JP2016035671A - Electronic apparatus and mode control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic apparatus and a mode control method that are capable of restraining delay in transition from a power saving mode to a normal mode by polling processing and restraining the amount of power consumption required for the polling processing.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus comprises: a communication processing unit 54 that changes status information stored in a register 543; a CPU 59 that performs status acquisition processing for acquiring the status information by outputting, toward the communication processing unit 54, an access signal to the register 543, and performs either mode control processing for shifting the operation mode of the electronic apparatus from a power saving mode to a normal mode or once-more status acquisition processing depending on the status information; and a signal control unit 62 that holds the access signal output by the CPU 59 at a stage before the communication processing unit 54, and cancels the holding of the access signal if status information indicating the satisfaction of a transition condition from the power saving mode to the normal mode is input by the communication processing unit 54.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device having a plurality of operation modes and a mode control method for the electronic device.

  In general, in an electronic device such as a printer, a configuration is known in which an operation mode of an electronic device can be changed from a normal mode to a power saving mode in which power consumption is reduced from the normal mode (see, for example, Patent Document 1). For example, in this type of electronic device, the operation mode is changed from the normal mode to the power saving mode by the processor when the non-operation state for the electronic device continues for a predetermined time. In addition, when a predetermined transition condition such as reception of print data transmitted from the outside is satisfied in a module included in the electronic device, the operation mode is changed from the power saving mode to the normal mode by the processor. . Here, a configuration is known in which the processor performs a polling process for inquiring whether a transition condition is satisfied from the module in the power saving mode.

JP-A-8-251316

  By the way, when the polling process is executed in the power saving mode, the processor makes many inquiries to the module, so that the power consumption in the electronic device increases by the number of inquiries. On the other hand, when the frequency of inquiries in the polling process is reduced, the transition from the power saving mode to the normal mode is delayed.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device and a mode control method capable of suppressing power consumption required for the polling process while suppressing a delay in transition from the power saving mode to the normal mode due to the polling process. is there.

  An electronic device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a module, a processor, and a signal control unit. The module has a register for storing predetermined status information, and changes the status information. The processor outputs a signal for accessing the register to the module and executes status acquisition processing for acquiring the status information from the register, and sets the operation mode of the electronic device from the normal mode according to the status information One of a mode control process for switching from the power saving mode in which power consumption is reduced to the normal mode and the status acquisition process again is executed. The signal control unit holds the access signal output from the processor in a previous stage of the module, and the status information indicating that a transition condition from the power saving mode to the normal mode is satisfied is input from the module. In this case, the holding of the access signal is released.

  A mode control method according to another aspect of the present invention includes the following first to third steps. In the first step, predetermined status information stored in a register included in the module is changed. The second step executes a status acquisition process for acquiring the status information from the register by outputting an access signal to the register from the processor to the module, and an operation mode of the electronic device according to the status information. One of a mode control process for switching from the power saving mode in which power consumption is reduced compared to the normal mode to the normal mode and the status acquisition process again is executed. In the third step, the access signal output from the processor is held in the previous stage of the module, and the status information indicating that a transition condition from the power saving mode to the normal mode is satisfied is input from the module. In this case, the holding of the access signal is released.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the electronic device and mode control method which can suppress the electric power consumption which the said polling process requires while suppressing the delay of the transition from the power saving mode by polling process to a normal mode are implement | achieved.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a signal control process executed by the signal control unit of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings for understanding of the present invention. In addition, the following embodiment is an example which actualized this invention, Comprising: The thing of the character which limits the technical scope of this invention is not.

[Schematic Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus 10]
First, a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Here, FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of the image forming apparatus 10.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the image forming apparatus 10 includes an ADF 1, an image reading unit 2, an image forming unit 3, a paper feeding unit 4, a control unit 5, and an operation display unit 7. The image forming apparatus 10 is a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a scan function, a facsimile function, and a copy function, in addition to a printer function for forming an image based on image data. Here, an apparatus including the control unit 5 is an example of an electronic apparatus according to the present invention. The present invention is applicable to electronic devices such as a scanner device, a printer device, a facsimile device, a copier, a personal computer, a tablet terminal, and a smartphone.

