JP4665697B2 - Information processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and power saving state transition method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a power saving state transition method, and more particularly, to an information processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus that are connected to an external device via a network and are capable of transitioning to a plurality of power saving states. And a power saving state transition method of the information processing apparatus.

  In recent years, controllers of information processing apparatuses such as image forming apparatuses have been required to have high performance. Due to an increase in memory resources such as memory and hard disk necessary for control by the controllers and complicated OS control, controller savings have been reduced. The recovery time from the power state is prolonged.

  Further, the information processing apparatus is networked, and when a request such as an acquisition request for the state of the information processing apparatus is received from an external apparatus, the information processing apparatus is required to respond quickly to the request. .

A chip microcomputer is provided separately from the main chip to respond to requests over the network even when the power saving state is entered. Even if the main chip is in the power saving state, the chip microcomputer is connected via the network. An image forming apparatus that responds to such a request is known (Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-34488 A

  However, the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the cost of the apparatus is greatly increased because it is necessary to prepare hardware for performing control separately from the main controller.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and can reliably respond to a request via a network, realize power saving, and reduce cost. An object is to provide an information processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a power saving state transition method.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention is an information processing apparatus capable of transitioning to each of a plurality of power saving states having different power consumptions, and communicates with an external device via a network. at least one of the program the program with the external device is activated so that it can respond and memorize means for storing a plurality associates the response waiting time for waiting for execution from the program to the request to the program in communication by an acquisition unit that the external apparatus acquires all from the storage means the response waiting time to wait for a response to the request to the program, when the power saving state, operation from the power-saving state recovery time to return to the state, than the shortest response waiting time from among all of the response waiting time obtained by the obtaining means Determining means for determining whether already there when the return time is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, selecting means for selecting a power-saving state corresponding to the recovery time is selected by said selection means Transition means for transitioning to a power saving state.

The power saving state transition method according to the present invention includes a program that communicates with an external device via a network, and a response waiting time in which the external device waits for a response from the program to a request to the program. Is a power saving state transition method of an information processing apparatus capable of storing a plurality of information in association with each other and transitioning to each of a plurality of power saving states having different power consumptions, and is based on at least one of the programs activated to be executed in the communication, the external device obtains all the response waiting time to wait for a response to the request to the program, when the power saving state, the return time to return to the operating state from the power saving state There, it is determined whether shorter than the shortest response waiting time from among all of the response waiting time during which the acquired response the recovery time of the shortest Is shorter than the machine time, a power-saving state corresponding to the return time to select, is characterized by a transition to the power saving state said selected.

According to the present invention, at least one of a plurality of stored programs can be activated and executed, thereby enabling communication with an external device via a network. Then, to get the activated at least one response waiting time of the communication by the program are to run, when the power saving state, the return time to return to the operation state from the power saving state, is obtained determining whether shorter than the shortest response waiting time from among all of the response waiting time, if the return time is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, the power-saving state corresponding to the return time to select, Transition to the selected power saving state.

  Therefore, by acquiring the communication response waiting time by the program that is activated so that it can be executed, and transitioning to the power saving state corresponding to the return time shorter than the shortest response waiting time, In addition to responding reliably, it is possible to realize power saving, and it is not necessary to provide special hardware, thereby reducing costs.

  The selection means according to the present invention can select a power saving state corresponding to a return time that is shorter than the shortest response waiting time and closest to the shortest response waiting time from a plurality of power saving states. Thereby, since the power saving state with the longest return time is selected from the selectable power saving states, further power saving can be achieved.

Further, a plurality of power-saving state according to the present invention, the first power saving state, the more the power consumption is smaller first power saving state the second power saving state, and power consumption than said second power saving state A third power saving state with a small value, and the determination means determines whether a return time from the third power saving state is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, and the third power saving state When the return time from the second power saving state is not shorter than the shortest response waiting time, it is determined whether or not the return time from the second power saving state is shorter than the shortest response waiting time. When the return time from the state is not shorter than the shortest response waiting time, it is determined whether the return time from the first power saving state is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, The shortest response time from the third power saving state When it is determined that the time is shorter than the machine time, the power saving state of 3 is selected, and when the return time from the second power saving state is determined to be shorter than the shortest response waiting time, When the second power saving state is selected, and it is determined that the return time from the first power saving state is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, the first power saving state can be selected. .

