JP5090965B2 - Power saving control device, power saving control method, and power saving control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a power saving control device, a power saving control method, and a power saving control program. For example, a power saving control device that implements a power saving function in a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a multi-function peripheral (MFP) thereof. The present invention relates to improvement of a power saving control method and a power saving control program.

  In recent years, from the viewpoint of energy saving requirements, image forming apparatuses such as copiers are equipped with a power saving mode for suppressing power consumption, and shift to the power saving mode when not used for a long time.

  The power saving mode includes a low power mode (preheat mode) in which the normal state (steady state) is shifted to the power saving mode in a short transition period (standby period) but the return period to the normal state is short. There is a sleep mode or the like in which the power mode is shifted and the return time to the normal state is long and the power consumption is further reduced.

  However, in the low power mode, if the user takes time to prepare for printing, etc. or shifts to the sleep mode while temporarily performing other work, the copying machine or the like may be The return time for returning to the normal state becomes longer and the usability becomes worse.

  Therefore, for example, an image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-225396 (Patent Document 1) has been proposed.

  In this configuration, when the specified time has elapsed, the display changes from the normal standby mode to the power reduction mode, and the remaining time display information until the transition to the power reduction mode is displayed on the LCD and LED, etc. It has a configuration for notifying the user of the remaining time display information until shifting to the power reduction mode, while visually audibly indicating the remaining time for shifting to the power reduction mode, while maintaining the effect of power saving This prevents an inadvertent transition to the power reduction mode.

Other proposals include JP-A-8-327971 (Patent Document 2), JP-A-2001-136334 (Patent Document 3), and JP-A-2002-261582 (Patent Document 4).
JP 2002-225396 A JP-A-8-327971 JP 2001-136334 A JP 2002-261582 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, in order to visually indicate to the user the remaining time for shifting to the power reduction mode, a display device newly composed of LEDs is required. Therefore, it is necessary to remodel the image forming apparatus. There is a difficulty that cost increase is unavoidable.

  Further, in Patent Documents 2 to 4 described above, only a configuration in which the current operation mode is notified by an LED or the like is provided, and the time until the next power saving mode is shifted is not displayed, which is not a solution.

  Therefore, as a result of careful observation and examination of the configurations of various image forming apparatuses, the present inventor has completed the present invention by paying attention to the fact that there are light-emitting elements that are extinguished in the state of transition from the normal mode to the power saving mode. I let you.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem. Among the existing light-emitting elements, a light-emitting element that is not used in the power-saving mode can be used for displaying a remaining period of transition to a deeper power-saving mode. An object is to provide a power control apparatus, a power saving control method, and a power saving control program.

In order to solve such a problem, the power saving control device according to the present invention includes an operation selection key that receives an operation selection of a function in the device , and an externally arranged state of the function selection key that can accept the function. And a mode switching unit for switching the apparatus from the normal mode to the power saving mode, and further deeper at a predetermined reference timing from the first power saving mode as the power saving mode. A mode switching unit that controls the device to switch to the second power saving mode, and a stop control of the light emitting element corresponding to the function that does not accept the operation in the first power saving mode in the first power saving mode. A display switching unit for controlling the light emission of the light-emitting element whose stop is controlled in accordance with the remaining switching period from the first power saving mode to the second power saving mode; It is provided.

  In the power saving control device of the present invention, the display unit has a plurality of light emitting elements, and the display switching unit displays the remaining switching period to the second power saving mode by the light emission combination of the plurality of light emitting elements. Configuration is also possible.

  In the power saving control device of the present invention, the display switching unit may be configured to variably display the number of light emission of the plurality of light emitting elements according to the remaining switching period to the second power saving mode.

  In the power saving control device of the present invention, the display switching unit may be configured to vary the light emission blinking timing of the light emitting element in accordance with the remaining switching period to the second power saving mode.

  In the power saving control device of the present invention, a configuration in which the display unit is provided in a function selection key in the device is also possible.

