Power Supply Control Unit for CPU Substrate Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a trade-off between power saving and user convenience in image forming apparatuses, as they take time to return to a high power state from a power saving state, affecting user convenience and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The electronic apparatus includes a first substrate with a CPU, a second substrate with a specific function, and a power supply control unit that determines whether to supply power to the second CPU based on whether the specific function is mounted, optimizing power consumption and recovery time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If the image forming apparatus shifts to a power saving state, then power consumption is reduced, but the time required to return to a high power state increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is segmented into multiple independent power supply units, each controlling power to specific substrates (first substrate with first CPU, second substrate with second CPU). This allows selective power supply to only necessary components, enabling the apparatus to reduce power consumption by powering down non-essential substrates while maintaining quick recovery capability by keeping essential substrates powered or in a lower power state with faster wake-up time.
2Loss of time
If power is supplied to the second CPU in the power saving state, then recovery time is reduced, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply control unit dynamically adjusts the power supply state of the second CPU based on operational conditions. The system can switch between different power states: fully powered (fast recovery), partially powered (balanced), or fully powered down (maximum saving). This dynamic control allows the system to optimize the balance between power consumption and recovery time according to actual usage patterns and requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the power supply parameter (voltage, current) to the second CPU based on whether the specific function is mounted and the current operational state. By adjusting power supply parameters rather than using a fixed state, the system can achieve fine-grained control over both power consumption and recovery performance, resolving the contradiction between these two parameters.
3Ease of operation
If the apparatus uses multiple return factors including human detection sensor, then user convenience is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply control unit serves multiple functions: it manages power supply to different substrates, determines power saving states, controls recovery processes, and integrates multiple return factors (operation unit inputs, human detection sensor signals). By making the power supply control unit universal and multi-functional, the system achieves high user convenience through multiple wake-up triggers without proportionally increasing overall device complexity, as these functions are integrated into a single control unit rather than requiring separate dedicated systems for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic apparatus includes a first substrate on which a first central processing unit (CPU) is mounted, a second substrate on which a second CPU is mounted and a specific function is mountable, and a power supply control unit configured to control power supply from a power source, wherein the power supply control unit controls the power supply to the second CPU when the electronic apparatus shifts to a power saving state depending on a determination result of whether the power supply to the second CPU is required in a case where the electronic apparatus is in the power saving state based on whether the specific function is mounted on the second substrate.