Power Measurement Unit Shutdown in Image Forming Apparatus

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image forming apparatuses do not effectively reduce power consumption in power-save mode due to continued power supply to the power measurement unit, leading to wasteful energy usage.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus includes a measurement unit on the power-supply line to measure power consumption and a power-saving unit that shuts down power supply to the measurement unit when entering power-save mode, thereby reducing energy consumption by disconnecting it from the power source.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If power is supplied to the power measurement unit in power-save mode, then the measurement unit can continue to measure power consumption, but power consumption is not reduced effectively due to wasteful energy usage at the measurement unit

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumption measurement capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption in power-save mode

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurement of power consumption in normal mode, stores the measured value, and then shuts down the measurement unit in power-save mode. The stored measurement value is used to represent power consumption in power-save mode, eliminating the need for continuous measurement and reducing energy waste.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The measurement unit is extracted from the continuous operation in power-save mode. By shutting down the measurement unit when not needed for measurement, the system eliminates the parasitic power consumption of the measurement unit itself while preserving the ability to measure when the system returns to normal mode.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Use of energy by moving object

If the power measurement unit is shut down in power-save mode, then power consumption is reduced, but the ability to measure power consumption in real-time is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumption in power-save modeVSAvoidreal-time power consumption data

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a copy of the power consumption measurement value obtained in normal mode and stores it for use in power-save mode. This copied value serves as a proxy for real-time measurement, providing sufficient information for power management decisions without requiring active measurement during power-save mode.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The measurement of power consumption is performed in advance (in normal mode) before the system enters power-save mode. The pre-measured value is stored and used during power-save mode, eliminating the need for continuous measurement while maintaining adequate information for power management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2581792B1Image forming apparatus

Publication Date: 2019.04.17 RICOH CO LTD

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

An image forming apparatus has at least one measurement unit (4), disposed on a respective power-supply line extending from a first power source (15) to a respective at least one operation module (3, 5) disposed in the image forming apparatus (100), configured to measure power consumption at the at least one operation module (3, 5); and a power-saving unit configured to shut down the power supply from the first power source (15) to the at least one operation module (3, 5) to set the image forming apparatus to a power-save mode, wherein the image forming apparatus (100) is configured to shut down power supply to the at least one measurement unit (4), when the power-saving unit sets the image forming apparatus (100) to the power-save mode.