JP5609338B2 - Image forming apparatus and energy saving mode control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an energy saving mode control method thereof, and more specifically, an image forming apparatus capable of setting an optimum energy saving mode from a plurality of energy saving modes within a budget of power consumption set in advance by a user, and The present invention relates to the energy saving mode control method.

  In recent years, there has been a demand for reducing the amount of power consumption for image forming apparatuses from the viewpoint of concern about environmental problems and the saving of electricity charges, and various countermeasures have been implemented. For example, in Patent Document 1, when the printer device determines charging based on the print data transferred from the client device and controls the print output operation based on the control conditions transferred together with the print data, printing is performed. When the cost required for data print output exceeds the preset budget limit, print output is performed under print output conditions (number of prints, paper size, sort, punch, staple, etc.) that can be printed within the budget limit. A printing system is disclosed.

  However, the above-described conventional print system performs billing management paying attention only to the print output conditions, and measures for the cost related to the power consumption of the image forming apparatus are not executed. In other words, a mechanism to reduce power consumption by reducing operations such as punching and stapling was taken, but it was only focused on print output operations, and power consumption other than print output operations was also considered. This is not a measure.

  On the other hand, as a measure considering the power consumption other than the print output operation, there is a setting of an energy saving mode. For example, a fixing heater that consumes a large amount of power is controlled at a temperature lower than normal when the apparatus is not operating, or power supply to the fixing heater is stopped to reduce power consumption. Alternatively, the power supply to almost all components constituting the apparatus is stopped except for a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that monitors a return signal from the energy saving mode to the normal mode.

  There is also an image forming apparatus having a plurality of energy saving modes with different power consumption (Patent Document 2). According to this image forming apparatus, the maximum power consumption reduction effect can be obtained by setting the energy saving mode with the minimum power consumption.

  However, in general, the lower the power consumption mode, the longer the return time to the normal mode. In other words, there is a trade-off between reducing the power consumption and increasing the response speed (response). If an attempt is made to obtain an effect of reducing the amount of electric power, there is a problem that the productivity of the apparatus is lowered.

  In other words, in an image forming apparatus having a conventional energy saving mode, the power consumption is managed, and the optimum energy saving mode is set within the budget of the power consumption set in advance by the user (if the budget is within the response, the response is fast. If the energy saving mode is maintained and the budget is likely to be exceeded, there is a problem that it is not possible to shift to an energy saving mode with lower power consumption.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object of the present invention is to be able to set an optimum energy saving mode within the budget of power consumption set for the image forming apparatus. It is.

The present invention is an image forming apparatus having a plurality of energy saving modes with different power consumptions, a unit for setting an allowable power consumption amount for a predetermined period, a unit for calculating a power consumption amount within the predetermined period, and the plurality An energy saving mode control pattern storage unit for storing a plurality of energy saving mode control patterns having different power consumption amounts configured by selecting one or more of the energy saving modes for a predetermined time, the set allowable power consumption amount, and the Based on the calculated power consumption, one of the plurality of energy saving mode control patterns is dynamically changed so that the power consumption on the last day of the predetermined period does not exceed the set allowable power consumption. It possesses the energy-saving mode control pattern setting means for setting the energy-saving mode control pattern setting means was the calculated vanishing A means for predicting the power consumption or electricity charge at the end of the predetermined period based on the power consumption or electricity charge, and the set power consumption or electricity charge and the predicted power consumption or electricity charge. Means for calculating a difference, and when the difference is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value, a first energy-saving mode control pattern having a maximum power consumption is set, and the difference is less than the first predetermined value; When the second predetermined value or more, the second energy saving mode control pattern in which the power consumption is intermediate is set, and when the difference is less than the second predetermined value, the third power consumption minimum is set. An image forming apparatus is characterized in that an energy saving mode control pattern is set .
The present invention also relates to an energy saving mode control method for an image forming apparatus having a plurality of energy saving modes having different power consumptions, the step of setting an allowable power consumption amount for a predetermined period, and calculating the power consumption amount within the predetermined period. On the basis of the set allowable power consumption and the calculated power consumption, so that the power consumption on the last day of the predetermined period does not exceed the set allowable power consumption. Energy saving mode control for dynamically setting one of a plurality of energy saving mode control patterns having different power consumption amounts created by selecting one or more of the plurality of energy saving modes for a predetermined time in the image forming apparatus possess a pattern setting process, the energy-saving mode control pattern setting step, based on the power consumption amount or electricity charge the calculated, before Predicting the power consumption amount or the electricity charge at the end of a predetermined period, and calculating the difference between the set power consumption amount or the electricity charge and the predicted power consumption amount or the electricity charge, When the difference is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value, the first energy saving mode control pattern with the maximum power consumption is set, and when the difference is less than the first predetermined value and greater than or equal to the second predetermined value, A second energy saving mode control pattern having an intermediate power consumption amount is set, and a third energy saving mode control pattern having a minimum power consumption amount is set when the difference is less than the second predetermined value. And an energy saving mode control method for the image forming apparatus.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to set an optimum energy saving mode within the budget of power consumption set for the image forming apparatus.

