Image forming system

Abstract

To achieve power-saving of a remote control unit without deteriorating the workability of a user.SOLUTION: An image formation apparatus which can shift from a normal mode to a maintenance mode comprises: a remote control unit which controls the image formation apparatus via wireless communication, includes a display part that can display a display image received from the image formation apparatus via wireless communication and a battery which supplies the power to the display part and can shift to the second power mode for restricting supply of the power to the display part from the first power mode for supplying the power of the battery to the display part; and a controller which controls whether or not to permit the shift to the second power mode of the remote control unit in the maintenance mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or an electrophotographic printer (for example, a laser beam printer or an LED printer). Image forming system including: Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a technology has been proposed that uses a remote control unit that can operate an image forming device via wireless communication. For example, in large multifunction machines for commercial printing, the operation unit can be detached from the device body and operated remotely, which significantly improves the efficiency of print setting workability and locating the location of paper jams.

[0003] The remote control unit is powered by a rechargeable battery. In order to reduce battery consumption, the remote control unit is required to enter a power saving state when not being used for operation. Patent Document 1 describes a technology that stops the display of the screen after a certain period of time has elapsed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-155578 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the case of a remote control unit provided in an image forming apparatus, there are situations where a serviceman performs maintenance work while watching the screen of the remote control unit from a position away from the image forming apparatus. In such a situation, if the display on the screen is stopped after a certain period of time has elapsed, the screen of the remote control unit will disappear in the middle of the work.

[0006] In this case, the service technician must stop working to display the screen, which impairs work efficiency.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to realize power saving in a remote control unit without impairing the user's operability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A typical embodiment of the present invention is a method for forming an image on a sheet. A normal mode in which Maintenance mode for performing maintenance tasks and, Image forming apparatus that can be transferred to and, a remote control unit that operates the image forming apparatus via wireless communication, the remote control unit having a display unit capable of displaying a display image received from the image forming apparatus via wireless communication and a battery for supplying power to the display unit, the remote control unit being capable of transitioning from a first power mode in which the battery supplies power to the display unit to a second power mode in which the supply of power from the battery to the display unit is restricted; and a controller that controls whether or not to permit the remote control unit to transition to the second power mode in the maintenance mode; the remote control unit has a power saving mode setting which, when enabled, transitions from the first power mode to the second power mode in response to no operation by the user being performed on the remote control unit for a predetermined period of time, and, when disabled, maintains the first power mode even if no operation by the user is performed on the remote control unit for a predetermined period of time, the power saving mode setting being disabled when the image forming apparatus is in the maintenance mode, and being switched from disabled to enabled in response to the image forming apparatus transitioning from the maintenance mode to the normal mode; It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize power saving in the remote control unit without impairing the user's operability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective schematic diagram of an image forming system; [Diagram 2] Cross-sectional schematic diagram of an image forming system [Diagram 3] (a) and (b) are diagrams of the remote control panel. [Figure 4] A block diagram showing a system configuration of an image forming apparatus. [Diagram 5] Block diagram showing the system configuration of the remote control panel [Figure 6] Block diagram showing the power supply system for the remote control panel [Figure 7] A diagram explaining the coordinate detection of the touch panel of the remote control panel [Figure 8] (a)(b)(c) are diagrams showing screens displayed on a remote control panel. [Figure 9] (a) and (b) are diagrams showing screens displayed on a remote control panel. [Figure 10] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 11] (a) and (b) are diagrams showing screens displayed on a remote control panel. [Figure 12] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 13] 1 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 14] 11 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a remote control panel according to the second embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of the components described below are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0012] Example 1 <Image forming device> An image forming apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of an image forming system incorporating the image forming apparatus.

[0013] 1, the image forming system A is composed of an image forming apparatus 1 that forms an image on a sheet S, and a processing apparatus 16 that performs processes such as stapling, punching, and bookbinding on the sheet S on which the image has been formed by the image forming apparatus 1. Also, on the top of the image forming apparatus 1, a reader 14 is provided that optically reads an image of a document placed on a glass surface (not shown) and converts it into image data.

[0014] The image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a seesaw or tactile main body power switch 18 for switching the main power on and off. The image forming apparatus 1 is also provided with a display panel 17 for displaying lamps and error codes to inform a user of the status of the image forming apparatus, such as when image formation processing is in progress, when stopped due to an error, or when in standby mode. The image forming apparatus 1 is also provided with a tower-type lamp 19 for notifying a user at a remote location of the status of the image forming apparatus by turning on, off, or blinking the light source.

[0015] The image forming apparatus 1 also includes a panel mounting section 10 to which a remote control panel 50 (remote control section) is detachably mounted. The remote control panel 50 will be described later.

[0016] 2, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an image forming unit 15 that forms an image on a sheet S. The image forming unit 15 includes photosensitive drums 9Y, 9M, 9C, and 9K, charging devices 2Y, 2M, 2C, and 2K, and developing devices 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K. The image forming unit 15 also includes primary transfer rollers 5Y, 5M, 5C, and 5K, laser scanner units 3Y, 3M, 3C, and 3K, an intermediate transfer belt 6, a secondary transfer roller 7, a secondary transfer opposing roller 8, and the like.

[0017] When an image is formed by the image forming apparatus 1, an image formation job is first input to the control unit 20 (see FIG. 4). As a result, a sheet S stored in either one of the sheet cassettes 11a or 11b is sent to a secondary transfer unit formed by a secondary transfer roller 7 and a secondary transfer opposing roller 8.

[0018] Meanwhile, in the image forming unit 15, first, the surface of the photosensitive drum 9Y is charged by the charging device 2Y. After that, the laser scanner unit 3Y irradiates the surface of the photosensitive drum 9Y with laser light in accordance with image data of the document read by the reader 14 or image data transmitted from an external device (not shown) via a network, and forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 9Y.

[0019] Next, yellow toner is applied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 9Y by the developing device 4Y, forming a yellow toner image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 9Y. The toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 9Y is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 6 by applying a primary transfer bias to the primary transfer roller 5Y.

[0020] By a similar process, magenta, cyan and black toner images are formed on the photosensitive drums 9M, 9C and 9K. Then, by applying a primary transfer bias to the primary transfer rollers 5M, 5C and 5K, these toner images are transferred and superimposed on the yellow toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 6. As a result, a full-color toner image corresponding to the image signal is formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 6.

[0021] Thereafter, the intermediate transfer belt 6 rotates, thereby sending the full-color toner image to a secondary transfer section. Then, in the secondary transfer section, a secondary transfer bias is applied to a secondary transfer roller 7, thereby transferring the full-color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 6 to the sheet S. The sheet S onto which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed by a conveyor belt 12 to a fixing device 13. Then, in the fixing device 13, the toner image is fixed to the sheet S by heating and pressurizing.

[0022] Next, the sheet S on which the toner image has been fixed is sent to the processing device 16. If the user has specified a process such as stapling, punching, or bookbinding, the sheet S sent to the processing device 16 is subjected to the specified process and then discharged to the discharge tray 16a. If the user has not specified a process, the sheet S sent to the processing device 16 is discharged directly to the discharge tray 16b without being processed.