  The ADF 1 is an automatic document feeder that includes a document setting unit, a plurality of conveyance rollers, a document pressing unit, and a paper discharge unit, and conveys a document read by the image reading unit 2. The image reading unit 2 includes a document table, a reading unit, a plurality of mirrors, an optical lens, and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), and can execute image reading processing for reading image data from a document.

  The image forming unit 3 forms an image by an electrophotographic method based on image data read by the image reading unit 2 or image data input from an information processing apparatus such as an external personal computer ( Print processing). Specifically, the image forming unit 3 includes a photosensitive drum, a charging device, an optical scanning device (LSU), a developing device, a transfer roller, a cleaning device, a fixing roller, a pressure roller, and a paper discharge tray. In the image forming unit 3, an image is formed on the sheet supplied from the paper feeding unit 4, and the sheet after the image formation is discharged to the paper discharge tray. The sheet is a sheet material such as paper, coated paper, postcard, envelope, and OHP sheet.

  The operation display unit 7 is a display unit such as a liquid crystal display that displays various types of information according to control instructions from the control unit 5 and an operation that inputs various types of information to the control unit 5 according to user operations. An operation unit such as a key or a touch panel is provided.

  Next, the control unit 5 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The control unit 5 comprehensively controls each component of the image forming apparatus 10. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 5 includes an image input unit 51, an image processing unit 52, an image output unit 53, a communication processing unit 54, a DRAM 55, a ROM 56, SRAMs 57 to 58, a CPU 59, and a signal control. The unit 62 is provided.

  Here, in the control unit 5, the image input unit 51, the image processing unit 52, the image output unit 53, the DRAM 55, the ROM 56, the SRAMs 57 to 58, and the signal control unit 62 are connected via the bus 50. So that they can communicate with each other. In the control unit 5, the communication processing unit 54 is connected to the bus 50 via the signal control unit 62, and the CPU 59 is connected to the bus 50 via the SRAM 58.

  The image input unit 51 performs image processing such as shading correction processing and gamma correction processing on the image data input from the CCD of the image reading unit 2, and stores the image data after image processing in the DRAM 55. Let

  The image processing unit 52 reads image data from the DRAM 55, executes image processing such as compression / expansion processing, scaling processing, and rotation processing, and stores the image data after image processing in the DRAM 55.

  The image output unit 53 reads image data from the DRAM 55, executes image processing such as rasterization processing and screen processing, and outputs the image data after image processing to the optical scanning device of the image forming unit 3.

  The communication processing unit 54 performs communication according to various communication rules with an external communication device. Specifically, the communication processing unit 54 includes a network I / F 541, a fax I / F 542, and a register 543.

  The network I / F 541 is an interface for executing wired or wireless data communication with the external communication device via a communication network such as the Internet or a LAN. The fax I / F 542 is an interface for executing fax communication with the external communication device via a telephone line network. The register 543 stores reception state information indicating whether or not an instruction to execute the printing process using the image forming unit 3 from the external communication device is received.

  When the communication processing unit 54 receives the print processing execution instruction from the external communication device at the network I / F 541 or the fax I / F 542, the communication processing unit 54 stores the information stored in the register 543. Change reception status information. The communication processing unit 54 is an example of a module in the present invention. The reception status information is an example of status information in the present invention.

  For example, the communication processing unit 54 indicates that the content of the reception status information is received from the value “0” indicating that the print processing execution instruction has not been received. Change the value to “1”. The communication processing unit 54 receives print data transmitted from the external communication device following the execution instruction of the print processing, and stores the received print data in the DRAM 55.

  The DRAM 55 is a memory used as a temporary storage memory (working area) for various processes executed by the image input unit 51, the image processing unit 52, the image output unit 53, the communication processing unit 54, and the CPU 59. Device. For example, a DDR-SDRAM is used for the DRAM 55.

