Information processor, log management method, and log management program

Abstract

To acquire logs while preventing memory overflow without reducing an operation clock in a power-saving state or terminating the power-saving state.SOLUTION: An information processor comprises a main system, a sub-system, and a memory that can be referred to by both of the main system and the sub-system. The information processor can move into an operating state in which the main system operates and a power-saving state in which the main system stops and the sub-system operates. The sub-system comprises: a controlling unit that sets a log level for adjusting an amount of logs to be stored in the memory, on the basis of at least one of setting in the power-saving state and a frequency in which packets requiring a return from the power-saving state to the operating state are received; and a management unit for storing logs determined depending on the log level into the memory.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, a log management method, and a log management program. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a technique for acquiring logs in electronic devices and information processing devices, such as image forming devices, in order to analyze a failure that has occurred. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for monitoring a memory that temporarily stores logs in a power-saving state, and for reducing the operating clock rate to slow down the log writing speed or for ending the power-saving state in order to prevent memory overflow. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] However, in conventional technology, when the operating clock is reduced in a power-saving state to prevent overflow of the memory that stores the logs, there is a problem that processing performance is reduced, and there is also a problem that power consumption increases when the power-saving state is ended.

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an embodiment of the present invention aims to prevent memory overflow and acquire logs in a power-saving state without lowering the operating clock or terminating the power-saving state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an information processing device having a main system, a subsystem, and a memory that can be referenced from both the main system and the subsystem, wherein the information processing device can transition between an operating state in which the main system is operating and a power-saving state in which the main system is stopped and the subsystem is operating, and the subsystem has a control unit that sets a log level that adjusts the amount of logs to be stored in the memory based on at least one of the settings in the power-saving state and the frequency of receiving packets that require returning to the operating state from the power-saving state, and a management unit that stores logs determined by the log level in the memory. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in a power saving state, it is possible to prevent memory overflow and acquire a log without lowering the operating clock or terminating the power saving state. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a software configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart showing a log management process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of log levels according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a log level according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart showing a process related to log adjustment according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart showing a process related to updating a recovery counter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart showing a process related to log adjustment using a return counter according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart showing a process related to initialization of a return counter according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of an information processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, a log management method, and a log management program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0009] [First embodiment] <System Overview> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 has an operating state (image forming apparatus 1a) in which a print application or the like is running, and a power-saving state (image forming apparatus 1b) in which the application is waiting to run and only some functions are running to conserve power. The operating state refers to a state in which the main system 10 (described below) is running, while the power-saving state refers to a state in which the main system 10 (described below) is stopped and the subsystem 20 (described below) is running. In the power-saving state, volatile memory for storing temporary data remains available, but storage devices such as hard disks that consume large amounts of power due to disk drives, etc., are disabled. However, because volatile memory has a smaller storage capacity than storage devices such as hard disks, if the power-saving state continues for a long period of time, the storage space for storing logs will run out, resulting in memory overflow. Furthermore, slowing down the operating clock to prevent a shortage of storage space can result in a decrease in processing performance, and ending the power-saving state can result in an increase in power consumption. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 1 uses the following procedure to prevent a shortage of storage space and obtain necessary logs in the power-saving state. In step S1, the image forming apparatus 1b in the power-saving state can adjust the amount of logs stored in memory based on at least one of the settings at the time of transition to the power-saving state and the frequency of receiving packets requiring a return from the power-saving state to the operating state. Next, in step S2, the image forming apparatus 1b stores the logs in memory based on the adjustment made in step S1. The memory used here is a volatile memory for storing temporary data, and is commonly readable and writable in both the power-saving state and the operating state. After transitioning from the power-saving state to the operating state, in step S3, the image forming apparatus 1a in the operating state reads the logs written in the power-saving state from memory. Finally, in step S4, the image forming apparatus 1a stores the logs read from memory in step S3 in a storage device such as a hard disk. Alternatively, the image forming apparatus 1a may transmit the read logs to an external device connected via a network.Through the above process, the image forming apparatus 1 can acquire logs in the power saving state while preventing memory overflow without lowering the operating clock or terminating the power saving state.

[0010] 1 is an example. The information processing device according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the image forming device 1 in FIG. 1, but may be, for example, an information processing device including an electronic device that stores a log in a power saving state, such as a notebook computer.

