JP2016068380A - Supply power control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively utilize surplus power in a printer for driving a thermal head without introducing the mechanism of detecting the power consumption amount of a USB device.SOLUTION: The USB maximum power consumption amount Pof three USB devices and the other power consumption amount Pare initially set, and a power amount obtained by subtracting the other power consumption amount Pfrom an AC rated power amount Pis initially set as a head power consumption amount P. When the execution of the printing operation of a printer is detected, according to the number of USB devices (power unnecessary devices) in which power supply has been unnecessarily set by preset unnecessary setting information, setting is changed to reduce the other power consumption amount Pwhile increasing the head power consumption amount P, and thus surplus power in the printer can be appropriately assigned for driving a thermal head without detecting power at the USB device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a power supply control device, and is particularly suitable for use in a power supply control device that controls power supplied to a thermal head of a printer and power supplied to other devices.

  Conventionally, a thermal head including a plurality of heating elements (heating resistance elements) is provided, and a printing process based on the print data is performed by selectively energizing the plurality of heating elements based on the print data. Thermal printers are known.

The amount of power that can be consumed by the thermal head (hereinafter referred to as the head power consumption amount P _HD ) is the rated power amount (hereinafter referred to as the AC rated power amount P _AC ) of the AC power adapter capable of supplying a predetermined power. other than a thermal head (such as an external connection device connected to the internal board or printer) is consumable power amount of total constantly (hereinafter, other and power consumption P _OT) and depends. That is, the maximum power consumption P _HD that can be used by the thermal head during the printing operation corresponds to the power amount (P _HD = P _AC −P _OT ) obtained by subtracting the other power consumption amount P _OT from the AC rated power amount P _AC. .

Also, the printer must always drive the thermal head in the relationship of P _HD <P _AC -P _OT . To maintain this relationship, if other power consumption P _OT is large, it is common, for example, by slowing down the printing speed adjusting head power consumption P _HD.

In recent years, printers are required to have USB ports for connecting USB (Universal Serial Bus) devices. Along with this, it is necessary to consider the power consumption of the USB device as one of the breakdowns of other power consumption _POT . Here, the USB device is not always connected to the printer. Also, the power consumption varies depending on the USB device connected to the printer. Therefore, the other power consumption _POT varies depending on the mounting state of the USB device. Therefore, the head power consumption amount P _HD that can be used by the thermal head during the printing operation also varies depending on the mounting state of the USB device.

However, the conventional printer does not have a function of adjusting the head power consumption P _HD by detecting the amount of power consumed by the USB device connected to the USB port. Therefore, in order to prevent over-rating of the AC power adapter, USB devices with the maximum power consumption specified by the USB standard are connected to all USB ports regardless of how many USB ports are connected to which USB devices. set the other power consumption P _OT assumption that it is connected, it has been common to adjust the head power consumption P _HD thereon.

However, with this method, even when no USB device is actually connected to the USB port, the other power consumption P _OT set on the assumption that the power consumption for the standard maximum value is generated in the USB device is taken into consideration. Thus, the head power consumption amount P _HD is set. For this reason, the amount of power that can be used as the head power consumption amount P _HD is always limited even though there is excess power for driving the thermal head inside the printer, which causes unnecessary print speed reduction. It was.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining this problem. In the following description, it is assumed that the printer has three USB ports. As shown in FIG. 7, in a conventional printer, regardless of whether or not a USB device is actually connected, the maximum power consumption defined by the USB standard as the maximum power consumed by one USB device. The other power consumption P _OT is set by adding three ports (hereinafter referred to as USB maximum power consumption P _USB ) and the power consumption P _IN consumed by the internal board or the like.

For this reason, the head power consumption amount P _HD adjusted in the relationship of P _HD = P _AC −P _OT is unnecessarily small. In this case, when the USB device is not actually connected to the printer, the power set as the USB maximum power consumption P _USB is the surplus power that is originally used for driving the thermal head. can not be used as a P _HD, it is not possible to increase the printing speed. In particular, when a USB device is not connected to any of the three USB ports, this cannot be effectively used for driving the thermal head, although the surplus power increases.