[0023] <Remote control panel> The image forming apparatus 1 also includes a remote operation panel 50 (remote operation unit) that is detachably attached to the panel mounting unit 10 (mounting unit). The remote operation panel 50 is connected to the image forming apparatus 1 by being attached to the panel mounting unit 10. Specifically, when the remote operation panel 50 is attached to the panel mounting unit 10, a charging connector 55 (FIG. 3) of the remote operation panel 50 is electrically connected to a power supply connector 10a (FIG. 4) of the panel mounting unit 10. This causes the image forming apparatus 1 to detect the connection of the remote operation panel 50, and the image forming apparatus 1 charges a battery 67 (FIG. 5) of the remote operation panel 50. The remote operation panel 50 is connected to the image forming apparatus 1 by wireless communication and is not connected by a cable, so that the user can carry it alone. The remote operation panel 50 can wirelessly communicate with the image forming apparatus 1, so that the image forming apparatus 1 can be operated at a position away from the image forming apparatus 1 (within a range where wireless communication is possible) by detaching it from the panel mounting unit 10. Further, the remote control panel 50 can operate connected devices such as the processing device 16 connected to the image forming apparatus 1 .

[0024] The remote control panel 50 is not limited to being detachable from the image forming apparatus 1, and may be independent of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0025] 3(a) and 3(b) are schematic perspective views of the remote operation panel 50. As shown in Fig. 3(a) and 3(b), the remote operation panel 50 has a speaker unit 53 that outputs sound, a status display unit 54 that notifies the status of the remote operation panel 50 by turning on, off, or blinking, and a switch unit 56 that switches the power of the remote operation panel 50 on and off. Here, the status display unit 54 is configured with an LED, but is not limited to this configuration.

[0026] The remote control panel 50 has a touch panel display 51 that integrates a display unit capable of displaying the display image received from the image forming apparatus 1 and an operation unit (touch panel 52 in FIG. 5) that detects touch operations by the user. The user can perform input and the like by touching the display image displayed on the display 51 with his / her finger to perform settings related to image formation, such as the number of images to be formed and the size of the sheet S, and settings related to image reading, such as the size of the document.

[0027] <System configuration of image forming device> Next, the system configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0028] 4, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 20 having a CPU 21, a memory 22, and a timer 23. A storage device 24, a reader 14, an image forming unit 15, a processing device 16, a display panel 17, and the like are connected to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 (CPU 21) controls the operation of each of the connected units.

[0029] The reader 14 reads the document and generates image data. The image forming unit 15 executes image forming processing to form an image on a sheet based on the image data. The processing device 16 performs processing such as stapling, punching, and binding on the printed matter such as the sheet on which the image forming processing has been performed.

[0030] The storage device 24 stores various programs 25 related to the control of the image forming apparatus 1 and various display images 26. Here, the various programs 25 stored in the storage device 24 are a group of software that the control unit 20 operates to perform various processes. The various display images (image data) stored in the storage device 24 are display images to be displayed on the remote operation panel 50, print data, and the like. Display images to be displayed on the remote operation panel 50 include the display images shown in Figures 8(a), 8(b), 8(c), 9(a), 9(b), 11(a), and 11(b), which will be described later.

[0031] The CPU 21 reads out and executes the program 25 stored in the storage device 24. The CPU 21 also reads out a display image to be displayed on the remote operation panel 50 from the storage device 24 and transmits it to the remote operation panel 50. The memory 22 temporarily stores data associated with the CPU 21 executing the program 25. That is, the CPU 21 controls the reader 14, the image forming unit 15, the processing device 16, etc. connected to the control unit 20 while using the memory 22 as a working area based on the program 25 stored in the storage device 24 to perform processing such as forming an image on a sheet. For example, the CPU 21 performs image processing on the image data read from a document by the reader 14 based on the program 25. The CPU 21 stores the image data thus generated in the storage device 24 and transfers it to the image forming unit 15 to perform image formation processing. The CPU 21 is also a controller that controls whether or not to allow the remote operation panel 50 to transition to a power saving mode (second power mode) in a maintenance mode to be described later or a mode when an error is detected. The above-mentioned control by the CPU 21 will be described later with reference to FIG. 10.

[0032] The timer 23 is for measuring time when the control unit 20 performs various processes. For example, the control unit 20 determines whether to transition the image forming apparatus 1 from a normal mode to a power saving mode that consumes less power than the normal mode, depending on the count value of the timer 23.

[0033] The control unit 20 is also connected to a panel connection unit 30 that establishes a connection with a remote operation panel 50. The panel connection unit 30 has a power supply connector 10a, and includes a panel mounting unit 10 to which the remote operation panel 50 is connected, and a wireless communication unit 31 that establishes wireless communication between the remote operation panel 50 and the panel mounting unit 10. A charging connector 55 of the remote operation panel 50 is connected to the power supply connector 10a of the panel mounting unit 10. The control unit 20 can detect that the power supply connector 10a of the panel mounting unit 10 is connected to the charging connector 55 of the remote operation panel 50. When the control unit 20 detects the connection, it supplies power to the remote operation panel 50 from a power supply device 28 (described later) via the connection between the power supply connector 10a and the charging connector 55.

[0034] The wireless communication unit 31 has a main body command communication unit 32 and a main body image transmission unit 33. The CPU 21 reads out the display image 26 stored in the storage device 24 and transmits it to the remote operation panel 50 via the main body image transmission unit 33 of the wireless communication unit 31. The CPU 21 also generates an instruction for the remote operation panel 50 and transmits the instruction to the remote operation panel 50 via the main body command communication unit 32. Specifically, the CPU 21 wirelessly transmits to the remote operation panel 50, via the main body command communication unit 32, an instruction to display various screens, a status notification such as a job operation or an error occurrence, and a command for controlling the transition to a power saving mode of the remote operation panel 50, which will be described later. The CPU 21 also receives notifications and instructions generated by the remote operation panel 50 via the main body command communication unit 32. In this embodiment, the main body command communication unit 32 and the main body image transmission unit 33 are configured separately, but they may be configured to be integrated into a single communication line.

[0035] A power supply device 28 is also connected to the control unit 20. The power supply device 28 receives power from a commercial power source via an outlet plug 27, converts the power into power used by each device, and supplies the power to each device. Specifically, the power supply device 28 first supplies power to the control unit 20 when the main body power switch 18 is switched from off to on. Thereafter, the power supply device 28 supplies power to the reader 14, the image forming unit 15, the processing device 16, the display panel 17, the remote operation panel 50 mounted on the panel mounting unit 10, the wireless communication unit 31, the storage device 24, and the like, based on an instruction from the control unit 20.

[0036] Furthermore, when the main body power switch 18 is turned off, the power supply device 28 stops the power supply based on an instruction from the control unit 20 (CPU 21). Even if the main body power switch 18 is not turned off, the power supply device 28 can stop the power supply based on an instruction from the control unit 20 (CPU 21) and turn off the main body power switch 18. The main body power switch 18 is turned off based on an instruction from the control unit 20 (CPU 21) when, for example, an abnormality occurs or when an instruction to turn off the power is received from the user. In this way, the control unit 20 can switch the power supply to each device on and off.

