IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS WITH POWER CONTROL UNIT

• US 20110222101A1
• Filed: 02/24/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Yanazume, Shinsuke, NAKAMURA, Rie, Kumagai, Masateru, Kawai, Yoshifumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,441,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5004 Power supply control, e.g. power-saving mode, automatic power turn-off
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/4055 Managing power consumption, e.g. standby mode computer driven power saving management for a printer G06F3/1221; power saving in a data processing device in general G06F1/32

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a platform and plugins installed in the platform to cause devices to perform functions, wherein the platform includes a power control unit to control supply of power to the devices and a first power control interface to transmit to the plugins an advanced notice of shutdown, wherein each of the plugins includes a second power control interface to receive the advanced notice of shutdown and a power processing control unit to make a preparation for shutdown in response to the advanced notice of shutdown received through the second power control interface, and to send information about the preparation to the power control unit through the second power control interface, wherein the power control unit controls supply of power to at least one of the devices based on the information about the preparation received from at least one of the plugins.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:

a platform serving as a basis for operations; and

a plurality of plugins installed in the platform in an uninstallable manner to cause a plurality of devices to perform functions,

wherein the platform includes;

a power control unit to control supply of power to the devices; and

a first power control interface to transmit to the plugins an advanced notice of shutdown that is to be performed by the power control unit,

wherein each of the plugins includes;

a second power control interface to receive the advanced notice of shutdown from the first power control interface; and

a power processing control unit to make a preparation for shutdown in response to the advanced notice of shutdown received through the second power control interface, and to send information about the preparation to the power control unit through the second power control interface,

wherein the power control unit controls supply of power to at least one of the devices based on the information about the preparation received from at least one of the plugins.

2. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power processing control unit of a given one of the plugins makes a preparation for shutdown by which one of the devices caused by the given one of the plugins to perform a function is placed in a shutdown performable state, and sends an indication of completion of the preparation as the information about the preparation to the power control unit, and wherein the power control unit stops the supply of power in response to receiving the indication of completion of the preparation from each of the plugins.

3. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a given one of the plugins causes one of the devices to print an image on a print medium, and a shutdown performable state is a state in which the print medium is discharged from the one of the devices, and wherein the power processing control unit sends an indication of completion of the preparation as the information about the preparation to the power control unit upon the one of the devices being in the shutdown performable state.

4. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a first counter to count a first number indicative of a number of print medium for which the fuse process is completed; and

a second counter to count a second number indicative of a number of fuse-completed print medium which have been discharged to outside the image processing apparatus,

wherein a given one of the plugins causes one of the devices to print an image on a print medium, to perform a fuse process on the print medium having the image printed thereon, and to discharge the fuse-completed print medium to outside the image processing apparatus, and a shutdown performable state is a state in which the first number matches the second number,

and wherein the power processing control unit sends an indication of completion of the preparation as the information about the preparation to the power control unit upon the one of the devices being in the shutdown performable state.

5. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a given one of the plugins causes one of the devices to write and read data with respect to a nonvolatile memory device for retaining the data during a power-off period, and a shutdown performable state is a state in which a writing of data currently being written is completed with respect to the nonvolatile memory device,

and wherein the power processing control unit sends an indication of completion of the preparation as the information about the preparation to the power control unit upon the one of the devices being in the shutdown performable state.

6. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the shutdown performable state is also a state in which a write position of data next following the data, the writing of which has been completed with respect to the nonvolatile memory device, is recorded,

and wherein the power processing control unit sends an indication of completion of the preparation as the information about the preparation to the power control unit upon the one of the devices being in the shutdown performable state.

7. The image processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a reporting unit, wherein the power control unit causes the reporting unit to keep presenting an indication of an ongoing shutdown process during a time between the transmitting of the advanced notice of shutdown to the plugins and the stopping of supply of power to the devices.