[0011] <Hardware configuration example> 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus 1 is constructed using a computer, and includes a controller 101, a main system 10, a subsystem 20, an image forming unit 105, and an operation panel 107.

[0012] The controller 101 includes a power supply control means 102. The power supply control means 102 controls the power supply to the main system 10 and the subsystem 20. For example, in an operating state, the power supply control means 102 supplies power to both the main system 10 and the subsystem 20, and in a power saving state, supplies power only to the subsystem 20.

[0013] The main system 10 includes a CPU 110, an ASIC 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, a HDD 114, a NAND 115, an FCU 116, and an image processing unit 106. The CPU 110 controls the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 by executing an operating system (OS) and control programs. The ASIC 111 is an integrated circuit for image processing that realizes functions necessary for image processing. The ROM 112 is a nonvolatile memory that stores programs executed by the CPU 110. The programs are loaded onto the RAM 113 and executed by the CPU 110. The RAM 113 is a volatile memory used as a working area for the CPU 110. The HDD 114 is a large-capacity storage device that accumulates various data, including image data, document data, program code for running programs, font data, system information, user information, and the like. The NAND 115 is a nonvolatile storage medium that can read and write information faster than the HDD 114, and stores the OS, programs such as firmware, various control programs, application programs, and the like. The FCU 116 is a unit that controls a fax and temporarily stores facsimile data received, for example, when the power of the image forming apparatus 1 is turned off. The image processing unit 106 transmits image data to be printed to the plotter 116 and receives scanned image data from the scanner 117.

[0014] The subsystem 20 includes a sub-CPU 117 , a USB 118 , a NIC 119 , a sub-ROM 120 , a sub-RAM 122 , and a shared RAM 123 . The sub-CPU 117 executes the OS and control programs in place of the CPU 110 in the power-saving state. The USB 118 is a controller that controls data transmission and reception with other devices, such as client terminals, connected via a USB cable. The NIC 119 is a controller that controls communication with an external device 127, such as a client terminal, connected via a communication network 126, such as a LAN. The sub-ROM 120 is a non-volatile memory that stores programs executed by the sub-CPU 117. The sub-RAM 122 is a volatile memory used as a working area for the sub-CPU 117. The shared RAM 123 is memory that can be accessed by both the CPU 110 and the sub-CPU 117 and is used for data transmission and reception between the main system 10 and the subsystem 20. In this embodiment, the shared RAM 123 is also used as an area for storing an operation log of the subsystem 20 in the power-saving state. The sub-RAM 122 can also be used as memory that can be accessed by both the CPU 110 and the sub-CPU 117.

[0015] The image forming means 105 includes a plotter 116 and a scanner 117. The plotter 116 prints an image based on image data received from the image processing unit 106. The scanner 117 scans an image recorded on a medium such as paper, and transfers the scanned image data to the image processing unit 106.

[0016] The operation panel 107 includes an LCD 124 and an operation unit 125. The LCD 124 is a visual user interface that allows the user to check the status of the image forming apparatus 1. The operation unit 125 is a user interface that allows the user to input information to the image forming apparatus 1, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel.

[0017] <Software configuration example> 3 is a diagram showing an example of the software configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the image forming apparatus 1 is made up of a main system software group 201 and a subsystem software group 202, each of which includes modules or applications that operate on OSs 230 and 231 and BIOS (Basic Input Output Systems) 240 and 241.

[0018] The main system software group 201 includes modules such as a first control module 210, a first log management module 211, and a first status monitoring module 212, as well as applications such as a copy application 213, a scanner application 214, and a fax application 215. The first control module 210 controls the execution of the modules and applications in the main system software group 201. In the operating state, the first log management module 211 manages logs written to the shared RAM 123 and, for example, periodically stores the logs in the HDD 114 or transmits the logs to an external device 127 via the communication network 126. The logs include information about software operation used to analyze abnormalities occurring in the image forming apparatus 1 and information necessary for identifying the location of the abnormality, such as whether access to hardware was successful. In order to monitor the status of the image forming apparatus 1, the first status monitoring module 212 sends and receives state transition requests to and from a second status monitoring module 222 of the subsystem software group 202 when the image forming apparatus 1 transitions between the operating state and the power saving state. Furthermore, applications such as a copy application 213, a scanner application 214, and a fax application 215 are executed in parallel by the OS 230.

