JP6969312B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a normal mode in which a printing operation can be executed and a sleep mode in which power consumption is lower than that of the normal mode.

Conventionally, some image forming devices such as printers, copiers and multifunction devices have a normal mode and a sleep mode. The normal mode is a mode in which electric power is supplied to each part of the image forming apparatus and a printing operation can be executed. The sleep mode is a mode that reduces power consumption when the image forming apparatus is not in use. In the image forming apparatus having the normal mode and the sleep mode, when a preset time elapses after the printing operation is executed, the normal mode is switched to the sleep mode in which the power consumption is suppressed.

An image forming apparatus having a normal mode and a sleep mode is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-167499

In the conventional image forming apparatus, when a print command is received during the sleep mode, the sleep mode is returned to the normal mode to execute a printing operation, and then the normal mode is immediately switched to the sleep mode.

However, when the sleep mode is switched to the normal mode, it takes time to return to the state in which the printing operation can be executed. Therefore, when the printing operation is performed again within a certain time after the printing operation is executed, there is a problem that it is difficult to perform printing efficiently.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of achieving both suppression of power consumption and improvement of printing efficiency. Is.

In order to achieve the above object, the image forming apparatus of the first configuration of the present invention has a normal mode in which a printing operation can be executed and a sleep mode in which power consumption is lower than that of the normal mode. The image forming apparatus selectively executes the normal mode and the sleep mode, and has a control unit capable of setting the transition time from the normal mode to the sleep mode after the printing operation is executed, and an operation for instructing the transition time. It is equipped with a reception unit that accepts signals. The control unit sets the recommended transition time based on the reception transition time received by the reception unit within a predetermined period in the past, and when the reception unit receives an operation or a signal, the reception transition time elapses after the printing operation is executed. Later, when the normal mode is switched to the sleep mode and the reception unit does not receive the operation or the signal, the normal mode is switched to the sleep mode after the recommended transition time has elapsed after the printing operation is executed.

According to the image forming apparatus of the first configuration of the present invention, the control unit sets a recommended transition time based on the reception transition time received by the reception unit within a predetermined period in the past, and the reception unit instructs the transition time. If the operation or signal to be performed is not accepted, the mode is switched from the normal mode to the sleep mode after the recommended transition time has elapsed after the printing operation is executed. As a result, the transition time can be appropriately set based on the reception transition time received by the reception unit within a predetermined period, so that printing can be performed efficiently. Further, since the normal mode is switched to the sleep mode after the recommended transition time has elapsed, the power consumption can be suppressed.

From the above, it is possible to achieve both suppression of power consumption and improvement of printing efficiency.

Further, when the reception unit receives an operation or a signal indicating the transition time, the control unit switches from the normal mode to the sleep mode after the reception transition time elapses after the printing operation is executed. As a result, for the user who has instructed the migration time, the migration time can be set according to the usage status of the user regardless of the recommended migration time, so that printing can be performed more efficiently.

It is sectional drawing which showed schematically the structure of the image forming apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which showed the block diagram which shows a part of the control path of the image forming apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention. 6 is a histogram showing the distribution of reception transition time received by the communication unit of the image forming apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention within a predetermined period.

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

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention is a so-called in-body paper ejection type digital compound machine, and an image of a document is an electric signal on the upper part of the image forming apparatus 100 main body. An image reading unit 8 is provided, and a document transporting device 3 is attached above the image reading unit 8.

In the main body of the image forming apparatus 100, a paper feeding unit 4 of the paper (sheet) P, a paper transport path 5, an image forming unit 6 for forming a toner image on the paper P, and fixing for fixing the toner image on the paper P A discharge roller pair 18 for transporting the device 7 and the fixed paper P and discharging the paper P from the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 is provided.

Further, the main body of the image forming apparatus 100 is formed with an in-body paper ejection space 16 that is greatly opened toward the left side surface and the front surface, and is ejected by the ejection roller pair 18 in the in-body paper ejection space 16. A discharge tray 19 on which the paper P is loaded is provided.