  On the other hand, in a system including a printer that is directly supplied with power from the AC power adapter and operates in the set operation mode, and a connected device that is supplied with power through the printer and operates in the set operation mode. Disclosed is a system that monitors the power consumption of devices and switches either the operation mode of the connected device or the printer operation mode to a mode with less power consumption when the power consumption exceeds the supply power. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 4124873

As described above, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to monitor the power consumption of the connected device in order to appropriately switch the operation mode. In contrast, conventional printer as described above, does not have the function of adjusting the head power consumption P _HD by detecting the amount of power consumed by the USB device connected to the USB port. For this reason, the technique described in Patent Document 1 cannot be applied to a conventional printer as it is.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and the surplus power inside the printer is effectively used for driving the thermal head without introducing a mechanism for detecting the amount of power consumed by the USB device. It is an object of the present invention to make it possible to minimize the decrease in the printing speed by making it possible to utilize it.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, in the present invention, whether or not power supply to a USB device is required during printing by a printer can be set for each USB device connected to a USB port included in the printer. The necessity setting information made is stored. In addition, the other power consumption, which is the maximum amount of power that can be supplied to things other than the thermal head, is initially set to a predetermined power amount, and the AC rated power amount that is the rated power amount that can be supplied from the AC power adapter to the printer The power amount obtained by subtracting the other power consumption amount is initially set as the head power consumption amount that is the maximum power amount that can be supplied to the thermal head. When the execution of the printing operation by the printer is detected, the amount of other power consumption is reduced according to the number of USB devices (power-unnecessary devices) that are not required to supply power during printing according to the necessity setting information. The head power consumption is increased.

  According to the present invention configured as described above, not according to the power consumption of the USB device connected to the USB port, but according to the number of USB devices (power-unnecessary devices) set to require no power supply during printing. The amount of power supplied to the thermal head of the printer and the amount of power supplied to the others are controlled. For this reason, without introducing a mechanism for detecting the amount of power consumed by the USB device, surplus power inside the printer corresponding to the number of devices that do not require power can be appropriately applied to drive the thermal head. As a result, it is possible to minimize the decrease in the printing speed that must be adjusted for the purpose of avoiding that the power consumption of the printer exceeds the rating of the AC power adapter.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the information processing system by 1st and 2nd embodiment. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printer according to a first embodiment. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the initial setting state of each electric energy set by the electric energy initial setting part of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting state of each electric energy set by the setting electric energy change part of 1st Embodiment. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of the printer according to the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the printer by 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the conventional problem.

(First embodiment)
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an information processing system according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing system according to the first embodiment is connected to a printer 100 including a supply power control device of the present invention, an AC power adapter 200 that supplies power to the printer 100, and the printer 100. USB devices 301 to 303 (hereinafter collectively referred to as USB devices 300).

  In the example of FIG. 1, the printer 100 includes three USB ports 21 to 23 and can connect up to three USB devices 301 to 303. The example of FIG. 1 shows a state where three USB devices 301 to 303 are connected to the printer 100, but the number of USB devices 300 connected to the printer 100 is 0, 1, 2, 3 Either can be used.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the printer 100 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 100 includes a supply power control device 10, a USB port 20, a thermal head 30, and an internal substrate 40 according to the present invention. The power supply control device 10 includes a power control unit 11, a necessity setting unit 12, a necessity setting information storage unit 13, and a printing operation status detection unit 14 as functional configurations. The power control unit 11 includes a power amount initial setting unit 11a, a set power amount change unit 11b, and a power supply control unit 11c as more specific functional configurations.

  The functional blocks 11a, 11b, and 11c included in the power control unit 11 are configured by, for example, a microcomputer that includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, and the like, and are realized by operating programs stored in the ROM. . Similarly, the functions of the necessity setting unit 12 and the printing operation status detection unit 14 are configured by a microcomputer having a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like, and are realized by operating a program stored in the ROM. Here, the storage medium for storing the program is not limited to the ROM, and may be another storage medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory.

  The power supply control device 10 supplies power supplied from the AC power adapter 200 to the printer 100 to the thermal head 30 and supplies it to other than the thermal head 30. That is, the supply power control device 10 controls the power supplied to the thermal head 30 and the power supplied to things other than the thermal head 30. In the present embodiment, the devices other than the thermal head 30 are the USB device 300 connected to the USB port 20 of the printer 100 and the internal substrate 40 built in the printer 100.

  Power is supplied to the USB device 300 via the USB port 20. As described above, in the present embodiment, the printer 100 has the three USB ports 21 to 23. The supply power control apparatus 10 supplies power to the USB device 300 connected to any one of the three USB ports 21 to 23 via the USB ports 21 to 23.