  The CPU 59 is a processor that executes various arithmetic processes. The ROM 56 is a non-volatile storage device in which information such as a control program for causing the CPU 59 to execute various processes is stored in advance. The CPU 59 performs overall control of the image forming apparatus 10 by executing various control programs stored in advance in the ROM 56. The CPU 59 is an example of a processor in the present invention.

  The SRAM 57 is a volatile storage unit in which the control program is temporarily stored for reading the instruction code by the CPU 59. The SRAM 58 is a volatile storage unit used as an instruction cache and a data cache by the CPU 59.

  Here, the SRAMs 57 to 58 can be operated in any one of a normal state and a power saving state in which power consumption is reduced from the normal state. The SRAMs 57 to 58 are examples of memories in the present invention. For example, the operation states of the SRAMs 57 to 58 are changed by a control signal transmitted from a corresponding memory controller (not shown).

  More specifically, in the power saving state, the SRAMs 57 to 58 cannot be accessed from the outside, but the stored contents are retained. For example, the SRAMs 57 to 58 are stopped from supplying the clock signal from the memory controller in the power saving state. In the power saving state, the SRAMs 57 to 58 may be partially stopped from supplying power from the memory controller.

  The controller 5 includes a first state controller 60 and a second state controller 61 as shown in FIG. Specifically, the control unit 5 functions as the first state control unit 60 and the second state control unit 61 by executing the control program stored in the ROM 56 using the CPU 59.

  The first state control unit 60 changes the operation mode of the image forming apparatus 10 from the normal mode to the power saving mode in which the power consumption is reduced from the normal mode when a predetermined first transition condition is satisfied. Transition. Specifically, in the power saving mode, power supply to each component of the image forming apparatus 10 is stopped except for a part of the component responsible for a standby function for external communication. For example, in the power saving mode, power supply to the image input unit 51, the image processing unit 52, the image output unit 53, and the DRAM 55 is stopped.

  Here, the first transition condition includes a state in which a user does not operate the operation display unit 7 for a predetermined time. Further, the first transition condition may include a predetermined operation performed on the operation display unit 7 by a user.

  The second state control unit 61 transitions the operation mode of the image forming apparatus 10 from the power saving mode to the normal mode when a predetermined second transition condition is satisfied.

  Here, the second transition condition includes that the print processing execution instruction is received from the external communication device. That is, the second state control unit 61 changes the operation mode of the image forming apparatus 10 from the power saving mode when the communication processing unit 54 receives an instruction to execute the printing process from the external communication device. Transition to the normal mode.

  Specifically, the second state control unit 61 executes reception state information acquisition processing for outputting an access signal to the register 543 toward the communication processing unit 54 and acquiring the reception state information from the register 543. To do. Then, the second state control unit 61 changes the operation mode of the image forming apparatus 10 from the power saving mode to the normal mode according to the content of the reception state information acquired in the reception state information acquisition process. One of a mode control process and a second reception state information acquisition process is executed. Here, the reception state information acquisition process is an example of a status acquisition process in the present invention.

  For example, the second state control unit 61 executes the mode control process when the content of the acquired reception state information is “1”. On the other hand, when the content of the acquired reception state information is “0”, the second state control unit 61 executes the reception state information acquisition process again.

  The second transition condition may include an operation performed on the operation display unit 7. In this case, it is conceivable that the communication processing unit 54 changes the information stored in the register 543 even when an operation is performed on the operation display unit 7.

  As described above, in the image forming apparatus 10, the control unit 5 functions as the second state control unit 61 in the power saving mode, so that the communication processing unit 54 satisfies the second transition condition. A so-called polling process for inquiring whether there is satisfaction is performed.