1 is a block diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the reference | standard power consumption data table for every mode in the image forming apparatus of embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the usable quantity table for every mode in the image forming apparatus of embodiment of this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing for accumulating power consumption data for each mode in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the energy saving mode control pattern of the image forming apparatus of embodiment of this invention. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an input and execution operation of a setting period of a second energy saving mode control pattern in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an energy saving mode control pattern update process in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is an example of the graph for demonstrating a user's setting budget, power consumption, and a margin in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process which changes the setting time of FIG. 5 according to the magnitude | size of the margin in FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process of changing a margin judgment criterion according to the number of days remaining until the end of the month in the process of FIG. 7. 7 is a flowchart illustrating another example of energy saving mode control pattern update processing in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is an example of the graph for demonstrating the user setting budget and margin in FIG. It is a figure which shows the power consumption of the copy mode in FIG. It is a figure which shows the power consumption of the printing mode in FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation performed in response to a user request in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of an operation performed in response to a user request in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
<Block diagram of image forming apparatus>
As shown in FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an operation / display unit 2 as a user I / F (interface) of the apparatus, a scanner 3 for inputting an image, and control of the entire apparatus. And the like, a plotter 5 for writing an image, and a power monitoring unit 6 for monitoring the power consumption of the apparatus.

  The operation / display unit 2 includes various keys necessary for the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 and includes a lamp such as a display (for example, a liquid crystal display) or an LED (Light Emitting Diode).

  The control unit 4 includes an external I / F unit 41, a storage unit 42, and a CPU (not shown). An external terminal device 9 such as a computer is connected to the external I / F unit 41 via a network NW such as a LAN (Local Area Network). The external I / F unit 41 transmits and receives control signals and data to and from the external terminal device 9 connected to the network NW under the control of the CPU. The storage unit 42 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like, and is necessary for executing a basic program of the image forming apparatus 1, a control program for executing various flows described below, and these programs. In addition to storing various data, it is also used as a work memory for the CPU.

  The plotter 5 includes a fixing unit 51, and forms an image on a sheet by an electrophotographic process. A power cord 8 to which a power plug 7 is attached is connected to the power monitoring unit 6, and the power monitoring unit 6 applies a commercial power voltage supplied via the power plug 7 and the power cord 8 to the image forming apparatus 1. The power supply voltage is stepped up and down to a necessary power supply voltage, supplied to each part of the image forming apparatus 1, power consumption in each mode of the image forming apparatus 1 is monitored, and a monitoring result is output to the control unit 4.