  Hereinafter, the functional configuration of the supplied power control apparatus 10 will be described in detail.

  The power control unit 11 supplies the power supplied from the AC power adapter 200 to the printer 100 by the power supply control unit 11c to the USB device 300 connected to the USB port 20, the thermal head 30 in the printer 100, and the internal substrate 40. Control to supply.

  Here, the power supply control unit 11 c always supplies power to the internal substrate 40. The power supply control unit 11c supplies power to the thermal head 30 only when a printing operation is performed. As for the USB device 300, when the printing operation is not executed, power is supplied to all the USB devices 300 connected to the USB ports 21 to 23. On the other hand, during the printing operation, of the USB devices 300 connected to the USB ports 21 to 23, the USB device 300 (hereinafter referred to as a power unnecessary device) that is set so that power supply during printing is unnecessary as will be described later. ) Is stopped, and power is supplied to the other USB devices 300.

  In the present embodiment, the power control unit 11 calculates the maximum amount of power that can be supplied to the thermal head 30 and the maximum amount of power that can be supplied to things other than the thermal head 30 (the USB device 300 and the internal substrate 40). Control allocation. The power amount initial setting unit 11a and the set power amount changing unit 11b control this allocation. The operations of the power amount initial setting unit 11a and the set power amount changing unit 11b will be described later.

  The necessity setting unit 12 sets whether or not it is necessary to supply power to the USB device 300 during printing by the printer 100 for each USB device connected to the USB ports 21 to 23. This setting regarding the necessity of power supply is performed through a user operation on an operation unit (not shown).

  In the present embodiment, whether or not power supply to the USB device 300 is required during printing by the printer 100 is performed by specifying the USB ports 21 to 23 to which the USB device 300 is connected. For example, when connecting a certain USB device 300 to the first USB port 21, if the user designates the first USB port 21 and sets power supply during printing to be unnecessary, the first USB port 21 is connected to the first USB port 21. Regardless of the type, the connected USB device 300 is a power-free device that is set so that power supply during printing is unnecessary.

  The necessity setting information storage unit 13 stores information on the necessity of power supply set by the necessity setting unit 12 (hereinafter referred to as necessity setting information). As described above, the necessity setting information can be set for each USB device 300 connected to the USB ports 21 to 23 as to whether power supply to the USB device 300 is required during printing by the printer 100. Information made. Specifically, the necessity setting information is information in which necessity of power supply is set for each of the USB ports 21 to 23.

  The printing operation status detection unit 14 detects the printing operation status by the printer 100. Specifically, the printing operation status detection unit 14 detects statuses such as whether the printer 100 has started a printing operation and whether the printer 100 has finished the printing operation.

The power amount initial setting unit 11 a of the power control unit 11 is configured so that the maximum power amount (head power consumption amount P _HD ) that can be supplied to the thermal head 30 when the printer 100 is turned on, and the thermal head 30 other than the thermal head 30. The allocation with the maximum amount of power (other power consumption P _OT ) that can be supplied to the device is initialized. Here, the head power consumption amount P _HD is initialized while securing a necessary amount as the other power consumption amount P _OT .

Specifically, the power amount initial setting unit 11a first sets the maximum power amount (USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB ) that can be consumed by one USB device to the number of USB ports 21 to 23 (3 in this embodiment). The total power amount of the power amount multiplied by the power amount and the power amount consumed by the internal substrate 40 (internal power consumption amount P _IN ) is initially set as the other power consumption amount P _OT . Here, regardless of how many USB devices 300 are connected to the USB ports 21 to 23, the other power consumption amount P _OT including the power amount of the USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB × 3 is initialized.

Next, the power amount initial setting unit 11a subtracts the other power consumption amount P _OT initially set as described above from the rated power amount (AC rated power amount P _AC ) that can be supplied from the AC power adapter 200 to the printer 100. The initial power is set as the head power consumption amount P _HD of the thermal head 30.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an initial setting state of each power amount set by the power amount initial setting unit 11a. As shown in FIG. 3, the power amount initial setting unit 11 a is configured to calculate the total power amount of the USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB power amount (= P _USB × 3) and the internal power consumption amount _PIN for three USB devices. _Is initially set as the other power consumption _POT . Further, the power amount initial setting unit 11 a initially sets the power obtained by subtracting the other power consumption amount _POT from the AC rated power amount P _{AC as} the head power consumption amount P _HD of the thermal head 30. Here, the USB maximum power consumption P _USB , the internal power consumption P _IN and the AC rated power P _AC are all known and stored in an internal memory (not shown).

