JP3850174B2 - Facsimile device with energy saving function - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus with an energy saving function, and relates to a technique applicable to office equipment with energy saving function, a communication apparatus, and the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The operation panel of the facsimile device has an alarm display LED that indicates that there is a hindrance to continue the operation of the device, such as the absence of recording paper or toner (in the case of plain paper facsimile), paper jam, device cover open, etc. These lighting control, LCD display control, key scanning control, and other LED lighting control are performed by an operation panel control CPU installed in the normal operation panel. In a conventional facsimile machine with an energy saving function, the power line for the operation panel is cut off in order to reduce power consumption in a standby state.
[0003]
The only control that is continued on the operation panel after the power line is cut off is the monitoring of the energy saving key press and the LED lighting control indicating that the energy saving mode is in progress, which are executed by the energy saving control CPU. Therefore, no alarm is displayed in the energy saving mode. This means that, during the energy saving mode, an operation that can be performed only by the operator in order to eliminate a state that hinders the continued operation cannot be expected, and there is a possibility that a defective state will continue for a long time.
[0004]
Increasing the number of objects to be controlled in the standby state of the apparatus is accompanied by an increase in power consumption. Therefore, it is necessary to narrow down the problems to be solved and reduce the number of objects to be controlled to suppress the increase in power consumption. In the case of a new transmission, since the operation is necessary, the operator will notice the malfunction, so the problem is still the case of reception. Recent facsimile machines have a memory for sending and receiving images, and even if print output is not possible, such as running out of recording paper, running out of toner, or plotter cover open, the received image is stored in the memory for a while to continue receiving. Can do. However, this state continues for a long time, and if the image memory is full, no further reception is possible.
[0005]
If there is an incoming call, the energy saving control CPU detects the ringing signal and restores the power supply line to the other units that have been cut off, and wakes up the main control CPU. As a result, the apparatus enters a normal state and various alarm displays are also activated. If there is a problem, the operator can be aware of it, but it is possible that the operator will not notice until the energy saving state is resumed by the timer.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the object of the invention of claim 1 is to prevent the device from being kept in a troubled state for a long time by displaying an alarm even in the energy saving mode. It is to be.
An object of the invention of claim 2 is to suppress an increase in power consumption by displaying an alarm indicating that reception is not possible in the energy saving mode.
An object of the invention of claim 3 is to enable early cancellation of the reception disabled state without increasing the power consumption in the standby state by notifying by a warning that the reception is disabled.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The invention according to claim 1, a energy-saving function facsimile apparatus for reducing power consumption in the standby state, the under normal conditions to control the units in the apparatus, a main control means for delivering a control instruction signal for the energy-saving control means In the standby state, the main power supply of the main control means and other means is shut off to shift to the energy saving state, and in the energy saving state, the user presses the energy saving key, sets the document, a ringing signal at the time of reception, or Energy saving control means for releasing the energy saving state by a trigger signal such as an off-hook signal at the time of transmission and sending an energy saving release factor signal indicating the released factor to the main control means, and alarm display means for displaying an alarm of the apparatus in the facsimile apparatus with energy saving features provided with the bets, the main control hand Is the normal by detecting the occurrence of an event causing alarm in the state, transmitted to the energy-saving control means, said energy-saving control unit is in the energy saving state in which the transition from the normal state, transmitted from the main control unit In accordance with the state of occurrence of the event causing the alarm, the alarm display means performs alarm display, and the alarm display is performed even if the state of occurrence of the event causing the alarm is canceled or changed in the energy saving state. The alarm display by means is continued .
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the invention, in the invention of claim 1, wherein the main control means, as an event which causes the alarm detects that the facsimile apparatus is in Ready state, the alarm display unit, the According to the control of the energy saving control means, it is displayed that the facsimile apparatus is in a reception disabled state.
