Electrical equipment

Abstract

This technology provides the ability to detect the state of electrical equipment in each power mode with a relatively simple configuration and processing. [Solution] An electrical device comprising: a first control means for controlling the electrical device; a second control means for controlling the power mode of the first control means; and at least one detection means for detecting the state of the electrical device, wherein the power mode of the first control means includes a first power mode and a second power mode having less power consumption than the first power mode, and the second control means monitors the detection result of the detection means in the first power mode and the second power mode, and notifies the first control means when the detection result of the detection means changes.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to power control technology for electrical equipment.

Background Art

[0002] In order to reduce power consumption, there is known an electrical device that shifts its power mode to a power-saving mode when predetermined conditions are satisfied and returns to the normal power mode when a return factor is established. Even during the power-saving mode, there is known a technique for detecting a change in the state of an electrical device. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a device having a sensor that requires detection only in the power-saving mode and a sensor that requires detection in both the power-saving mode and the normal mode, and including a power supply that operates constantly and a power supply that operates only in the normal mode.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When monitoring the detection result of a sensor in the power-saving mode, a monitoring circuit different from the control circuit that is put into a standby state in the power-saving mode is required. When the control circuit attempts to obtain the detection result of the sensor in the normal mode, the communication between the control circuit and the monitoring circuit may become complicated, or the circuit configuration between these circuits may become complicated.

[0005] The present invention provides a technique capable of detecting the state of an electrical device with a relatively simple configuration and process in each power mode.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, an electrical device, A first control means for controlling the aforementioned electrical equipment, A second control means for controlling the power mode of the first control means, The system comprises at least one detection means for detecting the state of the electrical equipment, The power modes of the first control means include a first power mode and a second power mode having lower power consumption than the first power mode. The second control means is The detection results of the detection means are monitored in the first power mode and the second power mode, and the first control means is notified when the detection results of the detection means change. An electrical device characterized by the above is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology that can detect the state of electrical equipment in each power mode with a relatively simple configuration and processing. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] External view of an electrical device relating to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal mechanism of the electrical equipment. [Figure 3] Block diagram of the control unit of the electrical equipment shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Block diagram of the motor control circuit. [Figure 5] (A) and (B) are flowcharts showing control examples. [Figure 6] A flowchart illustrating a control example. [Figure 7] A flowchart illustrating a control example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention to the claims. While the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any way. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0010] <Overview of electrical equipment> Figure 1 is an external view of an electrical device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the front, and Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal mechanism of the electrical device 1. The electrical device 1 of this embodiment is an inkjet recording device that ejects ink as a liquid and records it on a recording medium, but the present invention is also applicable to various electrical devices other than inkjet recording devices. In the figures, arrows X and Y indicate mutually orthogonal horizontal directions, and arrow Z indicates the vertical direction (direction of gravity). The X direction is the width direction (left-right direction) of the electrical device 1. The Y direction is the depth direction of the electrical device 1.

[0011] Furthermore, "recording" includes not only cases where meaningful information such as characters and figures is formed, but also broadly cases where images, patterns, etc. are formed on a recording medium, or where the medium is processed, regardless of whether it is meaningful or not, and does not depend on whether or not it is manifested in a way that can be perceived visually by humans.In addition, in this embodiment, a sheet of paper is assumed as the "recording medium," but it may also be cloth, plastic film, etc.

[0012] The electric device 1 includes a main body 20, a scanner unit 17 that performs a document reading operation, and an operation unit 18 that enables a user to perform operations such as command input. The scanner unit 17 is disposed above the main body 20 and is an opening / closing part that can be opened and closed with respect to the main body 20 in the direction of arrow D1. The scanner unit 17 also functions as a cover member that covers the inside of the main body 20. By opening the scanner unit 17, the user can access the inside of the main body 20. The operation unit 18 has, for example, a power key. The user can give an instruction to turn on the power and an instruction to turn off the power to the electric device 1 by operating the power key. By operating the power key, the electric device 1 transitions between a power-on state (soft-on state) and a power-off state (soft-off state).

[0013] A plurality of ink tanks 15 for storing ink are provided at the front of the main body 20. Each ink tank 15 stores ink of a different type. For example, it stores ink of different colors. By opening the scanner unit 17, it is possible to perform ink replenishment work on the ink tank 15 and the like.

