JP2014027563A - Image forming apparatus, and power supply control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus that permits use thereof by authentication, and can further improve a power-saving effect thereof.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus includes: a mode determination unit that determines, upon receiving authentication information, which of the following modes the image forming apparatus is in: a power-saving priority mode of suppressing power consumption the most; an output list priority mode of preferentially receiving an output list in execution of output processing; and an output data priority mode of preferentially receiving an output list and output data in execution of output processing; and a power supply control unit that maintains the image forming apparatus as is in a power-saving state when determined to be in the power-saving priority mode, feeds power to an output list acquisition unit to return to an operation state when determined to be in the output list priority mode, and feeds power to the output list acquisition unit and an output data acquisition unit to return to an operation state when determined to be in the output data priority mode.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a power supply control method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus, a FAX, or a multi-function peripheral, there is known a technique for applying a power saving state in which power consumption is suppressed without energization when a device is not used for the purpose of power saving. ing. In such a power saving technology, for example, an image forming apparatus that has not been operated for a certain period of time automatically shifts to a power saving state, a print execution request is issued, or an operation panel of the image forming apparatus is operated. At this time, the energization process is performed and the return process to the operating state is executed.

  In the image forming apparatus and the like described above, in recent years, an authentication apparatus using an ID card is provided, and a technique for permitting printing only to a correctly authenticated user has been adopted. In an image forming apparatus provided with such an authentication device, the power saving state is canceled at the time when authentication is normally performed by an ID card, and each control unit necessary for executing output processing is provided. In contrast, energization is performed. However, even if authentication is performed by an ID card, some users do not immediately execute output processing. For example, a user who does not have the authority to execute output processing confirms data that is currently waiting for printing. In some cases, authentication using an ID card is also performed, and the return processing to an unnecessary operation state reduces the power saving effect.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus that can further enhance the power saving effect.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the image forming apparatus of the present invention has at least two power states: a power saving state in which power consumption is suppressed, and an operating state in which output processing can be performed. An image forming apparatus, an authentication reception unit that receives user authentication information, an authentication unit that determines whether the authentication information is correct, and an output list that acquires an output list that is a list of output data to be output An acquisition unit, an output data acquisition unit that acquires the output data selected from the output list, and a mode of the image forming apparatus that minimizes power consumption when receiving the authentication information. Mode, output list priority mode for receiving the output list preferentially at the time of execution of the output process, and output list and output data at the time of execution of the output process A mode determination unit that determines which of the output data priority modes is received first, and if determined to be the power saving priority mode, the image forming apparatus is maintained in the power saving state. When it is determined that the output list priority mode is selected, the output list acquisition unit is energized to return to the operation state. When it is determined that the output data priority mode is selected, the output list acquisition mode is acquired. And a power supply control unit that energizes the output data acquisition unit to return to the operating state.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that the image forming apparatus that permits use by authentication can further enhance its power saving effect.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of a pull print system in which the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment is used. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of power control at the time of authentication according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of power control processing when accepting print processing according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration indicating a correspondence relationship between a user type and a mode according to the embodiment.

  Exemplary embodiments of an image forming apparatus will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of a pull print system including an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. In the pull print system, a print request is transmitted from a PC that is a client terminal to a print server apparatus, and output data included in the print request is stored in the print server apparatus. When the user wants to actually print the output data, the user uses the ID card to authenticate the image forming apparatus, and then directly operates the image forming apparatus to be output for data output. Make an execution request.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the pull print system 1 has a configuration in which a plurality of image forming apparatuses 10a to 10c, a print server apparatus 20, and a PC 30 are connected through a network line. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 10. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, a network I / F 104, a display unit 105, and a controller unit 106. The controller unit 106 includes an ID authentication unit 107 and a print control unit 108. The print control unit 108 includes an output list acquisition unit 109, an output data acquisition unit 110, and a power supply control unit 111.

  The CPU 101 performs overall control of the image forming apparatus 10. The ROM 102 is a read-only memory used as a program / data storage memory, and the RAM 103 is a writable / readable memory used as a program / data development memory, a printer drawing memory, or the like.

  The network I / F 104 serves as an input / output unit for communication with the print server device 20 and the PC 30 through a network line. The display unit 105 can use, for example, a touch panel display, and displays a list of output data to be described later or accepts an operation input for data output.