[0009]
The invention according to claim 3, a energy-saving function facsimile apparatus for reducing power consumption in the standby state, the under normal conditions to control the units in the apparatus, a main control means for delivering a control instruction signal for the energy-saving control means In the standby state, the main power supply of the main control means and other means is cut off to shift to the energy saving state. In the energy saving state, the user presses the energy saving key, sets the document, the ringing signal at the time of reception, and the transmission Energy-saving control means for releasing an energy-saving release factor signal indicating a factor released from the energy-saving state by a trigger signal such as an off-hook signal at the time, and a means for emitting an alarm sound in function facsimile apparatus, the main control unit, the normal state odor Detects the reception-disabled state, transmitted to the energy-saving control means, the energy saving control unit, when a transition to the normal state by canceling the energy-saving state of transition from the normal state is transmitted from the main control unit according to the unreceivable state we are obtained by said Rukoto to generate a warning sound by means for emitting the alarm sound.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Example 1
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a power source, 2 is a power source switching unit, 3 is a main control unit (main control CPU), and 4 is Energy saving control unit (energy saving control CPU), 5 plotter, 6 modem, 7 ROM, 8 system memory, 9 serial I / O, 10 line interface unit, 11 operation panel, 11a energy saving mode LED, 11b is an alarm LED, 11c is an energy saving key, 12 is a scanner, 12a is a document sensor, and 13 is a system bus.
[0011]
In the normal state, the main control unit 3 controls all units. The operation panel 11 is connected to the system bus 13 through a serial I / O 9 controlled by the main control unit 3, and exchanges commands and responses with the main control unit 3 through a serial interface. The energy saving control unit 4 waits for a transition command to the energy saving mode from the main control unit 3 through the interface with the main control unit 3 in a normal state. A document sensor 12a of the scanner 12 and an energy saving key 11c of the operation panel 11 are connected to the energy saving control unit 4, and a ringing detection signal (including an F network calling signal and an off-hook signal) of the line interface unit 10 is connected. Is entered. The transmission of these states to the main control unit 3 can take either a configuration in which the state is transmitted directly to the main control unit 3 or through the energy saving control unit 4.
[0012]
In the normal state, the output of the power supply switching unit 2 is on. There are two triggers for the transition to the energy saving mode, one is a direct command for switching to the energy saving mode from the operator by pressing the energy saving key, and the other is a certain time after the end of the facsimile job, for example. This is performed by a timer operation such as later, and is given as a command from the main control unit 3 to the energy saving control unit 4. At this time, the occurrence state of an event that causes an alarm such as recording paper out, toner out, paper jam, and device cover open detected by the main control unit 3 is also transmitted to the energy saving control unit 4. The energy saving mode starts when the energy saving control unit 4 receives a command to control the power supply switching unit 2 and shuts off the power supply to other units.
[0013]
In the energy saving mode, the energy saving control unit 4 turns on the energy saving LED that displays the energy saving mode, and lights up the alarm LED 11 b based on the alarm state received from the main control unit 3. Since the main control unit 3 detects the alarm state, even if the alarm state is canceled or changed in the energy saving mode, it is not reflected in the alarm LED 11b, but is reflected when the energy saving mode is canceled next time. .
[0014]
Each of the above LEDs is driven with a duty that provides a luminance sufficient to reduce power consumption in the energy saving mode. The energy-saving mode is released by pressing the energy-saving key by the operator, setting a document on the scanner, detecting a ringing signal by an incoming call, and an off-hook signal. The energy saving control unit 4 issues an output ON instruction to the power supply switching unit 2 to activate each unit, and informs the main control unit 3 of the cause of release.
[0015]
When the main control unit 3 starts up, the latest alarm state detected by the main control unit 3 is transmitted to the energy saving control unit 4 and reflected on the LEDs. By the operation as described above, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the alarm display in the normal state is masked by the shift to the energy saving state and the operator cannot be notified for a long time.
[0016]
(Example 2)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 11d denotes an unreceivable LED, and other parts having the same functions as those in FIG. It is. The difference from the first embodiment is that the alarm LED that is turned on by the energy saving control unit 4 is only one of the reception disabled LEDs (representing a state incapable of reception) 11d. In the normal state, the reception disabled state is determined by the main control unit 3 based on the usage state of the image memory, the paper and the toner out condition, and is transmitted to the energy saving control unit 4 when shifting to the energy saving mode. As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the reception impossible state display detected in the normal state is masked by the shift to the energy saving state and the operator cannot be notified for a long time.
[0017]
Example 3
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 14 denotes a speaker or buzzer. Other parts having the same functions as those in FIGS. The same reference numerals as those in FIG. In the standby state of the apparatus, if there is an incoming call, the energy-saving control CPU 4 detects the ringing signal and restores the power supply line to the other units that have been cut off, and wakes up the main control CPU 3. As a result, the apparatus enters a normal state and various alarm displays are also activated. If there is a problem, the operator can be aware of it, but it is possible that the operator will not notice until the energy saving state is resumed by the timer.