A display panel (display unit) and an operation panel 20 having operation keys are provided on the front surface of the image reading unit 8. The operation keys (not shown) include a numeric keypad, a power key, a reset key, a stop key, a start key, and the like for accepting numerical input by the user. The display panel (not shown) may have a touch panel on the display surface side (upper side) where the user touches and performs an input operation. The display panel (not shown) displays information on the image forming operation, an icon image (operation key) for touch panel operation, and the like. The operation panel 20 is configured to transmit the information input by the user to the control unit 80 that controls the entire image forming apparatus 100.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 80 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. Further, the control unit 80 is configured to be communicable with the image forming unit 6, the fixing device 7, the image reading unit 8, the operation panel 20, the timing unit 25 and the communication unit 30, which will be described later.

The ROM contains a control program for the image forming apparatus 100, numerical values necessary for control, and other data that are not changed during use of the image forming apparatus 100. In addition, data regarding the initial transition time, which will be described later, is also stored in the ROM. The RAM stores necessary data generated during the control of the image forming apparatus 100, data temporarily required for controlling the image forming apparatus 100, and the like. In addition, data regarding the reception transition time and the recommended transition time, which will be described later, are also stored in the RAM.

The timekeeping unit 25 can acquire time information and measure the time, and transmits the result to the control unit 80.

The communication unit (reception unit) 30 performs wired or wireless data communication with an external device 200 such as a personal computer via a communication network such as the Internet or LAN.

The external device 200 is configured to be capable of transmitting printing data, printing information such as the number of printed sheets and the type of recording paper input by the user, together with a printing command (printing command), to the communication unit 30 of the image forming apparatus 100. ing. Further, the external device 200 is configured to display an image for inputting a transition time from the normal mode to the sleep mode, which will be described later, and to allow the user to input the transition time, and the input signal is an image. It is transmitted to the communication unit 30 of the forming device 100.

Here, in the present embodiment, the image forming apparatus 100 has a normal mode in which a printing operation can be executed and a sleep mode in which power consumption is less than that in the normal mode. The image forming apparatus 100 switches from the normal mode to the sleep mode when a predetermined time elapses after the printing operation is executed.

In the normal mode, for example, the fixing device 7 is held at a printable temperature, and when the operation panel 20 or the external device 200 receives a print command, the print operation can be immediately executed. On the other hand, in the sleep mode, for example, the fixing device 7 is held at a temperature lower than the printable temperature. Therefore, even if the operation panel 20 or the external device 200 receives the print command during the sleep mode, the print operation cannot be executed immediately. In the sleep mode, some of the functions of the operation panel 20, the image reading unit 8, and the document transporting device 3 may be restricted. For example, the screen of the operation panel 20 may be dark, the document detection sensor of the image reading unit 8 may be turned off, or the document transfer device 3 other than the document detection sensor and the open / close detection sensor may be turned off. It may be off.

The control unit 80 selectively executes the normal mode and the sleep mode. The control unit 80 can set the transition time from the normal mode to the sleep mode after the printing operation is executed. The transition time is set in advance to the initial transition time (for example, 10 seconds or 1 minute) immediately after the image forming apparatus 100 is shipped (default state).

Further, the control unit 80 sets the recommended transition time based on the transition time received from the external device 200 by the communication unit 30 (hereinafter, also referred to as the reception transition time) within the past predetermined period (for example, one month). It is configured in.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of control units 80 received by the communication unit 30 within a predetermined period (predetermined period) after a predetermined period (for example, one month) has elapsed from the start of use of the image forming apparatus 100. The reception transition time is classified into multiple time ranges different from each other, the histogram processing is executed, and the recommended transition time is set based on the time range in which the frequency of the reception transition time is maximized. Here, the control unit 80 sets the recommended transition time based on the time range of 21 to 30 minutes in which the frequency (acceptance number of times) of the reception transition time is 41 times. Further, the control unit 80 sets the maximum time (here, 30 minutes) in the time range (here, 21 to 30 minutes) at which the frequency of the reception transition time is maximum as the recommended transition time.

After setting the recommended transition time, the control unit 80 may transmit information regarding the recommended transition time to the external device 200. Then, the external device 200 may display the recommended transition time set by the control unit 80 on the display screen.

