Printer Power State Control via Automatic Power-On Validation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing printers equipped with both automatic power-off and automatic power-on functions face challenges in properly activating these features, leading to inefficient energy management and potential misoperation during standby and power-off states.

Innovation Solution

An electronic apparatus with a control unit that manages multiple operation modes, including a normal mode, energy-saving modes, and a power-off state, allowing for conditional transitions between these states based on communication connection status, user requests, and energy-saving mode validity, ensuring efficient power management and activation of both power functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the printer shifts to power-off state when communication connections are disconnected, then energy consumption is reduced, but the automatic power-on function cannot be properly activated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidautomatic power-on function activation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts its power state transitions based on the validity setting of the automatic power-on function. When the function is valid, the printer maintains ability to receive wake-up signals even in power-off state. When invalid, it proceeds with full power-off. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by making the power-off behavior adaptive rather than fixed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of power-off state completeness based on the automatic power-on function validity. Instead of a binary power-off state, the system introduces a conditional power-off mode where communication reception capability is selectively maintained or disabled based on the function validity setting, thus resolving the contradiction between energy reduction and function activation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the printer maintains standby state to enable automatic power-on, then automatic power-on function can be activated, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic power-on function activationVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses periodic evaluation of the automatic power-on function validity setting to determine appropriate power state. Rather than continuously maintaining high-power standby state, the printer periodically checks the function validity and adjusts its power consumption level accordingly, achieving energy efficiency while preserving automatic power-on capability when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If the printer shifts to first energy-saving mode after power-off condition is met, then automatic power-on function can be activated, but power-off operation is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic power-on function activationVSAvoidpower-off operation timing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs a preliminary check of the automatic power-on function validity before executing the power-off operation. This preliminary action allows the printer to determine in advance whether it should transition to first energy-saving mode or proceed directly to power-off, thus avoiding unnecessary delays while ensuring automatic power-on function can be activated when valid.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Device complexity

If the printer uses simple power-off state transition, then device complexity is reduced, but power management efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol logic complexityVSAvoidpower management efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the power-off transition process into multiple conditional stages: checking communication connection status, evaluating automatic power-on function validity, and selectively transitioning to either first energy-saving mode or full power-off state. This segmentation of the control logic achieves sophisticated power management efficiency while keeping each individual decision step relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10277762B2Electronic apparatus and control method

Publication Date: 2019.04.30 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

An electronic apparatus is provided that operates in a first state, a second state that consumes less energy than the first state, and a third state that consumes less energy than the second state. The electronic apparatus includes a switch that activates or cancels an automatic power-on function of the electronic apparatus, and a processor that shifts the electronic apparatus from the first state to the second state, in a case where, when the electronic apparatus is in the first state, a state transition condition for shifting the electronic apparatus to another state that consumes less energy than the first state is satisfied, and the automatic power-on function is active, and shifts the electronic apparatus from the first state to the third state, in a case where the state transition condition is satisfied and the automatic power-on function is inactive.