  By the way, in the electronic device such as the image forming apparatus 10, when the polling process is executed in the power saving mode, the controller 5 inquires the module such as the communication processor 54 many times. Therefore, the power consumption in the electronic device increases by the number of inquiries. On the other hand, when the frequency of inquiries in the polling process is reduced, the transition from the power saving mode to the normal mode is delayed. On the other hand, in the image forming apparatus 10, as described below, the power consumption required for the polling process is reduced while suppressing a delay in the transition from the power saving mode to the normal mode due to the polling process. It is suppressed.

  Next, the signal control unit 62 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The signal control unit 62 holds the access signal output from the CPU 59 functioning as the second state control unit 61 in the previous stage of the communication processing unit 54. Then, the signal control unit 62 releases the holding of the access signal when the reception state information indicating that the second transition condition is satisfied is input from the communication processing unit 54. The signal control unit 62 is configured by an electronic circuit configured to execute a predetermined process.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the signal control unit 62 includes a shift register 621 that holds the access signal. The signal control unit 62 is provided between the communication processing unit 54 and the bus 50, and can monitor a signal output from the CPU 59 toward the communication processing unit 54. Thereby, the signal control unit 62 can hold the access signal in the shift register 621 among the signals output from the CPU 59 to the communication processing unit 54.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the signal control unit 62 is directly connected to the register 543 through a signal line 543A. Accordingly, the register 543 can output an electric signal corresponding to the reception state information to the signal control unit 62.

  By the way, when the access signal output from the CPU 59 is held by the signal control unit 62, the operation of the CPU 59 stops until the reception state information is transmitted from the register 543. Therefore, in the image forming apparatus 10, while the operation of the CPU 59 is stopped, the operation state of the SRAMs 57 to 58 is changed from the normal state to the power saving state.

  Specifically, when holding the access signal output from the CPU 59, the signal control unit 62 causes the SRAMs 57 to 58 to transition from the normal state to the power saving state. Further, when the reception state information indicating that the second transition condition is satisfied is input from the communication processing unit 54, the signal control unit 62 changes the SRAMs 57 to 58 from the power saving state to the normal state. Transition. For example, the signal control unit 62 causes the memory controller to transmit the control signal to change the operation state of the SRAMs 57 to 58.

[Signal control processing]
Hereinafter, an example of a signal control process performed by the signal control unit 62 in the image forming apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG. Here, steps S1, S2,... Represent processing procedure (step) numbers executed by the signal control unit 62.

  The signal control process is executed in parallel with the polling process executed by the second state control unit 61 and the reception state information changing process executed by the communication processing unit 54. The execution of the reception status information changing process by the communication processing unit 54 is an example of the first step in the present invention. The execution of the polling process by the second state control unit 61 is an example of a second step in the present invention. The execution of the signal control process by the signal control unit 62 is an example of a third step in the present invention.

<Step S1>
First, in step S1, the signal control unit 62 determines whether or not the signal output from the CPU 59 toward the communication processing unit 54 is the access signal.

  Here, when the signal control unit 62 determines that the signal output from the CPU 59 to the communication processing unit 54 is the access signal (Yes side of S1), the process proceeds to step S2. If the signal output from the CPU 59 to the communication processing unit 54 is not the access signal (No side of S1), the signal control unit 62 performs the communication processing unit 54 from the CPU 59 in the step S1. Waiting for the access signal to be output.

<Step S2>
In step S <b> 2, the signal control unit 62 holds the access signal in the shift register 621. As a result, the execution of the polling process by the second state control unit 61 is stopped until the holding of the access signal is canceled and the reception state information is transmitted from the register 543 in step S6 described later. The

<Step S3>
In step S3, the signal control unit 62 causes the memory controller to transmit the control signal, and causes the SRAM 57 and the SRAM 58 to transition from the normal state to the power saving state. Thereby, while the execution of the polling process by the second state control unit 61 is stopped, the power consumption in the SRAMs 57 to 58 is suppressed.

<Step S4>
In step S4, the signal control unit 62 determines whether an electric signal corresponding to the reception state information indicating that the second transition condition is satisfied is input from the register 543 via the signal line 543A.

