Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Computer power control – Power conservation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-07
2004-07-13
Butler, Dennis M. (Department: 2115)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Computer power control
Power conservation
C713S320000, C713S323000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06763473
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in general relates to a technique for saving the power of an image processing device. In particular, the present invention relates to an image processing device, such as a digital copying machine, or an MFP (Multi-function Printer), which forms an image based on the image data. This invention also relates to method for saving the power consumption of the image processing device and to a computer readable recording medium that stores a computer program which realizes the method according to the present invention on a computer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional digital copying machines is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-186836. This digital copying machine picks-up an image of a manuscript, converts the picked up image into image data, and stores the image data of one page or a plurality of pages in an auxiliary storage device such as a floppy disk device or a hard disk device. The image data in the auxiliary storage device is then transferred to a frame memory. The image data in the frame memory is then sent to a printer engine page by page. Accordingly, the image of the manuscript is reproduced.
A control system of this digital copying machine has a configuration as shown in FIG.
14
. This control system includes two CPUs, i.e., CPU
1
and CPU
2
for controlling the whole digital copying machine, a main storage memory
3
for storing application programs to be executed by these CPUs and font data required when printing the image of the manuscript, and a CPU bus
30
for connecting the CPU
1
, CPU
2
, and the main storage memory
3
to each other. The application programs and font data are read out from an auxiliary storage device
21
and stored in the main storage memory
3
.
The CPU bus
30
is connected to a PCI bus
31
via a PCI bridge
4
, and connected to a PCI bus
32
via a PCI bridge
5
. The CPU bus
30
is also connected to a PCI bus controller
6
to which the PCI bridge
4
and the PCI bridge
5
are connected.
The PCI bus controller
6
conducts arbitration between the PCI bus
31
supported by the PCI bridge
4
and the PCI bus
32
supported by the PCI bridge
5
and effecting control corresponding to a PCI bus protocol.
There are connected to the PCI bus
31
, a display controller
7
for controlling operation of a display device
10
, a touch panel controller
8
for controlling operation of a touch panel
9
, an FD/HD interface controller
11
for controlling operation of the auxiliary storage device
21
such as a floppy disk device or a hard disk device, a serial parallel interface controller
12
for conducting serial communication and parallel communication with a host computer which is not illustrated, and a network interface controller
13
for conducting communication with a local area network or the like.
A DRAM controller
14
is also connected to the PCI bus
31
. The DRAM controller
14
generates an address for writing and reading image data into/from a frame memory
16
, and effects refresh control of a DRAM included in the frame memory
16
.
On the other hand, there are connected to the PCI bus
32
a DRAM controller
15
, a DMA controller
18
, and a SCSI interface
20
. The DRAM controller
15
generates an address for writing and reading image data into/from a frame memory
17
, and effects refresh control of a DRAM included in the frame memory
17
. The DMA controller
18
effects transfer control of image data of DRAMs included in the frame memory
16
and the frame memory
17
. The SCSI interface
20
effects connection control to a SCSI bus which is not illustrated.
The DRAM controller
14
is connected to the DMA controller
18
and a video interface
19
. The DRAM controller
15
is also connected to the DMA controller
18
and the video interface
19
. The DMA controller
18
can transfer image data developed in the frame memory
16
directly to the video interface
19
by using DRAM transfer control, and transfer image data developed in the frame memory
17
directly to the video interface
19
by using DRAM transfer control. Image data transferred to the video interface
19
is transmitted to a printer engine which is not illustrated.
Operation of the conventional digital copying machine having the configuration heretofore described will now be described by referring to the case where the copying machine reads an image of a manuscript extending over a plurality of pages and prints the image of the manuscript. Image data including character codes and control commands inputted from a host computer which is not illustrated via the serial parallel interface controller
12
or inputted from a local area network or the like which is not illustrated via the network interface controller
13
is inputted to the CPU
1
(or CPU
2
) via the PCI bus
31
, the PCI bridge
4
, and the CPU bus
30
, decoded by the CPU
1
, and developed on, for example, the frame memory
17
as bit map data.
When bit map data of the image corresponding to one page of a manuscript is developed on the frame memory
17
, the CPU
1
starts the DMA controller
18
, and transfers the bit map data of the image corresponding to one page of the manuscript from the frame memory
17
to the video interface
19
. On the basis of the transferred bit map data, a printer engine (not illustrated) prints the image of the read manuscript.
Recently, however, there is a movement on foot to suppress discharge of carbon dioxide to the utmost in order to prevent the warming of the earth. As a part of this movement, various energy saving measures are being taken in various business machines, such as home electric products, personal computers, and OA machines, as well. The degree of demand of energy saving is increasing day by day.
In order to accede to such a demand, a recent digital copying machine recognizes that it has not been used for a long time, automatically comes in a power saving mode, and cuts off power supply of a heater section of a fuser consuming comparatively great power among components of the digital copying machine.
If the degree of the demand of energy saving further increases, however, it is inevitable that even a control device which consumes comparatively small power among the components of the digital copying machine is pressed for the energy saving measure. The control device is not a terminal device unlike the heater section of the fuser, but it is a principal device for controlling the operation of the digital copying machine. Unlike the heater section of the fuser, therefore, the energy saving measure of the control device cannot be finished by merely cutting off the power supply.
For example, in the case of the digital copying machine shown in
FIG. 14
, function blocks such as various controllers are connected to each other by buses such as the CPU bus
30
, the PCI bus
31
and the PCI bus
32
. Therefore, it is difficult to cut off the power supply of some function blocks as the energy saving measure, because there is a fear that the function of the digital copying machine itself may stop. For example, in the PCI bus, existence of a PCI card is sensed by inserting the PCI card into a slot. Therefore, it is not possible to cut off the power supply of only some PCI cards on a PCI bus.
As a simple energy saving measure, therefore, it is conceivable to cut off the power supply of all controllers. However, there are function blocks taking charge of functions which must not be stopped such as a FAX function (especially its reception function). Therefore, such an easygoing energy saving measure cannot be adopted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide such an image processing device that when the image processing device is not used for at least a predetermined time such as when the image processing device is in the stand-by state, power is supplied to only function blocks which need to operate at all times and the power dissipation quantity is reduced as much as possible. It is also an object of the present invention to provi
Fukuda Hiroaki
Ishii Rie
Kawamoto Hiroyuki
Miyazaki Hideto
Miyazaki Shinya
Butler Dennis M.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Ricoh & Company, Ltd.
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