[0019] The subsystem software group 202 includes a second control module 220, a second log management module 221, a second status monitoring module 222, and a network control module 223. The second control module 220 controls the execution of modules in the subsystem software group 202. The second log management module 221 manages logs to be written to the shared RAM 123 in the power saving state, as described below. In order to monitor the state of the image forming apparatus 1, the second status monitoring module 222 transmits and receives a state transition request to and from the first status monitoring module 212 of the subsystem software group 202 when the state transitions between the operating state and the power saving state. In the operating state, the network control module 223 transmits a log to the external device 127 via the communication network 126 in response to a request from the first control module 210.

[0020] <About the function> FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a functional block configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 includes a first control unit 11, a first management unit 12, a first monitoring unit 13, a display control unit 14, and an operation reception unit 15. Each of these units is a function or means realized by the CPU 110 executing instructions contained in one or more programs installed in the image forming apparatus 1. The first storage unit 16 can be realized, for example, by a storage device such as an HDD 114 included in the image forming apparatus 1. The second storage unit 17 is a storage device that can be read and written from both the main system 10 and the subsystem 20, and can be realized, for example, by a storage device such as a shared RAM 123 included in the image forming apparatus 1.

[0021] The first control unit 11 controls modules, programs, applications, etc. that run on the main system 10, such as by executing or stopping them.

[0022] The first management unit 12 manages logs in the operating main system 10. For example, the first management unit 12 periodically deletes logs stored in the shared RAM 123 and requests the first storage unit 16 to store the logs in the HDD 114 of the image forming device 1.

[0023] The first monitoring unit 13 monitors whether or not the main system 10 in an operating state is to transition to a power saving state.

[0024] The display control unit 14 displays a setting screen for setting the log on the LCD 123 of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0025] The operation receiving unit 15 receives operations by an administrator or a user of the image forming apparatus 1 using a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel to set up logs.

[0026] The first storage unit 16 stores the log stored in the shared RAM 123 in the HDD 114 based on a request from the first management unit 12.

[0027] The second memory unit 17 stores logs output by running modules, programs, and applications in the shared RAM 123 of the image forming device 1 based on a request from the first management unit 12 in the operating state and a request from the second management unit 22 in the power saving state.

[0028] The first storage unit 16 and the second storage unit 17 may use a ring buffer to overwrite previously stored logs.

[0029] The subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 includes a second control unit 21, a second management unit 22, a second monitoring unit 23, and a communication unit 24. Each of these units is a function or means realized by the sub-CPU 117 executing commands included in one or more programs installed in the image forming apparatus 1.

[0030] The second control unit 21 controls the execution and stopping of modules, programs, etc. operating in the subsystem 20. For example, the second control unit 21 sets a log level that adjusts the amount of logs to be stored based on at least one of the settings in the power saving state and the frequency of receiving packets in the power saving state that require a return to the operating state. Furthermore, the second control unit 21 sets the log level to reduce the amount of logs to be stored when the settings in the power saving state do not include a timer for returning from the power saving state. Furthermore, the second control unit 21 sets the log level to reduce the amount of logs to be stored when the value of a counter for predicting the frequency is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold.

[0031] The second management unit 22 manages and deletes logs in the subsystem 20 in the power saving state. For example, the second management unit 22 stores in the second storage unit 17 a log determined by the log level set by the second control unit 21.

[0032] The second monitoring unit 23 monitors whether the subsystem 20 in the power saving state is to transition to the operating state.

[0033] The communication unit 24 is a communication function that the image forming apparatus 1 has, and transmits information such as logs to an external device 127 via a communication network 126, for example.

[0034] <Log management process> FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart illustrating a log management process according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this flowchart, the image forming apparatus 1 manages logs while transitioning between an operating state and a power-saving state, and adjusts logs in the power-saving state based on the settings for the power-saving state and the frequency of receiving packets that require a return to the operating state from the power-saving state. In the operating state, both the main system 10 and the subsystem 20 operate, while in the power-saving state, only the subsystem 20 operates. The process of each step in FIG. 5 will now be described.

[0035] Step S30: After the system of the image forming apparatus 1 is started up and put into an operating state, the first control unit 11 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 starts up a log management module that manages logs.

