IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING POWER CONSUMPTION THEREOF

• US 20100174935A1
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HP Printing Korea Co., Ltd. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Min-seon, Kim, Dong-kyu
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,953 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/324
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5004 Power supply control, e.g. power-saving mode, automatic power turn-off
• 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 1/00888 Control 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 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0091 Digital copier; digital 'photocopier' H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0093 Facsimile machine H04N2201/0094 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

A method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus includes outputting information regarding power consumption of a plurality of operation units if a power consumption check mode is set, performing power save operation in which at least one operation unit from among the plurality of operation units is turned on and the remaining operation units are turned off if a power save mode is set. Accordingly, on/off of the plurality of operation units may be controlled in the power save mode based on power consumption of each of the operation units.

Claims

1. A method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus using a plurality of operation units, comprising:

outputting information regarding power consumption of the plurality of operation units if it is determined that a power consumption check mode is set;

determining whether a power save mode is set; and

operating a power save mode in which at least one operation unit set from among the plurality of operation units is turned on and the remaining operation units are turned off if a power save mode is set.

2. The method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s command to set the power consumption check mode or the power save mode.

3. The method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the power save mode is set, outputting information regarding power consumption of the plurality of operation units before turning on or off the plurality of operation units.

4. The method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus of claim 3, wherein, in the operation of the power save mode, power consumption of the plurality of operation units is output and whether to turn on or turn off the plurality of operation units is set based on the output power consumption.

5. The method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the operation of the power save mode, if the image forming apparatus is not used for a predetermined period of time, the power save mode is automatically set.

6. The method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the operation of the power save mode, if output of the information regarding power consumption of the plurality of operation units is completed, the power save mode is automatically set.

7. The method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein outputting information regarding power consumption includes displaying or printing at least one of power consumption per unit and estimated electricity fee of each of the plurality of operation units based on an operation mode.

8. The method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein outputting information regarding power consumption of the plurality of operation units comprises:

analyzing a power usage pattern based on power consumption of each of the plurality of operation units;

calculating an estimated power consumption for combinations of on/off states of the plurality of operation units based on the analyzed power usage pattern; and

displaying or printing the calculated estimation of power consumption for the combinations of on/off states of the plurality of operation units.

9. The method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the operation of the power save mode, if the power save mode is set, a user determines which operation unit should be turned on from among the plurality of operation units.

10. The method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the operation of the power save mode, if the power save mode is set, a predetermined setting determines which operation unit should be turned on from among the plurality of operation units.

11. An image forming apparatus comprising;

a plurality of operation units;

an output unit to output information regarding power consumption of the plurality of operation units if a power consumption check mode is set; and

a control unit to turn on at least one operation unit set from among the plurality of operation units if a power save mode is set.

12. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

an input unit to receive a command from a user to set the power consumption check mode or the power save mode.

13. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit controls the output unit to output information regarding power consumption of the plurality of operation units , and then turns on or off the plurality of operation units if the power save mode is set.

14. The image forming apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control unit outputs power consumption of the plurality of operation units and turns on or off of the plurality of operation units based on the output power consumption.

15. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit sets the image forming apparatus to the power save mode if the image forming apparatus is not used for a predetermined period of time.

16. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit sets the image forming apparatus to the power save mode automatically when output of the information regarding power consumption of the plurality of operation units is completed.

17. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit outputs one of power consumption per unit time of each of the plurality of operation units and estimated electricity fee, and provides the output information to the output unit if the power consumption check mode is set.

18. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein, if the power consumption check mode is set, the control unit analyzes a power usage pattern based on power consumption of each of the plurality of operation units, controls the output unit to output an estimated power consumption for at least one combination of on/off states of the plurality of operation units based on the analyzed power usage pattern, and provides the output estimation of power consumption to the output unit.

19. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit receives information regarding which operation unit should be turned on from among the plurality of operation units from a user.

20. The image forming apparatus of claim 11, wherein, if the power save mode is set, the control unit checks a predetermined setting state to determine which operation unit should be turned on from among the plurality of operation units.

21. A method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus using a plurality of operation units, comprising:

setting a power save mode; and

outputting power consumption of the plurality of operation units and determining whether to turn on or off the plurality of operation units based on the output power consumption.

22. A method of controlling power consumption of an image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of image forming units, the method comprising:

setting a power saving mode by determining at least one of the plurality of image forming units to turn on and at least one of the plurality of image forming units to turn off; and

entering the power saving mode.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the image forming units are components of a multi-function image forming apparatus.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the image forming units comprise at least one of a printer, a fax, a copier, and a scanner.