  Here, when the signal control unit 62 determines that an electrical signal corresponding to the reception state information indicating that the second transition condition is satisfied (Yes side of S4), the process proceeds to step S5. In addition, if an electric signal corresponding to the reception state information indicating that the second transition condition is satisfied is not input (No side of S4), the signal control unit 62 determines that the second transition condition is satisfied in step S4. It waits for the input of an electrical signal corresponding to the reception status information indicating satisfaction.

<Step S5>
In step S5, the signal control unit 62 causes the memory controller to transmit the control signal, and causes the SRAM 57 and the SRAM 58 to transition from the power saving state to the normal state. Thereby, before the execution of the polling process by the second state control unit 61 is resumed, the SRAMs 57 to 58 are changed from the power saving state to the normal state. There is no trouble in use.

<Step S6>
In step S <b> 6, the signal control unit 62 releases the holding of the access signal in the shift register 621. Thereby, immediately after the content of the reception status information is changed to information indicating that the second transition condition is satisfied by the execution of the reception status information change processing by the communication processing unit 54, the execution of the polling processing is resumed. Is done.

  As described above, in the image forming apparatus 10, the polling process is stopped until the second transition condition is satisfied by the signal control unit 62 holding the access signal. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the power consumption required for the polling process while suppressing the delay of the transition from the power saving mode to the normal mode due to the polling process.

  In another embodiment, the SRAMs 57 to 58 can transition the operation state from the normal state to the power saving state when the state in which the CPU 59 is not accessed continues for a predetermined time. . In this case, the signal control unit 62 changes the SRAMs 57 to 58 from the power saving state to the normal state when the reception state information indicating the satisfaction of the second transition condition is input from the communication processing unit 54. It is possible to make a transition.

1: ADF
2: Image reading unit 3: Image forming unit 4: Paper feeding unit 5: Control unit 51: Image input unit 52: Image processing unit 53: Image output unit 54: Communication processing unit 543: Register 55: DRAM
56: ROM
57-58: SRAM
59: CPU
60: 1st state control part 61: 2nd state control part 62: Signal control part 6211: Shift register 7: Operation display part 10: Image forming apparatus

Claims (4)

A module for storing predetermined status information, and a module for changing the status information;
Outputs an access signal to the register to the module to execute status acquisition processing for acquiring the status information from the register, and reduces the power consumption of the operation mode of the electronic device from the normal mode according to the status information A processor that executes any one of the mode control process for transitioning from the power saving mode to the normal mode and the status acquisition process again;
The access signal output from the processor is held in the previous stage of the module, and the access signal is input when the status information indicating that a transition condition from the power saving mode to the normal mode is satisfied is input from the module. A signal control unit for releasing
Electronic equipment comprising. A memory that is used as a work area of the processor and that operates in an operation state of either a normal state or a power saving state in which power consumption is reduced from the normal state;
When the signal control unit holds the access signal output from the processor, the memory transitions the memory from the normal state to the power saving state, and satisfies a transition condition from the power saving mode to the normal mode. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein when the status information is input from the module, the memory is shifted from the power saving state to the normal state. A memory that is used as a work area of the processor and that can transition the operation state from a normal state to a power saving state in which power consumption is reduced from the normal state when a state in which the processor is not accessed continues for a predetermined time. Further comprising
The signal control unit causes the memory to transition from the power saving state to the normal state when the status information indicating that a transition condition from the power saving mode to the normal mode is satisfied is input from the module. Item 2. The electronic device according to Item 1. A first step of changing predetermined status information stored in a register included in the module;
An access signal to the register is output from the processor to the module to execute the status acquisition process for acquiring the status information from the register, and the operation mode of the electronic device is set to consume more power than the normal mode according to the status information. A second step of executing any one of the mode control process for transitioning from the power saving mode in which the power is reduced to the normal mode and the status acquisition process again;
The access signal output from the processor is held in the previous stage of the module, and the access signal is input when the status information indicating that a transition condition from the power saving mode to the normal mode is satisfied is input from the module. A third step of releasing the holding,
Including a mode control method.

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