  The controller unit 106 executes all data processing in the image forming apparatus 10. The ID authentication unit 107 determines whether the authentication information received by a method such as reading an ID card from an ID authentication terminal or acquiring an ID and password input by the user belongs to the correct user. Then, the ID authentication unit 107 permits the use of the image forming apparatus 10 if the user is a correct user.

  The output list acquisition unit 109 acquires from the print server apparatus 20 through the network I / F 104 a list of output data that the user has instructed to output from the user authentication information acquired by the ID authentication unit 107. For example, when a user has instructed to output three output data, the three data are displayed in a list format as an output list. The output list acquisition unit 109 instructs the display unit 105 to display the acquired output list.

  The output data acquisition unit 110 acquires the output data selected by the user from the output list displayed on the display unit 105 from the print server device 20. The output data acquisition unit 110 outputs the acquired output data to other control units (for example, a paper conveyance control unit, an image formation control unit, etc.) related to the printing process. The power control unit 111 controls the power state of the image forming apparatus 10. As the power state, there are a power saving state in which energization to each control unit is released and power consumption is suppressed, and an operating state in which various controls can be performed by energization. The image forming apparatus 10 also has three modes relating to power control: a power saving priority mode, an output list priority mode, and an output data priority mode. Normally, when the authentication information is received by the ID authentication unit 107 described above, the power supply control unit 111 performs a process of canceling the power saving state and returning to the operating state, but when these modes are set. , Change its processing.

  The power saving priority mode is a mode set to maintain the power saving state as long as possible and maximize the power saving effect. The output list priority mode is a mode for receiving the output list with priority when executing the output process. The output data priority mode is a mode in which the output list and the output data are preferentially received when the output process is executed. These modes are set by, for example, an administrator, and the power control unit 111 acquires the set mode and performs power control according to the mode. In this embodiment, both the output list priority mode and the output data priority mode can be selected. However, an image forming apparatus that can select only one of them may be used.

  Hereinafter, the flow of power control processing by the power control unit 111 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, first, the ID authentication unit 107 determines whether authentication has been accepted (step S <b> 101). If it is determined that authentication has not been accepted (step S101: No), the process ends. On the other hand, when it is determined that the authentication is accepted (step S101: Yes), the power supply control unit 111 determines whether or not the power saving priority mode is set (step S102). When it is determined that the power saving priority mode is set (step S102: Yes), the power supply control unit 111 ends the process without performing anything. That is, the power supply control unit 111 maintains the output list acquisition unit 109 and the output data acquisition unit 110 in the power saving state.

  Subsequently, the power supply control unit 111 determines whether or not the image forming apparatus 10 is in the output list priority mode (step S103). When it is determined that the output list priority mode is set (step S103: Yes), the power supply control unit 111 energizes the output list acquisition unit 109, and returns the output list acquisition unit 109 to the operating state (step S104). By returning to the operating state, the output list acquisition unit 109 can acquire the output list with priority when authentication is performed.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the output list priority mode is not set (step S103: No), the power supply control unit 111 determines whether the image forming apparatus 10 is in the output data priority mode (step S105). When it is determined that the output data priority mode is set (step S105: Yes), the power control unit 111 energizes the output list acquisition unit 109 and the output data acquisition unit 110, and outputs the output list acquisition unit 109 and the output data acquisition. The unit 110 is returned to the operating state (step S106). Since the output data acquisition unit 110 is returned early, the output data is printed earlier than when the output data is acquired by returning to the operating state after an actual print instruction is issued. Will be able to.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the mode is not the output data priority mode (step S105: No), the power control unit 111 performs error processing, for example, processing for notifying the administrator that the mode status is an error. (Step S107).

  In the above-described processing, in the case of the power saving mode in which the return processing to the operating state has not been performed, the return processing is performed when the print processing is actually received. The processing flow will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the power supply control unit 111 determines whether or not a print process has been received (step S201). The acceptance of the printing process is, for example, that a button displayed as “print” among various operation buttons displayed on the display unit 105 is operated, or that output data is actually selected from the output list, and a print instruction is issued. It means when it is issued. In the present embodiment, a function for performing control for receiving a processing request by such an operation corresponds to the execution receiving unit.