[0037] <Remote control panel system configuration> Next, the system configuration of the remote control panel 50 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the remote control panel 50.

[0038] 5, the remote operation panel 50 includes a panel control unit 60 (power control unit) having a CPU 61, a ROM 62, a RAM 63, a timer 64, and a power supply control unit 65. As will be described later, the remote operation panel 50 can be shifted to a normal mode, which is a first power mode, or a power saving mode, which is a second power mode that consumes less power than the normal mode. Here, the normal mode is a first power mode in which power from a battery 67 is supplied to a display 51 (display unit). The power saving mode is a second power mode in which the supply of power from the battery 67 to the display 51 is restricted.

[0039] The ROM 62 stores programs used in the control of the CPU 61 and settings related to the control. The CPU 61 performs various arithmetic processing based on the programs stored in the ROM 62. The RAM 23 temporarily stores data associated with the execution of the programs by the CPU 61. That is, the CPU 61 controls the display 51, the speaker unit 53, the status display unit 54, the switch unit 56, and the like connected to the panel control unit 60, based on the programs stored in the ROM 62, while using the RAM 203 as a working area. Specifically, the CPU 61 executes control to display an image transmitted from the storage device 24 on the display 51, control to output sound from the speaker unit 53, and the like, based on the programs stored in the ROM 62 and instructions received from the CPU 21 of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0040] The ROM 62 is a setting storage unit that stores settings related to the above-mentioned control, and stores, as an example of the settings, a setting (a setting value of a setting flag) of whether or not to switch the remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode. When the setting value of the setting flag stored in the ROM 62 is, for example, "1", the CPU 61 switches the remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode, and when the setting value is "0", the CPU 61 does not switch the remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode. This setting flag is set by sending a command to the panel command communication unit 72 in response to an instruction from the CPU 21 of the image forming apparatus 1. The CPU 21 (controller) can control whether or not to permit the remote operation panel 50 to switch to the power saving mode by changing the setting value of the setting flag stored in the ROM 62. The CPU 21 can also read out the setting value of the setting flag stored in the ROM 62 by sending a command to the panel command communication unit 72.

[0041] The timer 64 counts the time when the control unit 200 performs various processes. The timer 64 is used when the CPU 61 counts the time until the remote operation panel 50 transitions to a power saving mode.

[0042] The remote control panel 50 includes a switch section 56. The switch section 56 has a power switch 57 and a power FET 58, and is connected to the panel control section 60. The power control section 65 constantly monitors the state of the power switch 57 in the switch section 56, and switches the power FET 58 of the switch section 56 on or off in response to the on / off switching operation of the power switch 57. That is, the power control section 65 turns the power of the remote control panel 50 on or off in response to the on / off switching operation of the power switch 57.

[0043] The remote operation panel 50 includes a panel power supply unit 66. The panel power supply unit 66 includes a battery 67, a power generation unit 68, and a charge remaining amount monitoring unit 69, and is connected to the panel control unit 60. The battery 67 is the main power source of the remote operation panel 50, and is composed of a rechargeable secondary battery. When the charging connector 55 of the remote operation panel 50 is connected to the power supply connector 10a of the image forming apparatus 1, power is supplied from the power supply device 28 of the image forming apparatus 1 to the battery 67, and the battery 67 is charged. The power generation unit 68 adjusts the power of the battery 67 to a voltage that can be used by each of the above-mentioned components of the remote operation panel 50. The charge remaining amount monitoring unit 69 notifies the CPU 61 when the battery 67 falls below a predetermined charge remaining amount. As will be described later, when the charge remaining amount of the battery 67 falls below a predetermined amount, the CPU 61 shifts the remote operation panel 50 to a power saving mode. Furthermore, the CPU 61 is configured to be able to detect when the power supply connector 10a and the charging connector 55 are connected to each other.

[0044] The remote control panel 50 also includes a main body connection unit 70 for connection with the image forming apparatus 1. The main body connection unit 70 includes a charging connector 55 connected to the power supply connector 10a of the image forming apparatus 1, and a wireless communication unit 71 for wireless communication with the image forming apparatus 1.

[0045] The wireless communication unit 71 has a panel command communication unit 72 connected to the CPU 61 and a panel image receiving unit 73 connected to the display 51. The CPU 61 generates instructions and notifications for the image forming apparatus 1 and transmits them to the main body command communication unit 32 of the image forming apparatus 1 via an antenna (not shown) of the panel command communication unit 72. The CPU 61 also receives instructions and information transmitted from the main body command communication unit 32 of the image forming apparatus 1 via the panel command communication unit 72. Specifically, the main body command communication unit 32 wirelessly receives display instructions for various screens and status notifications such as job operations and error occurrences from the CPU 21, converts them into wired electrical signals, and notifies the CPU 61. The main body command communication unit 32 also wirelessly transmits information to be notified to the image forming apparatus 1, such as touch panel input information from the CPU 61.

[0046] The panel image receiving unit 73 receives image data sent from the main body image transmitting unit 33 of the image forming apparatus 1 via an antenna (not shown), and converts the image data into image data to be displayed on the display 51. In this embodiment, the main body connection unit 70 is composed of the panel command communication unit 72 and the panel image receiving unit 73, but they may be combined into a single communication line.

[0047] Furthermore, the wireless communication unit 71 performs wireless communication by Wi-Fi Direct communication, which is a communication form that directly connects the image forming apparatus 1 and the remote operation panel 50, through the wireless communication unit 31 of the image forming apparatus 1. Miracast, which is a display transmission technology that applies the Wi-Fi Direct communication method, is used in, for example, mobile phones, displays, projectors, etc. Note that the communication form that directly connects the image forming apparatus 1 and the remote operation panel 50 may be configured to perform wireless communication by other methods such as Bluetooth or NFC instead of wireless communication by Wi-Fi.

[0048] Display 51 is a display unit capable of displaying information stored in ROM 62 (settings storage unit) or information received from image forming apparatus 1 via wireless communication unit 71. Therefore, the image output to display 51 is the image received from image forming apparatus 1 via wireless communication unit 71.

[0049] Display 51 is a touch panel type display (operation display unit) in which the display unit and touch panel 52, which is an operation unit that detects touch operations from the user, are integrated. Touch panel 52 is arranged on top of display 51, and the user operates display 51 by touching display 51 with his / her finger through touch panel 52. Display 51 displays a screen to the user through touch panel 52.

[0050] Here, when a user operates the touch panel 52, the CPU 61 of the remote operation panel 50 transmits operation information of the touch panel 52 as coordinate information to the image forming apparatus 1. This will be described below. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing coordinate display on the touch panel 52 of the remote operation panel 50. As shown in Fig. 7, the touch panel 52 is divided into n parts in the X direction and m parts in the Y direction. The number of divisions depends on the type of touch panel, etc., but in the resistive touch panel of this embodiment, it is divided into 2048 parts in the X direction and 1024 parts in the Y direction.