The “setting” of the electric energy here does not mean that the electric power is actually supplied, but means that the electric power that can be supplied is secured. That is, because setting the head power consumption P _HD, the power supply control unit 11c of the power control unit 11 is not always that powering of the head power consumption P _HD content with respect to the thermal head 30. Power supply control unit 11c when performing the actual printing, with respect to the thermal head 30, for supplying power within the head power consumption P _HD reserved. When the execution of printing is completed, the power supply control unit 11 c stops supplying power to the thermal head 30.

In addition, setting the other power consumption _POT including the power consumption of the USB maximum power consumption P _USB × 3 means that the power supply control unit 11c sets the USB maximum power consumption P _USB × to the USB device 300. It does not mean that the power of 3 is always supplied. The power supply control unit 11 c supplies power to the USB device 300 when the USB device 300 is actually connected to any of the USB ports 21 to 23. At this time, the power supply control unit 11c does not necessarily supply power for the USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB to the USB device 300 connected to one USB port, but to the connected USB device 300. Supplying power for the specific power consumption. The amount of power to be supplied varies depending on the USB device 300 connected to the USB ports 21 to 23.

The set power amount changing unit 11b changes the setting as necessary after the power amount initial setting unit 11a initializes the allocation of the supplied power amount. Specifically, the set power amount changing unit 11b determines whether or not the printing operation status detection unit 14 has detected execution of a printing operation by the printer 100 (for example, a printing operation start instruction). When the execution of the printing operation is detected, it is not necessary to supply power during printing by the necessity setting information stored in the necessity setting information storage unit 13 among the USB devices 300 connected to the USB ports 21 to 23. depending on the number of power unnecessary devices that are set to the other to reduce the power consumption P _OT to change the settings of the supply power amount to increase the head power consumption P _HD.

Specifically, the set power amount changing unit 11b subtracts the power amount obtained by multiplying the USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB by the number of power-unnecessary devices from the other power consumption amount P _OT, while reducing the power amount to the head power consumption amount. Add to the quantity P _HD . In the case of this embodiment, the number of devices that do not require power is grasped as the number of USB ports designated by the user as not requiring power supply when the USB device 300 is connected. For example, when the two USB ports 21 and 22 are designated as ports that do not require power supply during printing, the number of devices that do not require power is two.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a setting state of each power amount set by the set power amount changing unit 11b. FIG. 4A shows an example in which the number of devices that do not require power (the number of USB ports that are set so that power supply is not required) is one. As shown in FIG. 4A, the set power amount changing unit 11b calculates the total power amount of (USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB × 2) and the internal power consumption amount P _IN as the other power consumption amount P _OT ′. Set as. Further, the set power amount changing unit 11b sets the power amount obtained by subtracting the other power consumption amount P _OT 'from the AC rated power amount P _{AC as} the head power consumption amount P _HD ' of the thermal head 30.

That is, since it is not necessary to supply power to the device that does not require power during printing, the set power amount changing unit 11b obtains the USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB for one device that does not require power from the initial setting state illustrated in FIG. Decrease and set other power consumption P _OT '. Conversely, the USB maximum power consumption P _USB for one power-unnecessary device is increased from the initial setting state shown in FIG. 3 to set the head power consumption P _HD ′.

FIG. 4B shows an example in which the number of power unnecessary devices is two. As shown in FIG. 4B, the set power amount changing unit 11b calculates the total power amount of (USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB × 1) and the internal power consumption amount P _IN as the other power consumption amount P _OT ′. Set as. Further, the set power amount changing unit 11b sets the power amount obtained by subtracting the other power consumption amount P _OT 'from the AC rated power amount P _{AC as} the head power consumption amount P _HD ' of the thermal head 30.

That is, since it is not necessary to supply power to the two power unnecessary devices during printing, the set power amount changing unit 11b performs the USB maximum power consumption P for two power unnecessary devices from the initial setting state illustrated in FIG. Reduce _USB and set other power consumption P _OT '. Conversely, the USB maximum power consumption P _USB for two power-unnecessary devices is increased from the initial setting state shown in FIG. 3 to set the head power consumption P _HD ′.