[0036] Step S31: The first management unit 12 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 manages logs. In an operating state, the second storage unit 17 of the image forming apparatus 1 stores logs output by running modules, programs, and applications in the shared RAM 123 of the image forming apparatus 1. The first management unit 12 periodically stores the logs stored in the shared RAM 123 in the HDD 114 of the image forming apparatus 1. That is, the first storage unit 16 stores the logs stored in the shared RAM 123 in the HDD 114 based on a request from the first management unit 12. Furthermore, the first management unit 12 may periodically transmit the logs to the external device 127 via the communication network 126. That is, the communication unit 24 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 transmits the logs to the external device 127 based on a request from the first management unit 12.

[0037] Step S32: The first control unit 11 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 controls the execution and stopping of normally operating modules, programs, applications, etc. as the execution of normal operations in the operating state.

[0038] Step S33: The first monitoring unit 13 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 monitors whether to transition to a power saving state, for example, based on whether a user operation has been performed for a certain period of time or more. If the first monitoring unit 13 determines that the image forming apparatus 1 should transition to a power saving state, it transitions the process to step S34; otherwise, it transitions the process to step S32.

[0039] Step S34: The first control unit 11 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 requests the first management unit 12 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 to stop log management. Based on the request from the first control unit 11, the first management unit 12 stops log management.

[0040] Step S35: The first control unit 11 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 stops, for example, running modules, programs, applications, etc., in preparation for transitioning to the power saving state.

[0041] Step S36: The first control unit 11 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 notifies the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 of a request to transition to a power saving state. This transition may be called a transition to STR (Suspend To RAM) because some functions are stopped (suspended) while data remains stored in RAM.

[0042] Step S37: The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 controls the execution or stopping of normally operating modules and programs, etc., as the execution of normal operations in the power saving state. The communication unit 24 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 receives the packet transmitted for an instruction, inquiry, etc.

[0043] Step S38: The second management unit 22 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 stores logs output by modules, programs, etc. operating in the subsystem 20 in the memory (shared RAM 123) of the image forming apparatus 1. That is, the second storage unit 17 stores the logs in the shared RAM 123 based on a request from the second management unit 22. The second management unit 22 also executes a log adjustment process to adjust the amount of logs to be stored. Details of this process will be described later.

[0044] Step S39: The second monitoring unit 23 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 monitors whether to transition to an operating state based on the contents of a packet received by the communication unit 24 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1. For example, the second monitoring unit 23 determines whether processing such as an automatic response is possible for the packet received by the communication unit 24, and if it determines that a packet that cannot be handled by an automatic response has been received, it decides to transition from the power-saving state to an operating state, i.e., to return. This transition is referred to as a return due to packet reception. If the second monitoring unit 23 determines that the state should be transitioned to an operating state, it transitions the process to step S40; if not, it transitions the process to step S37.

[0045] Step S40: The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 prepares to transition to an operating state.

[0046] Step S41: The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 requests the first control unit 11 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 to transition to an operating state.

[0047] Step S42: The first control unit 11 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 restarts the log management module that executes the process of managing logs.

[0048] Step S43: The first management unit 12 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 stores the log stored in the shared RAM 123 in the power saving state in the HDD 114 of the image forming apparatus 1. That is, the first storage unit 16 stores the log stored in the shared RAM 123 in the HDD 114 based on a request from the first management unit 12. Furthermore, the first management unit 12 may periodically transmit the log to the external device 127 via the communication network 126. That is, the communication unit 24 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 transmits the log to the external device 127 based on a request from the first management unit 12. Thereafter, the processing of step S31 and the subsequent steps are repeatedly executed.

[0049] <log level> The log levels adjusted in the log adjustment process (step S38) will be described. The log level is set so that the lower the level, the smaller the amount of logs stored. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of log levels according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 6, the log level has values ​​of 0, 1, and 2, and the smaller the value, the lower the log level. Furthermore, the importance of the logs to be stored is set for each log level.

[0050] When the log level is 0, only logs with high importance, such as logs necessary for analysis of error logs, are recorded, thereby minimizing the amount of logs stored. When the log level is 1, logs with importance up to the log warning level that are useful for analysis but not essential for analysis are stored. When the log level is 2, all normal processing logs are stored, resulting in the largest amount of logs stored. The log level and the type of log to be stored may be associated and stored in advance, so that when a log is generated in a subsystem in power saving mode, it may be determined whether it corresponds to a log to be saved at the set log level.

