JPH0585152U - Recording device Separate type facsimile machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To properly control the power supply of the separation type recording device from the side of the facsimile device and to ensure smooth print output operation. In a facsimile apparatus of a recording apparatus separation type, power relay circuits 3 and 7 for supplying power to the recording apparatus 2 via the facsimile apparatus 1, and a power source for the recording apparatus 2 provided in the power relay circuit. Switching circuit 10 for turning on / off the supply, memory 12 for temporarily storing image information to be supplied to recording apparatus 2, and switching circuit 10 for turning on and printing when a printing request is made by recording apparatus 2. The control circuit 11 turns off the switching circuit 10 when the output operation is completed.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus of a recording device separation type in which a recording unit for printing image information is separately configured as an independent recording device.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 As inexpensive page printers have become widespread, a configuration in which a general-purpose page printer is used as a facsimile recording device without providing a recording unit in the main body of the facsimile device is also becoming widespread. In other words, the facsimile device and the recording device (page printer) are connected by an interface cable, and the facsimile device sends data and control signals to the recording device to print out image information. In this case, the facsimile device is usually provided with a buffer memory for temporarily storing the image information to be supplied to the recording device.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 In the case of a facsimile machine in which the recording device is separated as described above, it goes without saying that both the facsimile device and the recording device have a power switch. It is normal to keep the fax machine powered on, as you do not know when a fax call will arrive. However, when the image information received by the facsimile device is printed out, the recording device is not powered on often. To avoid such a situation, for example, an interlocking power inlet is installed in a facsimile machine such as an audio component device, and the power plug of the recording device is inserted into the inlet, and the power switch of the recording device is always on. Leave it in. By doing this, the power of the recording apparatus is turned on / off in synchronization with the on / off of the power switch of the facsimile apparatus.

However, with the above arrangement, the power supply of the facsimile apparatus is normally always on, so that the power supply of the recording apparatus is also always on. This is not a problem if the recording device is used very often, but if it is used infrequently, useless power consumption by the recording device cannot be ignored. Especially, it is a problem that the recording device keeps powering on even at night when the frequency of use is low. Also, if a large capacity buffer memory is prepared and the received image information is stored in the memory when the recording apparatus is not powered on, the problem will be alleviated, but the capacity of the memory is still limited.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to appropriately control the power source of a separation type recording apparatus from the side of a facsimile apparatus to ensure a smooth print output operation. At the same time, it is to reduce the waste of power consumption.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 Therefore, in this invention, in a facsimile apparatus of a recording device separation type, a power relay circuit for supplying power to the recording device via the facsimile device and a power supply to the recording device provided in the power supply relay circuit are provided. When the switching circuit that turns on and off, the memory that temporarily stores the image information that is to be supplied to the recording device, and the switching circuit that is turned on when a printing request is made by the recording device and the print output operation ends And a control circuit for turning off the switching circuit.

[0007]

[Action]

 When it is not necessary to operate the printing apparatus, the control circuit turns off the switching circuit to stop the power supply to the printing apparatus. When a receiving or copying operation is activated and a request for printout is made by the recording device, the control circuit turns on the switching circuit and supplies power to the recording device. It takes some time (warm-up time) until printing is possible after the recording device is powered on, but the image information generated during that time is stored in the memory and waits until printing is possible. Then, when printing is completed, the switching circuit is turned off by the control circuit.

[0008]

FIG. 1 shows the connection relationship between a facsimile device 1 and a recording device 2 according to the present invention. The facsimile device 1 includes a power plug 3 and a power switch 4, and the recording device 2 separate from the fax machine 1 also includes a power plug 5 and a power switch 6. The facsimile device 1 is also provided with a power supply inlet 7 for the recording device 2, and the plug 5 of the recording device 2 is inserted into the inlet 7. Insert the plug 3 of the facsimile machine 1 into the inlet of the commercial power supply, and turn on the power switches 4 and 6 of both machines. This turns on the power of the facsimile device 1, but the power of the recording device 2 is controlled by the facsimile device 1 as follows. The fax machine 1 and the recorder 2 are connected by an interface cable 8 to transmit data and control signals.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a main part of the facsimile apparatus 1 relating to the present invention. In the facsimile device 1, the AC input from the power plug 3 is converted by the power circuit 9 into the power required by each part of the facsimile device 1, and the line of the power plug 3 is provided with the switching circuit 10 which is a relay circuit. It is connected to the power supply inlet 7 via the power supply inlet 7, and the power supply plug 5 of the recording apparatus 2 is inserted into the power supply inlet 7 as described above. A control circuit 11 for driving a relay of the switching circuit 10 and a memory 12 for temporarily storing image information to be supplied to the recording device 2 are provided with a CPU 13 for controlling the entire facsimile apparatus 1 and performing data processing. Under the control of.

FIG. 3 shows the main operation of the facsimile apparatus 1 of this embodiment. In the normal state, the control circuit 9 turns off the switching circuit 10 to stop the power supply to the recording device 2. When the facsimile apparatus 1 receives an image and the image information starts to be received, or when the image information is written in the memory 12 by a copy operation, the control circuit 11 turns on the switching circuit 10 by an instruction from the CPU 13 and records the image. Supply power to device 2.

The recording device 2 is not ready for printing immediately after the power is turned on. However, when printing is possible, the recording device 2 notifies the CPU 13 to that effect. Received image information or copy image information generated until then is sequentially accumulated in the memory 12. When the preparation OK is transmitted from the recording device 2 to the CPU 13, the CPU 13 sequentially outputs the image information to the recording device 2 via the memory 12. Then, the recording device 2 prints the image information. When all the image information to be printed has been transferred to the recording device 2, the CPU 12 waits for a sufficient time until all the image information is printed, and then commands the control circuit 11 to switch the switching circuit 10. Turn off. Then, the power supply to the recording device 2 is stopped again.

[0012]

[Effect of the device]

 As described in detail above, in the recording device separation type facsimile device according to the present invention, the facsimile device mainly controls the power of the recording device to be turned on and off, and the recording device is operated only when it is necessary to operate. Since the power is supplied to the device, it is possible to keep the power consumption of the entire system low without continuously supplying power to the recording device wastefully even at night when the frequency of use is low. At the same time, image information can be printed out without delay without using a particularly large capacity buffer memory.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a connection relationship between a facsimile device and a recording device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of the above facsimile device relating to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main part of the above facsimile device relating to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Facsimile device 2 Recording device 3 Power plug 4 Power switch 5 Power plug 5 Power plug 6 Power switch 7 Power inlet 8 Interface cable 9 Power circuit 10 Switching circuit 11 Control circuit 12 Memory 13 CPU

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A facsimile apparatus in which a recording unit for printing image information is separately configured as an independent recording apparatus, and the recording apparatus is connected by an interface cable for transmitting data and control signals. A power supply relay circuit for supplying power to the recording apparatus via a facsimile apparatus, a switching circuit provided in the power supply relay circuit for turning on / off power supply to the recording apparatus, and an apparatus for supplying power to the recording apparatus. And a control circuit for turning on the switching circuit when there is a print request from the recording device and turning off the switching circuit when the print output operation is completed. A recording-device-separated type facsimile machine characterized by the above.