Information processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To provide an information processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, an information processing method, and a program which enable the use of a function other than priority functions as soon as possible after system activation.SOLUTION: An information processing apparatus comprises: a delay time management module which acquires a delay time from activation of a first program required for a first function as a priority function to activation of a second program required for a second function other than the first function; an activation control module which delays activation of the second program by the delay time after activation of the first program when the information processing apparatus is activated; and a resource monitoring module which acquires the use states of resources included in the information processing apparatus. The delay time management module adjusts and updates the delay time at the time of the next activation on the basis of the use states acquired by the resource monitoring module.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] The startup time of electronic devices such as MFPs (Multi-Function Peripherals) and PCs (Personal Computers) is treated as a performance (catalog specification) to be published in catalogs, etc., and therefore shortening it is an important item. As a means for shortening the startup time of electronic devices, a technology has been proposed in which a program related to a function set as a priority function is started before a program that realizes other functions. However, this technology has a problem in that, for example, when a copy is executed in response to a program that realizes a copy function being started first, programs other than the program that realized the copy function are started one after another, which slows down the copy operation.

[0003] In view of this background, a technique has been proposed for delaying the start of a program other than a program started with priority for a certain period of time, with the aim of providing an electronic device, a start control method, and a start control program that can prevent delays in the operation of a function realized by a program started with priority. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration that prevents other programs from starting until the execution of a priority function is completed, with the aim of preventing delays in the operation of a function realized by a program started with priority. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there is a problem that delaying the start of functions other than the priority function for a certain period of time causes a delay in the use of functions other than the priority function specified by the user. When a user uses a function other than the priority function at start-up, it is required to shorten the time until the function other than the priority function can be used as much as possible. Also, even with the technology described in Patent Document 1, functions other than the priority function cannot be used immediately.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide an information processing device, an image forming device, an information processing method, and a program that enable functions other than priority functions to be used as soon as possible after the system is started. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the present invention provides an information processing device comprising: a delay time management module that acquires a delay time between the launch of a first program required for a first function, which is a priority function, and the launch of a second program required for a second function other than the first function; a startup control module that delays the startup of the second program by the delay time after the launch of the first program when the information processing device is started; and a resource monitoring module that acquires usage status of resources possessed by the information processing device, and the delay time management module adjusts and updates the delay time at the next startup based on the usage status acquired from the resource monitoring module. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to effectively utilize functions other than the priority functions as soon as possible after the system is started. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of an MFP, which is an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of the MFP according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the flow of a delay time adjustment process in the MFP according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of an information processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, an information processing method, and a program will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram of an MFP, which is an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral / Product / Printer) 9 (an example of an image forming apparatus and an information processing apparatus) includes a controller 910, a short-range communication circuit 920, an engine control unit 930, an operation panel 940, and a network I / F 950.

[0011] Of these, the controller 910 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 901 which is the main part of the computer, a system memory (MEM-P) 902, a north bridge (NB) 903, a south bridge (SB) 904, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 906, a local memory (MEM-C) 907 which is a storage unit, an HDD controller 908, and an HD 909 which is also a storage unit, and is configured such that the NB 903 and the ASIC 906 are connected by an AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) bus 921.

[0012] Of these, the CPU 901 is a control unit that performs overall control of the MFP 9. The NB 903 is a bridge for connecting the CPU 901 with the MEM-P 902, the SB 904, and the AGP bus 921, and includes a memory controller that controls reading and writing to the MEM-P 902, a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) master, and an AGP target.

[0013] The MEM-P 902 is composed of a ROM 902a which is a memory for storing programs and data for implementing the various functions of the controller 910, and a RAM 902b which is used for developing the programs and data, and as a drawing memory during memory printing, etc. The programs stored in the RAM 902b may be configured to be provided by being recorded in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, or DVD in the form of an installable or executable file.

[0014] The SB904 is a bridge for connecting the NB903 to a PCI device and a peripheral device. The ASIC906 is an IC (Integrated Circuit) for image processing purposes having hardware elements for image processing, and plays the role of a bridge connecting the AGP bus 921, the PCI bus 922, the HDD controller 908, and the MEM-C907. The ASIC906 is composed of a PCI target and an AGP master, an arbiter (ARB) that is the core of the ASIC906, a memory controller that controls the MEM-C907, a plurality of DMACs (Direct Memory Access Controllers) that rotate image data using hardware logic, and a PCI unit that transfers data between the scanner unit 931 and the printer unit 932 via the PCI bus 922. A USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface and an IEEE1394 (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 1394) interface may be connected to the ASIC906.