A power saving control method according to the present invention includes an operation selection key that accepts an operation selection of a function in the device, and a display having a light emitting element that is arranged outwardly to the operation selection key and displays an acceptability state of the function. And display processing for displaying the function acceptability state with the light emitting element, and a second power saving mode deeper at a predetermined reference timing from the first power saving mode as the power saving mode of the device. The mode switching process for switching the device to the mode, and when the mode switching process switches the device to the first power saving mode, the light emitting element corresponding to the function not accepting the operation in the first power saving mode is stopped. A table for controlling the light emission of the light emitting element that has been controlled to stop according to the remaining switching period from the first power saving mode to the second power saving mode. And comprising a switching process, the.

  In the power saving control method of the present invention, the display process is performed by a plurality of light emitting elements, and the display switching process is configured to display the remaining switching period to the second power saving mode by the light emission combination of the plurality of light emitting elements. Is possible.

  In the power saving control method of the present invention, the display switching process may be configured to variably display the number of light emitted from the light emitting elements in accordance with the remaining switching period to the second power saving mode.

  In the power saving control method of the present invention, the display switching process may be configured to vary the light emission blinking timing of the light emitting element in accordance with the remaining switching period to the second power saving mode.

The power saving control program according to the present invention is directed to a control computer that controls the transition of the device from the normal mode to the power saving mode, an operation selection key that accepts an operation selection of a function in the device , and an externally directed to the operation selection key. A display unit having a light emitting element that emits and displays an accepting state of the function in a light emitting display, and a display process for emitting and displaying the accepting state of the function by the light emitting element; A mode switching process for switching the apparatus from the power saving mode to a deeper second power saving mode at a predetermined reference timing, and when this mode switching process switches the apparatus to the first power saving mode, the first The light emitting element corresponding to the function that does not accept the operation in the power saving mode is stopped and the second power saving is performed from the first power saving mode. Depending on the switching remaining period to the force mode, in which to execute, the display switching process of the light emission control a light-emitting element stop control.

  In such a power saving control device and power saving control method according to the present invention, when the device is switched to the first power saving mode, light emission corresponding to a function that does not accept an operation in the first power saving mode. Since the element is controlled to stop and the light-emitting element that has been controlled to stop is controlled to emit light according to the remaining switching period from the first power-saving mode to the second power-saving mode. It is possible to display the remaining transition period to the second power saving mode by using light emitting elements that are not used in the mode, and it is not necessary to modify the apparatus and is inexpensive.

  In the present invention, the display unit having a plurality of light emitting elements displays the remaining transition period to the second power saving mode by the light emitting combination of the plurality of light emitting elements. The display of the remaining transition period becomes easy to understand.

  In the present invention, in the configuration in which the number of light-emitting elements of the plurality of light emitting elements is variably displayed in accordance with the remaining period for switching to the second power saving mode, the display of the remaining period for shifting to the second power saving mode is more possible. It becomes easy to understand.

  In the present invention, in the configuration in which the light emission blinking timing of the light emitting element is varied in accordance with the remaining switching period to the second power saving mode, the transition to the second power saving mode is performed regardless of the number of light emitting elements. The remaining period can be displayed.

  In the present invention, in the configuration in which the display unit is provided in the function selection key in the device, the conventional light emitting element provided in the operation key is diverted, and similarly, the remaining transition to the second power saving mode is performed. The display of the period is easier to understand, no modification of the device is required, and it is inexpensive.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment in which a power saving control device according to the present invention is mounted on an image forming apparatus. The power saving control method and the power saving control program according to the present invention will be described in the process of explaining the power saving control device.

  1, an image forming apparatus equipped with a power saving control apparatus according to the present invention includes an image reading unit 1, a storage unit 3, a printing unit 5, a mode switching unit 7, an operation display unit 9, a display switching unit 11, and a communication unit. 13 and the control unit 15 are connected by a bus, and constitute, for example, a multifunction machine A.

  Here, the power saving mode will be briefly described before describing the components constituting the image forming apparatus of the present invention. The operation mode that can be immediately printed is the normal mode.

  The power saving mode includes, for example, a low power mode (standby mode) and a sleep mode depending on the power consumption during standby, and may be further subdivided.