[0018]
In order to prevent such a situation from occurring, the main control CPU 3 detects that the reception is impossible or there is a possibility that the main control CPU 3 emits an alarm sound from the speaker or buzzer 14 to notify the operator. Since the main control CPU 3 wakes up by the incoming call and performs this operation, it will not be in time to receive the incoming call, but the next reception is possible by the operation of the operator. Sound alarm display is often more effective than LEDs and LCDs.
[0019]
The configuration of the present embodiment is almost the same as that of a conventional facsimile with an energy saving mode, but differs in that the main control unit 3 has a mechanism for notifying the operator of an unreceivable state by sound from a speaker or a buzzer 14 in a normal state. Due to the alarm sound, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the reception impossible state display detected in the normal state is masked by the shift to the energy saving state and the operator cannot be notified for a long time. It goes without saying that sound can be used as one means for displaying alarms in the configuration of the other embodiments as well as the present embodiment.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
The facsimile apparatus with the energy saving function according to claim 1 has a mechanism for continuously displaying the alarm state detected in the normal state even in the subsequent energy saving state, so that the situation where the alarm state is not known to the operator for a long time can be prevented. it can.
[0021]
The facsimile apparatus with an energy saving function according to claim 2 has a mechanism for continuously displaying the reception disabled state detected in the normal state even in the subsequent energy saving state, thereby preventing a situation where the reception disabled state is unknown to the operator for a long time. be able to.
[0022]
The facsimile apparatus with an energy saving function according to claim 3 has a mechanism for notifying the reception disabled state detected in the normal state by an alarm sound, so that a situation where the reception disabled state is not known to the operator for a long time can be prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a facsimile apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Power supply, 2 ... Power supply switching part, 3 ... Main control part, 4 ... Energy-saving control part, 5 ... Plotter, 6 ... Modem, 7 ... ROM, 8 ... System memory, 9 ... Serial I / O, 10 ... Line interface 11, operation panel, 11 a, energy saving mode LED, 11 b, alarm LED, 11 c, energy saving key, 11 d, no-reception LED, 12, scanner, 12 a, document sensor, 13, system bus, 14, speaker or buzzer.

Claims (3)

A energy saving function facsimile apparatus for reducing power consumption in the standby state, the under normal conditions to control the units in the apparatus, a main control means for delivering a control instruction signal for the energy-saving control means, in the standby state, the The main power source of the main control means and other means is shut off to shift to the energy saving state, and in the energy saving state, the user presses the energy saving key, sets the original, the ringing signal at the time of reception, the off-hook signal at the time of transmission, etc. Energy saving function provided with energy saving control means for releasing the energy saving state by a trigger signal and sending an energy saving release factor signal indicating the released factor to the main control means, and alarm display means for displaying an alarm of the apparatus In a facsimile machine,
The main control means detects an occurrence state of an event that causes an alarm in the normal state, and notifies the energy saving control means,
The energy saving control means causes the alarm display means to perform an alarm display according to the occurrence state of the event causing the alarm transmitted from the main control means in the energy saving state shifted from the normal state, and the energy saving state. A facsimile apparatus with an energy saving function , wherein the alarm display by the alarm display means is continued even if the occurrence state of the event causing the alarm is canceled or changed . The main control means detects that the facsimile apparatus is in a reception disabled state as an event causing the alarm,
2. The facsimile apparatus with an energy saving function according to claim 1, wherein the alarm display means displays that the facsimile apparatus is in a reception disabled state in accordance with the control of the energy saving control means . A energy saving function facsimile apparatus for reducing power consumption in the standby state, the under normal conditions to control the units in the apparatus, a main control means for delivering a control instruction signal for the energy-saving control means, wherein in the standby state The main power supply of the main control means and other means is cut off to shift to the energy saving state, and in this energy saving state, the user presses the energy saving key, sets the original, the ringing signal at the time of reception, the off-hook signal at the time of transmission, etc. In the facsimile apparatus with an energy saving function, comprising: energy saving control means for releasing the energy saving state by a signal and sending an energy saving release factor signal indicating a factor released to the main control means; and means for emitting an alarm sound .
The main control means detects a non-receivable state in the normal state and notifies the energy saving control means,
The energy saving control unit, an alarm when the to cancel the energy-saving state of transition from the normal state shifts to the normal state, according to the reception disabled state conveyed from said main control unit, the means for emitting the alarm sound energy-saving function with a facsimile device according to claim Rukoto caused the sound.

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