In the image forming apparatus 100, when the communication unit 30 receives the print command signal and the signal (input signal) indicating the transition time from the external device 200, the control unit 80 determines the reception transition time after the printing operation is executed. After that, switch from normal mode to sleep mode.

On the other hand, when the communication unit 30 receives the print command signal but does not receive the signal indicating the transition time (when there is no instruction by the user regarding the transition time), the control unit 80 receives the print command signal, and after the printing operation is executed, the control unit 80 receives the print command signal. Switch from normal mode to sleep mode after the recommended transition time has elapsed.

The control unit 80 received the print command while the communication unit 30 received the print command before the recommended transition time was set (before a predetermined period (here, one month) has elapsed from the start of use of the image forming apparatus 100). If the signal indicating the transition time is not received, the normal mode is switched to the sleep mode after the preset initial transition time has elapsed after the printing operation is executed.

Further, the control unit 80 sets the recommended transition time based on the reception transition time received by the communication unit 30 within a predetermined period (for example, one month) after the setting of the recommended transition time immediately before. That is, every time a predetermined period (1 month) elapses, the control unit 80 totals the reception transition time received by the communication unit 30 within that period and resets the recommended transition time.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the control unit 80 sets the recommended transition time based on the reception transition time received by the communication unit 30 within the past predetermined period, and the communication unit 30 indicates the transition time. If is not accepted, switch from normal mode to sleep mode after the recommended transition time has elapsed after executing the print operation. As a result, the transition time can be appropriately set based on the reception transition time received by the communication unit 30 within a predetermined period, so that printing can be performed efficiently. Further, since the normal mode is switched to the sleep mode after the recommended transition time has elapsed, the power consumption can be suppressed.

From the above, it is possible to achieve both suppression of power consumption and improvement of printing efficiency.

Further, when the communication unit 30 receives the signal indicating the transition time, the control unit 80 switches from the normal mode to the sleep mode after the reception transition time elapses after the printing operation is executed. As a result, for the user who has instructed the migration time, the migration time can be set according to the usage status of the user regardless of the recommended migration time, so that printing can be performed more efficiently.

Further, as described above, before setting the recommended transition time, if the communication unit 30 does not receive the signal, the control unit 80 usually performs the printing operation and after the elapse of the preset initial transition time. Switch from mode to sleep mode. This makes it possible to easily switch from the normal mode to the sleep mode even before setting the recommended transition time.

Further, as described above, the control unit 80 sets the recommended transition time based on the reception transition time received by the communication unit 30 within the predetermined period after the predetermined period has elapsed from the setting of the recommended transition time immediately before. As a result, the recommended transition time can be changed according to the usage status of the user, so that printing can be performed more efficiently.

Further, as described above, the control unit 80 classifies the plurality of reception transition times received by the communication unit 30 within a predetermined period into a plurality of time ranges different from each other, and the time range in which the frequency of the reception transition time is maximized. Set the recommended migration time based on. As a result, the transition time can be easily and appropriately set based on the reception transition time received by the communication unit 30 within a predetermined period, so that printing can be easily and efficiently performed.

Further, as described above, the control unit 80 sets the maximum time in the time range in which the frequency of the reception transition time is maximum as the recommended transition time. As a result, printing can be performed more efficiently.

Further, as described above, the communication unit 30 receives the signal from the external device 200. Generally, when printing data is received from an external device such as a personal computer and a print job is executed, the transition time is determined by receiving a copy instruction on the operation panel provided in the image forming apparatus main body and executing the copy job. In many cases, it is set shorter than the transition time in the case of. Therefore, when a print command is received from the external device 200, the print efficiency tends to decrease. In addition, when executing a copy job, it is possible to approach the state in which the print operation can be executed (raise the temperature of the fixing device) while the read operation is being executed, so that unnecessary waiting time for the user is suppressed from becoming long. However, when the print job is executed, the user does not need to perform the printing operation (raise the fixing device to the printable temperature) because there is no reading operation by the image reading unit 8. The waiting time becomes long. Therefore, it is particularly effective to apply the present invention when the printing operation is executed by receiving the signal from the external device 200.

It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed this time are exemplary in all respects and are not considered to be restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the scope of claims rather than the description of the embodiment described above, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.