  As described above, when the power amount initial setting unit 11a changes the setting of the supply power amount allocation according to the number of devices that do not require power, the power supply control unit 11c actually stops the supply of power to the devices that do not require power. . That is, the power supply control unit 11c stops the supply of power to the USB port that is set as requiring no power supply. If the USB device 300 is connected to another USB port, the power supply control unit 11c continues to supply power to the USB device 300 connected to the other USB port.

  When the printing operation status detecting unit 14 detects the end of the printing operation by the printer 100, the set power amount changing unit 11b sets the allocation of the supplied power amount to the initial setting set by the power amount initial setting unit 11a. Return to the state (setting state shown in FIG. 3). In this case, the power supply control unit 11c restarts the supply of power to the power unnecessary device.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the printer 100 according to the first embodiment configured as described above. The process of the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 starts when the printer 100 is turned on. It is assumed that the necessity setting information storage unit 13 has already stored necessity setting information specifying a USB port that does not require power supply during printing.

When the power of the printer 100 is turned on, the power amount initial setting unit 11a first uses the total power amount of the USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB and the internal power consumption amount P _IN for three USB devices as other consumption. Initially set as the electric energy _POT (step S1). Next, the power amount initial setting unit 11a initially sets the power amount obtained by subtracting the initially set other power consumption amount P _OT from the AC rated power amount P _AC as the head power consumption amount P _HD (step S2). Thereafter, the set power amount changing unit 11b determines whether or not the printing operation status detection unit 14 has detected the start of the printing operation by the printer 100 (step S3).

  If the start of the printing operation is not detected here, the process jumps to step S12. In this case, the power supply control unit 11 c does not supply power to the thermal head 30. Although not shown in FIG. 5, the power supply control unit 11 c supplies power to the internal board 40 and supplies power to the USB device 300 (including devices that do not require power) through the USB port 20. Supply.

On the other hand, when the start of the printing operation is detected, the set power amount changing unit 11b refers to the necessity setting information stored in the necessity setting information storage unit 13 so that power supply during printing is unnecessary. Subtract the amount of power obtained by multiplying the number of USB ports (number of devices that do not require power) by the USB maximum power consumption P _USB from the other power consumption P _OT, and subtract the amount of power subtracted from the other power consumption P _OT Set as' again (step S4). The set power amount changing unit 11b resets the power amount obtained by subtracting the reset other power consumption amount P _OT 'from the AC rated power amount P _AC as the head power consumption amount P _HD ' (step S5).

  In addition, the power supply control unit 11c stops the supply of power to the power-unnecessary device performed through the USB port that is set as not requiring power supply according to the necessity setting information (step S6). At this time, the power supply control unit 11c continues to supply power to the internal substrate 40 and supply power to the USB device 300 other than the power unnecessary device.

Further, the power supply controller 11c supplies power to the thermal head 30 to execute a printing operation (step S7). At this time, the head power consumption amount P _HD ′ is set by increasing (the maximum USB power consumption amount P _USB × the number of power unnecessary devices) from the initial setting state set in steps S1 and S2, and the power unnecessary device is set. Since the supply of power to is actually stopped, it is possible to supply a large amount of power to the thermal head 30 to increase the printing speed.

  Thereafter, the set power amount changing unit 11b determines whether or not the printing operation state detecting unit 14 has detected the end of the printing operation by the printer 100 (step S8). If the end of the printing operation is not detected, the process returns to step S7. On the other hand, when the end of the printing operation is detected, the set power amount changing unit 11b returns the setting of the supply power amount allocation to the initial setting state set by the power amount initial setting unit 11a (steps S9 and S10). ). Further, the power supply control unit 11c restarts the supply of power to the power unnecessary device (step S11).

  Next, the power control unit 11 determines whether or not the printer 100 is turned off (step S12). If the printer 100 is not turned off, the process returns to step S3. On the other hand, when the printer 100 is turned off, the process of the flowchart shown in FIG.