  The image forming apparatus 1 executes a plurality of operation mode processes using resources such as the scanner 3, the plotter 5, and the external I / F unit 41. For example, a copy mode process in which image data of a document read by the scanner 3 is output to a sheet by the plotter 5; a print mode process in which an image is output to a sheet by the plotter 5 based on the image data received by the external I / F unit 41; A scan mode process for outputting image data of a document read by the scanner 3 to an external device via the external I / F unit 41 is provided.

  The image forming apparatus 1 also includes a fast start energy saving mode, a normal energy saving mode, and a power saving energy saving mode as an energy saving mode (hereinafter referred to as an energy saving mode) for reducing power consumption. In the fast start-up energy saving mode, all the units (control unit 4, plotter 5, etc.) in FIG. 1 are supplied with power supply voltage, so that they can respond to the operation request from the user at high speed, but the power consumption increases. . In the power saving energy saving mode, power is supplied to the minimum unit shown in FIG. 1 (only the CPU in the control unit 4), so the power consumption is small. The response is slow because it is necessary to wait for software startup time, fixing unit temperature adjustment, and other adjustment time after supplying. In the normal energy saving mode, when power supply is not performed, by supplying a certain amount of power to the unit (for example, the fixing unit 51 in FIG. 1) whose startup time becomes longer when an operation request is made, Realizes faster response than the energy-saving mode.

<Power consumption in each operation mode and energy-saving mode>
As shown in FIG. 2, the storage unit 42 stores a table that holds the reference power consumption data of each operation mode and energy saving mode described above. This reference power consumption data table is acquired and created by, for example, measuring power consumption in each operation mode and energy saving mode in advance. Here, for convenience of explanation, the power consumption is uniformly registered for each operation mode, but actually, the power consumption is different even in the same operation mode. That is, even in the print mode, for example, the power consumption changes depending on the print conditions such as the paper size and color or monochrome.

<Usable amount for each operation mode and energy saving mode>
The image forming apparatus 1 performs requested processing within a range of power consumption preset by the user every predetermined consumption period (for example, one month). In other words, the user (including the administrator) of the image forming apparatus 1 sets the allowable power consumption amount permitted for each user who uses the image forming apparatus 1 for each predetermined period to the operation / display unit 2 or the external terminal device 9. When the allowable power consumption is input, the control unit 4 refers to the reference power consumption data table stored in the storage unit 42 and sets the mode in the set consumption period (for example, every month). An allowable usage amount (for example, the number of copies) is calculated for each, and an allowable usage amount table as shown in FIG.

  In the following description, for convenience of explanation, an allowable power consumption is set for each month, and the allowable value when assuming that the allowable power consumption is consumed only in that mode in each mode for the set value. The usage was registered and managed in a table.

<Accumulation of power consumption data for each mode>
As shown in FIG. 4, the amount of power consumed by the image forming apparatus 1 in response to the user request operation is calculated by the power monitoring unit 6 (step S1), and is associated with the mode in the storage unit 42 inside the control unit 4. Accumulated (step S2).

<Energy saving mode control pattern>
The image forming apparatus 1 has three energy saving mode control patterns with different power consumption amounts. The first energy saving mode control pattern is a control pattern for maintaining the fast startup energy saving mode. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the second energy saving mode control pattern shifts to the normal energy saving mode when the time t1 elapses in the fast startup energy saving mode, and enters the power saving energy saving mode when the time t2 elapses in the normal energy saving mode. This is a transition control pattern. The third energy saving mode control pattern is a control pattern that immediately shifts to the power saving energy saving mode when there is no operation request from the user. That is, the power consumption amount is the maximum in the first energy saving mode control pattern and the third energy saving mode control pattern is the minimum. These control patterns are stored in the storage unit 42.

<Manual setting of times t1 and t2>
Times t1 and t2 shown in FIG. 5 can be set manually by the user or automatically. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for manual setting. The user inputs times t1 and t2 using the operation / display unit 2 (step S11). When operating in the second energy saving mode control pattern (step S12), the fast start energy saving mode transitions from the normal energy saving mode to the power saving energy saving mode according to the set times t1 and t2 (step S13). . The procedure for automatically setting will be described later.