[0014] A recording mechanism is provided in the main body 20. The main body 20 includes a feeding unit 50 that feeds a recording medium, a conveying roller 16 that conveys the recording medium, and a discharging unit 40 that discharges the recording medium. The conveying roller 16 receives drive from a conveying motor 201 via a gear.

[0015] The feeding unit 50 feeds the recording medium loaded in the paper feed cassette 41 or the recording medium loaded in the foldable rear tray 42. The fed recording medium is conveyed by the conveying roller 16. The recording head 13 discharges the ink supplied from the ink tank 15 onto the recording medium. The recording head 13 has a discharge surface formed with a plurality of nozzles for discharging ink. Each nozzle is provided with, for example, an electrothermal conversion element (heater). The electrothermal conversion element is heated by energization to foam the ink, and discharges the ink with the foaming energy. The recording medium on which the recording is completed is discharged from the discharging unit 40 to the outside of the electric device 1.

[0016] The recording head 13 is mounted on the carriage 12. The carriage 12 is moved in the main scanning direction (X direction) intersecting the conveyance direction (Y direction) of the recording medium by a drive mechanism having the carriage motor 204 as a drive source. The drive mechanism is a belt transmission mechanism in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the conveyance direction and the main scanning direction are orthogonal. The recording head 13 mounted on the carriage 12 performs a recording operation of discharging ink droplets while moving in the main scanning direction to record an image for one band on the recording medium. When an image for one band is recorded on the recording medium, the recording medium is conveyed in the conveyance direction by a predetermined amount by the conveyance roller 16 (intermittent conveyance operation). By repeating this recording operation for one band and the intermittent conveyance operation, an image is recorded on the entire recording medium.

[0017] As described above, the electric device 1 of this embodiment is a serial type inkjet recording apparatus in which the recording head 13 is mounted on the reciprocating carriage 12. However, the present invention is also applicable to other recording apparatuses such as an inkjet recording apparatus provided with a recording head of a so-called full line head in which a plurality of nozzles for discharging liquid are provided in a region corresponding to the width of the recording medium.

[0018] A maintenance unit 19 is provided at one end of the movement range of the carriage 12. The maintenance unit 19 maintains and restores the liquid discharge performance of the recording head 13. When the period during which the recording head 13 does not discharge ink is long, the nozzles may become clogged. It is necessary to periodically perform a recovery operation for such a performance degradation of the recording head 13. The maintenance unit 19 includes, for example, a capping member that caps the discharge surface of the recording head 13, a pump that sucks liquid from the recording head 13 through the capping member, and the like. Drying of the nozzles can be prevented by capping. By suction by the pump, ink with increased viscosity can be discharged from the nozzles.

[0019] <Control Unit> Figure 3 is a block diagram of the control unit 11 of the electrical device 1. The control unit 11 is an electrical circuit that controls the electrical device 1, and the external input device 210 is a device that provides recorded data to the electrical device 1, such as a personal computer (PC), smartphone, or storage device. The control unit 11 includes a main control circuit 100, a power supply circuit 115, and a motor control circuit 120.

[0020] The main control circuit 100 includes a CPU 101, an ASIC 102, and a memory device (DDR) 113. The CPU 101 is a processor that controls the entire electrical device 1, and the ASIC 102 is an integrated circuit that performs hardware control specific to the electrical device 1. The ASIC 102 includes an external interface circuit 103, a CPU interface circuit 104, a memory control circuit 105, an SRAM 106, an image data processing circuit 107, an ejected image generation circuit 108, a head drive control circuit 109, and a device body drive circuit 110.

[0021] Data is input to the external interface circuit 103 from the external input device 210. The external interface circuit 103 includes interface circuits connected to the external input device 210, such as a USB interface circuit, a wireless communication interface circuit, a LAN interface circuit, and an IDE interface circuit. The CPU interface circuit 104 is connected to the CPU 101 and controls communication between each block in the ASIC 102 from the CPU 101.

[0022] The memory control circuit 105 is connected to the external IF circuit 103, SRAM 106, image data processing circuit 107, ejected image generation circuit 108, head drive control circuit 109, and DDR 113. The memory control circuit 105 transfers image data input from the external input device 210 to the SRAM 106, and also controls the reading and writing of data to the SRAM 106 and DDR 113. The SRAM 106 is a work buffer in which image data is divided into specific sizes and stored. The number of SRAM 106 units may correspond to the number of ink colors or nozzles to be ejected.