  As described above in detail, according to the first embodiment, the number of USB ports that are set not to consume power in the USB device 300 connected to the USB ports 21 to 23 and are not set to supply power during printing. The power supplied to the thermal head 30 of the printer 100 and the power supplied to other devices are controlled according to (the number of devices that do not require power). For this reason, the surplus power in the printer 100 corresponding to the number of devices that do not require power can be appropriately applied to drive the thermal head 30 without introducing a mechanism for detecting the amount of power consumed by the USB device 300. As a result, it is possible to minimize the decrease in the printing speed that must be adjusted for the purpose of avoiding that the power consumption of the printer 100 exceeds the rating of the AC power adapter 200.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The configuration of the information processing system according to the second embodiment is the same as that shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the printer 100 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the printer 100 according to the second embodiment further includes a USB device detection unit 15. Further, instead of the set power amount changing unit 11b, the necessity setting unit 12 and the necessity setting information storage unit 13 shown in FIG. 2, the set power amount changing unit 11b ′, the necessity setting unit 12 ′, and the necessity setting information. A storage unit 13 'is provided.

  The necessity setting unit 12 ′ determines whether or not power supply to the USB device 300 is required during printing by the printer 100 by specifying the type of the USB device 300 (product category such as memory, mouse, display, etc.). . This setting regarding the necessity of power supply is performed through a user operation on an operation unit (not shown). For example, when the user designates a specific product category and sets the power supply during printing to be unnecessary, the USB device 300 belonging to the product category is printing regardless of which USB port 21 to 23 is connected. In this case, the power supply device is set so that the power supply is not required.

  The necessity setting information storage unit 13 ′ stores necessity setting information related to necessity of power supply set by the necessity setting unit 12 ′. As described above, the necessity setting information is information indicating whether or not power supply to the USB device 300 is required during printing by the printer 100 by specifying the type of the USB device 300.

  The USB device detection unit 15 detects the USB device 300 connected to the USB ports 21 to 23 and also detects the type of the connected USB device 300. Specifically, the USB device detection unit 15 detects whether the USB device 300 is connected to each of the three USB ports 21 to 23. When the connection of the USB device 300 is detected, the type of the USB device 300 is detected by acquiring information indicating the type of the device from the USB device 300.

The set power amount changing unit 11b ′ sets the necessity setting among the USB devices 300 whose connection is detected by the USB device detecting unit 15 when the printing operation status detecting unit 14 detects the execution of the printing operation by the printer 100. The USB device 300 corresponding to the type specified by the necessity setting information stored in the information storage unit 13 ′ is set as a power unnecessary device, and the other power consumption P _OT is reduced according to the number of connected power unnecessary devices. to change the setting of the supply power amount to increase the head power consumption P _HD.

Specifically, the set power amount changing unit 11b ′ newly subtracts the power amount obtained by multiplying the USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB by the number of devices that do not require power from the other power consumption amount P _OT to newly _{add the} other power consumption amount. Set P _OT '. In addition, the set power amount changing unit 11b ′ adds the power amount obtained by multiplying the USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB by the number of devices that do not require power to the head power consumption amount P _HD to newly add the head power consumption amount P _HD ′. Set.

According to the second embodiment configured as described above, the first USB port to be connected is designated when the USB device 300 that the user has determined that the power supply during printing is unnecessary is connected to the printer 100. Unlike the embodiment, the type of the USB device 300 that does not require the power supply at the time of printing is set in advance and stored in the necessity setting information storage unit 13 ′, not only when connected to the printer 100. That is, in the case of the USB device 300 of a preset type, regardless of where the USB ports 21 to 23 are connected, it is automatically recognized as a power unnecessary device and the head power consumption amount P _HD ′ and others The power consumption amount P _OT ′ can be set.

In the first and second embodiments, as an initial setting when the printer 100 is turned on, the USB maximum power consumption P _USB and the internal power consumption _PIN for three USB devices are set. Although an example in which the total power amount is set as the other power consumption amount P _OT has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, it is only necessary to initially set the amount of power sufficient to supply power to the three USB devices 300 and the internal substrate 40 as the other power consumption amount P _OT , and the USB maximum power consumption amount P _USB corresponding to three USB devices is not necessarily required. And the internal power consumption _PIN need not be the total value.

  In the second embodiment, the example in which whether or not the power supply to the USB device 300 is required during printing by the printer 100 is set by specifying the type of the USB device 300 has been described. Is not limited to this. That is, if it is information that can be acquired from the USB device 300 connected to the USB port 20, it is possible to set whether or not to supply power by specifying the information. For example, the necessity of power supply may be set by the ID of the USB device 300 and the manufacturer.