[0051] Coordinates are expressed as (X, Y) based on the origin (0, 0) according to the distance from the origin. For example, position P shown in FIG. 7 is located at a position 1024 away from the origin in the X direction and 512 away in the Y direction, and is expressed as coordinates (1024, 512). The coordinate data is transmitted from the touch panel 52 (see FIG. 5) to the CPU 61 of the remote operation panel 50, and is transmitted from the panel command communication unit 72 to the image forming apparatus 1 in response to an instruction from the CPU 61. In this embodiment, the communication between the image forming apparatus 1 and the remote operation panel 50 is 8 bits long, and the numerical value of the coordinate data is divided by 8 before being transmitted. That is, if the coordinate is (1024, 512), it is replaced with (128, 64) and transmitted.

[0052] <Remote control panel power supply system> Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the power supply system of the remote operation panel 50 described in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 6, the output power of a battery 67, which is the main power supply of the remote operation panel 50, is supplied to a power supply generating unit 68, which adjusts the output power to a voltage used by each of the above-mentioned components of the remote operation panel 50. When the charging connector 55 of the remote operation panel 50 is connected to the power supply connector 10a of the image forming apparatus 1, the battery 67 is charged by the image forming apparatus 1, and the image forming apparatus 1 serves as the main power supply and supplies the power to the power supply generating unit 68.

[0053] The voltage output from the power generation unit 68 is supplied to the power FET 58 of the switch unit 56 and to the power control unit 65. That is, power is constantly supplied to the power control unit 65. The power control unit 65 monitors the output of the power FET 58, and switches the power FET 58 on and off in response to the switching operation of the power switch 57.

[0054] When the power supply FET 58 is on, the voltage adjusted and output by the power supply generating unit 68 is supplied to the main body connection unit 70, the touch panel 52, the display 51, the speaker unit 53, and the status display unit 54 of the remote operation panel 50. However, a switch 59 is provided on the power supply line to the display 51. The CPU 61 controls the on / off of the switch 59 via the power supply control unit 65 to control the supply of power to the display 51. This is to enable the remote operation panel 50 to be driven by the battery 67 for as long as possible. Specifically, the power to drive the display 51 consumes about 90% of the power in the remote operation panel 50. For this reason, a power saving mode is provided to limit the supply of power to the display 51. The power saving mode in the remote operation panel 50 consumes less power than the normal mode in which power is supplied to the display 51. For this reason, the CPU 61 determines when the screen display on the display 51 is not necessary, and controls the transition to the power saving mode by turning off the switch 59. In other words, "limiting the power supply" here means not only completely reducing the power supply from the battery 67 to the display 51 to zero, but also supplying less power than in the normal mode. The CPU 61 controls the transition of the power modes of the remote control panel 50 according to the settings stored in the ROM 62. The remaining charge monitor 69 detects the remaining charge of the battery 67 from the output voltage of the battery 67, and notifies the CPU 61 when the remaining charge of the battery 67 falls below a predetermined level.

[0055] <Operation mode of image forming device> The image forming apparatus 1 according to this embodiment has the following two operation modes.

[0056] The first operation mode is an operation mode in which a user operates the image forming apparatus 1 to utilize the copy function, the print function, the scanner function, and the facsimile function. Hereinafter, this first operation mode will be referred to as the “normal mode.”

[0057] The second operation mode is a "maintenance mode" in which a service technician uses the image forming apparatus 1. The "maintenance mode" is a mode in which a service technician performs maintenance work. The maintenance work is, for example, a work to check or change parameter settings when image distortion or color misalignment occurs. The maintenance work also includes executing an adjustment print job to print a test pattern for image adjustment. The maintenance work also includes checking counter information for counting the number of printed sheets and the firmware and software versions of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0058] The image forming apparatus 1 operates in any one of the above-mentioned operation modes, and the operation screen displayed on the remote control panel 50 differs in each operation mode.

[0059] Figures 8(a), 8(b), 8(c), and 9(a) are diagrams showing examples of screens (display images) displayed on the display 51 of the remote operation panel 50. Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 8(c) show display images (operation screens) displayed on the remote operation panel 50 in normal mode, and Figure 9(a) shows a display image (operation screen) displayed on the remote operation panel 50 in maintenance mode.

[0060] Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 8(c) are examples of the main menu screen in normal mode. The screen (display image) in normal mode shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b) has a "Scan" button 81, a "Copy" button 82, a "FAX" button 83, a "Service Mode" button 84, and a "Next" button 85.

[0061] In the normal mode, when the user touches the touch panel 52 of the remote operation panel 50, the CPU 21 of the control unit 20 recognizes the coordinate data as described in FIG. 7 via the main body command communication unit 32. For example, FIG. 8(a) is an example of a main menu screen displayed in the normal mode. When the position touched by the user is the "Copy" button 82 in FIG. 8(a), the CPU 61 of the remote operation panel 50 transmits the operation information of the touch panel 52 as coordinate information to the image forming apparatus 1. The CPU 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 recognizes from the coordinate information received via the main body command communication unit 32 that the "Copy" button 82 in FIG. 8(a) has been pressed.

[0062] Then, the CPU 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 reads out the display image of Fig. 8(b) from the storage device 24, and transmits the read display image of Fig. 8(b) from the main body image transmitting unit 33 to the remote operation panel 50. The remote operation panel 50 receives the display image of Fig. 8(b) via the panel image receiving unit 73, and displays it on the display 51. The display image of Fig. 8(b) displayed on the display 51 of the remote operation panel 50 is the display image when the "Copy" button 82 is pressed.

[0063] After transmitting the display image of FIG. 8(b), the CPU 21 of the control unit 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 transmits the display image of FIG. 8(c) from the main body image transmitting unit 33 to the remote operation panel 50 when a certain time has elapsed. The remote operation panel 50 displays the display image of FIG. 8(c) on the display 51 via the panel image receiving unit 73.

[0064] In this manner, the control unit 20 of the image forming apparatus 1 reads out the display image from the storage device 24 in accordance with the coordinate data sent from the remote operation panel 50, and transmits it from the main body image transmission unit 33. This makes it possible to cause the display 51 of the remote operation panel 50 to display a display screen (display image) in accordance with the user's operation.

[0065] 9(a) is an example of a maintenance mode menu screen displayed in the maintenance mode. When a service technician performs maintenance work, the service technician performs a special operation via the remote operation panel 50 to transition the operation mode to the maintenance mode. For example, the service technician enters an ID and a password via the remote operation panel 50, or performs a special operation such as pressing and holding a key on the remote operation panel 50 or pressing multiple keys simultaneously. This transitions the operation mode of the image forming apparatus 1 to the maintenance mode.

[0066] When the service technician performs the above-mentioned special operation on the remote operation panel 50, the CPU 61 of the remote operation panel 50 transmits the operation information to the image forming apparatus 1. The CPU 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 recognizes from the operation information received via the main body command communication unit 32 that a transition to the maintenance mode has been instructed.

