Power saving management system and power saving managing method

• US 20030163747A1
• Filed: 02/20/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Tomoyasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3284 Power saving in printer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A managing apparatus has a RAM for storing power saving mode shift time and notifies output apparatuses of the stored power saving mode shift time via a network. Each output apparatus is shifted to a power saving mode when measured time by a built-in timer reaches the notified power saving mode shift time.

Claims

1. A power saving management system having a plurality of output apparatuses with a power saving mode and a managing apparatus for managing the power saving modes of said plurality of output apparatuses via a network, wherein

said managing apparatus comprises:

management information memory means for storing power saving mode shift time indicative of time to shift to the power saving mode; and

notifying means for notifying at least one of said output apparatuses of the power saving mode shift time stored in said management information memory means via said network, and

said output apparatus comprises;

a timer;

power saving mode shift time memory means for storing the power saving mode shift time;

power saving mode control means for shifting the output apparatus to the power saving mode when measured time by said timer reaches the power saving mode shift time in said power saving mode shift time memory means; and

updating means for updating the power saving mode shift time in said power saving mode shift time memory means in accordance with the power saving mode shift time notified by said notifying means.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein when the power saving mode shift time in said management information memory means is updated, said notifying means notifies the power saving mode shift time in accordance with the updating.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said output apparatus has display means for displaying a message showing that the power saving mode shift time has been updated in the case where the power saving mode shift time in said power saving mode shift time memory means is updated in accordance with the power saving mode shift time notified from said managing apparatus.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said output apparatus has inquiring means for inquiring of said managing apparatus about the power saving mode shift time,

said notifying means notifies the output apparatus on an inquiring source side of the power saving mode shift time stored in said management information memory means in response to the inquiry about the power saving mode shift time from said inquiring means, and

said updating means updates the power saving mode shift time stored in said power saving mode shift time memory means to the notified power saving mode shift time.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein

said output apparatus has a second timer, and

said inquiring means inquires the power saving mode shift time when measured time by said second timer reaches predetermined time.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said updating means has a function of arbitrarily setting the power saving mode shift time in said power saving mode shift time memory means,

said output apparatus has second notifying means for, when the power saving mode shift time in said power saving mode shift time memory means is arbitrarily set by said updating means, notifying said managing apparatus of the arbitrarily set power saving mode shift time via said network, and

said managing apparatus has second updating means for updating the power saving mode shift time in said management information memory means in accordance with the power saving mode shift time notified from said output apparatus.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein when said updating means receives a response indicative of success or failure of the updating of the power saving mode shift time from said managing apparatus which received the power saving mode shift time notified from said output apparatus, a message indicative of the success or failure of the updating of the power saving mode shift time by said managing apparatus is displayed on a display apparatus.

8. An output apparatus which has a power saving mode and can communicate with another output apparatus via a network, comprising:

management information memory means for storing power saving mode shift time indicative of time to shift to the power saving mode;

first updating means for updating the power saving mode shift time in said management information memory means; and

notifying means for, when the power saving mode shift time in said management information memory means is updated by said first updating means, notifying said another output apparatus of the updated power saving mode shift time via said network,

wherein said another output apparatus comprises;

a timer;

power saving mode shift time memory means for storing the power saving mode shift time;

power saving mode control means for shifting said another output apparatus to the power saving mode when measured time by said timer reaches the power saving mode shift time in said power saving mode shift time memory means; and

second updating means for updating the power saving mode shift time in said power saving mode shift time memory means in accordance with the power saving mode shift time notified by said notifying means.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said notifying means multiaddress-communicates the updated power saving mode shift time to a plurality of other output apparatuses via said network.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said another output apparatus has display means for displaying a message showing that the power saving mode shift time has been updated in the case where the power saving mode shift time in said power saving mode shift time memory means is updated in accordance with the power saving mode shift time notified by said notifying means.

11. A power saving managing method which is executed by a plurality of output apparatuses which are shifted to a power saving mode when measured time by a timer reaches a power saving mode shift time and a managing apparatus for managing the power saving modes of said plurality of output apparatuses via a network, comprising the steps of:

notifying at least one of said plurality of output apparatuses of the power saving mode shift time from said managing apparatus via said network; and

in said output apparatus, updating the power saving mode shift time in accordance with the power saving mode shift time notified from said managing apparatus.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein

in response to an inquiry about the power saving mode shift time from said output apparatus, the output apparatus on an inquiring source side is notified of the power saving mode shift time from said managing apparatus, and

in the output apparatus on the inquiring source side, the power saving mode shift time is updated in accordance with the notified power saving mode shift time.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein

in said output apparatus, when the power saving mode shift time is arbitrarily set, said managing apparatus is notified of the arbitrarily set power saving mode shift time from said output apparatus via said network, and

in said managing apparatus, the power saving mode shift time is updated in accordance with the power saving mode shift time notified from said output apparatus.

14. A power saving managing method which is executed by an output apparatus which has a power saving mode and can communicate with another output apparatus via a network, comprising the steps of:

in said output apparatus, updating power saving mode shift time indicative of time to shift to the power saving mode;

when the power saving mode shift time is updated, notifying said another output apparatus of the updated power saving mode shift time from said output apparatus via said network; and

in said another output apparatus, updating the power saving mode shift time in accordance with the power saving mode shift time notified from said output apparatus.