[0023] The image data processing circuit 107 performs image processing on the image data stored in the SRAM 106. Image processing here refers to, but is not limited to, processes such as boundary processing, edge processing, HV conversion, smoothing, and interpolation.

[0024] The ejected image generation circuit 108 converts the processed image data into data in a format compatible with the nozzle of the recording head 13 (hereinafter referred to as ejected image data). The head drive control circuit 109 transfers the ejected image data to the recording head 13 and drives the recording head 13 to perform the ejection operation.

[0025] DDR113 is a receive buffer externally connected to the ASIC102. DDR113 stores image data that has undergone image correction processing. The main device drive circuit 110 generates and transmits control signals and power control signals for driving the transport motor 201 and carriage motor 204. The main device drive circuit 110 also acquires the detection results of each sensor group 111.

[0026] The power supply circuit 115 generates DC power from the commercial power supply 200 and supplies power to each part of the electrical equipment 1. In this embodiment, the power supply circuit 115 generates DC power from the commercial power supply 200, but it may also be configured to generate power from an AC adapter or a battery pack.

[0027] The motor control circuit 120 controls the transport motor 201 and the carriage motor 204 based on control data transferred from the main drive circuit 110 of the device. In this embodiment, there are two motors to be controlled, but there may be three or more.

[0028] In this embodiment, the motor control circuit 120 functions not only to control the drive of the transport motor 201 and the carriage motor 204, but also as a power control circuit that switches the power mode of the main control circuit 100. By using the motor control circuit 120 as a power control circuit as well, the number of circuit components can be reduced. Note that the motor control circuit 120 may also be a control circuit that controls actuators other than motors. In this embodiment, the power modes of the main control circuit 100 are two types: normal mode and power-saving mode. However, there may be three or more power modes. In power-saving mode, the power consumption of the main control circuit 100 is less than in normal mode. In this embodiment, in power-saving mode, the power supply to the main control circuit 100 is cut off.

[0029] Sensor groups 111 and 112 are a collective term for the sensors provided by electrical equipment 1, and each of these sensors detects a different target. Sensor group 111 requires monitoring in normal mode but does not require monitoring in power-saving mode. Sensor group 112 requires monitoring in both normal mode and power-saving mode. Sensor group 112 is connected to the motor control circuit 120, and power is supplied to both sensor group 112 and the motor control circuit 120 even in power-saving mode.

[0030] Figure 4 is a block diagram of the motor control circuit 120. The motor control circuit 120 includes an interface (IF) circuit 121, a device control circuit 122, a group of registers 123, a DC / DC control circuit 124, DC / DC 125a to 125c, and a sensor control circuit 127. Furthermore, the motor control circuit 120 includes an interrupt control circuit 128, an abnormality detection circuit 129, and a motor drive circuit 126.

[0031] The interface circuit 121 is connected to the ASIC 102. The interface circuit 121 controls the communication of control data between the ASIC 102's main drive circuit 110 and the device control circuit 122, and also controls interrupt requests to the ASIC 102.

[0032] The device control circuit 122 is connected to the interface circuit 121, register 123, DC / DC control circuit 124, sensor control circuit 127, interrupt control circuit 128, anomaly detection circuit 129, and motor drive circuit 126. The device control circuit 122 analyzes the control data transferred from the main control circuit 100 via the interface circuit 121 and controls each circuit within the motor control circuit 120.

[0033] Register 123 stores various types of information. For example, it stores information such as the motor control status, power supply control status, the internal frequency of the motor control circuit 120, the status of the sensor group 112, and abnormal conditions.

[0034] The DC / DC control circuit 124 controls the on / off state, on / off timing, generated voltage, switching frequency, and on / off state of the DC / DC 125a and 125b, as well as the on / off state of the DC / DC 125a and 125b. The DC / DC 125a and 125b generate the power supply voltages supplied to each part of the recording device 1 from the voltage VM supplied from the power supply circuit. For example, DC / DC 125a generates a 1.1V power supply voltage V1 for the internal logic, and DC / DC 125b generates a 3.3V power supply voltage V3 for the external ports. These power supply voltages V1 and V3 are supplied to the main control circuit 100 in normal mode and are cut off in power-saving mode. Regardless of the power mode of the main control circuit 100, DC / DC 125c generates the power supply voltage used by the motor control circuit 120 from the voltage VM supplied from the power supply circuit. Note that the DC / DC configuration shown here is just an example, and the types of voltages generated by the DC / DC and the number of DC / DCs are not necessarily limited to this.

