Printer Mode Switching During Silent Operation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses with silent mode functionality cause prolonged waiting times for users when switching between normal and silent modes, as jobs in silent mode must complete before starting jobs in normal mode, leading to increased user inconvenience.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that allows switching between normal and silent modes, featuring a mode setter and controller that pause and reassign jobs in silent mode to normal mode when a job in normal mode is reserved during silent mode execution, enabling immediate registration and start of jobs in normal mode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a job in silent mode is executed, then quiet operation is achieved, but user waiting time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches the operating mode of the image former between silent mode and normal mode based on job priority and user input. When a high-priority job is registered during silent mode execution, the system transitions from static silent mode operation to dynamic mode switching, allowing the image former to operate in normal mode for high-priority jobs while maintaining silent mode for lower-priority jobs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the motor speed parameter of the image former based on the operating mode. In silent mode, the motor operates at reduced speed to minimize noise, while in normal mode, it operates at full speed for efficient processing. This parameter change allows the system to balance noise reduction with processing speed based on job requirements.
2Ease of operation
If job execution modes are set on a function basis, then user convenience is improved, but job scheduling flexibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments job execution modes by function (copy, print, scan, etc.) and allows independent setting of silent mode for each function. This segmentation enables users to configure silent mode preferences for specific functions while maintaining normal operation for others, providing both ease of operation through function-specific settings and scheduling flexibility through individual job mode selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines the operating mode for each job based on the registered function and user preferences, rather than using fixed mode assignments. This dynamic determination allows the system to adapt to different scheduling scenarios while maintaining simple function-based configuration settings.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that is switchable between a normal mode and a silent mode; a mode setter that accepts a setting; a job-reservation registration acceptor that accepts reservation registration of the jobs; and a controller, wherein, when the job-reservation registration acceptor accepts a reservation of a job in the normal mode, the controller determines whether or not a job last accepted by the job-reservation registration acceptor is a job in the silent mode, and when the job last accepted is a job in the silent mode, the controller causes the image former to pause the job being executed by the image former, changes all jobs accepted by the job-reservation registration acceptor to jobs in the normal mode, and accepts registration of a job in the normal mode as a final job.