  An information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a central processing unit, a volatile memory, and a nonvolatile memory, and a plurality of power saving states includes a first power saving state in which power supply to the central processing unit is stopped; A second power saving state in which power supply to the central processing unit and the nonvolatile memory is stopped, and a third power saving state in which power supply to the entire information processing apparatus including the central processing unit, the volatile memory, and the nonvolatile memory is stopped. States can be included.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming engine unit that forms an image on a recording medium based on image data, and the information processing apparatus according to any one of the above, wherein the image forming engine unit includes And an information processing apparatus configured to control.

According to the present invention, at least one of a plurality of programs stored in the program storage unit of the information processing apparatus can be activated and executed, thereby enabling communication with an external apparatus via a network. . Then, the response waiting time in communication by the activated program is acquired , and when transitioning to the power saving state, the return time until returning from the power saving state to the operating state is equal to all the acquired response waiting times . determines whether shorter than the shortest response waiting time from within, when the return time is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, the power-saving state corresponding to the return time to select, a power saving state is selected The information processing apparatus transitions.

  When an image forming instruction is input from an external device to the image forming apparatus, the information processing apparatus controls the image forming engine unit to form an image on a recording medium based on the image data.

  Therefore, by acquiring the communication response waiting time by the program that is activated so that it can be executed, and transitioning to the power saving state corresponding to the return time shorter than the shortest response waiting time, In addition to responding reliably, it is possible to realize power saving, and it is not necessary to provide special hardware, thereby reducing costs.

  As described above, according to the information processing apparatus, the image forming apparatus, and the power saving state transition method of the present invention, the response waiting time of communication by a program that is activated so as to be executed is obtained, and the shortest response waiting time is obtained. By transitioning to a power saving state corresponding to a return time shorter than the time, it is possible to respond to a request via the network reliably, realize power saving, and provide special hardware. Therefore, the effect that the cost can be suppressed is obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a case where the present invention is applied to an image forming apparatus will be described as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming system 10 forms an image on a recording sheet based on image data, an image forming apparatus 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and performs image forming processing on the image forming apparatus 11. The client PC 13 is instructed, and is composed of a network 15 such as a LAN for connecting the image forming apparatus 11 and the client PC 13.

  In the image forming apparatus 11, an image reading unit 12 that reads a document and generates image data, and records an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor based on the image data, and the electrostatic latent image is printed using monochrome toner or color toner. A printer engine unit 14 for transferring the developed image to a recording sheet and outputting it, an operation panel unit 16 including operation buttons and an operation panel for instructing various processes of the image forming apparatus 11, and a main power source 18. In order to communicate via the network 15 with the power supply control unit 20 that controls the start and stop of the supply of power supplied from the main power supply 18 to each unit of the image forming apparatus 11 according to the input power supply control signal. Network interface 40 is provided.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus 11 is provided with a controller unit 24 for controlling each unit in the image forming apparatus 11 including the printer engine unit 14. The controller unit 24 includes a CPU 26, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) 28 as a volatile system memory for storing a response time database to be described later, a ROM 30 for storing various programs and basic setting data for basic settings for the CPU 26, and the like. The OS stores a plurality of application programs for communicating via the network 15, various programs including a power saving transition processing routine to be described later, and image data, and saves the data stored in the DRAM 28. A hard disk 32 for controlling the hard disk 32 and a hard disk controller 34 for controlling the hard disk 32. A bus 36 for connecting the CPU 26, DRAM 28, ROM 30, and hard disk controller 34 to each other is provided.

  In addition, the controller unit 24 is provided with an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 38 to which the image reading unit 12, the printer engine unit 14, the operation panel unit 16, the power supply control unit 20, and the network interface 40 are connected. The ASIC 38 is connected to the bus 36.