25. The method according to claim 22, wherein determining at least one of the plurality of image forming units to turn on and at least one of the plurality of image forming units to turn off comprises receiving an input from a user.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

outputting power consumption information of the plurality of image forming units.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the power consumption information is output before entering the power saving mode.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the power consumption information is output before setting the power saving mode.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein determining at least one of the plurality of image forming units to turn on and at least one of the plurality of image forming units to turn off comprises:

receiving a user input to select at least one of the plurality of image forming units to turn off in a power saving mode.

30. The method according to claim 26, wherein the power consumption information includes at least one of a rate of power consumption and a cost of operation of the plurality of image forming units.

31. The method according to claim 26, wherein the power consumption information includes power consumption information of a plurality of on/off combinations of the plurality of image forming units.

32. The method according to claim 22, wherein entering the power saving mode includes accessing permanent settings in memory to determine which of the plurality of image forming units to turn off in a power saving mode.

33. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

setting a power consumption mode to analyze power consumption of the plurality of image forming units; and

entering the power consumption mode.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein setting the power consumption mode includes receiving an input from a user.

35. The method according to claim 33, wherein entering the power consumption mode includes outputting data corresponding to a power consumption of the plurality of image forming units.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein outputting data includes outputting power consumption data corresponding to a current level of power consumption of the plurality of image forming units.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein outputting data includes at least one of printing data or displaying data on a display device.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein outputting data includes outputting power consumption data corresponding to a cumulative power consumption of the plurality of image forming units over a predetermined period of time.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein outputting data includes outputting power consumption levels of at least one combination of at least one image forming unit to be turned on and at least one image forming unit to be turned off.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the at least one combination is based on the monitored usage of the plurality of image forming units over a predetermined period of time.

41. The method according to claim 33, wherein entering the power consumption mode includes monitoring power consumption of the plurality of image forming units.

42. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

outputting a notice when power consumption of the plurality of image forming units reaches a predetermined level.

43. The method according to claim 41, further comprising:

outputting power consumption data corresponding to the monitored usage of the plurality of image forming units over a predetermined period of time.

44. An energy-saving system of an image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of image forming units, comprising:

a plurality of image forming units; and

a controller connected to each of the plurality of image forming units to place the plurality of image forming units in a power saving mode in which at least one of the plurality of image forming units is turned on and at least one of the plurality of image forming units is turned off.

45. The energy-saving system according to claim 44, wherein the plurality of image forming units are components of a multi-function imaging apparatus.

46. The energy-saving system according to claim 45, wherein the controller is a component of the imaging apparatus.

47. The energy-saving system according to claim 45, wherein the controller is externally connected to the imaging apparatus.

48. The energy-saving system according to claim 44, further comprising a user interface to receive a user input to select the at least one image forming unit to turn on and the at least one image forming unit to turn off in the power saving mode.

49. The energy-saving system according to claim 48, wherein the user interface displays power consumption information of the plurality of image forming units prior to receiving the user input.

50. The energy-saving system according to claim 49, further comprising a network connection to receive data corresponding to a cost of power consumption of each of the plurality of image forming units,

wherein the user interface displays the data corresponding to the cost of power consumption of each of the plurality of image forming units prior to receiving the user input.

51. The energy-saving system according to claim 49, wherein the user interface includes at least one of an electronic display and a printer.

52. The energy-saving system according to claim 51, wherein the printer prints the power consumption information of the plurality of image forming units.

53. The energy-saving system according to claim 44, wherein the plurality of image forming units are separate imaging apparatuses connected to a network.

54. The energy-saving system according to claim 53, wherein the controller is a computer including a processor and memory connected to the network.

55. The energy-saving system according to claim 53, wherein the controller is located in one of the separate imaging apparatuses.

56. An image-forming apparatus, comprising:

a first imaging unit to form a first image;

a second imaging unit to form a second image; and

a controller to determine that the first imaging unit is turned on in a power saving mode and that the second imaging unit is turned off in the power saving mode, and to set the power saving mode according to the determination.

57. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the controller sets a normal mode to turn on both the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit.

58. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 57, wherein the controller changes the normal mode to the power saving mode to turn off the second imaging unit.

59. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the controller generates a signal representing a user interface window, such that a user sets the determination for the power saving mode via the user interface window.

60. The image-forming apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the first imaging unit has a first level of power consumption and the second imaging unit has a second level of power consumption greater than the first imaging unit.