  The low power mode is a mode in which the fixing heater in the printing unit 5 is turned on / off so that the temperature can be quickly entered into the printing operation (image formation output), and the mode is shifted to the power saving mode in a short standby period. It is a mode with a short return time to the mode. The present invention corresponds to the first power saving mode.

  The sleep mode is a power saving mode in which the temperature of the fixing heater is controlled by setting the temperature one step lower than that in the low power mode as a target value, and the power supply to the printing unit 5 and the control unit 15 is turned off and compared. In this mode, the system shifts to the power saving mode after a long standby period and the return time to the normal mode is relatively long, and the power consumption is kept low. The present invention corresponds to a second power saving mode that is deeper than the first power saving mode.

If a deeper power saving mode is set, the sleep mode can be the first power saving mode in relation to the deeper power saving mode.
The image reading unit 1 is a known device that optically reads image data from, for example, a printed document having a plurality of pages under the control of the control unit 15 and generates electronic image data by performing filter processing and gradation processing. A data input unit such as a scanner, and the generated image data is sequentially stored in the storage unit 3 for each page of the document. Image data can also be input from the communication unit 13 as will be described later.

  Under the control of the control unit 15, the storage unit 3 reads and writes image data from the image reading unit 1 and the communication unit 13, reference timings (t 1, t 2) described later, a management table, and an operation program of the control unit 15. For example, a hard disk (HDD) can be stored.

  The printing unit 5 receives a print instruction from an operation display unit 9 to be described later, and is a known monochrome or a printer that performs image formation processing on the image data stored in the storage unit 3 under the control of the control unit 15 and transfers and fixes the image data on the printing paper. A color printing engine.

  The printing unit 5 includes a conveyance unit that conveys printing paper from the paper feed stage, a transfer unit that transfers image data to the conveyed printing paper, and a fixing unit that heats and fixes the transferred image of the transferred printing paper (not shown). And the like, and the operation stop control is performed according to the mode switching information described later from the mode switching unit 7, while the return control is performed by some operation. Since there is no detailed description and illustration, the description is omitted.

  When the printing operation for each image data in the printing unit 5 is completed under the control of the control unit 15, for example, when no printing operation processing is performed, for example, 5 minutes elapses, the mode switching unit 7 determines this period. In addition to controlling the printing unit 5 to switch to the power saving mode, for example, the low power mode, and outputting the low power mode switching information s1 as a reference timing period (t1), a predetermined operation, for example, a print instruction by a start key 19c described later is given. If there is, it has a function of controlling the printing unit 5 to return to the normal mode.

  For example, when 10 minutes have passed without any operation in the low power mode state, the mode switching unit 7 sets this period as the second reference timing period (t2) to a deeper power saving mode such as the sleep mode. In addition to outputting the sleep mode switching information s2, it has a function of controlling to return to the normal mode when there is a print instruction by the start key 19c.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation display unit 9 serves as both the display panel unit 17 and the operation unit 19 arranged in the main body case (not shown) of the multifunction machine A.

  That is, the display panel unit 17 includes, for example, a liquid crystal display panel switch, and displays the operation state and operation input state of the multi-function peripheral A.

  The operation unit 19 designates a “copy” for instructing a print function which is a main function of the multifunction peripheral A, a “printer” for instructing a print function for print data from an external computer, and a reading function for optically reading a document. Functions as an input unit having a selection key 19a for selecting a “scanner” to be selected and a “fax” for instructing facsimile transmission / reception, a numeric keypad 19b as a sign key, a start key 19c, and the like.

  The operation display unit 9 touches and presses the keys 19a to 19c, etc., inputs a function selection instruction to the multi-function device A, inputs characters and the like, and further starts operation such as printing, operation stop / reset, etc. In response to the operation instruction input of the device, the input information is output to the control unit 15.

  Each key (button) in the selection key 19a of the operation unit 19 has a light emitting diode (LED: light emitting diode) d1, d2, d3, d4 arranged outward to form a display unit 21, which is a multifunction device. When the function of “copy”, “printer”, “scanner”, or “fax” function is available for A, d1 to d4 are emitted by the light emitting elements, and lighting control is performed by the display switching unit 11.