<Energy saving mode control pattern update processing: Part 1>
The image forming apparatus 1 periodically shows the allowable usage amount table shown in FIG. 3, that is, the upper limit value of the allowable usage amount for a predetermined period (eg, one month) set by the user and the usage amount within the predetermined period. For example, the amount of use on the last day of a predetermined period is controlled so as not to exceed the upper limit of the permitted amount of use by updating the above-described energy saving mode control pattern according to the magnitude of the difference. . This process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, the predetermined period is one month.

  First, the control unit 4 reads the power consumption (power consumption) for the current month from the storage unit 42 (step S21). Next, the user's set budget (allowable usage amount) is read from the allowable usage amount table of the storage unit 42, both are compared to calculate a margin (difference between the two) (step S22), and the size of the margin is determined (step S22). S23). In this comparison, the units of both are matched by converting the power consumption into the usage or converting the usage into the power consumption.

  The current energy saving mode control pattern is updated as follows according to the determination result. If the margin is large, that is, greater than or equal to the predetermined first threshold th1 (step S23: large), the first energy saving mode control pattern is updated (step S24). If the margin is medium, that is, less than the first threshold and greater than or equal to the second threshold th2 (step S23: medium), the second energy saving mode control pattern is updated (step S25). If the margin is small, that is, less than the second threshold th2 (step S23: small), the third energy saving mode control pattern is updated (step S26).

  By dynamically setting the energy-saving mode control pattern in this way, setting the optimum energy-saving mode (maintaining the fast startup energy-saving mode if it is within the budget, shifting to the power-saving energy-saving mode if the budget is likely to be exceeded, etc. )It can be performed. As a result, the power consumption amount at the end of the predetermined period is controlled to be the maximum value within the allowable power consumption amount.

  FIG. 8 shows the allowable power consumption set by the user, the power consumption in each mode, and the margin. The horizontal axis of this figure is the date, and the vertical axis is the power consumption. “Wset” is the user's set budget, “Copy”, “Print”, “Scan”, and “Energy saving” indicate the transition of power consumption in the copy mode, print mode, scan mode, and energy saving mode, respectively. “Total” indicates the transition of the added value. “Total” represents an integrated value of the “total” value. The margin is obtained by subtracting the value of “cumulative” from the value of the user's set budget. Here, the power consumption is totaled every five days. That is, for example, the power consumption for 5 days from 1st to 5th is tabulated and the power consumption for 5 days on the horizontal axis. The graph in this figure can be displayed on the operation / display unit 2 based on a user instruction.

<Automatic setting of times t1 and t2>
The above-described times t1 and t2 in FIG. 5 can be automatically set according to the size of the margin determined in step S23 in FIG. FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of this process. This process is executed when the energy-saving mode control pattern before updating in FIG. 7 is the second energy-saving mode control pattern. That is, when operating in the second energy saving mode control pattern (step S31), the times t1 and t2 are changed based on the determination result of S23 of FIG. 7 (step S32). By increasing the times t1 and t2 as the margin is larger, it is possible to lengthen the state where the response speed is high.

<Process to change the reference value according to the number of days remaining until the end of the month>
FIG. 10 is a process for changing the determination criteria when determining the size of the margin based on the number of days remaining until the end of the month in the process of FIG. Steps S41 and S42 in this figure are the same as steps S21 and S22 in FIG. 7, respectively. Next, the remaining days until the end of the month is confirmed (step S43), and it is determined whether the margin calculated in step S42 is larger or smaller than the remaining days (step S44).

<Energy saving mode control pattern update process: Part 2>
In the energy saving mode control pattern update process (part 2) shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11, the power consumption at the end of the month is predicted from the power consumption at the middle of the month, and the predicted value and the allowable use set in advance by the user. The energy saving mode control pattern is updated according to the amount and the margin.

