Image Forming Apparatus with Wireless-Tag User Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses require dedicated devices for detecting user approach, leading to potential erroneous detections and increased power consumption during standby modes.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus that utilizes a wireless tag on print media for user detection, allowing communication with a reader/writer unit to determine user approach without dedicated sensors, adjusting communication range based on operation type.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dedicated human detection sensor (infrared sensor) is provided to detect user approach, then the detection function is provided, but the device complexity increases and erroneous detection occurs when non-users pass through
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless tag reader/writer unit performs dual functions: it reads/writes data to wireless tags on print media during normal operations, and simultaneously detects user approach by reading tags on user terminals (smartphones, ID cards). This eliminates the need for dedicated detection sensors while utilizing existing hardware capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the user's own terminal device (equipped with a wireless tag) as the detection target. The user terminal actively cooperates by responding to reader/writer unit's queries, enabling reliable identification of authorized users while ignoring non-users who do not have registered tags.
2Reliability
If the communication range is set wide to detect user approach from distance, then the detection range is improved, but power consumption increases during standby mode
Solution Approach 1:
The communication range and output intensity are dynamically adjusted based on operational context. During standby mode, the system uses lower output intensity for distant detection. When image formation is detected or initiated, the system switches to higher output intensity for reliable close-range communication with the print media.
Solution Approach 2:
The reader/writer unit performs periodic detection at lower power during standby, and switches to higher power communication only when image formation operations are detected or initiated. This periodic adjustment of communication intensity reduces overall power consumption while maintaining detection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a forming unit, a communication unit, a reader/writer unit, a reader unit, and a determination unit. If the forming unit executes the image formation on the print medium, the reader/writer unit is configured to execute, using the communication unit, an operation of writing data into a wireless tag attached to the print medium on which the image formation is to be executed or an operation of reading data from the wireless tag. If the image formation that is accompanied by the operation of writing data or the operation of reading data by the reader/writer unit is not executed, the reader unit is configured to read an identifier of a user from a wireless tag that stores the identifier using the communication unit if communication between the wireless tag and the communication unit is enabled. The determination unit is configured to determine that the user approaches the image forming apparatus if the identifier read by the reader unit satisfies a predetermined condition.