  That is, the “copy”, “printer”, “scanner”, or “fax” selection key 19a in which the light emitting diodes d1 to d4 are lit is in a function accepting state, and the light emitting diodes d1 to d4 that are turned off The arranged “copy”, “printer”, “scanner”, or “fax” selection key 19a is configured not to accept the function.

  In the display switching unit 11 of FIG. 1, when the mode switching unit 7 detects the low power mode and outputs the low power mode switching information s <b> 1, the light emitting elements d <b> 1 to d <b> 4 corresponding to the function that does not accept the operation in the low power mode. And stop counting the second reference timing period (t2: 10 minutes) to the sleep mode from the input time of the low power mode switching information s1, and apply this count value to a management table to be described later. Based on the display mode for the count value in the management table, it has a function of controlling re-emission of the light emitting elements d1 to d4.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the management table has a remaining period (“10 minutes or more”, “less than 10 minutes to 5 minutes or more”, “less than 5 minutes to 1 minute or more” and “less than 1 minute”. )), The number of lighting combinations of the light emitting diodes d1 to d4 in the selection keys 19a of “copy”, “printer”, “scanner”, and “fax” is listed.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, if the remaining period to shift to the sleep mode is “10 minutes or longer”, the display switching unit 11 selects the “copy”, “printer”, “scanner”, and “fax” selection keys. If all of the four light emitting diodes d1 to d4 of 19a are turned on and the remaining period to shift to the sleep mode is "less than 10 minutes to 5 minutes or more", "copy", "printer" and "scanner" selection keys The three light emitting diodes d1 to d3 of 19a are controlled to be turned on.

  If the remaining period to shift to the sleep mode is “less than 5 minutes to 1 minute or more”, the light emitting diodes d1 and d2 of the “copy” and “printer” selection keys 19a are controlled to be turned on, and the transition to the sleep mode is performed. If the remaining period is "less than 1 minute", only one of the light emitting diodes d1 of the "copy" selection key 19a is controlled to be lit.

  The communication unit 13 in FIG. 1 is an interface unit that transmits / receives image data via facsimile or electronic mail via a known network 23 under the control of the control unit 15, and is an NIC (network interface card) such as a LAN board, for example. is there.

  The control unit 15 mainly controls the CPU, controls the entire image forming apparatus, that is, the image reading unit 1, the storage unit 3, the printing unit 5, the mode switching unit 7, the operation display unit 9, and the communication unit 13, and part of them. Is responsible for.

  Next, the operation of the power saving control apparatus according to the present invention will be briefly described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This flowchart is a part of the operation of the image forming apparatus.

  When the mode switching unit 7 shifts the printing unit 5 to the low power mode in step S1, the display switching unit 11 controls to turn off the light emitting elements d1 to d4 of the selection key 19a that does not function in the low power mode in step S2 and sleep. The second reference timing period to the mode (t2: 10 minutes) starts to count down, and the process proceeds to step S3.

  In step S3, the display switching unit 11 determines which display form in the management table the count value corresponds to, and moves to steps S4, S5, S6, and S7 based on the display mode corresponding to the count value. In steps S4 to S6, the lighting switching of the light emitting elements d1 to d4 is controlled according to the mode to which the display switching unit 11 corresponds, and the process proceeds to step S8.

  In step S8, the mode switching unit 7 determines whether or not there is a return operation. If there is no return operation and step S8 is NO, the process proceeds to step S9. In step S9, the display switching unit 11 determines whether the count value is counted up. .

  If step S9 is NO without counting up, the process returns to step S2, and steps S2 to S9 are repeated.

  If the count is up and step S9 is YES, the process proceeds to step S10. In step S10, the mode switching unit 7 shifts the printing unit 5 from the low power mode to the sleep mode, and the process is terminated through a step (not shown).

  If there is a return operation and step S8 is YES, the process proceeds to step S11. In step S11, the mode switching unit 7 shifts the printing unit 5 to the normal mode, and the process is terminated through a step (not shown).