  The image forming apparatus 11 can transition to a power saving state of a plurality of levels with different power consumption, and the controller unit 24 can transition to, for example, a controller power saving state of three levels with different power consumption. The power consumption of the controller power saving state level 1 is the largest, and the power consumption of the controller power saving level 3 is the smallest.

  The controller 24 stops power supply to the CPU 26 at the controller power saving state level 1 and stops power supply to the hard disk 32 and the hard disk controller 34 in addition to the CPU 26 at the controller power saving state level 2. At the power state level 3, the power supply to the entire controller unit 24 including the CPU 26, the hard disk 32, the hard disk controller 34, and the DRAM 28 is stopped.

  When transitioning to the controller power saving state level 3, the memory data in use existing in the DRAM 28 is saved to the hard disk 32, and the data saved to the hard disk 32 when restored from the controller power saving state is restored to the DRAM 28. Thus, the processing operation by the OS or application program becomes possible again.

  Note that the printer engine unit 14 can transition to one or more engine power saving states by, for example, limiting the power supplied to a fixing heater (not shown) provided in the printer engine unit 14.

  Further, the plurality of application programs stored in the hard disk 32 are programs that perform communication using, for example, each of the WebDAV service, the SNMP service, the SOAP service, and the WWW service, and the application program is read into the DRAM 28 and started. As a result, communication with the client PC 13 connected via the network 15 becomes possible.

  Note that the image forming apparatus 11 only needs to have a general configuration and functions of a conventionally known image forming apparatus such as a printer and a scanner. The other configurations and general functions of the image forming apparatus 11 are described in detail. Description is omitted.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

  First, when the client PC 13 is turned on and a communication establishment request between the client PC 13 and the image forming apparatus 11 is transmitted from the client PC 13 to the image forming apparatus 11, the image forming apparatus 11 corresponds to communication with the client PC 13. When an application program to be loaded is read from the hard disk 32 into a predetermined allocation area of the DRAM 28 and the application program is activated, an application activation processing routine shown in FIG. 2 included in the application program is executed.

  In step 100, the response time stored in the DRAM 28 indicates the name of the activated application program and the response waiting time in which an external device such as the client PC 13 waits for a response to the request for the application program in communication by this application program. Register in the database. As shown in FIG. 3, the response time database includes items of database ID, program name, and response standby time, and the response standby time is set in advance corresponding to the application program. If the response waiting time varies depending on the communication setting or communication state by the application program, the preset response waiting time is corrected according to the communication setting or communication state and registered in the response time database. You can do it.

  In step 102, the database ID in the response time database in which the response waiting time of the application program is registered is stored in the allocated area of the DRAM 28. In step 104, the activated application program itself is normally processed, and the application program Is executed to communicate with the client PC 13.

  In the next step 106, it is determined whether or not to end the application program. If not, the process returns to step 104. On the other hand, the communication partner client PC 13 is turned off and the client PC 13 communicates with the application program. In step 108, the database ID corresponding to its own application program is read out. In step 110, the data corresponding to the read database ID is deleted from the response time database, and the application is started. The processing routine ends. Then, the application program corresponding to the communication terminated from the DRAM 28 is deleted, and the program cannot be executed.

  Next, a power saving transition processing routine executed by the CPU 26 will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, in step 150, it is determined whether or not it is time to transition to the power saving state, and a power saving button (not shown) provided on the operation panel unit 16 is pressed or the operation panel unit 16 is not operated. Is continued for a predetermined time or longer, the process proceeds to step 152, and a controller return expected time Tc3 determined in advance corresponding to the controller power saving state level 3 is acquired. For example, an expected time table in which each of the controller power saving states of the plurality of levels of the controller unit 24 is associated with the estimated controller recovery time is prepared, and the expected controller recovery time Tc3 is acquired from the expected time table.