[0067] 9(a) from the storage device 24, and transmits the read display image of FIG. 9(a) from the main body image transmitting unit 33 to the remote operation panel 50. The remote operation panel 50 receives the display image of FIG. 9(a) via the panel image receiving unit 73, and displays it on the display 51.

[0068] In the maintenance mode menu screen shown in FIG. 9(a), a button 91 is a button for displaying the history of serious errors that have occurred in the image forming apparatus 1. A button 92 is a button for displaying version information of each program that controls the image forming apparatus 1. A button 93 is a button for displaying various counter information such as the number of pages printed by the image forming apparatus 1 and the number of pages transmitted. A button 94 is a button for checking and changing parameter settings when image distortion or color shift occurs in the image forming apparatus 1. A button 95 is a button for printing a test pattern for image adjustment of the image forming apparatus 1. Note that the functions of these buttons are merely examples of maintenance work, and the maintenance work is not limited to these.

[0069] FIG. 9(b) is a display image displayed on the remote control panel 50 when the button 94 is touched on the maintenance mode menu screen shown in FIG. 9(a), and shows an example of the image adjustment mode screen. The image adjustment mode screen shown in FIG. 9(b) shows an instruction to place the chart paper on the glass surface of the reader. The display 51 of the remote control panel 50 uses animation to clearly show the series of operations from opening the reader cover to placing the chart paper on the glass surface. After completing the operations on the display screen shown in FIG. 9(b), the serviceman presses the "Next" button to proceed to the next step. The serviceman proceeds with the image adjustment operations while watching the screen displayed on the display of the remote control panel 50.

[0070] After performing the above-mentioned maintenance work, when the maintenance mode of the image forming apparatus 1 is to be released, the service technician also performs special operations on the remote operation panel 50. Note that these operations are special operations that only the service technician knows, and it is assumed that they will not be disclosed to general users.

[0071] <Maintenance mode procedure> FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure when a service technician switches the image forming apparatus 1 to the maintenance mode.

[0072] The process procedure shown in Fig. 10 is started when a serviceman issues an instruction to switch image forming apparatus 1 to a maintenance mode. Each step shown in Fig. 10 is realized when CPU 21 shown in Fig. 10 loads program 25 stored in storage device 24 into memory 22 and executes it.

[0073] When a special operation known only to a service person is performed on the remote operation panel 50 to switch to the maintenance mode (Yes in S901), the CPU 21 of the control unit 20 switches the operation mode of the image forming apparatus 1 to the maintenance mode (S902).

[0074] The CPU 21 reads out a display image of a maintenance mode menu such as that shown in FIG. 9(a) from the storage device 24, transmits the read display image from the main body image transmission unit 33 to the remote operation panel 50, and displays it on the display 51 of the remote operation panel 50 (S903).

[0075] The CPU 21 transmits a command from the main body command communication section 32 to the remote operation panel 50, and determines whether or not the remote operation panel 50 is set to the power saving mode (S904).

[0076] The presence or absence of the power saving mode setting is confirmed by checking the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag stored in ROM 62 (setting storage unit) of the remote operation panel 50. Note that the presence or absence of the power saving mode setting is not limited to this, and for example, it is also possible to set the transition time to transition to the power saving mode on the remote operation panel 50, and to check whether the set value (count value) of this transition time to the power saving mode is 0 (0 minutes). In this case, if the count value is 0, the power saving mode is not set, and if the count value is 1 or more, the power saving mode is set.

[0077] If the power saving mode is not set (No in S904), the remote operation panel 50 will not switch to the power saving mode while displaying the maintenance mode, and the flow chart of FIG. 10 ends.

[0078] If the power saving mode is set (Yes in S904), CPU 21 turns off the power saving mode setting to prevent remote operation panel 50 from switching to the power saving mode (S905). That is, CPU 21 changes the power saving mode setting in ROM 62 so as not to allow CPU 61 to switch remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode.

[0079] Turning off the power saving mode setting means that the CPU 21 sets the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag in ROM 62 to "0" (or the power saving mode transition count value to 0), and changes the power saving mode setting confirmed in S904. This disables the transition of the remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode during maintenance work, and makes it possible to prevent the remote operation panel 50 from transitioning to the power saving mode.

[0080] The CPU 21 continues to keep the power saving mode off until a predetermined operation is performed to release the maintenance mode (No in S906). Note that the predetermined operation to release the maintenance mode is a special operation that is performed via the remote operation panel 50 and that only a service person knows.

[0081] When a predetermined operation for canceling the maintenance mode is performed on the remote operation panel 50, the CPU 61 of the remote operation panel 50 transmits the operation information to the image forming apparatus 1. Then, the CPU 21 of the control unit 20 recognizes that an instruction to cancel the maintenance mode has been given from the operation information received via the main body command communication unit 32 (Yes in S906).

[0082] Whether or not the maintenance mode in S906 has been released is determined by the CPU 21 judging whether or not the above-mentioned predetermined operation has been performed on the remote operation panel 50. When the CPU 21 judges that the maintenance mode should be released (Yes in S906), it returns the power saving mode setting in the ROM 62 to on, and enables the remote operation panel 50 to switch to the power saving mode (S907).

[0083] Turning on the power saving mode setting in S907 means that CPU 21 resets the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag in ROM 62 (or the power saving mode transition count value) to the power saving mode setting confirmed in S904 to "Yes." That is, CPU 21 resets the power saving mode setting in ROM 62 to "Yes" so as to permit CPU 61 to transition remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode, thereby enabling remote operation panel 50 to transition to the power saving mode.

[0084] In this manner, the CPU 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 performs control in the maintenance mode as to whether or not to permit the remote operation panel 50 to transition to the power saving mode (second power mode).

[0085] As a result, when a service technician enters the maintenance mode and is performing maintenance work while looking at the screen of the remote operation panel 50, the remote operation panel 50 can be prevented from switching to a power saving mode, which would cause the work to be interrupted.

[0086] <Display screen when an error is detected> When the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment detects the occurrence of an error during the operation of the image forming apparatus 1, a screen notifying the user of the error that caused the error is displayed on the display 51. An example of the error notification screen is shown in Fig. 11(a) and Fig. 11(b).

[0087] Fig. 11(a) is an example of an error notification screen for notifying a user of an error that has occurred in the image forming apparatus 1. The error notification screen in Fig. 11(a) displays an error code 101 indicating the type of error and an error location code 102 indicating the location where the error has occurred. Also, a message 1003 is displayed to instruct the user to turn the image forming apparatus 1 on and off again.

[0088] If the image forming apparatus 1 operates normally after the user turns the power of the image forming apparatus 1 back on based on message 103, the main menu screen shown in Fig. 8(a) is displayed on the display 51, for example, and normal operation can be resumed. On the other hand, if the image forming apparatus 1 does not operate normally even after turning the power back on, an error notification screen shown in Fig. 11(a), for example, is displayed again on the display 51, and normal operation cannot be resumed. In that case, message 104 is also displayed to convey error information to a service representative to identify the error content.