As described above, according to the present invention, a display process in which the operation acceptable state in the multifunction peripheral A is emitted by the light emitting elements d1 to d4 of the display unit 21, and the multifunction peripheral A is further deepened from the low power mode at a predetermined reference timing t2. A mode switching process for switching the multifunction device A to the sleep mode and a stop control of the light emitting elements d1 to d4 corresponding to the function that does not accept the operation in the low power mode in the operation display unit 9 when the mode is switched to the low power mode. In addition, the power-saving control method includes a display switching process for controlling light emission of the light-emitting elements d1 to d4 whose stop control is performed according to a remaining switching period from the low power mode to the sleep mode.
Then, the processing procedure described above is executed by the image forming program according to the present invention.

  As described above, in the power saving control device according to the present invention, the display unit 21 that displays the function acceptability state in the printing unit 5 with the light emitting elements d1 to d4 and the mode switching for switching the printing unit 5 from the normal mode to the power saving mode. A mode switching unit 7 that switches the printing unit 5 from the low power mode to a deeper sleep mode at a predetermined reference timing t2, and the mode switching unit 7 is low in the low power mode. The light emitting elements corresponding to the function that does not accept the operation in the power mode are controlled to stop d1 to d4, and the light emitting elements d1 to d4 that are controlled to stop are reactivated according to the remaining switching time from the low power mode to the sleep mode. And a display switching unit 11 for controlling light emission.

  For this reason, among the existing light emitting elements d1 to d4, the light emitting elements d1 to d4 that are not used in the power saving mode are used, and the display of the remaining period of transition to the deeper sleep mode is performed by the variable display of the number of light emission. For example, if a list such as the management table of FIG. 3 described above is arranged in the vicinity of the operation display unit 9 (display unit 21) of FIG. 2, the display of the remaining period of transition to the sleep mode can be specifically understood. It is easy to prevent inadvertently entering the sleep mode, and the operability of the multifunction device A is improved.

  Moreover, since the remaining period of transition to the sleep mode is displayed using the existing light emitting elements d1 to d4, it is not necessary to modify the multifunction device A, and it can be operated by changing the operation program of the device. But there is.

  Moreover, since the light emitting elements d1 to d4 are provided in the function operation selection key 19a in the multifunction peripheral A, the remaining light emitting elements d1 to d4 provided in the conventional selection key 19a are diverted to display the remaining period of transition to the sleep mode. Becomes easier to understand.

  In the power saving control device described above, the configuration in which the number of light emitting elements d1 to d4 that emit light is changed according to the remaining switching period from the low power mode to the sleep mode has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration in which the light emission blinking timing of any of the light emitting elements d1 to d4 is variable in accordance with the remaining period for switching to the sleep mode is also possible.

  For example, as the management table, as shown in FIG. 5, the remaining period (“10 minutes or more”, “less than 10 minutes to 5 minutes or more”, “less than 5 minutes to 1 minute or more” and “1 minute” Less than “)” and any one or more of the light-emitting diodes d1 to d4 of the selection key 19a of “copy”, “printer”, “scanner”, or “fax” are “3 seconds”, “1 second” ", A blinking interval of" 0.1 seconds ", or a list in which" all lighting "is associated.

  In the configuration using such a management table, the display switching unit 11 sets the light emission blinking timing of any one of the light emitting elements d1 to d4 every 3 seconds, every second, or 0 according to the remaining switching period to the sleep mode. .Variable control to repeat every second.

  In such a configuration, even if the light emitting elements d1 to d4 are plural or singular, it is possible to display the remaining transition period to the second power saving mode regardless of the number.

  And in the power saving control apparatus of this invention, it can implement using various light emitting elements other than a light emitting diode as the light emitting elements d1-d4. However, from the viewpoint of easy determination of the remaining period for switching to the sleep mode, the light emitting elements d1 to d4 of the display unit 21 are function selection keys arranged in a row in the horizontal or vertical direction at predetermined adjacent intervals. Those are preferred.

  Moreover, for the light emitting diodes d1 to d4, the combination of the numbers of lighting is arbitrary, and the light emission blinking timing cycle can be arbitrarily set.

  In the present invention, the object that the mode switching unit 7 switches from the normal mode to the power saving mode is not limited to the printing unit 5, but may be an image forming apparatus including the printing unit 5, and can also be considered as the apparatus itself. It is.