[0051] Alternatively, at the log level, settings may be made such that storage is mandatory (output MUST) for logs to be stored, or that logs are stored when certain conditions are met (such as when there is sufficient storage capacity) (output WANT). Also, at the log level, settings may be made for each module that outputs logs (each type of log) so that, for example, output of logs output by modules that always operate in a power-saving state is suppressed (importance is set low), and output of logs output only when an error occurs is not suppressed (importance is set high).

[0052] 7 is a diagram illustrating log levels according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the lower the log level (the smaller the log level value), the less storage space the stored logs occupy.

[0053] <Log adjustment process (1)> The log adjustment process executed in step S38 of FIG. 5 will now be described in detail. If the notification information sent when a request to transition to a power-saving state is made does not include information indicating a timer-based return from the power-saving state (e.g., the time to return to the operating state), the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 predicts that the image forming apparatus will not periodically return from the power-saving state and the number of stored logs will increase. Therefore, the second control unit 21 lowers the log level to suppress (reduce) the amount of stored logs. The notification information may further include information regarding the timer value when returning from the power-saving state, information regarding the type of packet that, when received, requires a return from the power-saving state to the operating state, and information regarding the type of packet to be automatically responded to when received. This process will now be described using a flowchart. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart illustrating the log adjustment process according to an embodiment of the present invention. The process of each step in FIG. 8 will now be described.

[0054] Step S50: The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming device 1 checks whether the request for transition to the power saving state notified in step S36 of FIG. 5 includes information indicating a return from the power saving state by a timer (timer return).

[0055] Step S51: If the timer reset is not included in step S51, the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming device 1 transitions the processing to step S52, and if the timer reset is included, ends the processing of this flowchart.

[0056] Step S52: The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 determines to make an adjustment to reduce the amount of logs to be stored and executes a setting to lower the log level. For example, the second control unit 21 may set the level at which the amount of stored data is greatest (e.g., level 2) when a request to transition from the operating state to the power-saving state is received, and may lower the level one level lower (e.g., level 1) if the notification information notified at the time of the request to transition to the power-saving state includes information indicating a return from the power-saving state by a timer. Alternatively, the level may be lowered from the level at which the amount of stored data is greatest to the level at which the amount of stored data is least.

[0057] <Modification of log adjustment process (1)> Even if the timer recovery information is included in step S51, if the time required to return to the operating state is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 may execute a setting to lower the log level. The reason for this is that, for example, if the time required to return to the operating state is long, the power saving state may continue for a long time.

[0058] <Log adjustment process (2)> The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 adjusts the log level based on whether recovery due to packet reception is repeated within a certain period of time, i.e., based on the frequency with which the packet is received. The process of updating the recovery counter for detecting the repetition will be described below using a flowchart. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart illustrating the process of updating the recovery counter according to an embodiment of the present invention. The process of each step in FIG. 9 will be described below.

[0059] Step S60: When the image forming apparatus 1 transitions to the power saving state, the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 starts the energy saving timer to count the elapsed time since the image forming apparatus 1 transitioned to the power saving state.

[0060] Step S61: If a return from the power saving state to the operating state occurs due to the reception of a packet, the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 transitions the process to step S62, and if the reception of the packet does not result in a return to the operating state, ends the process of this flowchart. Examples of packets that return to the operating state include a print request packet and a packet that cannot be processed by the sub-CPU 117 of the subsystem 20.

[0061] Step S62: If the time on the timer started in step S60 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming device 1 transitions the process to step S63; if not, the second control unit 21 transitions the process to step S64.

[0062] Step S63: The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 increments the recovery counter (increases the value by 1).

[0063] Step S64: The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 prepares to return to an operating state.

[0064] Step S65: The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 stops the energy saving timer, and ends the process of this flowchart.

[0065] Next, a process for adjusting a log level using a recovery counter will be described. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart showing a process related to log adjustment using a recovery counter according to an embodiment of the present invention. The process of each step in Fig. 10 will be described below.

[0066] Step S70: After transitioning to the power saving state, the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming device 1 transitions the processing to step S71 if the recovery counter is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, and terminates the processing of this flowchart if not.

[0067] Step S71: The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 lowers the log level. That is, the second control unit 21 predicts that recovery due to packet reception will not occur within a certain period of time, and thereby reduces the amount of logs to be stored by lowering the log level.

