JP4194265B2 - Image forming apparatus and communication method in image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes an apparatus main body on which a plurality of accessories such as a sorter and a feeder can be mounted, and an image forming apparatus that performs frequency hopping spread communication between the apparatus main body and the plurality of accessories, and a communication method in the image forming apparatus About.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine capable of mounting a plurality of accessories such as a sorter, a feeder, and a cassette pedestal is configured to perform communication between the apparatus main body and each accessory using separate harnesses.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As a method for reducing the harness that connects each accessory and the apparatus main body, a method using wireless communication is conceivable. For example, by using spread communication such as a frequency hopping method, it is possible to perform communication between the apparatus main body and a plurality of accessories.
[0004]
However, in the above method, when communication with a plurality of accessories is started at the same time when the power is turned on or when returning from the sleep mode, the motors of the accessories are started at the same time. There is a risk of increasing costs, such as having to design a large capacity.
[0005]
In order to avoid this, it may be possible to shift the start timing between the accessories, but communication control may become complicated.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus capable of preventing an increase in cost due to an increase in peak current at the time of starting an accessory without complicating control and without losing the merit of spread communication. It is to provide a communication method.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Invention of claim 1, wherein an image forming apparatus for communicating frequency hopping among comprises a device body attachable accessory of multiple, and the apparatus main body and the plurality of accessory, before Symbol each The accessories have communication means for communicating using different hopping patterns, and when the power is turned on or when returning from the sleep state, each accessory waits at a specific frequency included in each hopping pattern, and the frequency When a signal having a carrier is received, to start the synchronization acquisition and frequency hopping operation, before different phase with respect to the origin of the hopping pattern during the standby for each Kia Kusesari, in time per pattern of frequency hopping pattern A hopping cycle is different between when all of the accessories are synchronized and after they are synchronized. And wherein the Rukoto.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the invention, in the image forming apparatus according to claim 1, hopping period of all the synchronous acquisition to luma of the accessory is located in a long time than the hopping period after all accessory captured synchronization And the peak current at the time of starting of each said accessory is more than time required for convergence, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
[0009]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the hopping cycle is switched simultaneously in all of the apparatus main body and the accessory.
[0010]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the switching timing of the hopping cycle speed is after the timing when the communication with the standby frequency of the accessory with the slowest synchronization acquisition is performed. .
[0011]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the switching timing of the hopping cycle is after the timing at which the apparatus main body receives a signal informing that the synchronization is acquired from the latest accessory for synchronization acquisition. It is characterized by being.
[0012]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the accessory that has acquired the synchronization starts communication with the apparatus body in sequence without waiting for another accessory to acquire the synchronization. And
[0013]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the actual communication data is transmitted from the apparatus main body at a timing when transmission is performed at a carrier frequency equal to a hopping frequency at which the accessory is waiting. It is after that.
[0014]
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the communication data is actually sent from the main body of the apparatus. It is characterized by being after the received timing.
[0015]
Invention of claim 9, further comprising an accessory console main unit can be mounted in several, the apparatus body performs communication frequency hopping between a plurality of accessory, before Symbol each accessory, one another A communication method executed in an image forming apparatus that communicates using different hopping patterns, and each accessory is connected at a specific frequency included in each frequency hopping pattern when the power is turned on or when returning from a sleep state. waited, when a signal having a carrier of that frequency is received, to start the synchronization acquisition and frequency hopping operation, before different phase with respect to the origin of the frequency hopping pattern when the wait for each Kia Kusesari, the frequency hopping pattern The hopping period, which is the time per pattern, is synchronized by all of the accessories. Wherein the different in the after the synchronization acquisition until.
[0023]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0024]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 1, the copying machine includes a main body 1 having functions such as document reading and printout, and a plurality of accessories can be attached to the main body 1. Here, in the present embodiment, each accessory of the cassette pedestal 2, the feeder 3, and the sorter 4 is mounted on the main body 1. The cassette pedestal 2 stores paper on which an image is transferred so as to be fed. The feeder 3 has a function of sequentially sending a plurality of documents to the reading unit. The sorter 4 has a function of sorting printed sheets. Then, with the main body 1 as a master, wireless communication is possible between each accessory 2, 3, and 4 by spread communication using a frequency hopping method.
[0026]
Next, the configuration of the communication means provided in the main body 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the transmission circuit of the communication means provided in the main body 1 of FIG.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 2, the communication means provided in the main body 1 includes a cassette pedestal 2 transmission circuit 101, a feeder 3 transmission circuit 102, and a sorter 4 transmission circuit 103. Each of the transmission circuits 101, 102, and 103 has the same configuration. In FIG. 2, only the configuration of the transmission circuit 101 is shown, and the configuration of the other transmission circuits 102 and 103 is omitted.
