Image Forming Apparatus Job Redirection for Power Saving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses in power saving mode consume excessive power when transitioning to normal mode for an image forming job, leading to unnecessary energy expenditure.
Innovation Solution
The system redirects image forming jobs from an apparatus in power saving mode to another apparatus in normal mode, minimizing mode conversions and power consumption by using a controller to analyze connected devices and determine the most suitable apparatus based on conditions such as job queue and operational state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the image forming apparatus in power saving mode receives an image forming job command, then the apparatus converts to normal mode to perform the job, but this causes excessive power consumption due to unnecessary mode conversion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary that receives image forming job commands and intelligently redirects them to other image forming apparatuses in normal mode. The server acts as a mediator between the host apparatus and multiple image forming apparatuses, analyzing their operational states and routing jobs appropriately to avoid unnecessary mode conversions
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the default image forming apparatus execute the job directly (even if in power saving mode), the system inverts the approach by having the server redirect the job to another apparatus that is already in normal mode. This reverses the conventional workflow where the designated apparatus must handle its assigned jobs regardless of state
2Use of energy by moving object
If the image forming apparatus remains in power saving mode to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but the apparatus cannot execute image forming jobs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple image forming apparatuses into a coordinated system managed by a server. By combining the resources of multiple apparatuses and intelligently distributing jobs among them, the system achieves both energy efficiency (by keeping some apparatuses in power saving mode) and high productivity (by utilizing apparatuses in normal mode for job execution)
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a storage unit, an interface unit which is connected to a host apparatus and at least one of other image forming apparatuses, an image forming unit which prints image data received through the interface unit, and a controller which, if image data is received when the image forming apparatus is in a normal mode, controls the image forming unit to perform an image forming job using the image data, and if the image data is received when the image forming apparatus is in a power saving mode, controls the interface unit to transmit the image data to another image forming apparatus so that the another image forming apparatus performs an image forming job.