  That is, first, an approximate curve of the current usage amount is calculated from the current usage amount (power consumption amount) stored in the storage unit 42 (step S51). Details of the approximate curve will be described later. Next, the power consumption amount at the end of this month is predicted from the approximate curve, and a margin that is a difference between the predicted value and the allowable usage amount set in advance by the user is calculated (step S52), and the size of the margin is calculated. Determination is made (step S53).

  Processing of the determination result is the same as in FIG. That is, if the margin is large, that is, if it is greater than or equal to a predetermined third threshold th3 (step S53: large), the first energy saving mode control pattern is updated (step S54). If the margin is medium, that is, less than the third threshold and not less than the fourth threshold th4 (Step S53: Medium), the second energy saving mode control pattern is updated (Step S55). If the margin is small, that is, less than the fourth threshold th4 (step S53: small), the third energy saving mode control pattern is updated (step S56).

  FIG. 12 shows power consumption and margin in each mode. The “polynomial (cumulative)” in this figure is the approximate curve calculated in step S51 in FIG. Other than that is the same as FIG. Here, since the current time is 25 days, an approximate curve is created using the cumulative value of power consumption every five days in the past, and the curve is extended to 30 days, so that the cumulative power consumption at the end of the month is calculated. Predict. The value obtained by subtracting the cumulative predicted value from “Wset”, which is the user's set budget, is the margin. The graph in this figure can be displayed on the operation / display unit 2 based on a user instruction. By viewing the graph, the user can grasp the transition of power consumption until the end of the month when the usage trend during the month is maintained. In addition, you may display the logarithm value of the power consumption of each mode collectively.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment can predict not only the power consumption amount in all the operation modes and the energy saving mode as shown in FIG. 12 but also the power consumption amount for each operation mode. FIG. 13 summarizes the individual power consumption of various copy processes (monochrome, color, aggregation, duplex, precision) in the copy mode every 5 days, and totals the aggregated values to obtain the power consumption of the copy mode. Further, an approximate curve (polynomial) is calculated using a cumulative value obtained by accumulating the total value. By displaying the graph of this figure on the operation / display unit 2, the user can grasp the transition of the power consumption in the copy mode until the end of the month when the usage tendency during the month is maintained.

  FIG. 14 summarizes the individual power consumption of various print processes (monochrome, color, aggregation, duplex, precision) in the print mode every 5 days, and totals the aggregated values to obtain the power consumption of the copy mode. Further, an approximate curve (polynomial) is calculated using a cumulative value obtained by accumulating the total value. By displaying the graph of this figure on the operation / display unit 2, the user can grasp the transition of the power consumption of the print mode until the end of the month when the usage tendency during the month is maintained.

<Budget over notification processing>
When the user inputs an operation request such as copying or printing from the operation / display unit 2 or the external terminal device 9, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment exceeds the preset allowable power consumption amount by executing the operation. It can be determined whether or not it is exceeded. FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the processing.

  When the user performs an operation (print request or the like) on the image forming apparatus (step S61), the control unit 4 acquires the amount of power necessary for the operation from the storage unit 42 (step S62). Here, the required power amount is stored in the reference power consumption data table shown in FIG.

  Next, it is added to the power consumption so far accumulated in the storage unit 42 by the process shown in FIG. 4, and a margin between the added value and a budget preset by the user is calculated (step S63). Then, it is determined whether or not the operation is within the budget, that is, whether or not the margin is zero or more (step S64). If within the budget (step S64: YES), the operation requested by the user is performed. (Step S65) When the budget is exceeded (Step S64: NO), the fact is displayed on the operation / display unit 2 or the external terminal device 9 to notify the user (Step S66). In response to this, the user determines the subsequent operation.