[0028]
The transmission circuit 101 includes a hopping pattern generation circuit 10 that generates a hopping pattern, a hopping synthesizer 11, and a primary modulation circuit 12. The hopping pattern generation circuit 10 and the hopping synthesizer 11 cooperate to generate a hopping cycle. A sine wave having a different frequency is generated every time. Further, the hopping pattern generation circuit 10 can switch the hopping cycle by a hopping speed switching signal. Here, the hopping cycle indicates the time per pattern of the frequency hopping pattern. Then, the sine wave output from the hopping synthesizer 11 and the transmission data D1 subjected to the primary modulation by the primary modulation circuit 12 are superposed and filtered by the band pass filter 13 to become transmission data to the cassette pedestal 2.
[0029]
Similarly, the transmission circuit 102 generates transmission data to the feeder 3, and the transmission circuit 103 generates transmission data to the sorter 4. In the present embodiment, three pieces of transmission data are generated. These pieces of data are placed on different carrier frequencies, and are transmitted from the antenna 14 in a superimposed manner.
[0030]
Next, a hopping pattern generated by the communication means of the main body 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a hopping pattern generated by the communication means of the main body 1 of FIG. 2, (a) is a hopping pattern used for communication with the cassette pedestal 2, and (b) is a communication with the feeder 3. (C) shows a hopping pattern used for communication with the sorter 4, respectively.
[0031]
Since the main body 1 communicates with three accessories (cassette pedestal 2, feeder 3, sorter 4), a different hopping pattern is generated for each accessory. Here, in the hopping pattern used for communication with the cassette pedestal 2, as shown in FIG. 3A, when the power is turned on, the frequency changes every hopping cycle T1, and f0, f1,... Are generated. Thereafter, the hopping cycle is switched to T2 by the hopping speed switching signal, and the pattern repeats f0 to f7. Here, since the hopping cycle T1 results in a time difference between the activation timings of the accessories, it is a necessary condition that the peak current at the time of activation is longer than the convergence time. Further, the hopping cycle T2 is shorter than the hopping cycle T1, and is desirably short enough to take advantage of the spread communication.
[0032]
In the hopping pattern used for communication with the feeder 3, the phase is advanced by one pattern with respect to the pattern used for communication with the cassette pedestal 2, as shown in FIG. The phase of the hopping pattern used for communication with the sorter 4 is advanced by three patterns with respect to the pattern used for communication with the cassette pedestal 2 as shown in FIG. In this way, communication can be performed simultaneously for the three accessories by performing communication using a hopping pattern having a phase shift.
[0033]
Next, the receiving circuit of the communication means provided in the accessory will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the receiving circuit of the communication means provided in the accessory of FIG.
[0034]
As shown in FIG. 4, the cassette pedestal 2 is provided with a receiving circuit 201. The feeder 3 is provided with a receiving circuit 202, and the sorter 4 is provided with a receiving circuit 203. Each receiving circuit 201, 202, 203 has the same configuration, and in FIG. 4, only the configuration of the receiving circuit 201 is shown, and the configuration of the other receiving circuits 202, 203 is omitted.
[0035]
The receiving circuit 201 of the cassette pedestal 2 includes an antenna 21, a broadband bandpass filter (BPF) 17, a hopping pattern generation circuit 15, a hopping pin synthesizer 16, a narrowband bandpass filter (BPF) 18, a detection circuit 19, and synchronization detection. A circuit 20 is included. Here, the hopping pattern generation circuit 15 can switch the hopping speed by a hopping speed switching signal. The synchronization detection circuit 20 is a circuit that detects that the carrier frequency of the received signal matches the oscillation frequency of the hopping synthesizer 16.
[0036]
In the receiving circuit 201, the signal received by the antenna 21 is filtered by the band pass filter 17 and then despread by the sine wave generated by the hopping pattern generation circuit 15 and the hopping synthesizer 16. The despread received signal is filtered by the band pass filter 18 and then converted to received data by the detection circuit 19. The hopping pattern generation circuit 15 starts a frequency hopping operation based on the synchronization detection result by the synchronization detection circuit 20.
[0037]
Similarly, the reception circuit 202 of the feeder 3 and the reception circuit 203 of the sorter 4 respectively convert the signal received by the antenna 21 into reception data by a despreading method.
[0038]
Next, the operation at the time of acquisition of synchronization in each receiving circuit 201, 202, 203 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a frequency hopping pattern at the time of reception of each accessory, where (a) shows the operation of the receiving circuit 201 of the cassette pedestal 2, (b) shows the operation of the receiving circuit 202 of the feeder 3, and (c) shows the sorter. 4 shows the operation of the reception circuit 203 of FIG.
