JPH0375759A - Waiting time predicting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit a user to make good use of time by providing a waiting time prediction part, predicting time by which a fixing part reaches a prescribed temperature, and outputting it. CONSTITUTION:A control part 11, which is provided with the fixing part, transmits a waiting time requirement signal to the waiting time prediction part 12. In response to the signal from the control part 11, the prediction part 12 predicts time by which the temperature of the fixing part reaches a set temperature and a printer can be started, and the predicted time is displayed on a waiting time display part 13. After that, the prediction part 12 alters the waiting time, which the display part 13 displays, based on the predicted result as time elapses. Since, the use can see a waiting time by means of the output of an outputting means each time waiting time calculation requirement is accepted by a command inputting means, he can make good use of the time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a waiting time prediction device used in copying machines, printers, etc. having a fixing section.

[Conventional technology]

In devices such as copying machines and printers that have a fixing section, the fixing section is operated at a predetermined temperature, but at startup, the fixing section rises to a predetermined temperature and can be started. During the waiting time for the fixing section to rise to a predetermined temperature at startup, the apparatus becomes unusable, and the display section displays that the waiting time is in progress.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In devices such as copiers and printers that have the above-mentioned fixing section, the display section indicates that a waiting period is in progress, so the user does not know how long the waiting period will be and is forced to wait during the waiting period. I can't use my time effectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a waiting time prediction device which can improve the above-mentioned drawbacks and can predict and output the waiting time, thereby enabling the user to make effective use of time.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 provides an apparatus having a fixing section, as shown in FIG. means 2; and waiting time calculation means 3 for calculating the time until the fixing section reaches a predetermined temperature from the temperature measurement signal from the temperature measurement section 1 when the command input means 2 receives a waiting time calculation request. and an output means 4 for outputting the time calculated by the waiting time calculation means 3.

The invention according to claim 2 is the waiting time prediction device according to claim 1, further comprising a display section 5 for displaying the time calculated by the waiting time calculating means 3, and the command inputting means when starting the apparatus having the fixing section. 2, a waiting time calculation request is issued, and the time calculated by the waiting time calculating means 3 is displayed on the display section 5.

[For production]

In the first aspect of the invention, the temperature of the fixing section is measured by the temperature measuring section 1, and a request for calculating the waiting time is received by the command input means 2. When the command input means 2 receives a request to calculate the waiting time, the waiting time calculating means 3 calculates the time until the fixing section reaches a predetermined temperature from the temperature measurement signal from the temperature measuring section 1, and calculates the waiting time. The time calculated by means 3 is outputted by output section 4.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2, a request for calculating a waiting time is issued to the command input means 2 at the time of starting the apparatus having the fixing section,
The time calculated by the waiting time calculation means 3 is displayed on the display section 5.

〔Example〕

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention.

This embodiment is used in a printer having a fixing section, and is designed for the convenience of the user by estimating and displaying the waiting time until the fixing section reaches a predetermined temperature and can be started. As a practical matter, temperature changes in the fusing section follow the heat conduction equation, and this heat conduction equation cannot be easily solved. However, in practice, the waiting time can be displayed even in units of 1 to 5 seconds, for example. This allows users to utilize their time effectively. In this embodiment, since most of the waiting time when starting the printer is required for heating the fixing section, this is roughly predicted.

The control unit 11 is a control unit of a printer having a fixing unit,
A waiting time prediction request signal is transmitted to the waiting time prediction unit 12. The waiting time prediction unit 12 predicts the waiting time from the present time until the time when the temperature of the fixing section in the printer reaches the set temperature and the printer can be started based on the waiting time prediction request signal from the control unit 11, and predicts the waiting time. The predicted time predicted by the section 12 is displayed on the waiting time display section 13.

The waiting time display section 13 can be made easier to see if a digital display section such as a print number counter in a printer is used.

The waiting time display unit 13 may display the predicted time using the blinking speed of a light emitting diode or the like.The waiting time display unit 13 can display the waiting time by sending a waiting time prediction request signal from the control unit 11 when the printer is started (including when restarting). If you send it once in a while, it will be useful.

Further, after predicting the waiting time based on the waiting time prediction request signal from the control unit 11 and displaying it on the waiting time display unit 13, the waiting time prediction unit 12 predicts the waiting time according to the elapsed time and uses the prediction result. The waiting time displayed by the waiting time display section 13 may be changed.Furthermore, the control section 11 may transmit a waiting time prediction request signal to the waiting time predicting section 12 at appropriate time intervals to determine the waiting time. The waiting time prediction unit 12 predicts the waiting time according to the prediction request signal,
The waiting time displayed by the waiting time display section 13 may be rewritten based on this prediction result. In this way, the waiting time is displayed sequentially, which improves the usage environment for the user in terms of mental health. .

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the waiting time prediction section 12.

The temperature measurement unit 14 measures the temperature of the fixing unit in the printer, and the command input unit 15 receives a waiting time prediction request signal transmitted from the control unit 11. Waiting time calculation unit 16
Each time the command input unit 15 receives a waiting time prediction request signal from the control unit 11, the temperature measurement signal from the temperature measurement unit 14 indicates that the temperature of the fixing unit in the printer reaches the set temperature from the current time and the printer can be started. Predict the waiting time until the point in time.

