Image processor

• US 20070240159A1
• Filed: 02/20/2007
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Hiroki
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/102
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00885 Power supply means, e.g. arrangements for the control of power supply to the apparatus or components thereof
• 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 1/00896 using a low-power mode, e.g. standby
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00904 Arrangements for supplying power to different circuits or for supplying power at different levels H04N1/00896 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00933 Timing control or synchronising H04N1/00928, H04N1/00931, H04N1/00954 and H04N1/0096 take precedence

Abstract

An image processor keeps itself capable of executing a communication process with an external apparatus even in an energy-saving state, and offers a job reservation function while reducing power consumption as much as possible. The image processor has an energization switching circuit that makes switchover separately in energizing/deenergizing each of a plurality of function blocks, which execute a job, independent of energization of an NIC. The NIC has functions of counting the present time, obtaining a scheduled time and reserved job information on a reserved job to be executed at the scheduled time, identifying the reserved job to be started for execution on the basis of a counted time and the scheduled time included in the reserved job information, and starting up a function block needed for execution of the identified reserved job through control over the energization switching circuit.

Claims

1. An image processor having a communication unit that communicates with an external apparatus, the image processor comprising:

an energization switching unit that makes switchover in separately energizing/deenergizing each of a plurality of function blocks, each being a component or an assembly of components executing a given job, independent of energization of the communication unit;

a time counting unit that counts a present time;

a reservation information obtaining unit that obtains a given scheduled time and reserved job information on a reserved job to be executed at the scheduled time from a given memory unit;

an execution start job identifying unit that identifies the reserved job to be started for execution on the basis of a counted time given by the time counting unit and of the scheduled time obtained by the reservation information obtaining unit; and

an automatic startup controlling unit that changes a state of a function block needed for execution of the reserved job into an energized state, the reserved job being identified by the execution start job identifying unit, through control over the energization switching unit when the function block is in a deenergized state, wherein

the communication unit combines the time counting unit, job reservation information obtaining unit, execution start job identifying unit, and automatic startup controlling unit.

2. The image processor of claim 1, further comprising a job reservation information memory unit that stores job reservation in formation that links the scheduled time to the reserved job information, wherein

the reservation information obtaining unit obtains the scheduled time and the reserved job information from the job reservation information memory unit.

3. The image processor of claim 1, wherein

the communication unit combines a job reservation information external access unit that executes one or plurality of processes on the job reservation information stored in the job reservation information memory unit, the processes being executed out of processes of transmission to an external apparatus, contents updating, and information deletion, in response to a request from the external apparatus.

4. The image processor of claim 1, wherein

when a plurality of the scheduled times included in a given time range are present for a counted time given by the time counting unit, the execution start job identifying unit identifies a plurality of the reserved jobs corresponding to the plurality of the scheduled times as reserved jobs to be started for execution.

5. The image processor of claim 1, wherein

when a state of a plurality of function blocks is changed into an energized state, the automatic startup controlling unit changes the state of the function blocks into the energized state in sequence from a function block requiring a longer startup time according to a predetermined procedure.

6. The image processor of claim 5, wherein

when a state of a plurality of function blocks is changed into an energized state, the automatic startup controlling unit so changes the state of the function blocks into the energized state that the function blocks becomes completely ready for operation almost simultaneously.

7. The image processor of claim 1, wherein

the function block has a reference time counting unit that counts a reference time for the image processor while being supplied with backup power from a battery, and wherein

the time counting unit combined by the communication unit includes:

a clock signal generating unit that generates clock signals at a constant cycle;

a clock summation time counting unit that counts a present time on the basis of a result of summation of the clock signals; and

a time correcting unit that obtains a counted time given by the reference time counting unit to correct a counted time given by the clock summation time counting unit when the function block having the reference time counting unit is in an energized state.

8. The image processor of claim 7, wherein

when the function block having the reference time counting unit is in a deenergized state, the time correcting unit changes the state of the function block into an energized state through control over the energization switching unit and obtains a counted time given by the reference time counting unit incorporated into the function block to correct a counted time given by the clock summation time counting unit.

9. The image processor of claim 2, wherein

the communication unit combines a job reservation information external access unit that executes one or plurality of processes on the job reservation information stored in the job reservation information memory unit, the processes being executed out of processes of transmission to an external apparatus, contents updating, and information deletion, in response to a request from the external apparatus.

10. The image processor of claim 2, wherein

when a plurality of the scheduled times included in a given time range are present for a counted time given by the time counting unit, the execution start job identifying unit identifies a plurality of the reserved jobs corresponding to the plurality of the scheduled times as reserved jobs to be started for execution.

11. The image processor of claim 2, wherein

when a state of a plurality of function blocks is changed into an energized state, the automatic startup controlling unit changes the state of the function blocks into the energized state in sequence from a function block requiring a longer startup time according to a predetermined procedure.

12. The image processor of claim 2, wherein

the function block has a reference time counting unit that counts a reference time for the image processor while being supplied with a backup power from a battery, and wherein

the time counting unit combined by the communication unit includes:

a clock signal generating unit that generates clock signals at a constant cycle;

a clock summation time counting unit that counts a present time on the basis of a result of summation of the clock signals; and

a time correcting unit that obtains a counted time given by the reference time counting unit to correct a counted time given by the clock summation time counting unit when the function block having the reference time counting unit is in an energized state.