[0089] Fig. 11(b) is an example of an error notification screen that prompts the user to take action when a sheet jam (paper jam) occurs in image forming apparatus 1. The error notification screen in Fig. 11(b) displays a screen that prompts the user to take action when a paper jam occurs during printing. The error notification screen in Fig. 11(b) displays the location of the paper jam and the procedure for clearing it using animation or the like. The service technician proceeds with the work to recover from the paper jam error while watching the screen on remote operation panel 50.

[0090] <Procedure when an error is detected> FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure when the image forming apparatus 1 displays an error message as shown in FIG. 11(a) or a paper jam error as shown in FIG. 11(b).

[0091] The process procedure shown in Fig. 12 is started when an error is detected in image forming apparatus 1. Moreover, each step shown in Fig. 12 is realized when CPU 21 shown in Fig. 4 loads program 25 stored in storage device 24 into memory 22 and executes it.

[0092] When the CPU 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 detects that an error has occurred during the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 (Yes in S1201), the CPU 21 transitions to the mode in which the error was detected. Specifically, when the CPU 21 detects that an error has occurred in the image forming apparatus 1 (Yes in S1201), the CPU 21 transmits an error notification display image such as that shown in Fig. 11(a) or 11(b) from the main body image transmission unit 33 and causes the display 51 of the remote operation panel 50 to display the image (S1202).

[0093] The CPU 21 transmits a command from the main body command communication section 32 to the remote operation panel 50, and determines whether the remote operation panel 50 is set to the power saving mode (S1203).

[0094] The presence or absence of the power saving mode setting is confirmed by checking the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag stored in ROM 62 (setting storage unit) of the remote operation panel 50. Note that the presence or absence of the power saving mode setting is not limited to this, and for example, it is also possible to set the transition time to transition to the power saving mode on the remote operation panel 50, and to check whether the set value (count value) of this transition time to the power saving mode is 0 (0 minutes). In this case, if the count value is 0, the power saving mode is not set, and if the count value is 1 or more, the power saving mode is set.

[0095] If the power saving mode is not set (No in S1203), the remote operation panel 50 does not switch to the power saving mode while the error is being displayed, and the flow chart of FIG. 12 ends.

[0096] If the power saving mode is set (Yes in S1203), CPU 21 turns off the power saving mode setting to prevent remote operation panel 50 from switching to the power saving mode (S1204). That is, CPU 21 changes the power saving mode setting in ROM 62 so as not to allow CPU 61 to switch remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode.

[0097] Turning off the power saving mode setting means that CPU 21 sets the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag in ROM 62 to "0" (or the power saving mode transition count value to 0), and changes the power saving mode setting confirmed in S1204. This disables remote operation panel 50 from transitioning to the power saving mode while an error is being displayed, and makes it possible to prevent remote operation panel 50 from transitioning to the power saving mode.

[0098] The CPU 21 continues to set the power saving mode to OFF until the error recovery operation is completed (No in S1205).

[0099] When the error recovery operation is completed (Yes in S1205), the CPU 21 turns the power saving mode setting in the ROM 62 back on, and enables the remote operation panel 50 to switch to the power saving mode (S1206).

[0100] Completion of the error recovery work in S1205 refers to, for example, a case where the user ends the recovery process for the paper jam error in FIG. 11B and the CPU 21 determines that the paper jam error has been resolved.

[0101] Turning on the power saving mode setting in S1206 means that CPU 21 resets the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag in ROM 62 (or the power saving mode transition count value) to the power saving mode setting confirmed in S1203 to "Yes." That is, CPU 21 resets the power saving mode setting in ROM 62 to "Yes" so as to permit CPU 61 to transition remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode, thereby enabling remote operation panel 50 to transition to the power saving mode.

[0102] In this manner, the CPU 21 of the image forming apparatus 1 performs control as to whether or not to permit the remote operation panel 50 to transition to the power saving mode (second power mode) in the mode in which the error is detected.

[0103] As a result, when an error is detected in the image forming device 1, it is possible to prevent the remote control panel 50 from switching to a power saving mode while the user is working on recovering from the error while watching the screen of the remote control panel 50, thereby preventing the work from being interrupted.

[0104] <Procedure for switching to power saving mode> FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure when the remote control panel 50 is switched to the power saving mode.

[0105] The process procedure shown in Fig. 13 is started when it is detected that the remote operation panel 50 has been removed from the panel mounting unit 10 of the image forming apparatus 1. Each step shown in Fig. 13 is realized when the CPU 21 shown in Fig. 4 loads the program 25 stored in the storage device 24 into the memory 22 and executes it. Each step shown in Fig. 13 is realized when the CPU 61 shown in Fig. 5 loads the program stored in the ROM 62 into the RAM 63 and executes it.

[0106] CPU 61 reads the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag stored in ROM 62 and determines whether the power saving mode setting is on or off (S1301). If the power saving mode setting is on, remote operation panel 50 is permitted to switch to the power saving mode. On the other hand, if the power saving mode setting is off, remote operation panel 50 is not permitted to switch to the power saving mode. Therefore, if the power saving mode setting is on (Yes in S1301), CPU 61 starts timer 64 counting (S1302). On the other hand, if the power saving mode setting is off (No in S1301), CPU 61 does not start timer 64 counting and proceeds to S1303.

[0107] In S1303, the CPU 61 determines whether or not a command has been received from the image forming apparatus 1. If a command has been received (Yes in S1303), the CPU 61 performs processing on the remote operation panel 50 in accordance with the instructions of the received command (S1304). For example, the CPU 61 performs predetermined processing on the display 51, the speaker unit 53, and the status display unit 54. The CPU 61 also switches the setting value of a power saving mode setting flag as a transition control for the remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode.

[0108] In S1305, the CPU 61 detects the presence or absence of a touch input from the touch panel 52. If a touch input is detected (Yes in S1305), the CPU 61 sends coordinate information of the touch panel 52 based on the content of the touch input to the main body command communication unit 32 via the panel command communication unit 72 (S1306). The count of the timer 64 is reset (S1307) and the process proceeds to S1301.

[0109] If the CPU 61 has started counting in S1302 due to touch input from the touch panel 52, the CPU 61 clears the count of the timer 64 once (S1307) and proceeds to S1301 to start the counting from the beginning. If the power saving mode setting is off in S1301, the timer 64 continues not to start counting.

[0110] In S1305, if no touch input is detected (No in S1305), the CPU 61 reads out the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag stored in the ROM 62 and compares it with the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag read out in S1301 (S1308).

[0111] In S1308, the CPU 61 determines whether or not the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag has been changed in the command processing in S1304. If the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag has been changed (Yes in S1308), in S1309, it is determined whether the power saving mode setting is on or off.

[0112] If the power saving mode setting is on (Yes in S1309), the CPU 61 proceeds to S1301. If the power saving mode setting is off (No in S1309), the CPU 61 clears (resets) the count of the timer 64 (S1310) and then proceeds to S1301.