This prediction result is output to the waiting time display section 13 via the waiting time output section 17.

Next, calculation of waiting time by the waiting time calculating section 16 will be explained.

By solving the heat conduction equation specific to the fixing section in the printer, the waiting time calculation section 16 calculates the waiting time T for the temperature C of the fixing section as T=f(C), which is then sent by the control section 11 as a waiting time prediction request signal. This is performed by the waiting time calculation unit 16 each time the is transmitted.

The above equation is very complicated, and in practice, even a first-order approximation of the above equation is sufficient to achieve the initial purpose.

Therefore, in another example, the waiting time calculation unit 16 uses the above formula as T=f(C)=aC+b (a and b are constants) and calculates the waiting time T every time the waiting time prediction request signal is transmitted from the control unit 11. Calculate.

Further, in the above example, the waiting time calculating section 16 stores in advance a calculation formula for calculating the waiting time with respect to the current temperature of the fixing section in the non-volatile memory, and calculates the waiting time using this calculation formula each time. In this example, the current temperature of the fixing unit is determined in advance as shown in FIG.

A waiting time table showing the relationship between this and the waiting time is held in a rewritable non-volatile memory. In this case, the waiting time calculation section 16 has an error correction function, and each time the command input section 15 receives a waiting time prediction request signal from the control section 11, the waiting time calculation section 16 performs the processing shown in FIG. 16 takes in a temperature measurement signal corresponding to the current temperature of the fixing section from the temperature measurement section 14, and subtracts the waiting time T corresponding to this temperature measurement signal from the above waiting time table to obtain a predicted time (Table (C)), and this prediction. It is determined whether the time T is equal to the difference (Tsave-E) between the previous prediction time T5ave and the elapsed time E from the previous prediction time to the present. The prediction time T is (Tsave-
E), the waiting time calculation unit 16 determines that the waiting time table is accurate, sets the predicted time T to T5ave in order to determine whether the next waiting time table is correct, and outputs the predicted time T to the waiting time output unit. 17 to the waiting time display section 13. Further, if the predicted time T is not equal to (Tsave-E), the waiting time calculation unit 16 determines that the waiting time table is not accurate, and saves the waiting time Table (Csave) corresponding to the current temperature C in the waiting time table. After rewriting and correcting it to T+E, the predicted time T is set as Tsava for determining whether the next waiting time table is correct or incorrect.

The predicted time T is then output to the waiting time display section 13 via the waiting time output section 17. In this case, the waiting time calculation unit 16 sets the waiting time Table (Csave) of the waiting time table to T+
I corrected it by rewriting it to E, but considering the movement of various factors such as outside temperature, the waiting time Table (Cs
ave) to the average value of Table(Csave) and T+E and correct it, the convergence will be more gradual.

Next time you will get the correct waiting time6.
The present invention can be applied to copying machines and the like having a fixing section other than printers.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the invention of claim 1, in an apparatus having a fixing section, there is provided a temperature measuring section for measuring the temperature of the fixing section, a command input means for receiving a request for calculating a waiting time, and a waiting time using the command input means. A waiting time calculation means for calculating the time until the fixing section reaches a predetermined temperature from the temperature measurement signal from the temperature measurement section when a time calculation request is received, and outputting the time calculated by the waiting time calculation means. Since the user is provided with an output means for calculating the waiting time, the user can know the waiting time by outputting the waiting time from the output means every time a request for calculating the waiting time is accepted by the command input means, and can make effective use of the time. .

According to a second aspect of the invention, the waiting time prediction device according to the first aspect further includes a display section for displaying the time calculated by the waiting time calculation means, and when the apparatus having the fixing section is started, the waiting time prediction device is configured to Since a request to calculate the waiting time is issued to the input means and the time calculated by the waiting time calculating means is displayed on the display section, the user can know the waiting time on the display section when starting up the apparatus having the fixing section and calculate the waiting time. It becomes possible to use it effectively.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are block diagrams showing each invention of claims 1 and 2, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a waiting time prediction unit in an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the entire system, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a waiting time table used in the same embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the waiting time calculating section in the same embodiment. 1...Temperature measurement section, 2...Command input means, 3...
Waiting time calculation unit, 4... Output means, 5... Display unit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In an apparatus having a fixing section, a temperature measuring section that measures the temperature of the fixing section, a command input means for accepting a request for calculating a waiting time, and a request for calculating a waiting time using the command input means. waiting time calculation means for calculating the time until the fixing section reaches a predetermined temperature from the temperature measurement signal from the temperature measurement section when receiving the temperature measurement signal; and output means for outputting the time calculated by the waiting time calculation means. A waiting time prediction device comprising: 2. The waiting time prediction device according to claim 1, further comprising a display section for displaying the time calculated by the waiting time calculating means, and requesting the command input means to calculate the waiting time when starting the apparatus having the fixing section. A waiting time prediction device, characterized in that the display unit displays the time calculated by the waiting time calculation means.