SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR POWER MANAGEMENT DIRECTED TO IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND USAGE MANAGEMENT APPARATUS OF IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS
First Claim
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1. A power management system comprising:
- an entry control apparatus for controlling user'"'"'s access to at least one particular area;
an image forming apparatus placed in said particular area; and
a usage management apparatus for managing use permission of each user for said image forming apparatus, whereinsaid entry control apparatus includes;
a first reader unit placed near an entrance of said particular area to read identification information of the user; and
a state management unit to retain a presence state of each user in said particular area and to update said presence state of the user corresponding to said identification information read by said first reader unit,said image forming apparatus includes;
a second reader unit to read said identification information of the user;
an inquiry unit to inquire of said usage management apparatus for the use permission of the user corresponding to said identification information read by said second reader unit; and
a manipulation enabling unit to enable acceptance of user manipulation when said usage management apparatus permits the user to use, andsaid usage management apparatus includes;
a state obtaining unit to obtain said presence state of each user, permitted to use said image forming apparatus, from said entry control apparatus; and
a transition unit to cause said image forming apparatus to make a transition to a lower power consumption mode in which power consumption becomes less, when all the users permitted to use said image forming apparatus exist outside said particular area.
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Abstract
A presence state inquiry unit refers to a use permission table stored in a data storage unit to extract a user permitted to use a target image forming apparatus, and inquires from an entry control server for a presence state of the extracted user in a particular area where the target image forming apparatus is placed A mode transition unit transmits a transition command to a lower power consumption mode to the target image forming apparatus when all the users permitted to use the target image forming apparatus exist outside the particular area.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A power management system comprising:
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an entry control apparatus for controlling user'"'"'s access to at least one particular area; an image forming apparatus placed in said particular area; and a usage management apparatus for managing use permission of each user for said image forming apparatus, wherein said entry control apparatus includes; a first reader unit placed near an entrance of said particular area to read identification information of the user; and a state management unit to retain a presence state of each user in said particular area and to update said presence state of the user corresponding to said identification information read by said first reader unit, said image forming apparatus includes; a second reader unit to read said identification information of the user; an inquiry unit to inquire of said usage management apparatus for the use permission of the user corresponding to said identification information read by said second reader unit; and a manipulation enabling unit to enable acceptance of user manipulation when said usage management apparatus permits the user to use, and said usage management apparatus includes; a state obtaining unit to obtain said presence state of each user, permitted to use said image forming apparatus, from said entry control apparatus; and a transition unit to cause said image forming apparatus to make a transition to a lower power consumption mode in which power consumption becomes less, when all the users permitted to use said image forming apparatus exist outside said particular area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for power management using a system including an image forming apparatus,
said system including an entry control apparatus for controlling user'"'"'s access to at least one particular area, said image forming apparatus placed in said particular area, and a usage management apparatus for managing use permission of each user for said image forming apparatus, said entry control apparatus including a first reader unit placed near an entrance of said particular area to read identification information of the user, and a state management unit to retain a presence state of each user in said particular area and to update said presence state of the user corresponding to said identification information read by said first reader unit, said image forming apparatus including a second reader unit to read said identification information of the user, the method for power management comprising the steps of: -
inquiring of said usage management apparatus for the use permission of the user corresponding to said identification information read by said second reader unit; enabling the user to manipulate said image forming apparatus when said usage management apparatus permits the user to use; obtaining said presence state of each user, permitted to use said image forming apparatus, from said entry control apparatus; and causing said image forming apparatus to make a transition to a lower power consumption mode in which power consumption becomes less, when all the users permitted to use said image forming apparatus exist outside said particular area. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A usage management apparatus of an image forming apparatus, wherein said usage management apparatus is configured to be able to perform data communication with an entry control apparatus for controlling user'"'"'s access to at least one particular area and said image forming apparatus placed in said particular area,
said entry control apparatus includes a first reader unit placed near an entrance of said particular area to read identification information of the user; - and
a state management unit to retain a presence state of each user for said particular area and to update said presence state of the user corresponding to said identification information read by said first reader unit, said image forming apparatus includes; a second reader unit to read said identification information of the user; an inquiry unit to inquire of said usage management apparatus for the use permission of the user corresponding to said identification information read by said second reader unit; and a manipulation enabling unit to enable acceptance of user manipulation when said usage management apparatus permits the user to use, and said usage management apparatus comprises; a state obtaining unit to obtain said presence state of each user, permitted to use said image forming apparatus, from said entry control apparatus; and a transition unit to cause said image forming apparatus to make a transition to a lower power consumption mode in which power consumption becomes less, when all the users permitted to use said image forming apparatus exist outside said particular area.
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Specification