[0035] A sensor group 112 is connected to the sensor control circuit 127. The sensor group 112 includes sensors that detect the state of electrical equipment 1 in power-saving mode. Examples of such sensors in this embodiment include a cassette sensor, a rear paper feed sensor, and a cover sensor. The cassette sensor detects the insertion or removal of the paper feed cassette 41. If insertion or removal is detected by the cassette sensor, it is possible that the type of recording medium has been changed. The rear paper feed sensor detects the loading of a recording medium into the rear tray 42. If the detection result of the rear paper feed sensor changes, it is possible that the recording medium has been lost or that the type of recording medium has been changed. The cover sensor detects the opening and closing of the scanner unit 17. If the scanner unit 17 is opened, it is possible that ink has been replenished in the ink tank 15.

[0036] When the detection result of the sensors in sensor group 112 changes, the state change is recorded in register 123. One method for recording the state change is to write 1 bit to register 123 when the sensor output changes from High to Low, Low to High, or both. Another method is to use 1 bit for each change from High to Low and Low to High, for a total of 2 bits.

[0037] The sensor control circuit 127 can control which of the sensor group 112 is monitored, depending on the operating mode of the electrical device 1 in normal mode. Operating modes include, for example, a recording operation mode for recording to a recording medium and a recovery operation mode in which the maintenance unit 19 restores the ejection performance of the recording head 13. During the recovery operation mode, even if the detection results of the cassette sensor or the rear paper feed sensor change, no corresponding processing is performed. When the recovery operation mode is set, the sensor control circuit 127 can disable monitoring of these sensors, thereby reducing the processing load.

[0038] The interrupt control circuit 128 is a circuit that controls whether or not to notify the main control circuit 100 of an interrupt request based on the detection results of the sensor group 112. The sensor control circuit 127 determines the active sensor according to the operating mode, and when a change occurs in the detection result of the active sensor, an interrupt signal is output from the interrupt control circuit 128 to the device control circuit 122. The device control circuit sends the interrupt request to the main control circuit 100 via the interface circuit 121. When an interrupt request is generated, interrupt information indicating that an interrupt request has been generated is recorded in register 123. When an interrupt clear command is received from the main control circuit 100, the interrupt information in register 123 is cleared, the interrupt request is also cleared, and it becomes possible to generate the next interrupt request. The interrupt signal from the interrupt control circuit 128 to the device control circuit 122 can be output as a pulse or at a High or Low level.

[0039] The abnormality detection circuit 129 detects abnormalities such as overcurrent, overvoltage, undervoltage, and chip temperature. Any detected abnormalities are notified to the main control circuit 100. The motor drive circuit 126 has circuits for driving two motors, motors 201 and 204. The motors can be either DC motors or stepping motors.

[0040] <Power Control> Next, we will explain power control using the motor control circuit 120, specifically the control of the normal mode and the power-saving mode. When the power supply circuit 115 is connected to the commercial power supply 200, the power supply circuit 115 generates a DC power supply voltage VM. When voltage VM is applied to the motor control circuit 120, it first generates a power supply voltage V1 from DC / DC 125a, and then generates a power supply voltage V3 from DC / DC 125b. This prepares the main control circuit 100 for startup. When the main control circuit 100 starts up, it makes the peripheral circuits operational according to the state of the electrical equipment 1. This is the normal mode.

[0041] In power-saving mode, the generation of power supply voltages V1 and V3 for DC / DC125a and 125b is stopped. When switching from normal mode to power-saving mode, the main control circuit 100 sends a power mode switching instruction to the motor control circuit 120, and the device control circuit 122 controls the DC / DC control circuit 124. This stops the generation of power supply voltages V1 and V3 for DC / DC125a and 125b. This switches to power-saving mode. Even in power-saving mode, power is supplied to the device control circuit 122, and monitoring of the sensor group 112 is possible.