In the first and second embodiments, the USB device 300 and the internal substrate 40 have been described as examples of other than the thermal head 30 that is a target for securing the other power consumption _POT . The present invention is not limited to this. For example, an external connection device that is always connected to the printer through an interface other than the USB port 20 may be further included.

  In addition, each of the above-described embodiments is merely an example of implementation in carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be construed in a limited manner. That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist or the main features thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Supply power control apparatus 11 Power control part 11a Electric power amount initial setting part 11b, 11b 'Setting electric power amount change part 11c Power supply control part 12, 12' Necessity setting part 13, 13 'Necessity setting information storage part 14 Printing operation Status detection unit 15 USB device detection unit 21-23 USB port 30 thermal head 40 internal substrate 100 printer 200 AC power adapter 300 USB device

Claims (8)

A power supply control device configured to supply power supplied from the AC power adapter to the printer to the thermal head of the printer and to supply to a device other than the thermal head including the USB device connected to the printer. Because
Necessity of storing necessity setting information that can be set for each USB device connected to a USB port included in the printer as to whether or not power supply to the USB device is required during printing by the printer. A setting information storage unit;
Other power consumption, which is the maximum amount of power that can be supplied to other than the thermal head, is initially set to a predetermined power amount, and AC rated power that is the rated power amount that can be supplied from the AC power adapter to the printer A power amount initial setting unit that initially sets a power amount obtained by subtracting the other power consumption amount from the amount as a head power consumption amount that is the maximum power amount that can be supplied to the thermal head;
A printing operation status detection unit for detecting a printing operation status by the printer;
When the printing operation status detection unit detects the execution of the printing operation by the printer, among the USB devices connected to the USB port, the necessity setting information stored in the necessity setting information storage unit is used. A set power amount changing unit that reduces the other power consumption amount and increases the head power consumption amount according to the number of power-unnecessary devices that are USB devices in which power supply during printing is unnecessary. A power supply control device characterized by that.   The set power amount changing unit returns to the initial setting state set by the power amount initial setting unit when the printing operation state detecting unit detects the end of the printing operation by the printer. Item 2. The power supply control device according to Item 1.   The power supply control unit further comprising: a power supply control unit configured to stop power supply to the power-unnecessary device when the set power consumption changing unit reduces the other power consumption and increases the head power consumption. Item 2. The power supply control device according to Item 1.   When the head power consumption is increased by reducing the other power consumption by the set power amount change unit, the power supply to the power unnecessary device is stopped, while the initial setting state is set by the set power amount change unit. The power supply control device according to claim 2, further comprising a power supply control unit that resumes the supply of power to the power-unnecessary device when the power is returned to the state.   The power amount initial setting unit includes the power amount obtained by multiplying the USB maximum power amount, which is the maximum power amount that can be consumed by one USB device, by the number of the USB ports, and initially sets the other power consumption amount. 3. The supply power control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a power amount obtained by subtracting the other power consumption amount from the AC rated power amount is initially set as the head power consumption amount.   The set power amount changing unit is configured to set the USB maximum power consumption amount, which is the maximum power amount that can be consumed by one USB device, when the printing operation state detecting unit detects the execution of the printing operation by the printer. 3. The supply power control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a power amount obtained by multiplying the number of power unnecessary devices is subtracted from the other power consumption amount, while the power amount is added to the head power consumption amount. . The necessity setting information storage unit indicates whether the power supply to the USB device is required during printing by the printer by indicating the necessity setting of the USB port to which the USB device is connected. Remember information,
When the printing operation status detection unit detects the execution of the printing operation by the printer, the set power amount changing unit determines the other power consumption amount according to the number of USB ports specified by the necessity setting information. The power supply control device according to claim 1, wherein the head power consumption is increased by reducing the power consumption. The necessity setting information storage unit stores the necessity setting information indicated by designation of information obtainable from the USB device as to whether power supply to the USB device is required during printing by the printer. Remember,
A USB device detection unit for detecting the USB device connected to the USB port included in the printer and acquiring information of the connected USB device;
The set power amount changing unit, based on the necessity setting information among the USB devices whose connection is detected by the USB device detecting unit, when the printing operation status detecting unit detects the execution of the printing operation by the printer. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the USB device that has acquired the specified information is set as the power-unnecessary device, and the head power consumption is increased by reducing the other power consumption according to the number of connected power-unnecessary devices. A power supply control device characterized by the description.

Images