Sub Control Unit Proxy Response for Power Saving Image Formers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image forming apparatuses face inefficiencies in transitioning from power saving to standby modes due to the inability to perform network responses using proxy responses, leading to wasteful power consumption during load measurement and state transitions.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a main control unit and a sub control unit that determines the number of control units needed to respond to network requests, allowing the main control unit to wake up from a power saving state and transition back to normal mode only with the necessary units, minimizing power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the controller returns from power saving mode to standby state to measure CPU load, then the network response can be performed, but power is wasted during the measurement time and state transition
Solution Approach 1:
The sub control unit performs preliminary determination of whether proxy response is possible before the main control unit fully wakes up. This preliminary action allows the system to avoid unnecessary full wake-up and measurement processes, directly resolving the contradiction by preventing power waste during measurement time while ensuring network response capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of fully waking up the main control unit and measuring all CPU load, the system uses partial action by relying on the sub control unit's proxy response capability for simple network requests. This partial approach handles network responses without requiring complete system wake-up, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining necessary network functionality.
2Ease of operation
If the main control unit wakes up to perform network response, then network requests can be handled, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control function is segmented between sub control unit and main control unit. The sub control unit handles network responses independently for simple requests, while the main control unit only wakes up when necessary for complex operations. This segmentation allows network response functionality to be maintained with minimal power consumption by utilizing the lower-power sub unit for routine tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The sub control unit acts as an intermediary that handles network responses in substitution for the main control unit when power saving is required. This intermediary capability enables network functionality without requiring the main control unit to be fully operational, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining ease of operation for network requests.
3Measurement precision
If measurement time is allocated to assess CPU load, then accurate load information is obtained, but the system cannot quickly transition to power saving mode
Solution Approach 1:
The necessary network response determination is extracted from the full CPU load measurement process. Instead of measuring all CPU loads to determine wake-up necessity, the system extracts only the critical information needed to decide whether proxy response is sufficient, eliminating unnecessary measurement time and enabling faster transition to power saving mode while maintaining adequate decision accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes a main control unit including a plurality of control units, and a sub control unit configured to respond to a request from an information processing apparatus via a network in substitution for the main control unit when the main control unit is being operated in a power saving state, wherein, in a case where the sub control unit receives a request to which the sub control unit cannot perform proxy response from the information processing apparatus, the main control unit determines a number of the control units for responding to the request among the plurality of control units and returns from the power saving state to a normal state using the control units the number of which is determined.