[0039]
As shown in FIG. 5A, the receiving circuit 201 of the cassette pedestal 2 stands by at the hopping frequency f0 when the power is turned on or when returning from the sleep mode. When the carrier frequency of the data transmitted from the main unit 1 becomes f0, the synchronization detection circuit 20 captures the synchronization, and the frequency hopping operation is performed at the hopping cycle T1. Thereafter, the hopping cycle is switched to T2 by the hopping speed switching signal.
[0040]
As shown in FIG. 5B, the receiving circuit 202 of the feeder 3 stands by at the hopping frequency f2 when the power is turned on or when returning from the sleep mode, and the carrier frequency of the data transmitted from the main unit 1 is When f2 is reached, synchronization is acquired, and then the same frequency hopping operation as that of the receiving circuit 201 is performed.
[0041]
As shown in FIG. 5C, the receiving circuit 203 of the sorter 4 stands by at the hopping frequency f5 when the power is turned on or when returning from the sleep mode, and the carrier frequency of the data transmitted from the main body 1 is When f5 is reached, synchronization is acquired, and then the same frequency hopping operation as that of the receiving circuit 201 is performed.
[0042]
Next, the manner in which a time difference is given to the timing of synchronization acquisition for each accessory will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a carrier frequency hopping pattern of transmission data from the main body 1 to each accessory, and FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a frequency hopping pattern when each accessory is received.
[0043]
As shown in FIG. 6 (a), the carrier frequency hopping patterns (TxA, TxB, TxC) of transmission data from the main body 1 to the accessories 2, 3, and 4 are different, and these three patterns are actually superimposed. Sent. Here, TxA indicates a frequency hopping pattern for transmission from the main body 1 to the cassette pedestal 2, and f0, f1,..., F7 are repeated with the frequency f0 as the head at the power-on timing. TxB is a transmission frequency hopping pattern from the main body 1 to the feeder 3, and the phase is advanced by one pattern with respect to the pattern TxA to the cassette pedestal 2. TxC is a frequency hopping for transmission from the main body 1 to the sorter 3, and the phase is advanced by 3 patterns with respect to the pattern TxA to the cassette pedestal 2.
[0044]
The receiving circuit 201 of the cassette pedestal 2 on the receiving side, that is, the accessory side, operates with a frequency hopping pattern RxA as shown in FIG. Specifically, when the power is turned on, it waits at the frequency f0, but when it detects that the carrier frequency of the transmission frequency hopping pattern TxA has become f0, it starts the frequency hopping operation and at the same timing as the transmitting side. The pattern changes as f1, f2,. The main body 1 determines that synchronization has been acquired on the cassette pedestal 2 side at the stage of transmission at the frequency f0, and starts transmitting actual communication data.
[0045]
The receiving circuit 202 of the feeder 3 operates with the frequency hopping pattern RxB. Specifically, when it is detected that the standby frequency when the power is turned on is f2, and the hopping frequency of the transmission frequency hopping pattern TxB is f2, the frequency hopping operation is started and f3, The pattern changes as f4,. On the main body 1 side, at the stage of transmission at the frequency f2, it is determined that synchronization has been captured on the feeder 3 side, and transmission of actual communication data is started. The frequency hopping operation that is synchronously captured by the receiving circuit 202 of the feeder 3 is delayed by one phase relative to the cassette pedestal 2, that is, by a time T1.
[0046]
The receiving circuit 203 in the sorter 4 operates with the frequency hopping pattern RxC. Specifically, when it is detected that the standby frequency at power-on is f5 and the hopping frequency of the transmission frequency hopping pattern TxC is f5, the frequency hopping operation is started, and f6, The pattern changes as f7, f0,.
[0047]
On the main body 1 side, at the stage of transmission at the frequency f5, it is determined that synchronization is acquired on the sorter 4 side, and transmission of actual communication data is started. The frequency hopping operation that is synchronously captured by the receiving circuit 203 of the sorter 4 is further delayed by one phase with respect to the feeder 3. In these series of operations, the hopping cycle at the start of communication is T1, and transmission is performed at the carrier frequency of f5 in the communication with the sorter 4 with the slowest synchronization acquisition (TxC → RxC). It is determined that synchronization has been acquired, and the hopping period is switched to T2 shorter than T1 at the same time thereafter.
[0048]
Thus, when communication is started at the time of power-on or return from the sleep mode, each accessory 2, 3, 4 waits for synchronization at a specific frequency included in the frequency hopping pattern in order to supplement synchronization. When the frequency is received, the frequency hopping operation is started and the reception operation is started. Here, by shifting the phase of the standby frequency relative to the origin for each accessory 2, 3, 4, the synchronization supplement timing of communication is shifted for each accessory 2, 3, 4, and as a result the start timing overlaps Therefore, an increase in the peak current at the start-up is prevented.