  When it is determined that the print process has been accepted (step S201: Yes), the power control unit 111 determines whether the image forming apparatus 10 is in the power saving priority mode (step S202). When it is determined that the power saving mode is selected (step S202: Yes), the power supply control unit 111 energizes the output list acquisition unit 109 and the output data acquisition unit 110 to return to the operating state (step S203). On the other hand, when it is determined that the print process is not accepted (step S201: No), or when it is determined that the print mode is not the power saving mode (step S202: No), the process ends.

  In the image forming apparatus 10 described above, by properly using the mode setting, it is possible to enhance the power saving effect by not returning from the power saving mode even if authentication by ID is performed. Can be printed, and the convenience of the user can be improved.

  Each mode described above may be set for each user instead of being set for each image forming apparatus 10. In this case, the ID authentication unit 107 can be realized by specifying a user from the acquired authentication information and determining a mode set for each user. Further, the mode may be automatically set from the attribute information of the user associated with the authentication information acquired by the ID authentication unit 107, instead of the mode being set by the administrator. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the mode is set from the user type that is the attribute information. For example, when the user type is authority A, the ID authentication unit 107 sets the mode to the power saving mode. In this example, the ID authentication unit 107 functions as a setting change unit.

  The power supply control program executed by the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is provided by being incorporated in advance in a ROM or the like. The power supply control program executed by the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment is a file in an installable format or an executable format, and is a CD-ROM, flexible disk (FD), CD-R, DVD (Digital Versatile). It may be configured to be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as Disk).

  Further, the power control program executed by the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment may be provided by being stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and downloaded via the network. . Further, the power control program executed by the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

  In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present invention is described as an example in which the image forming apparatus 10 is applied to a multifunction machine having at least two functions among a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. The present invention can be applied to any image forming apparatus such as a printer, a printer, a scanner apparatus, and a facsimile apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pull print system 10 Image forming apparatus 20 Print server apparatus 30 PC
101 CPU
102 ROM
103 RAM
104 Network I / F
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 105 Display part 106 Controller part 107 ID authentication part 108 Print control part 109 Output list acquisition part 110 Output data acquisition part 111 Power supply control part

JP 2006-155634 A

Claims (4)

An image forming apparatus having at least two power states of a power saving state in which power consumption is suppressed and an operating state capable of executing output processing,
An authentication receiving unit that receives user authentication information, an authentication unit that determines whether the authentication information is correct, and
An output list acquisition unit for acquiring an output list that is a list of output data to be output;
An output data acquisition unit for acquiring the output data selected from the output list;
When the authentication information is received, the mode of the image forming apparatus is a power saving priority mode that minimizes power consumption, and an output list priority mode that receives the output list preferentially when executing the output processing A mode determination unit that determines which of the output list and the output data priority mode for receiving the output data preferentially when the output process is executed;
When it is determined that the power saving priority mode is selected, the image forming apparatus is maintained in the power saving state. When it is determined that the output list priority mode is selected, the output list acquisition unit is energized. And when the output data priority mode is determined, the output list acquisition unit, and a power supply control unit that energizes the output data acquisition unit to return to the operation state. ,
An image forming apparatus comprising: An execution reception unit that receives an execution request for the output process;
When it is determined that the power saving priority mode is set, the power supply control unit energizes the output list acquisition unit and the output data acquisition unit to enter the operation state when the execution request is received. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a setting change unit configured to acquire user attribute information from the received authentication information and set a mode of the image forming apparatus set in advance for each of the attribute information. The image forming apparatus described. A power control method for controlling a power saving state in which power consumption of an image forming apparatus is suppressed, and an operation state switching capable of executing output processing,
An authentication accepting step for accepting user authentication information; an authentication step for determining whether the authentication information is correct;
An output list acquisition step for acquiring an output list that is a list of output data to be processed;
An output data acquisition step of acquiring the output data selected from the output list;
When the authentication information is received, the mode of the image forming apparatus is a power saving priority mode that minimizes power consumption, and an output list priority mode that receives the output list preferentially when executing the output processing A mode determination step for determining which of the output list and the output data priority mode for receiving the output data preferentially when the output process is executed;
When it is determined that the power saving priority mode is selected, the image forming apparatus is maintained in the power saving state. When it is determined that the output list priority mode is selected, the output list acquisition unit is energized. A power control step for energizing the output list acquisition unit and the output data acquisition unit to return to the operation state when the output data priority mode is determined. ,
A power supply control method comprising:

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