Image forming apparatus and method for controlling image forming apparatus

• US 10,313,544 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2016
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Horishita, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Mclean, Neil R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dottin, Darryl V
• Application Number:
  US15/204,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20170013156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 358 114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00015 Reproducing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00034 Measuring, i.e. determining a quantity by comparison with a standard H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00058 using a separate apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00068 Calculating or estimating
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00891 Switching on or off, e.g. for saving power when not in use H04N1/00896 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception

Abstract

An image forming apparatus provided with a sensor including a plurality of elements that detect temperature in the vicinity of the image forming apparatus includes an acquisition unit that obtains temperature data indicating the temperature detected by each of the plurality of elements, a calculation unit that calculates a feature point of a heat source region in the vicinity of the image forming apparatus based on obtained plurality of pieces of temperature data, and a recover unit that causes the image forming apparatus to recover from a power saving state based on a position of the calculated feature point.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus having a sensor including a plurality of elements and each of the plurality of elements outputs temperature data, the image forming apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory, wherein one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including;

instruction for identifying elements that output temperature data which is higher than a reference temperature among the plurality of elements;

instruction for identifying a heat source region where the number of elements is largest from among a plurality of heat source regions formed by the identified elements;

instruction for determining one or more feature parameters of the identified largest heat source region; and

instruction for shifting a power state of the image forming apparatus based on the one or more the determined feature parameters.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further including:

instruction for storing temperature data output from the plurality of elements in a memory as the reference temperature.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instruction for identifying the elements is based on a difference between temperature data output from the each of the plurality of elements and the reference temperature data.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more feature parameters includes an uppermost y coordinate in a y-axis direction of the largest heat source region.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the instruction for shifting the power state of the image forming apparatus is based on at least the y coordinate.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the feature parameter includes an x coordinate of a center of gravity or a middle point in an x-axis direction of the largest heat source region.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the instruction for shifting the power state of the image forming apparatus is based on that a moving width of the x coordinate is within a predetermined area during a predetermined period.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the feature parameter includes an uppermost y coordinate in a y-axis direction of the largest heat source region and an x coordinate of a center of gravity or a middle point in an x-axis direction of the largest heat source region.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the instruction for shifting the power state of the image forming apparatus is based on the y coordinate and the x coordinate.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of elements are receive infrared rays.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements are arranged in a grid-like pattern.

23. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a printer unit that prints an image on a medium.

24. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a scanner unit that scans an image on an original.

12. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus including a sensor including a plurality of elements and each of the plurality of elements outputs temperature data, the method comprising:

identifying elements that output temperature data which is higher than a reference temperature among the plurality of elements;

identifying a heat source region where the number of elements is largest from among a plurality of heat source regions formed by the identified elements;

determining one or more feature parameters of the identified largest heat source region; and

shifting a power state of the image forming apparatus based on the one or more the determined feature parameters.

13. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising storing temperature data from the plurality of elements as the reference temperature.

14. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the identifying the element is based on a difference between temperature data from the each of the plurality of elements and the reference temperature data.

15. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the one or more feature parameters includes an uppermost y coordinate in a y-axis direction of the largest heat source region.

16. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the shifting the power state of the image forming apparatus is based on at least the y coordinate.

17. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the feature parameter includes an x coordinate of a center of gravity or a middle point in an x-axis direction of the largest heat source region.

18. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the shifting the power state of the image forming apparatus is based on that a moving width of the x coordinate is within a predetermined area during a predetermined period.

19. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein calculating the feature parameter includes an uppermost y coordinate in a y-axis direction of the largest heat source region and an x coordinate of a center of gravity or a middle point in an x-axis direction of the largest heat source region.

20. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the shifting the power state of the image forming apparatus is based on the y coordinate and the x coordinate.

21. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of elements are receive infrared rays.

22. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of elements are arranged in a grid-like pattern.

25. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

printing an image on a medium.

26. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

scanning an image on an original.