[0068] On the other hand, in step S70, if the recovery counter is less than a predetermined threshold, the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming device 1 predicts that recovery will occur due to the reception of a packet within a certain period of time, and does not change the log level or reduce the amount of logs to be stored.

[0069] Next, the process of initializing the return counter will be described. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a flowchart showing the process of initializing the return counter according to an embodiment of the present invention. The process of each step in Fig. 11 will be described below.

[0070] Step S80: The first control unit 11 of the main system 10 of the image forming apparatus 1 executes normal operations in the operating state.

[0071] Step S81: The first monitoring unit 13 of the main system 10 of the image forming device 1 monitors whether or not to transition to a power saving state, and if it determines that the image forming device 1 will return to a power saving state, transitions the processing to step S82; if not, transitions the processing to step S80.

[0072] Step S82: If the recovery is due to packet reception, the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming device 1 transitions the processing to step S84, and if the recovery is due to timer expiration, transitions the processing to step S83.

[0073] Step S83: If recovery occurs due to a factor other than recovery due to packet reception, the second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 initializes the recovery counter by setting it to an initial value. Factors other than recovery due to packet reception include, for example, detecting an operation on the operation panel, or detecting that a document has been placed on the ADF or contact glass of the image forming apparatus. The recovery counter is intended to detect a tendency for periodic recovery due to a factor of recovery due to packet reception, so if recovery occurs midway due to a factor other than recovery due to packet reception, it can be assumed that there is no such tendency, and the value of the recovery counter is initialized.

[0074] Step S84: The second control unit 21 of the subsystem 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 prepares to return to an operating state.

[0075] According to the above-described embodiment, in the power-saving state, it is possible to prevent memory overflow and acquire logs without lowering the operating clock or terminating the power-saving state. Furthermore, even if the power-saving state continues for a long time, it is possible to prevent the loss of highly important logs.

[0076] Although several forms for carrying out the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0077] For example, the example of the functional block configuration diagram in FIG. 4 is divided according to main functions to make it easier to understand the processing by the image forming apparatus 1. The method of dividing the processing units and their names do not limit the present invention. The processing in the image forming apparatus 1 can be divided into even more processing units depending on the processing content. Also, it can be divided so that one processing unit includes even more processing.

[0078] Furthermore, each function of the above-described embodiments can be realized by one or more processing circuits. Here, the term "processing circuit" in this specification includes a processor programmed to perform each function by software, such as a processor implemented by an electronic circuit, as well as devices such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and conventional circuit modules designed to perform each of the above-described functions.

[0079] Additionally, the described devices represent only one of several computing environments for implementing the embodiments disclosed herein. In one embodiment, image forming apparatus 1 includes multiple computing devices, such as a server cluster, configured to communicate with each other via any type of communication link, including a network, shared memory, etc., and to perform the processes disclosed herein.

[0080] For example, aspects of the present invention are as follows.

[0081] <1> An information processing device having a main system, a subsystem, and a memory that can be accessed by both the main system and the subsystem, wherein the information processing device can transition between an operating state in which the main system operates and a power-saving state in which the main system is stopped and the subsystem operates, and the subsystem has a control unit that sets a log level that adjusts the amount of logs to be stored in the memory based on at least one of the settings in the power-saving state and the frequency of receiving packets that require a return to the operating state from the power-saving state, and a management unit that stores logs determined by the log level in the memory.

[0082] <2> When a timer for returning from the power saving state to the operating state is not set in the settings for the power saving state, the control unit sets the log level so as to reduce the amount of logs to be stored. <1> The information processing device is described in the above.

[0083] <3> the control unit sets the log level so as to reduce the amount of logs to be stored when the value of the counter for predicting the frequency is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value; <1> The information processing device is described in the above.

[0084] <4> The importance of the logs stored in the memory is predetermined for each type, and the importance of the logs stored in the memory is set by the log level. <1> and the above <3> 1 is an information processing device according to any one of the preceding claims.

[0085] <5> The memory uses a ring buffer to overwrite and store logs that have been previously stored. <1> The information processing device is described in the above.

[0086] <6> The log level has a plurality of levels set according to the amount of logs to be stored. <1> The information processing device is described in the above.

