Printer Power Control for Paper Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
In image forming apparatuses transitioning from a sleep state to a non-sleep state, existing power saving methods lead to unnecessary power consumption as they uniformly supply power to specific units for paper notification regardless of paper presence, causing wasteful energy use.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a processor-controlled power supply system that differentiates between transitions with and without paper, selectively supplying power to specific units only when paper is present to ensure paper notification while maintaining partial power saving modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power is uniformly supplied to specific units for paper notification regardless of paper presence, then paper notification reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating power supply based on paper presence detection. When paper is detected on the mounting surface, power is supplied to the notification unit (light emitter). When no paper is present, power supply to this unit is stopped. This creates localized power supply control tailored to the actual operational need, resolving the contradiction between ensuring notification reliability and reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic power supply control where the power supply state of the notification unit changes based on the detected presence of paper. The system transitions between power-on and power-off states for the notification unit according to real-time paper detection results, making the power supply adaptive rather than static, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable notification and power saving.
2Reliability
If power is supplied to specific units during return from sleep state, then notification function is improved, but partial power saving effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively supplying power only to the notification unit (specific unit) when paper is present during return from sleep state, while maintaining power saving in other units. This localized approach ensures notification function reliability when needed while preserving the effectiveness of partial power saving by limiting power supply to only the necessary component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by supplying power only to the specific notification unit rather than to all units during return from sleep state. This partial power supply approach is sufficient to maintain notification function when paper is present, while avoiding excessive power consumption in other units, thus resolving the contradiction between notification reliability and power saving effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a unit group including a specific unit having a specific component that performs an operation necessary for notification of paper remaining on a mounting surface; and a processor configured to control supply of power to the unit group at a return from a sleep state based on a return event, in which the processor is configured to in a case where there is no paper on the mounting surface at a transition to the sleep state, perform first control to supply power to a specified power supply destination corresponding to the return event at the return from the sleep state, and in a case where there is a paper on the mounting surface at the transition to the sleep state, perform second control to supply power to the specific unit at the return from the sleep state even in a case where the specific unit is not included in the specified power supply destination of the unit group.