  The controller power saving state level 1 starts power supply to the CPU 26, the return processing to the CPU 26 is performed, and the controller return time until returning to the normal operation state is obtained in advance, and the obtained value is the estimated controller return time. It is stored in the expected time table as Tc1. Similarly, power supply to the CPU 26, the hard disk 32, and the hard disk controller 34 is started from the controller power saving state level 2, a recovery process is performed on the CPU 26, and then the hard disk 32 and the hard disk controller 34 are recovered. The controller return expected time until the process is performed and the normal operation state is restored is obtained in advance, and the obtained value is stored in the expected time table as the controller return expected time Tc2. In addition, power supply to the entire controller unit 24 is started from the controller power saving state level 3, the restoration process is performed on the CPU 26, the restoration process is performed on the hard disk 32 and the hard disk controller 34, and then the hard disk 32. The data saved in step S3 is restored to the DRAM 28, the processing operation by the OS or application becomes possible again, and the estimated controller recovery time until returning to the normal state is obtained in advance. It is stored in the expected time table as the expected time Tc3.

  The expected controller recovery time Tc1 is, for example, 3 seconds, the expected controller recovery time Tc2 is 15 seconds, and the expected controller recovery time Tc3 is 45 seconds, which are fixed values.

  Note that the estimated controller recovery time may not be a fixed value, but may be calculated according to information such as the hardware configuration and the amount of memory used by the OS, for example.

  In step 154, all the response waiting times registered from the response time database are acquired. In step 156, the estimated controller recovery time Tc3 acquired in step 152, and all the response waiting times acquired in step 154. Are compared to determine whether or not the estimated controller recovery time Tc3 is shorter than the shortest response waiting time. If the estimated controller recovery time Tc3 is shorter than all the response waiting times, the controller unit 24 transitions. The controller power saving state level 3 is selected as the controller power saving state, and in step 158, the data is saved from the DRAM 28 to the hard disk 32, and then the power control signal is controlled to stop the power supply to the entire controller unit 24. Output to the controller 20, and the controller 24 is By transitioning the controller power conservation state level 3, the flow returns to step 150.

  On the other hand, if the controller return expected time Tc3 is equal to or longer than the shortest response waiting time in step 156, in step 160, a controller return expected time Tc2 predetermined corresponding to the controller power saving state level 2 is acquired. In the next step 162, the controller return expected time Tc2 acquired in step 160 is compared with all the response waiting times acquired in step 154, and whether or not the controller return expected time Tc2 is shorter than the shortest response waiting time. If the controller recovery expected time Tc2 is shorter than all the response waiting times, the controller power saving state level 2 is selected as the controller power saving state to which the controller unit 24 transitions. In step 164, the controller unit A power control signal is output to the power control unit 20 so as to stop power supply to the CPU 26, the hard disk 32, and the hard disk controller 34, the controller unit 24 is shifted to the controller power saving state level 2, and the process returns to step 150. .

  On the other hand, if the controller return expected time Tc2 is equal to or greater than the shortest response waiting time in step 162, in step 166, a controller return expected time Tc1 predetermined corresponding to the controller power saving state level 1 is acquired. In the next step 168, the controller return expected time Tc1 acquired in step 166 is compared with all the response waiting times acquired in step 154, and whether or not the controller return expected time Tc1 is shorter than the shortest response waiting time. If the controller return expected time Tc1 is equal to or longer than the shortest response waiting time, the process returns to step 150. On the other hand, if the controller return expected time Tc1 is shorter than all the response waiting times, the controller unit 24 The controller power saving state level 1 is selected as the controller power saving state in which the transition is made, and in step 170, a power control signal is output to the power control unit 20 so as to stop the power supply to the CPU 26 of the controller unit 24. 24 to the controller power saving state level 1 Back to 50.

  When the printer engine unit 14 is changed to the engine power saving state, the controller unit 24 is changed to the engine power saving state before the controller unit 24 is changed to the power saving state.

  When a request such as an acquisition request for the state of the image forming apparatus 11 is transmitted from the client PC 13 to the image forming apparatus 11, the controller unit 24 of the image forming apparatus 11 starts a return process from the controller power saving state. The expected controller recovery time corresponding to the controller power saving state that has been transitioned is shorter than the shortest response waiting time among the communication waiting times for communication by at least one activated application program. During the response waiting time, a message indicating the status of the image forming apparatus 11 is transmitted to the client PC 13 as a response to the status acquisition request. Then, the client PC 13 acquires the state of the image forming apparatus 11.