[0015] The MEM-C907 is a local memory used as an image buffer for copying and a code buffer. The HD909 is a storage for storing image data, font data used during printing, and forms. The HD909 controls the reading and writing of data from and to the HD909 under the control of the CPU901. The AGP bus 921 is a bus interface for a graphics accelerator card proposed to speed up graphic processing, and by directly accessing the MEM-P902 at high throughput, the graphics accelerator card can be made faster.

[0016] Further, the short-distance communication circuit 920 includes a short-distance communication circuit 920a. The short-distance communication circuit 920 is a communication circuit such as NFC (Near Field Communication) or Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0017] Furthermore, the engine control unit 930 is composed of a scanner unit 931 and a printer unit 932. The operation panel 940 includes a panel display unit 940a such as a touch panel that displays current setting values ​​and a selection screen, etc., and receives input from an operator, and an operation panel 940b including a numeric keypad that receives setting values ​​for image formation conditions such as density setting conditions, and a start key that receives a copy start instruction. The controller 910 controls the entire MFP 9, and controls, for example, drawing, communication, and input from the operation panel 940. The scanner unit 931 or the printer unit 932 includes an image processing unit such as error diffusion and gamma conversion.

[0018] The MFP 9 can sequentially switch and select among the document box function, copy function, printer function, and facsimile function using an application switching key on the operation panel 940. When the document box function is selected, the MFP 9 enters document box mode, when the copy function is selected, the MFP 9 enters copy mode, when the printer function is selected, the MFP 9 enters printer mode, and when the facsimile mode is selected, the MFP 9 enters facsimile mode.

[0019] The network I / F 950 is an interface for performing data communication using the communication network 100. The short-range communication circuit 920 and the network I / F 950 are electrically connected to the ASIC 906 via a PCI bus 922.

[0020] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the software configuration of the MFP according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the MFP 9 according to the present embodiment has a plurality of programs P1 to Pn, a startup control Md 201, a delay time management Md 202, a resource monitoring Md 203, an OS (Operating System) 204, and a boot program 205. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the startup control Md 201, the delay time management Md 202, and the resource monitoring Md 203 are applied to the MFP 9, which is an example of an image forming apparatus, but the present invention can also be applied to a PC (Personal Computer), tablet, or other information processing device having a plurality of functions.

[0021] The boot program 205 is a program that is started first when the power button of the MFP 9, which is an example of an information processing apparatus, is pressed. The OS 204 manages the entire system after the boot program 205 is started. The programs P1 to Pn are examples of programs necessary to realize each function of the MFP 9.

[0022] The startup control Md201 is an example of a startup control module that manages the startup of the programs P1 to Pn. Specifically, the startup control Md201 is an example of a startup control module that delays the startup of a program (an example of a second program) required for a function other than the priority function by a delay time acquired by a delay time management Md202, which will be described later, after the startup of a program (a first program) required for a priority function (an example of a first function) at the time of startup of the MFP 9.

[0023] Furthermore, the start control Md201 selects the most prioritized function (an example of the third function) from among the functions other than the priority functions based on the user's usage of the functions, and after starting a program required for the priority function, starts up the program required for the selected function with a delay of the delay time. This allows the user to use the frequently used functions other than the priority functions as soon as possible.

[0024] The delay time management Md202 is an example of a delay time management module that manages (obtains) a delay time used when delaying the startup of a program required for a function other than the prioritized function in the startup control Md201. Here, the delay time is the time from the startup of a first program required for the prioritized function until the startup of a program required for a function other than the prioritized function.

[0025] The delay time management module 202 also adjusts and updates the delay time at the next startup based on the resource usage status acquired from the resource monitoring module 203, which will be described later. This allows functions other than the priority functions to be used as much as possible by acquiring the hardware resource usage status at startup and adjusting the delay time so that the resources can be used optimally.

[0026] Furthermore, the delay time management Md202 may adjust the delay time using a delay time adjustment value defined for each utilization rate (CPU utilization rate) of the CPU 901 included in resources (e.g., hardware resources) of the MFP 9. This makes it possible to optimally utilize the resources of the CPU 901.