[0042] <Example of processing> Next, an example of processing performed by the control unit 11 will be described with reference to Figure 5(A). Figure 5(A) is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the motor control circuit 120 and the main control circuit 100 when transitioning from normal mode to power-saving mode.

[0043] In normal mode, when a specific transition event occurs, the main control circuit 100 starts a stop process to switch to power-saving mode (S1). Specific transition events include, for example, a power-off instruction from the user or the expiration of a predetermined idle time. The stop process includes sending a stop notification to the motor control circuit 120 indicating that the power mode is being switched to power-saving mode.

[0044] Upon receiving a stop notification, the motor control circuit 120 controls the DC / DC control circuit 124 via the device control circuit 122 to stop generating the power supply voltages for DC / DC 125a and 125b (S2). Power supply to the main control circuit 100 is cut off, and the electrical device 1 enters a soft-off state. The device control circuit 122 executes the processing for power saving mode (S3).

[0045] Figure 5(B) is a flowchart showing an example of processing in S3's power-saving mode. In power-saving mode, the detection results of the cassette sensor, rear paper feed sensor, and cover sensor among the sensor group 112 are monitored.

[0046] In S11, it is determined whether or not there has been a change in the state of the cover sensor. If the cover sensor detects that the scanner unit 17 has been opened, the process proceeds to S12, and the change in the state of the cover sensor (information indicating that the scanner unit 17 has been opened) is recorded in register 123.

[0047] In S13, it is determined whether or not there has been a change in the state of the cassette sensor. If the cassette sensor detects that the paper feed cassette 41 has been opened, the process proceeds to S14, and the change in the state of the cassette sensor (information indicating that the paper feed cassette 41 has been opened) is recorded in register 123.

[0048] In S15, it is determined whether or not there has been a change in the state of the rear paper feed sensor. If the rear paper feed sensor detects that a recording medium has been set (loaded), the process proceeds to S16, and the change in the state of the rear paper feed sensor (information indicating that a recording medium has been set) is recorded in register 123.

[0049] For the sake of simplicity, the explanation here describes a flow in which the sensor processing is performed sequentially, but the processing of the cover sensor, cassette sensor, and rear paper feed sensor can be done in parallel. In other words, when a state transition occurs in any of the sensors, the sensor control circuit 127 of the motor control circuit 120 detects it and records a specific value in the register 123.

[0050] In S17, it is determined whether or not a reason for returning from power-saving mode to normal mode has occurred. If a reason for returning has occurred, the processing in power-saving mode ends; otherwise, the process returns to S11 and the same processing is repeated. An example of a reason for returning is a power-on operation by the user. For example, the sensor group 112 includes a sensor that detects a power-on operation, and the device control circuit 122 monitors the state change of that sensor.

[0051] Upon the occurrence of a recovery factor, the power mode transitions from power-saving mode to normal mode. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the process during the transition.

[0052] In S11, the device control circuit 122 of the motor control circuit 120 controls the DC / DC control circuit to start generating the power supply voltage using DC / DC 125a and 125b. Power is supplied to the main control circuit 100, and the main control circuit 100 starts up (S21).

[0053] In S12, the device control circuit 122 of the motor control circuit 120 determines whether there is a record of a sensor state change in register 123. If there is no record of a state change, the process proceeds to S15, and normal processing (processing in normal mode) begins. If there is a record of a state change, the process proceeds to S13. In S13, the device control circuit 122 sends a notification as an interrupt request to the main control circuit 100 via the interface circuit 121.

[0054] In S22, the main control circuit 100 determines whether or not there is a notification from the motor control circuit 120. If there is no notification, the process proceeds to S25, and normal processing (processing in normal mode) begins. If there is a notification, it requests detection information from the motor control circuit 120 indicating the sensor detection content that changed during power saving mode (S23). Upon receiving this request, the device control circuit 122 of the motor control circuit 120 reads the information from register 123 to generate detection information and transmits it to the main control circuit 100 via interface circuit 121 (S14).

[0055] The main control circuit 100 executes corresponding processing based on the received detection information. For example, if the cassette sensor is detected to be open, it notifies the user that the recording medium has been changed during power saving mode and prompts them to set the type of recording medium, etc. If the cover sensor is detected to be open, it notifies the user to confirm whether or not the ink has been refilled. If the setting of a recording medium in the rear tray 42 is detected, it notifies the user to set the type of recording medium, etc.