  As described above, according to the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, a response waiting time in communication by an application program activated so as to be executed is acquired, and the controller return shorter than the shortest response waiting time is obtained. When the controller unit transitions to the controller power saving state corresponding to the expected time, the controller unit can reliably respond to a request via the network, and can realize power saving and special hardware. Since it is not necessary to provide wear, costs can be reduced.

  The controller recovery expected time is longer by changing the controller unit to the controller power saving state corresponding to the controller recovery expected time that is shorter than the shortest response waiting time and is closest to the shortest response waiting time. Since the controller power saving state is selected, further power saving can be achieved.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming system and an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of an application startup processing routine of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the response time database which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 4 is a flowchart showing the contents of a power saving transition processing routine of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming system 11 Image forming apparatus 13 Client PC
14 Printer Engine Unit 15 Network 16 Operation Panel Unit 18 Main Power Supply 20 Power Supply Control Unit 24 Controller Unit 26 CPU
28 DRAM
30 ROM
32 Hard disk 34 Hard disk controller

Claims (6)

An information processing apparatus capable of transitioning to each of a plurality of power saving states having different power consumptions,
And memorize means for storing a plurality programs and the external apparatus that communicates with an external device via a network in association with the response waiting time to wait for a response from the program to the request for the program,
In the communication according to at least one of said program is started to run, an acquisition unit that the external apparatus acquires all from the storage means the response waiting time to wait for a response to the request to the program,
Not when transitioning to the power saving state, the return time to return to the operating state from the power saving state, or shorter than the shortest response waiting time from among all of the response waiting time obtained by the obtaining means A judging means for judging whether or not
Wherein when the return time is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, selecting means for selecting a power-saving state corresponding to the return time,
Transition means for transitioning to the power saving state selected by the selection means;
An information processing apparatus including:   2. The information processing according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects, from the plurality of power saving states, a power saving state corresponding to a return time shorter than the shortest response waiting time and closest to the shortest response waiting time. apparatus. The plurality of power saving states include a first power saving state, a second power saving state that consumes less power than the first power saving state, and a third that consumes less power than the second power saving state. Including power saving state,
The determination means determines whether a return time from the third power saving state is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, and a return time from the third power saving state is the shortest response waiting time. If it is not shorter, it is determined whether the return time from the second power saving state is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, and the return time from the second power saving state is the shortest response waiting time. If it is not shorter than the time, determine whether the return time from the first power saving state is shorter than the shortest response waiting time;
The selection unit selects the third power saving state and determines the second power saving state when it is determined that the return time from the third power saving state is shorter than the shortest response waiting time. When it is determined that the return time from the time is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, the second power saving state is selected, and the return time from the first power saving state is shorter than the shortest response waiting time. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined to be short, the first power saving state is selected . The information processing apparatus includes a central processing unit, a volatile memory, and a nonvolatile memory,
The plurality of power saving states include a first power saving state for stopping power supply to the central processing unit, a second power saving state for stopping power supply to the central processing unit and the nonvolatile memory, and 4. A third power saving state in which power supply to the entire information processing apparatus including a central processing unit, the volatile memory, and the nonvolatile memory is stopped. 5. Information processing device. An image forming engine for forming an image on a recording medium based on the image data;
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is configured to control the image forming engine unit;
An image forming apparatus including: A plurality of programs that communicate with an external device via a network and a plurality of response standby times in which the external device waits for a response from the program to a request to the program are stored in association with each other, and a plurality of different power consumptions A power saving state transition method of an information processing apparatus capable of transitioning to each of the power saving states of
In the communication according to at least one of said program is started to run, the external device obtains all the response waiting time to wait for a response to the request to the program,
When transitioning to the power saving state, the return time to return to the operating state from the power saving state, determining whether shorter than the shortest response waiting time from among all of the response waiting time during which the acquired And
Wherein when the return time is shorter than the shortest response waiting time, the power-saving state corresponding to the return time to select,
Transition to the selected power saving state, A power saving state transition method.

Images