[0027] The delay time management Md202 may also adjust the delay time based on whether the startup time of the priority function or a function other than the priority function has been shortened. By adjusting the delay time based on whether the startup has actually been accelerated, it is possible to determine whether the resources of the entire system are being used optimally.

[0028] The resource monitoring module 203 is an example of a resource monitoring module that monitors the hardware (resources) of the MFP 9. Specifically, the resource monitoring module 203 acquires the usage status of the resources of the MFP 9. That is, the resource monitoring module 203 is a module that is added in order to use resource information of the hardware (resources) of the MFP 9 as information used for adjusting the delay time managed by the delay time management module 202. Here, the resources of the MFP 9 are resources such as the CPU 901 used to start programs required for the functions of the MFP 9. In this embodiment, the resource monitoring module 203 may acquire the usage rate (CPU usage rate) of the CPU 901 included in the resources of the MFP 9 as the usage status of the resources.

[0029] 3 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the flow of delay time adjustment processing in the MFP according to this embodiment. The start-up control Md201 starts the delay time adjustment Md202 at start-up, requests the resource monitoring Md203 to acquire the resource usage status (hereinafter referred to as resource usage status), and acquires the resource usage status until the end of execution of the prioritized function. After starting a program required for the prioritized function, the start-up control Md201 waits for the delay time acquired from the delay time management Md202, and then starts other programs.

[0030] The delay time management module 202 adjusts the next delay time based on the resource usage status obtained from the resource monitoring module 203. This makes it possible to start programs other than the prioritized functions with a more optimal delay time at the next startup, thereby shortening the time until functions other than the prioritized functions can be used. Note that if the prioritized function is not executed at startup, the delay time is not adjusted.

[0031] Specifically, when the user instructs the MFP 9 to power on, the power supply unit starts the boot program 205 (step S211). Next, the boot program 205 starts the OS 204 (step S212). Next, the OS 204 starts the boot control module 201 (step S213). Furthermore, the boot control module 201 starts the delay time management module 202 (step S214).

[0032] The delay time management module 202 requests the resource monitoring module 203 to acquire the resource usage status of the MFP 9 (step S215). The startup control module 201 also checks the priority functions among the functions of the MFP 9 (step S216). The resource monitoring module 203 acquires the resource usage status from the OS 204 (step S217).

[0033] Next, the startup control Md201 starts up the programs P1 and P2 required for the priority functions (step S218). Table 1 below shows examples of priority functions (an example of a first function) possessed by the MFP 9, and priority programs (an example of a first program) required for the priority functions. When the target is an image forming device such as the MFP 9, the functions selected as priority functions include a copy function, a scan function, a fax function, a network function, etc., and the programs that are started with priority as a result correspond to the programs P1 and P2 shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the startup control Md201 starts up the programs P1 and P2. [Table 1]

[0034] The start control Md201 also acquires a delay time from the delay time management Md202 (step S219). After the start of a program required for the prioritized function, the start control Md201 delays the start of programs required for functions other than the prioritized function by the delay time acquired by the delay time management Md202 (step S220). The delay time management Md202 acquires the resource usage status from the resource monitor Md203 (step S221).

[0035] Next, the start control module 201 starts up the programs P3 and P4 required for functions other than the priority function (step S222). The delay time management module 202 also adjusts and updates the delay time at the next start based on the resource usage status (step S223).

[0036] Table 2 below is an example of a delay time adjustment value table. As shown in Table 2, the delay time adjustment table is a table that associates CPU utilization, which is an example of resource utilization status, with an adjustment value of the delay time corresponding to the CPU utilization. The delay time management Md202 may, for example, use a delay time adjustment value table corresponding to the CPU utilization rate to apply a delay time obtained by adding an adjustment value to the currently held delay time at the next startup. [Table 2]

[0037] Table 3 below is another example of the delay time adjustment table. The delay time management Md202 has the delay time adjustment table shown in Table 3, and measures and stores the startup time until each function starts after power is turned on. The delay time management Md202 may then compare the startup time of each function with the startup time the previous time the power was turned on, and adjust the delay time based on the adjustment value in the delay time adjustment table depending on whether or not the startup time was successfully shortened. [Table 3]