[0056] Next, an example of the processing of the control unit 11 based on the detection results of the sensor group 112 in normal mode will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 7. In this embodiment, as described above, it is possible to control which of the sensor group 112 is monitored according to the operating mode of the electrical equipment 1. Figure 7 shows an example of this processing.

[0057] When a new operating mode is set, the main control circuit 100 notifies the motor control circuit 120 of the operating mode (S31). Upon receiving the notification of the operating mode, the device control circuit 122 of the motor control circuit 120 sets its internal settings to the received operating mode and performs a mask setting for the sensor control circuit 127 to select the sensors to be enabled (S41).

[0058] For example, during recovery operation, changes in the state of the cassette sensor or rear paper feed sensor do not affect the recovery operation. Therefore, when the recovery operation mode is set, the detection results of the cassette sensor and rear paper feed sensor are masked, and changes in these detection results are not notified to the main control circuit 100. This reduces the frequency of communication between the main control circuit 100 and the motor control circuit 120. On the other hand, during recording operation, changes in the state of the cover sensor, cassette sensor, and rear paper feed sensor affect the recording operation. Therefore, when the recording operation mode is set, the detection results of the cover sensor, cassette sensor, and rear paper feed sensor are not masked, and changes in these detection results are notified to the main control circuit 100.

[0059] In S32, the main control circuit 100 starts an operation corresponding to the operating mode. For example, if the recovery operation mode is set, the recovery operation is started. In S42, the device control circuit of the motor control circuit 120 determines whether there has been a change in state for any of the valid sensors in the sensor group 112. If there is a change in the detection result for any of the valid sensors, the process proceeds to S43.

[0060] In S43, the device control circuit 122 of the motor control circuit 120 sends a notification as an interrupt request to the main control circuit 100 via the interface circuit 121. In S33, the main control circuit 100 determines whether or not there is a notification from the motor control circuit 120. If there is no notification, the process proceeds to S36. If there is a notification, it requests detection information indicating the sensor's detection content from the motor control circuit 120 (S34). Upon receiving this request, the device control circuit 122 of the motor control circuit 120 generates detection information indicating the detection content and sends it to the main control circuit 100 via the interface circuit 121 (S44). The main control circuit 100 executes the corresponding process based on the received detection information (S35). For example, the main control circuit 100 determines whether or not to stop the currently running operation based on the received detection information, and terminates the operation if it determines that it needs to be stopped. If it determines that it does not need to terminate the operation, it temporarily stops the operation until it can be resumed, and then resumes the operation when it can be resumed.

[0061] In S36, the main control circuit 100 determines whether the operation being performed has finished. If it determines that it has finished, the process proceeds to S37. In S37, the main control circuit 100 notifies the motor control circuit 120 that the operation has finished. Upon receiving the completion notification, the device control circuit 122 of the motor control circuit 120 releases the mask set in S41 and also cancels the operation mode setting.

[0062] As described above, in this embodiment, the motor control circuit 120 can monitor the sensors that need to be monitored in power-saving mode, enabling the detection of the state of the electrical equipment 1 while saving power. In normal mode as well, the motor control circuit 120 monitors the sensor group 112 instead of the main control circuit 100, eliminating the need for wiring connecting the main control circuit 100 and the sensor group 112, thus simplifying the circuit configuration.

[0063] In normal mode, the main control circuit 100 and the motor control circuit 120 do not periodically communicate to check the detection results of the sensor group 112. By having the motor control circuit 120 notify the main control circuit 100 only when there is a change in the sensor detection results, the frequency of communication can be reduced. In addition, individual wiring for each sensor between the motor control circuit 120 and the main control circuit 100 is unnecessary, simplifying the circuit configuration.

[0064] Therefore, in each power mode, the state of electrical equipment 1 can be detected with a relatively simple configuration and processing.

[0065] Furthermore, by setting a mask that determines whether or not to enable an interrupt request based on changes in the detection results of certain sensors, depending on the operating mode, the communication frequency between the motor control circuit 120 and the main control circuit 100 can be further reduced.

