Printing Apparatus With Customizable Low-Power Operating Modes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing printing apparatuses struggle to balance power consumption reduction with usability, especially in emergency situations where commercial power sources may be unavailable, necessitating the use of small generators or batteries, and require efficient operation of printing functions.
Innovation Solution
A printing apparatus with customizable power consumption settings via a user interface, including a first operation mode, a second operation mode with reduced power consumption, and a sleep mode, allowing users to select power-saving options such as monochrome display, reduced display regions, and light-off during printing execution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the color image recording unit is set to low power consumption mode during monochrome image recording, then power consumption is reduced, but usability is not considered and fixed mode contents cannot adapt to emergency situations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic power consumption modes that can be switched based on operational requirements. The control unit enables switching between normal mode, power saving mode, and emergency mode according to the printing task and power availability, making the system adaptable to different scenarios including emergencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters such as power consumption level, display brightness, and processing speed based on the selected mode. In emergency mode, parameters are adjusted to minimize power consumption while maintaining essential printing functionality, allowing adaptation to power-constrained environments.
2Use of energy by moving object
If power consumption is reduced in emergency mode, then power requirements are minimized for portable power sources, but printing functionality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
In emergency mode, the system performs partial actions by maintaining only the essential printing functionality while reducing or disabling non-essential features such as color processing, high-resolution display, and additional processing steps. This partial action approach ensures sufficient printing capability with minimal power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and maintains only the core printing function in emergency mode, separating essential operations from optional features. The control unit identifies and preserves the minimum necessary printing capabilities while omitting power-intensive functions, enabling reliable printing with reduced power requirements.
3Ease of operation
If the display unit operates at full brightness and region, then usability and information transmission are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The display unit operates at reduced brightness and/or reduced display region in power saving and emergency modes. The control unit adjusts display parameters to provide sufficient information for operational control while significantly reducing power consumption, balancing usability with energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different display quality levels to different regions or conditions. In power saving mode, the display may reduce brightness overall or dim non-critical areas while maintaining adequate visibility for essential operations, creating a localized quality adjustment that balances power consumption and usability.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing apparatus includes a printing unit and a control unit. Apparatus states set by the control unit include a first operation mode and a second operation mode where power required for printing is supplied, and a sleep mode where power required for printing is not supplied, power consumption in the second operation mode is less than that in the first operation mode, and is more than that in the sleep mode, and the second operation mode is configured so that a method of setting power consumption is customized via a user interface.