  Furthermore, in the power saving control device of the present invention, the first reference timing period t1 for shifting from the normal mode to the low power mode and the second reference timing period t2 for shifting from the low power mode to the sleep mode can be arbitrarily set. is there.

  Note that the image forming program according to the present invention can also achieve the same effect as the power saving control device.

It is a block diagram which shows one Embodiment of the power saving control apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the operation display part of the power saving control apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the example of the management table of the power saving control apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the power saving control apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a figure explaining the example of the other management table of the power saving control apparatus which concerns on this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image reading part 3 Memory | storage part 5 Printing part 7 Mode switching part 9 Operation display part 11 Display switching part 13 Communication part 15 Control part 17 Display panel part 19 Operation part 19a Selection key 19b Ten key 19c Start key 21 Display part 23 Network A Composite Machine (image forming device)
d1, d2, d3, d4 Light emitting element (display unit)

Claims (10)

An operation selection key that accepts an operation selection of a function in the device, and a display unit that has a light emitting element that is arranged outwardly to the operation selection key and displays the function acceptability state .
A mode switching unit for switching the device from a normal mode to a power saving mode, wherein the device is controlled to switch from the first power saving mode as the power saving mode to a deeper second power saving mode at a predetermined reference timing. A mode switching unit to perform,
In the first power saving mode, the light emitting element corresponding to the function that does not accept an operation in the first power saving mode is stopped and the second power saving mode is changed from the first power saving mode to the second power saving mode. A display switching unit for controlling the light emission of the light-emitting element that has been controlled to stop according to the remaining switching period,
A power-saving control device comprising:   2. The power saving control according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a plurality of the light emitting elements, and the display switching unit displays a remaining switching period to the second power saving mode by a light emission combination of the plurality of light emitting elements. apparatus.   The power saving control device according to claim 2, wherein the display switching unit variably displays the number of light emission of the plurality of light emitting elements according to a remaining switching period to the second power saving mode.   The power saving control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display switching unit varies a light emission blinking timing of the light emitting element according to a remaining switching period to the second power saving mode.   The power-saving control device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is provided on a selection key for the function in the device. An operation selection key that accepts an operation selection of a function in the device, and a display unit that has a light emitting element that is arranged outwardly to the operation selection key and displays the function acceptability state. The function acceptability state a display process of a light-emitting display by the light emitting element,
A mode switching process for switching the device from a first power saving mode as a power saving mode to a second deep power saving mode at a predetermined reference timing;
When this mode switching process switches the device to the first power saving mode, the light emitting element corresponding to the function that does not accept an operation in the first power saving mode is controlled to stop, and the first A display switching process for controlling light emission of the light-emitting element that has been controlled to stop according to the remaining switching period from the power saving mode to the second power saving mode;
A power saving control method comprising:   7. The power saving control method according to claim 6, wherein the display process is performed by a plurality of the light emitting elements, and the display switching process displays a remaining switching period to the second power saving mode by a light emission combination of the plurality of light emitting elements. .   The power saving control method according to claim 7, wherein the display switching process variably displays the number of light emission of the plurality of light emitting elements according to a remaining switching period to the second power saving mode.   The power saving control method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the display switching process varies a light emission blinking timing of the light emitting element according to a remaining switching period to the second power saving mode. To a control computer for controlling the device to shift from the normal mode to the power saving mode,
An operation selection key that accepts an operation selection of a function in the device, and a display unit that has a light emitting element that is arranged outwardly to the operation selection key and displays the function acceptability state. The function acceptability state a display process of a light-emitting display by the light emitting element,
A mode switching process for switching the device from a first power saving mode as a power saving mode to a second deep power saving mode at a predetermined reference timing;
When this mode switching process switches the device to the first power saving mode, the light emitting element corresponding to the function that does not accept an operation in the first power saving mode is controlled to stop, and the first A display switching process for controlling light emission of the light-emitting element that has been controlled to stop according to the remaining switching period from the power saving mode to the second power saving mode;
A power-saving control program characterized by causing

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