[0066] <Other Embodiments> In the above embodiment, the motor control circuit 120 transmits notifications from the main control circuit 100 regarding changes in the sensor detection result (S13, S43) and detection information (S14, S44) separately. However, the notifications may also include information equivalent to the detection information.

[0067] Furthermore, the present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0068] <Summary of Embodiments> The above embodiments disclose inventions relating to at least the following items. The technologies described herein can contribute to the realization of a sustainable society, such as a decarbonized / circular economy.

[0069] Item 1. Electrical equipment, A first control means for controlling the aforementioned electrical equipment, A second control means for controlling the power mode of the first control means, The system comprises at least one detection means for detecting the state of the electrical equipment, The power modes of the first control means include a first power mode and a second power mode having lower power consumption than the first power mode. The second control means is The detection results of the detection means are monitored in the first power mode and the second power mode, and the first control means is notified when the detection results of the detection means change. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0070] Item 2. Electrical equipment as described in item 1, The second control means is If the detection result of the detection means changes in the second power mode, the power mode of the first control means is controlled from the second power mode to the first power mode, and then the notification is made. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0071] Item 3. Electrical equipment as described in item 1 or item 2, The at least one detection means comprises multiple detection means with different detection targets, The first control means is When the notification is received from the second control means, information indicating the changed detection content is obtained from the second control means. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0072] Item 4. Electrical equipment as described in item 3, The second control means, in the first power mode, In the first case, the notification is made regarding the first detection means among the plurality of detection means, In the second case, the notification concerning the first detection means is not made. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0073] Item 5. Electrical equipment as described in item 4, The first case is when the first control means is in a first operating mode, The second case is when the second control means is in the first operating mode. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0074] Item 6. Electrical equipment as described in any one of items 3 through 5, In the second power mode, the second control means provides the notification if the detection result of any one of the plurality of detection means changes. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0075] Item 7. Electrical equipment as described in any one of items 1 through 6, The aforementioned notification is an interruption request. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0076] Item 8. Electrical equipment as described in any one of items 1 through 7, The second control means controls the actuator of the electrical equipment. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0077] Item 9. Electrical equipment as described in any one of items 1 through 8, The aforementioned electrical device is a recording device that records by discharging liquid onto a recording medium. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0078] Item 10. Electrical equipment as described in item 9, The recording device has an opening / closing section, The detection means detects the opening and closing of the opening / closing part. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0079] Item 11. Electrical equipment as described in item 9, The detection means detects whether or not the recording medium has been set. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

[0080] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1 Electrical equipment, 100 Main control circuit, 120 Motor control circuit

Claims

1. Electrical equipment, A first control means for controlling the aforementioned electrical equipment, A second control means for controlling the power mode of the first control means, The system comprises at least one detection means for detecting the state of the electrical equipment, The power modes of the first control means include a first power mode and a second power mode having lower power consumption than the first power mode. The second control means is The detection results of the detection means are monitored in the first power mode and the second power mode, and the first control means is notified when the detection results of the detection means change. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

2. An electrical device according to claim 1, The second control means is If the detection result of the detection means changes in the second power mode, the power mode of the first control means is controlled from the second power mode to the first power mode, and then the notification is made. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

3. An electrical device according to claim 1, The at least one detection means comprises multiple detection means with different detection targets, The first control means is When the notification is received from the second control means, information indicating the changed detection content is obtained from the second control means. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

4. The electrical equipment according to claim 3, The second control means, in the first power mode, In the first case, the notification is made regarding the first detection means among the plurality of detection means, In the second case, the notification concerning the first detection means is not made. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

5. The electrical equipment according to claim 4, The first case is when the first control means is in a first operating mode, The second case is when the second control means is in the first operating mode. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

6. The electrical equipment according to claim 3, In the second power mode, the second control means provides the notification if the detection result of any one of the plurality of detection means changes. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

7. An electrical device according to claim 1, The aforementioned notification is an interruption request. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

8. An electrical device according to claim 1, The second control means controls the actuator of the electrical equipment. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

9. An electrical device according to claim 1, The aforementioned electrical device is a recording device that records by discharging liquid onto a recording medium. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

10. The electrical equipment according to claim 9, The recording device has an opening / closing section, The detection means detects the opening and closing of the opening / closing part. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

11. An electrical appliance according to claim 9, The detection means detects whether or not the recording medium has been set. An electrical device characterized by the following features.

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