[0049]
In addition, the hopping period must be longer than the time required for the peak current at the start of each accessory to settle, but this time is very long, on the order of tens to hundreds of msec. You will not be able to take advantage of the benefits. Therefore, the hopping cycle is switched until all the accessories 2, 3 and 4 connected to the main body 1 complete the synchronization acquisition and after the synchronization supplement is completed, so that the advantages of the spread communication can be fully utilized. Can do.
[0050]
Therefore, it is possible to prevent an increase in cost due to an increase in peak current at the time of starting the accessory without complicating the control and without impairing the merit of the spread communication.
[0051]
In this embodiment, the transmission side determines the actual transmission start timing of communication data. However, the accessory side notifies the main body 1 that the synchronization has been acquired, and then starts actual communication. You may do it. The timing for switching the hopping cycle is also determined from the transmission sequence on the main unit 1 side, but the accessory that is the latest to be synchronized is notified from the accessory (in this embodiment, the sorter 4) that the synchronization has been captured. The hopping cycle may be switched based on the above.
[0052]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, without complicating the control, and without compromising the benefits of spread communication can prevent cost increase due to increase in the peak current at start.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a transmission circuit of a communication unit provided in the main body 1 of FIG.
3 is a diagram showing a hopping pattern generated by the communication means of the main body 1 of FIG. 2, wherein (a) is a hopping pattern used for communication with the cassette pedestal 2, and (b) is a diagram with the feeder 3. FIG. A hopping pattern used for communication and (c) shows a hopping pattern used for communication with the sorter 4, respectively.
4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a receiving circuit of a communication unit provided in the accessory of FIG. 1. FIG.
5A and 5B are diagrams showing a frequency hopping pattern at the time of reception of each accessory, in which FIG. 5A is an operation of the reception circuit 201 of the cassette pedestal 2, FIG. 5B is an operation of the reception circuit 202 of the feeder 3, and FIG. The operation of the receiving circuit 203 of the sorter 4 will be described.
6A is a diagram showing a carrier frequency hopping pattern of transmission data from the main body 1 to each accessory, and FIG. 6B is a diagram showing a frequency hopping pattern when each accessory is received.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Cassette pedestal 3 Feeder 4 Sorter 10, 15 Hopping pattern generation circuit 11, 16 Hopping synthesizer 101, 102, 103 Transmission circuit 201, 202, 203 Reception circuit

Claims (9)

Comprising a multiple accessory wearable device main body, an image forming apparatus for communicating frequency hopping between a plurality of accessory and the device main body,
Before SL Each accessory has a communication means for communicating with different hopping patterns to each other,
When the power is turned on or when returning from the sleep state, each accessory waits at a specific frequency included in each hopping pattern. Start,
Different phase with respect to the origin of the hopping pattern during the standby before each Kia Kusesari,
An image forming apparatus characterized in that a hopping cycle, which is a time per one pattern of a frequency hopping pattern, is different between the time when all of the accessories are synchronized and the time when they are synchronized. Hopping period of all the synchronous acquisition to luma of the accessory is longer than hopping period after all accessory captured synchronization, and a said peak current at the start of each accessory required to converge The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is more than time.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching of the hopping cycle is simultaneously performed in all of the apparatus main body and the accessory.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching timing of the hopping cycle is after the timing of performing communication at the standby frequency of the accessory with the slowest synchronization acquisition.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching timing of the hopping cycle is after the timing at which the apparatus main body receives a signal notifying that synchronization has been acquired from an accessory having the latest synchronization acquisition.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the synchronization-acquired accessory sequentially starts communication with the apparatus main body without waiting for another accessory to acquire synchronization.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actual communication data is sent from the apparatus main body after a timing at which transmission is performed at a carrier frequency equal to a hopping frequency at which the accessory is waiting.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication data is actually sent from the apparatus main body after a timing at which the apparatus main body receives a signal informing that the synchronization has been acquired. apparatus. With an accessory console main unit can be mounted in several, the apparatus body performs communication frequency hopping between a plurality of accessory, before Symbol each accessory communicate using different hopping patterns to each other A communication method executed in an image forming apparatus,
When the power is turned on or when returning from the sleep state, each accessory waits at a specific frequency included in each frequency hopping pattern. Start
Different phase with respect to the origin of the frequency hopping pattern when the standby before each Kia Kusesari,
A communication method in an image forming apparatus, wherein a hopping cycle, which is a time per pattern of a frequency hopping pattern, is different between the time when all the accessories are supplemented and the time after synchronization is supplemented.

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