is serially connected to a plurality of control objects of the main control means so as to be able to communicate with each control object;
When the transition condition to the predetermined power saving control is established, the main control means is controlled so that the main control means shifts to the power saving state, and the communication with the control target is continued. Power saving control means for controlling the communication control means;
An image forming apparatus. Main control means for controlling image formation;
Communication control means that operates even when the main control means is stopped, and is serially connected to a plurality of control objects of the main control means so as to be able to communicate with each control object;
Detection means for detecting the approach of the user based on the detection result of the detection means for detecting a person;
The detection is performed after controlling the main control unit and the communication control unit so that the main control unit and the communication control unit shift to a power saving state when a predetermined condition for shifting to the power saving control is satisfied. When the approach of the user is detected by the means, the communication control means and the controlled object are serially connected before the main control means to return before the instruction relating to image formation is given. Power saving control means for controlling the control means;
An image forming apparatus.   The power saving control means controls the main control means so that the main control means shifts to a power saving state when a predetermined condition for shifting to power saving control is satisfied, and the predetermined control target The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication control unit is controlled so that a control target other than the control target shifts to a power saving state.   The communication control unit controls communication with the control target so that a frequency of communication with the control target becomes lower than before the shift to the power saving control when the control is shifted to the power saving control. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 3.   The power saving control means is configured to cause the main control means and the communication control means to shift to a power saving state when a predetermined condition for shifting to power saving control is satisfied. When the detection means detects the approach of the user after the control, only the serial connection between the communication control means and the predetermined control object is preceded before an instruction regarding image formation is given. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the communication control unit is controlled to return.   The communication control unit controls communication with the control target so that the frequency of communication with the control target is lower than before the shift to the power saving control when the communication control unit returns prior to the main control unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 or 5.   An image forming program for causing a computer to function as each unit constituting the image forming apparatus according to claim 1.