<Alternative method notification process>
When the user inputs an operation request such as copying or printing from the operation / display unit 2 or the external terminal device 9, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment exceeds the preset allowable power consumption amount by executing the operation. It is possible to notify the alternative means when it exceeds. FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the processing.

  Steps S71 to S74 in this figure are the same as steps S61 to S64 in FIG. If the operation is within the budget (step S74: YES), an approximate curve is calculated from the current power consumption stored in the storage unit 42 (step S75), and the power consumption at the end of the month is predicted. (Step S76). The contents of these two steps are the same as steps S51 and S52 in FIG.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the power consumption predicted in step S76 is within the budget (step S77). If it is within the budget (step S77: YES), the operation requested by the user is performed (step S78).

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S74 that the budget will be exceeded (step S74: NO), or if it is determined in step S77 that the budget will be exceeded (step S77: NO), an alternative means is picked up (step S79). The information is displayed on the display unit 2 or the external terminal device 9 (step S80).

  When picking up alternative means, the control unit 4 refers to the reference power consumption data table in the storage unit 42, calculates an approximate curve for each alternative means, and presents only those within the budget to the user. Since the power consumption of each mode is known from FIGS. 12 to 14, for example, if the requested operation is color single-sided printing, a change to monochrome double-sided printing is presented.

  7 and 11, the margin is divided into three, large, medium, and small, and the energy saving mode control patterns are provided with the first to third control patterns. However, the margin is two or four or more. In accordance with this, two or four or more energy saving mode control patterns may be provided. Further, in FIGS. 8 and 12 to 14, the power consumption is totaled every five days, but may be totaled every shorter period (eg, one day) or every longer period.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus, 2 ... Operation / display part, 4 ... Control unit, 42 ... Memory | storage part, 6 ... Power monitoring unit.

JP 2003-162397 A JP 2007-60150 A

Claims (8)