For example, in the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a multifunction device has been shown, but the present invention is not limited to this. Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to various image forming apparatus having a normal mode and a sleep mode, such as a printer, a copying machine, and a facsimile.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied in a configuration in which the reception unit is the communication unit 30, that is, a configuration in which a print command and a signal instructing a transition time can be received from the external device 200 has been shown. The present invention is not limited to this, and the reception unit may be the operation panel 20. That is, the present invention may be applied when the operation panel 20 is configured to accept a copy command by a user and an operation (input) for instructing a transition time.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example of setting the maximum time (here, 30 minutes) in the time range (here, 21 to 30 minutes) in which the frequency of the reception transition time is maximum as the recommended transition time has been shown. Is not limited to this. For example, the central time in the time range in which the frequency of the reception transition time is maximum, the time in which the frequency is maximum in the time range, or the average time in the time range may be set as the recommended transition time.

Further, in the above embodiment, the example in which the personal computer is used as the external device 200 is shown, but a smartphone or other device may be used as the external device 200.

Further, in the above embodiment, the control unit 80 has a recommended transition time based on the reception transition time received by the communication unit 30 within a predetermined period (for example, one month) after the setting of the recommended transition time immediately before. Although an example of resetting is shown, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 80 may reset the recommended transition time based on the reception transition time received by the communication unit 30 within the immediately preceding predetermined period (for example, one month) each time the printing operation is executed. Further, the control unit 80 may reset the recommended transition time based on all the reception transition times received by the communication unit 30 from the start of use of the image forming apparatus 100 to the time when the recommended transition time is set. good.

30 Communication Department (Reception Department)
80 Control unit 100 Image forming device 200 External device

Claims (6)

An image forming apparatus having a normal mode in which a printing operation can be executed and a sleep mode in which power consumption is lower than that of the normal mode.
A control unit capable of selectively executing the normal mode and the sleep mode and setting a transition time from the normal mode to the sleep mode after the printing operation is executed.
The reception unit that accepts the operation or signal that indicates the transition time,
Equipped with
The control unit
Set the recommended transition time based on the reception transition time received by the reception department within the past predetermined period.
When the reception unit receives the operation or signal, the normal mode is switched to the sleep mode after the reception transition time elapses after the printing operation is executed.
When the reception unit does not receive the operation or signal, the normal mode is switched to the sleep mode after the recommended transition time has elapsed after the printing operation is executed.
After between used starting or al Plant regular image forming apparatus, and, after a lapse between the recommended transition time setting or al plants periodically just before, the recommended transition time based on the reception transition time during which the reception unit has received An image forming apparatus characterized by being set. An image forming apparatus having a normal mode in which a printing operation can be executed and a sleep mode in which power consumption is lower than that of the normal mode.
A control unit capable of selectively executing the normal mode and the sleep mode and setting a transition time from the normal mode to the sleep mode after the printing operation is executed.
The reception unit that accepts the operation or signal that indicates the transition time,
Equipped with
The control unit
Set the recommended transition time based on the reception transition time received by the reception department within the past predetermined period.
When the reception unit receives the operation or signal, the normal mode is switched to the sleep mode after the reception transition time elapses after the printing operation is executed.
When the reception unit does not receive the operation or signal, the normal mode is switched to the sleep mode after the recommended transition time has elapsed after the printing operation is executed.
The plurality of reception transition times received by the reception unit within the predetermined period are classified into a plurality of time ranges different from each other, and the recommended transition time is set based on the time range in which the frequency of the reception transition time is maximized. An image forming apparatus characterized by being set. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit sets the maximum time in the time range in which the frequency of the reception transition time is maximum to the recommended transition time. The control unit has the recommended transition time based on the reception transition time received by the reception unit after a predetermined period has elapsed from the start of use of the image forming apparatus and after a predetermined period has elapsed from the setting of the recommended transition time immediately before. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the image forming apparatus is set. Before setting the recommended transition time, when the reception unit does not receive the operation or the signal, the control unit starts from the normal mode after the execution of the printing operation and after the elapse of the preset initial transition time. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the image forming apparatus is switched to the sleep mode. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the receiving unit is a communication unit that receives the signal from an external device.

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