[0113] If the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag is not changed (No in S1308), in S1311, the count value of timer 64 is compared with a predetermined value to determine whether the count value has exceeded the predetermined value (predetermined time).

[0114] The predetermined value here indicates a count value corresponding to the time designated by the user on a setting screen (not shown) of the display 51 as the time to transition to the power saving mode, and is stored in the ROM 62 in advance as the power saving mode transition count value.

[0115] If the predetermined value is not exceeded (No in S1311), the process proceeds to S1303. After that, the timer 64 does not start counting until the setting value of the power saving mode setting flag is changed. The remote operation panel 50 does not enter the power saving mode, and repeatedly checks whether or not there is a command reception and touch input.

[0116] If the predetermined value is exceeded (Yes in S1311), the CPU 61 (second controller) notifies the image forming apparatus 1 via the wireless communication unit 71 that the remote operation panel 50 will transition to the power saving mode (S1312). The CPU 61 controls the switch 59 (FIG. 5) to be turned OFF to limit the power supply to the display 51, thereby transitioning the remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode (S1313). Note that "limiting the power supply" here does not only mean completely reducing the power supply from the battery 67 to the display 51 to zero, but also means reducing the amount of power supply using an element such as a variable resistor to supply less power than in the normal mode.

[0117] As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 can prevent the remote operation panel 50 from switching the transition control of the remote operation panel 50 to the power saving mode, thereby preventing the remote operation panel 50 from switching to the power saving mode and interrupting the work during the maintenance work as described in Fig. 10 or when an error as described in Fig. 12 occurs. In other words, it is possible to realize power saving of the remote operation panel without impairing the user's workability.

[0118] 13, the control for resetting the count of the timer 64 that started in S1302 when the power saving mode setting is OFF in S1309 has been described. When the power saving mode setting is OFF in S1309, the count of the timer 64 may be stopped instead of being reset. In this case, with the count of the timer 64 stopped, command reception (S1303) and confirmation of the presence or absence of touch input (S1305) are repeated. When the power saving mode setting is changed to ON by the received command in S1303, the CPU 61 proceeds to S1301 and restarts the count of the timer 64 from the stopped count.

[0119] That is, the remote operation panel 50 (remote operation unit) has a timer 64 that counts the time to transition from a first power mode in which battery power is supplied to the display 51 (display unit) to a second power mode in which the supply of power to the display 51 is restricted. The remote operation panel 50 has a CPU 61 (second controller) that transitions the remote operation panel 50 to the second power mode when the count of the timer 64 exceeds a predetermined value. Then, the CPU 61 (second controller) stops the count of the timer 64 when the image forming apparatus 1 is transitioned to a maintenance mode or when an error is detected in the image forming apparatus 1. Then, the CPU 61 restarts the timer 64 from the stopped count when the maintenance mode or the error is eliminated. Even with this configuration, it is possible to achieve power saving of the remote operation panel without impairing the user's operability.

[0120] In addition, the control to reset the count of timer 64 described in FIG. 13 and the control to stop the count of timer 64 as described above may be made to be switchable by selection using a setting (not shown) from the operation screen of image forming apparatus 1.

[0121] Example 2 In the first embodiment, an example was described in which the remote operation panel 50 is not switched to a power saving mode when the image forming apparatus 1 is switched to the maintenance mode described in FIG. 10 or when an error described in FIG. 12 occurs.

[0122] In the second embodiment, an example will be described in which the control of transition to the power saving mode of the remote operation panel 50 is changed depending on the remaining charge of the battery 67.

[0123] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process performed when a service person causes the image forming apparatus 1 to enter the maintenance mode according to the second embodiment.

[0124] The process procedure shown in Fig. 14 is started when a serviceman issues an instruction to switch image forming apparatus 1 to a maintenance mode. Each step shown in Fig. 14 is realized when CPU 21 shown in Fig. 4 loads program 25 stored in storage device 24 into memory 22 and executes it.

[0125] Steps S1401 to S1407 are the same as steps S901 to S907 in FIG.

[0126] In S1406, until a predetermined operation for canceling the maintenance mode is performed (No in S1406), in S1408, the CPU 61 checks the remaining charge of the battery 67 by monitoring a notification from the remaining charge monitor 69.

[0127] In S1408, the CPU 61 determines whether or not the remaining charge of the battery 67 is equal to or lower than a predetermined value (eg, equal to or lower than 10% of the charge capacity).

[0128] If the remaining charge of battery 67 is not equal to or less than the predetermined value (No in S1408), the process proceeds to S1406, where it is determined whether a predetermined operation for canceling the maintenance mode has been performed. If the remaining charge of battery 67 is equal to or less than the predetermined value (Yes in S1408), CPU 21 (controller) returns the power saving mode setting to on, i.e., returns to control that permits remote operation panel 50 to switch to the power saving mode, so that remote operation panel 50 can switch to the power saving mode (S1407).

[0129] Here, when the remote control panel 50 is in the maintenance mode and a service technician is performing maintenance, if the remaining charge in the battery 67 of the remote control panel 50 becomes low, the remote control panel 50 can be made to switch to the power saving mode.

[0130] This prevents the service technician from having to stop maintenance work due to the battery 67 of the remote control panel 50 running out of power while the technician is in the middle of the work.

[0131] Alternatively, in order to prevent the maintenance work from being interrupted due to the battery 67 of the remote control panel 50 running out of power in the middle of the work, the remaining battery power may be checked on the operation screen in the maintenance mode.

[0132] An example of the remaining battery charge is shown in Fig. 15. In Fig. 15, an icon 96 indicating the remaining battery charge and an icon 97 indicating the remaining charge as a percentage are displayed in the upper right corner of the operation screen in the maintenance mode displayed on the remote operation panel 50.

[0133] These icons 96, 97 may be displayed only when the maintenance mode is entered, or may be displayed in the normal mode as well.

[0134] Alternatively, the predetermined value (10%) is set as a first predetermined value, and when the charge amount of the battery is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value (e.g., 40% or greater) which is greater than the first predetermined value, the icons 151 and 152 are not displayed. When the charge amount of the battery falls below the second predetermined value (e.g., less than 40%), the icons 96 and 97 may be displayed.

[0135] Alternatively, when the battery charge is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value (e.g., 40% or more), the icon may be small, and when the battery charge falls below the second predetermined value (e.g., less than 40%), the icon may be large.

[0136] Depending on the remaining charge of the battery 67, the control to exit the maintenance mode as shown in FIG. 14 and the display of the battery icon described above may be performed individually or together.

[0137] Also, in Fig. 14, an example is shown in which the power saving mode setting is turned on in S1407 so that the remote control panel 50 can be switched to the power saving mode when the remaining charge of the battery 67 is equal to or less than a predetermined value in S1408. In Fig. 14, the power saving mode setting is turned on, and then, in Fig. 13, the power saving mode is switched to when the count value of the timer 64 exceeds a predetermined value. When the remaining charge of the battery 67 is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the CPU 61 may immediately switch the panel control unit 60 to the power saving mode in response to a command from the CPU 21. This makes it possible to prevent the remaining charge of the battery 67 from running out before the power saving mode is switched to if the predetermined time set to a predetermined value is long.