An image forming apparatus having a plurality of energy saving modes with different power consumptions,
Means for setting allowable power consumption for a predetermined period;
Means for calculating power consumption within the predetermined period;
An energy saving mode control pattern storage unit that stores a plurality of energy saving mode control patterns having different power consumption amounts configured by selecting one or more of the plurality of energy saving modes for a predetermined time;
Based on the set allowable power consumption and the calculated power consumption, the plurality of energy saving modes so that the power consumption on the last day of the predetermined period does not exceed the set allowable power consumption. one possess the energy-saving mode control pattern setting means for setting dynamically the of the control pattern,
The energy saving mode control pattern setting means is configured to predict a power consumption amount or an electricity charge on the last day of the predetermined period based on the calculated power consumption amount or an electricity charge, and the set power consumption amount or electricity charge. Means for calculating a difference between a charge and the predicted power consumption or electricity charge, and when the difference is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value, a first energy saving mode control pattern having the maximum power consumption is selected; And when the difference is less than the first predetermined value and greater than or equal to the second predetermined value, a second energy saving mode control pattern having an intermediate power consumption is set, and the difference is the second predetermined value. If it is less, the third energy saving mode control pattern having the minimum power consumption is set . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
Said first energy-saving mode control pattern is a control pattern power consumption to maintain the maximum power saving mode, the second power saving mode control pattern control power consumption transition from the maximum power saving mode to the minimum energy-saving mode a pattern, the third power saving mode control pattern image forming apparatus comprising control pattern der Rukoto power consumption to maintain the minimum energy saving mode. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,
Wherein in the second saving mode control pattern, the image forming apparatus characterized by the power consumption is reduced stepwise. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3 .
Characterized Rukoto to have a means for setting in accordance with the difference between the power consumption power consumption is the calculated and the set allowable power consumption for a period of time in a gradual decrease in the consumption power Image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus having a plurality of energy saving modes with different power consumptions,
Means for setting allowable power consumption for a predetermined period;
Means for calculating power consumption within the predetermined period;
An energy saving mode control pattern storage unit that stores a plurality of energy saving mode control patterns having different power consumption amounts configured by selecting one or more of the plurality of energy saving modes for a predetermined time;
Based on the set allowable power consumption and the calculated power consumption, the plurality of energy saving modes so that the power consumption on the last day of the predetermined period does not exceed the set allowable power consumption. Energy saving mode control pattern setting means for dynamically setting one of the control patterns;
Have
The energy saving mode control pattern setting means includes means for calculating a difference between the set power consumption or electricity charge and the calculated power consumption or electricity charge, and the difference is not less than a first predetermined value. Is set to the first energy-saving mode control pattern with the maximum power consumption, and when the difference is less than the first predetermined value and greater than or equal to the second predetermined value, the second power consumption is an intermediate second. And when the difference is less than the second predetermined value, a third energy saving mode control pattern with a minimum power consumption is set,
In the second energy saving mode control pattern, the power consumption is reduced stepwise,
Characterized Rukoto to have a means for setting in accordance with the difference between the power consumption power consumption is the calculated and the set allowable power consumption for a period of time in a gradual decrease in the consumption power Image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus having a plurality of energy saving modes with different power consumptions,
Means for setting allowable power consumption for a predetermined period;
Means for calculating power consumption within the predetermined period;
An energy saving mode control pattern storage unit that stores a plurality of energy saving mode control patterns having different power consumption amounts configured by selecting one or more of the plurality of energy saving modes for a predetermined time;
Based on the set allowable power consumption and the calculated power consumption, the plurality of energy saving modes so that the power consumption on the last day of the predetermined period does not exceed the set allowable power consumption. Energy saving mode control pattern setting means for dynamically setting one of the control patterns;
Have
The energy saving mode control pattern setting means includes means for calculating a difference between the set power consumption or electricity charge and the calculated power consumption or electricity charge, and the difference is not less than a first predetermined value. Is set to the first energy-saving mode control pattern with the maximum power consumption, and when the difference is less than the first predetermined value and greater than or equal to the second predetermined value, the second power consumption is an intermediate second. And when the difference is less than the second predetermined value, a third energy saving mode control pattern with a minimum power consumption is set,
An image forming apparatus comprising: means for changing the first predetermined value and the second predetermined value according to the number of days remaining until the last day of a predetermined period . The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A power consumption data storage unit for storing power consumption data for each operation mode;
Means for determining whether power consumption on the last day of the predetermined period exceeds the set allowable power consumption in response to an input of an operation request in a predetermined operation mode;
An image forming apparatus comprising: a means for selecting an alternative operation mode in which the power consumption is smaller than the requested operation mode with reference to the power consumption data storage unit when it is determined that the means exceeds. An energy saving mode control method for an image forming apparatus having a plurality of energy saving modes with different power consumptions,
Setting an allowable power consumption for a predetermined period;
Calculating power consumption within a predetermined period;
Based on the set allowable power consumption and the calculated power consumption, the plurality of the plurality of the plurality of pieces in advance so that the power consumption on the last day of the predetermined period does not exceed the set allowable power consumption. An energy saving mode control pattern setting step for dynamically setting one of a plurality of energy saving mode control patterns with different power consumption amounts created by selecting one or more of the energy saving modes for a predetermined time in the image forming apparatus;
Have
The energy saving mode control pattern setting step includes a step of predicting a power consumption amount or an electricity charge on the last day of the predetermined period based on the calculated power consumption amount or an electricity charge, and the set power consumption amount or electricity charge. A step of calculating a difference between a charge and the predicted power consumption or electricity charge, and when the difference is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value, the first energy saving mode control pattern with the maximum power consumption is And when the difference is less than the first predetermined value and greater than or equal to the second predetermined value, a second energy saving mode control pattern having an intermediate power consumption is set, and the difference is the second predetermined value. energy-saving mode control method for an image forming apparatus according to claim is, that you set the minimum third energy-saving mode control pattern of power consumption when less than.

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