[0087] <7> the control unit sets a timer for the time it takes for the power saving state to return to the operating state from the power saving state, and when the time set by the timer is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, sets the log level so as to reduce the amount of logs to be stored; <1> The information processing device is described in the above.

[0088] <8> The value of the counter is counted when a packet requiring a return from the power-saving state to the operating state is received after a predetermined time has elapsed since the operating state was switched to the power-saving state. <3> The information processing device is described in the above.

[0089] <9> When the device returns to an operating state due to a factor other than the reception of the packet, the value of the counter counted up to now is initialized. <8> The information processing device is described in the above.

[0090] <10> A log management method executed by an information processing device having a main system, a subsystem, and a memory that can be referenced from both the main system and the subsystem, and that can transition between an operating state in which the main system is operating and a power-saving state in which the main system is stopped and the subsystem is operating, the log management method comprising the steps of: setting a log level that adjusts the amount of logs to be stored in the memory based on at least one of the settings in the power-saving state and the frequency of receiving packets that require a return to the operating state from the power-saving state; and storing logs determined by the log level in the memory.

[0091] <11> A log management program that causes an information processing device having a main system, a subsystem, and a memory that can be referenced from both the main system and the subsystem, and that can transition between an operating state in which the main system is operating and a power-saving state in which the main system is stopped and the subsystem is operating, to execute the following steps: setting a log level that adjusts the amount of logs to be stored in the memory based on at least one of the settings in the power-saving state and the frequency of receiving packets that require a return to the operating state from the power-saving state; and storing the logs determined by the log level in the memory. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 1, 1a, 1b Image forming device 10 Main System 11 First Control Section 12 1st Management Department 13 1st Monitoring Department 14 Display control unit 15 Operation reception section 16 1st memory section 17 2nd memory section 20 Subsystems 21 Second Control Section 22 2nd Management Department 23 2nd Monitoring Department 24 Communications Department [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0093] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2010-246096

Claims

1. An information processing device having a main system, a subsystem, and a memory that can be referenced from both the main system and the subsystem, the information processing device is capable of transitioning between an operating state in which the main system operates and a power saving state in which the main system stops and the subsystem operates, The subsystem comprises: a control unit that sets a log level to adjust the amount of logs to be stored in the memory based on at least one of a setting in the power saving state and a frequency of receiving packets that require the device to return to an operating state from the power saving state; a management unit that stores a log determined by the log level in the memory; An information processing device having the above.

2. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets the log level so as to reduce the amount of logs stored when a timer for returning from the power saving state to the operating state is not set in the settings for the power saving state.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit sets the log level so as to reduce the amount of logs to be stored when the value of the counter for predicting the frequency is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the logs stored in the memory are assigned a predetermined importance level for each type of log, and the importance level of the logs stored in the memory is set according to the log level.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the memory uses a ring buffer to overwrite previously stored logs.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the log level has a plurality of levels set according to an amount of log data to be stored.

7. 2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets a timer for returning from the power saving state to the operating state in the power saving state, and when the time set on the timer is equal to or longer than a predetermined time, sets the log level so as to reduce the amount of logs stored.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the counter value is counted when a packet requiring a return from the power-saving state to the operating state is received after a predetermined time has elapsed since the information processing apparatus shifted from the operating state to the power-saving state.

9. The information processing device according to claim 8 , wherein the counter is configured to initialize a current count value when the information processing device returns to an operating state due to a factor other than the reception of the packet.

10. A log management method executed by an information processing device having a main system, a subsystem, and a memory that can be referenced by both the main system and the subsystem, and capable of transitioning between an operating state in which the main system operates and a power saving state in which the main system is stopped and the subsystem operates, comprising: setting a log level that adjusts the amount of logs to be stored in the memory based on at least one of the setting in the power saving state and the frequency of receiving packets that require the device to return to an operating state from the power saving state; storing a log determined by the log level in the memory; A log management method comprising:

11. An information processing device having a main system, a subsystem, and a memory that can be referenced by both the main system and the subsystem, and capable of transitioning between an operating state in which the main system operates and a power saving state in which the main system stops and the subsystem operates, setting a log level that adjusts the amount of logs to be stored in the memory based on at least one of the setting in the power saving state and the frequency of receiving packets that require the device to return to an operating state from the power saving state; storing a log determined by the log level in the memory; A log management program that runs

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