[0038] Table 4 below is an example of a priority function determination table. As shown in Table 4, the second priority function determination table is a table that associates functions (functions to be used) other than the priority functions possessed by the MFP 9, programs (priority programs) required for the functions to be used, and the number of times the functions to be used are used. The launch control Md201 checks which function of the functions to be used other than the priority functions is most used by the user, and determines the order of priority programs to be launched after programs required for the priority functions based on the number of times of use. The priority function determination table is held by the launch control Md201, and the launch control Md201 enables the user to use the function he or she wants to use as soon as possible by preferentially launching priority programs required for the function to be used most frequently (the function having the highest priority among functions other than the priority functions). [Table 4]

[0039] In this way, according to the MFP9 of this embodiment, the usage status of hardware resources at the time of startup is obtained, and the delay time is adjusted so that resources can be used optimally, making it possible to use functions other than priority functions as much as possible.

[0040] The programs executed by the MFP 9 of this embodiment are provided by being pre-installed in the ROM 902a etc. The programs executed by the MFP 9 of this embodiment may be provided by being recorded in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, or a digital versatile disk (DVD) in the form of an installable or executable file.

[0041] Furthermore, the program executed by the MFP 9 of the present embodiment may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. Also, the program executed by the MFP 9 of the present embodiment may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

[0042] The program executed by the MFP9 of this embodiment has a modular structure including the above-mentioned sections (start-up control Md201, delay time management Md202, and resource monitoring Md203), and in actual hardware, a processor such as the CPU 901 reads out the program from the ROM 902a and executes it, thereby loading the above-mentioned sections into the main memory, and the start-up control Md201, delay time management Md202, and resource monitoring Md203 are generated on the main memory.

[0043] In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is described as being applied to a multifunction peripheral having at least two of the functions of a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function. However, the image forming apparatus can be applied to any image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, a scanner device, or a facsimile device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 9 MFP 201 Launch Control Md 202 Delay Time Management Md 203 Resource Monitoring Md 204 OS 205 Boot Program 901 CPU 902a ROM 902b RAM P1, P2, P3, P4 Program [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0045] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-138700 A

Claims

1. An information processing device, a delay time management module that acquires a delay time from the start of a first program required for a first function, which is a priority function, until the start of a second program required for a second function other than the first function; a start-up control module that delays the start-up of the second program by the delay time after the start-up of the first program at the time of start-up of the information processing device; a resource monitoring module that acquires a usage status of resources of the information processing device, The delay time management module adjusts and updates the delay time at the next startup based on the usage status acquired from the resource monitoring module.

2. The resource monitoring module acquires a CPU usage rate of a CPU included in the resource as the utilization status, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the delay time management module adjusts the delay time by using a delay time adjustment value defined for each of the CPU utilization rates.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the delay time management module adjusts the delay time based on whether a startup time of the first function or the second function has been shortened.

4. 4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the startup control module selects a third function that is the most highly prioritized of the second functions based on the user's usage of the functions, and after starting the first program, starts a program required for the third function with a delay of the delay time.

5. An image forming apparatus, a delay time management module that acquires a delay time from the start of a first program required for a first function, which is a priority function, until the start of a second program required for a second function other than the first function; a start-up control module that delays the start-up of the second program by the delay time after the start-up of the first program when the image forming apparatus is started; a resource monitoring module that acquires a usage status of resources of the image forming apparatus, The delay time management module adjusts and updates the delay time at the next startup based on the usage status acquired from the resource monitoring module.

6. An information processing method executed by an information processing device, obtaining a delay time from the start of a first program required for a first function, which is a priority function, until the start of a second program required for a second function other than the first function; a step of delaying the start of the second program by the delay time after the start of the first program at the time of start-up of the information processing device; acquiring a usage status of resources possessed by the information processing device; adjusting and updating the delay time at the next startup based on the acquired usage status; An information processing method comprising:

7. Computer, a delay time management module that acquires a delay time from the start of a first program required for a first function, which is a priority function among functions of the information processing device, until the start of a second program required for a second function other than the first function; a start-up control module that delays the start-up of the second program by the delay time after the start-up of the first program at the time of start-up of the information processing device; a resource monitoring module that acquires a usage status of resources possessed by the information processing device; The delay time management module is a program that adjusts and updates the delay time at the next startup based on the usage status acquired from the resource monitoring module.

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