[0138] In addition, in the second embodiment, the case where the maintenance mode is entered is described. However, even when an error such as that shown in FIG. 12 occurs, the control of the transition to the power saving mode of the remote operation panel 50 may be changed depending on the remaining charge of the battery 67.

[0139] In this case, if the error recovery work is not completed in S1205 of FIG. 12 (No in S1205), the CPU 61 checks the remaining charge of the battery 67 by monitoring the notification from the remaining charge monitor 69, similarly to S1408 of FIG.

[0140] The CPU 61 determines whether the remaining charge of the battery 67 is equal to or less than a predetermined value (for example, 10% of the charging capacity). If the remaining charge of the battery 67 is not equal to or less than the predetermined value, the process proceeds to S1205, where it is determined whether the error recovery procedure has been completed. If the remaining charge of the battery 67 is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the process proceeds to S1206, where the CPU 21 (controller) returns the power saving mode setting in the ROM 62 to on, i.e., returns to control that permits the remote operation panel 50 to switch to the power saving mode, so that the remote operation panel 50 can switch to the power saving mode.

[0141] This makes it possible to prevent the battery 67 of the remote control panel 50 from running out of power during the error recovery process, which would cause the work to be interrupted.

[0142] Other Examples In the above-described embodiment, when the flow chart transitions to the maintenance mode as shown in FIG. 10, or when an error as shown in FIG. 12 occurs, the power saving mode setting in ROM 62 is turned off to prevent remote operation panel 50 from transitioning to the power saving mode.

[0143] The control for not allowing the remote operation panel 50 to switch to the power saving mode is not limited to the control for changing the power saving mode setting to OFF. For example, the time until switching to the power saving mode may be changed to a longer time, so that switching to the power saving mode is not actually allowed. Here, a case will be described in which the setting of the time until switching to the power saving mode, measured by the timer 64 of the remote operation panel 50, is changed to a longer time.

[0144] When the image forming apparatus 1 is in the normal mode, the setting of the time until the remote operation panel 50 transitions to the power saving mode is set as a first transition time. Then, when the image forming apparatus 1 transitions to the maintenance mode as shown in Fig. 10, or when an error as shown in Fig. 12 occurs, the setting of the time until the transition to the power saving mode is changed to a second transition time longer than the first transition time. The second transition time longer than the first transition time is a transition time that does not affect the maintenance work, and is, for example, the work time required for maintenance (if the work is for one hour, set it to one hour) or the maximum time that can be set for the power saving mode (if the maximum is two hours, set it to two hours).

[0145] 10, instead of controlling the power saving mode setting to OFF, CPU 21 sends a command to CPU 61 to change the setting of the time until transition to the power saving mode measured by timer 64. In other words, instead of controlling the power saving mode setting to OFF, the setting of the time until transition to the power saving mode measured by timer 64 is changed to a second transition time longer than the first transition time.

[0146] Also, in S907 of FIG. 10, instead of controlling the power saving mode setting to ON, the time until transition to the power saving mode measured by the timer 64 is returned to the original first transition time which is shorter than the second transition time.

[0147] As a flow chart of the remote operation panel 50, steps S1301, S1308, S1309, and S1310 are deleted from FIG. 13. That is, the configuration of this embodiment does not require a setting storage unit for storing the set value of the power saving mode setting, as compared with the above-mentioned embodiment. Also, the setting of the transition time until transition to the power saving mode measured by the timer 64 may be changed by either the CPU 21 (controller) of the image forming apparatus 1 or the CPU 61 (second controller) of the remote operation panel 50. When a command to change the setting of the time until transition to the power saving mode measured by the timer 64 is received in S1303, the set time stored in the ROM 62 is changed. The timer 64 is reset, and the timer 64 starts counting with the new time setting.

[0148] As a result, the time until the power saving mode is entered can be extended, and the same effect can be obtained as when the remote operation panel 50 is not entered into the power saving mode. This makes it possible to prevent the display on the remote operation panel 50 from disappearing during maintenance work or when an error occurs, which would cause the work to be interrupted. In other words, it is possible to achieve power saving in the remote operation panel without impairing the user's workability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0149] 1. Image forming device 20...Control section 21...CPU 22…Memory 23 ... Timer 24...Storage device 28...power supply 30 ... Panel connection 32 ... Main unit command communication section 33 … Main unit image transmission section 50...Remote control panel 51 ... Display 52 ... Touch panel 53 ... Speaker section 54 …Status display section 57 ... Power switch 59 ... Switch 60 ... Panel control unit 61...CPU 62...ROM 63...RAM 64 ... Timer 65 ... Power supply control section 67 ... Battery 70 …Main unit connection part 72 ... Panel command communication section 73 ... Panel image receiving section

Claims

1. an image forming apparatus capable of switching between a normal mode in which an image can be formed on a sheet and a maintenance mode for performing maintenance work; a remote control unit for controlling the image forming apparatus via wireless communication, a display unit capable of displaying a display image received from the image forming apparatus via wireless communication; a battery for supplying power to the display unit; a remote control unit capable of shifting from a first power mode in which the battery supplies power to the display unit to a second power mode in which the battery limits power supply to the display unit; a controller that controls whether or not to allow the remote control unit to transition to the second power mode in the maintenance mode; Equipped with the remote control unit has a power saving mode setting that, when enabled, transitions from the first power mode to the second power mode in response to no operation by a user being performed on the remote control unit for a predetermined period of time, and, when disabled, maintains the first power mode even if no operation by a user is performed on the remote control unit for a predetermined period of time; the power saving mode setting is disabled when the image forming apparatus is in the maintenance mode, and is switched from disabled to enabled in response to the image forming apparatus transitioning from the maintenance mode to the normal mode; 1. An image forming system comprising:

2. The image forming system according to claim 1, characterized in that the image forming device does not form an image on a sheet when in the maintenance mode.

3. The image forming system as described in claim 1, characterized in that the display unit is a touch panel display that accepts touch operations by a user.

4. The image forming apparatus has a control unit that transmits a command to switch between enabling and disabling the power saving mode setting, the remote control unit switches between enabling and disabling the power saving mode setting in response to a command transmitted from the control unit; 4. The image forming system according to claim 3.

5. The image forming system as described in claim 1, characterized in that the remote control unit further has a timer that counts the time during which no operation is performed on the remote control unit by the user.

6. The image forming system of claim 5, characterized in that when the image forming device is in the maintenance mode, the timer stops counting.

7. The image forming system of claim 5, characterized in that the timer stops counting when the power saving mode setting is disabled, and resumes counting from the stopped position when the power saving mode setting is enabled.

8. 2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the power saving mode setting is switched from disabled to enabled when the remaining charge of the battery is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

9. the remote control unit is detachable from the image forming apparatus, 9. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the battery is charged when the remote control unit is connected to the image forming apparatus.

10. 2. The image forming system according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is switched to the maintenance mode or released from the maintenance mode by a predetermined operation performed on the remote control unit.

Images