IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR

• US 20140002843A1
• Filed: 06/27/2013
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Original Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc. (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: MIYAMOTO, Naruyuki, TANISAKI, Yukio, NARUSE, Kentaro, TEZUKA, Rie
• Granted Patent: US 9,118,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0806 Focusing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or concave mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/34 using capacitors, e.g. pyroelectric capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3284 Power saving in printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00395 Arrangements for reducing operator input input arrangements for job or mode instructions or parameters H04N1/00962; intelligent menu interfaces H04N1/00437
• 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 1/00912 Arrangements for controlling a still picture apparatus or components thereof not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00928 Initialisation or control of normal start-up or shut-down, i.e. non failure or error related
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0098 User intervention not otherwise provided for, e.g. placing documents, responding to an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

In an image forming apparatus, a first detection portion includes a pyroelectric sensor and detects the upper half of the human body. A first signal generation portion generates a first signal whose level varies according to the output value of the pyroelectric sensor. A second detection portion includes a pyroelectric sensor and detects a lower area than the first detection portion. A second signal generation portion generates a second signal whose level varies according to the output value of the pyroelectric sensor. A storage portion stores discrimination data including data defining, with respect to the waveforms of the first and second signals, a condition for recognizing a human moving toward the image forming apparatus and a condition for recognizing a human crossing a detection area of the pyroelectric sensors. A recognition portion recognizes the direction of movement of a human.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:

a first detection portion including a pyroelectric sensor and adapted to detect an upper half of a human body;

a first signal generation portion adapted to receive an output of the pyroelectric sensor of the first detection portion to generate a first signal whose level varies according to whether or not an output value of the pyroelectric sensor of the first detection portion is greater than a prescribed threshold value;

a second detection portion including a pyroelectric sensor and adapted to detect a lower area than the first detection portion to detect a lower half of the human body;

a second signal generation portion adapted to receive an output of the pyroelectric sensor of the second detection portion to generate a second signal whose level varies according to whether or not an output value of the pyroelectric sensor of the second detection portion is greater than a prescribed threshold value;

a storage portion for storing discrimination data including data defining, with respect to waveforms of the first and second signals, a condition for recognizing a human moving toward the image forming apparatus and a condition for recognizing a human crossing a detection area of the pyroelectric sensors; and

a recognition portion adapted to recognize a direction of movement of a human with respect to the image forming apparatus by recognizing, based on the waveforms of the first and second signals and the discrimination data, whether a human is moving toward the image forming apparatus and whether a human is crossing the detection area of the pyroelectric sensors.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the storage portion further stores, in the discrimination data, with respect to waveforms of the first and second signals, data defining a condition for recognizing a human moving away from the image forming apparatus, and

the recognition portion is adapted to recognize also whether a human is moving away from the image forming apparatus based on the waveforms of the first and second signals and the discrimination data.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a power supply portion adapted

to shift the image forming apparatus into power saving mode by supplying electric power to only a portion of the image forming apparatus when the recognition portion recognizes a human moving away from the image forming apparatus while a power saving mode is not in effect,

to cancel power saving mode by restarting supply of electric power to all or part of the portion to which the supply of electric power has been stopped in power saving mode when the recognition portion recognizes a human moving toward the image forming apparatus while power saving mode is in effect, and

not to change an electric power supply mode when the recognition portion recognizes a human crossing.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the storage portion stores, in the discrimination data, data defining a variation pattern of the first and second signals, and

the recognition portion is adapted to recognize a variation pattern of the first and second signals to recognize the direction of the movement of the human based on whether or not the recognized pattern agrees with the pattern defined in the discrimination data.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the storage portion stores, in the discrimination data, data defining a relationship between the first and second signals in terms of frequency or cycle, and

the recognition portion is adapted to calculate a frequency or a cycle of the first and second signals to recognize the direction of the movement of the human based on the discrimination data.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a synthesized signal generation portion adapted to generate a synthesized signal by synthesizing the first and second signals together, wherein

the storage portion stores, in the discrimination data, data defining a variation pattern of the synthesized signal, and

the recognition portion is adapted to recognize a variation pattern of the synthesized signal to recognize the direction of the movement of the human based on whether or not the recognized pattern agrees with the pattern defined in the discrimination data.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the pyroelectric sensor of the first detection portion is provided with a first lens,

the pyroelectric sensor of the second detection portion is provided with a second lens, and

the first and second lenses have different focal points.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the pyroelectric sensor of the first detection portion is provided with a first lens,

the pyroelectric sensor of the second detection portion is provided with a second lens,

the first and second lenses have equivalent characteristics, and

the storage portion stores, in the discrimination data,

as the condition for recognizing a human approaching the image forming apparatus, conditions that a frequency of the first signal is lower than a frequency of the second signal and that a duty factor of the first signal is increasing,

as the condition for recognizing a human receding from the image forming apparatus, conditions that the frequency of the first signal is lower than the frequency of the second signal and that the duty factor of the first signal is decreasing, and

as the condition for recognizing a human crossing, conditions that the frequency of the first signal is higher than the frequency of the second signal and that a duty factor of the second signal first increases and then decreases.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the first detection portion, the first signal generation portion, the second detection portion, and the second signal generation portion are adjusted such that output waveforms of the first and second signals are closer to each other, and

the storage portion stores, in the discrimination data,

as the condition for recognizing a human approaching the image forming apparatus, a condition that duty factors of the first and second signals are increasing,

as the condition for recognizing a human receding from the image forming apparatus, a condition that the duty factors of the first and second signals are decreasing, and

as the condition for recognizing a human crossing, a condition that frequencies of the first and second signals are higher than a prescribed frequency.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the first detection portion, the first signal generation portion, the second detection portion, and the second signal generation portion are adjusted such that output waveforms of the first and second signals are closer to each other, and

the storage portion stores, in the discrimination data,

as the condition for recognizing a human approaching or receding from the image forming apparatus, a condition that frequencies of the first and second signals are higher than a prescribed frequency, and

as the condition for recognizing a human crossing, a condition that duty factors of the first and second signals both first increase and then decrease.

11. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus, comprising:

detecting an upper half of a human body using a first detection portion including a pyroelectric sensor;

receiving an output of the pyroelectric sensor of the first detection portion to make a first signal generation portion generate a first signal whose level varies according to whether or not an output value of the pyroelectric sensor of the first detection portion is greater than a prescribed threshold value;

detecting a lower half of the human body using a second detection portion including a pyroelectric sensor and detecting a lower area than the first detection portion;

receiving an output of the pyroelectric sensor of the second detection portion to make a second signal generation portion generate a second signal whose level varies according to whether or not an output value of the pyroelectric sensor of the second detection portion is greater than a prescribed threshold value;

storing, as discrimination data, data defining, with respect to waveforms of the first and second signals, a condition for recognizing a human moving toward the image forming apparatus and a condition for recognizing a human crossing a detection area of the pyroelectric sensors; and

recognizing a direction of movement of a human with respect to the image forming apparatus by recognizing, based on the waveforms of the first and second signals and the discrimination data, whether a human is moving toward the image forming apparatus and whether a human is crossing the detection area of the pyroelectric sensors.

12. The method according to claim 11, comprising:

further storing, in the discrimination data, data defining a condition for recognizing a human moving away from the image forming apparatus; and

recognizing also whether a human is moving away from the image forming apparatus based on the waveforms of the first and second signals and the discrimination data.

13. The method according to claim 12, comprising:

shifting the image forming apparatus into a power saving mode by supplying electric power to only a portion of the image forming apparatus when the recognition portion recognizes a human moving away from the image forming apparatus while a power saving mode is not in effect;

canceling power saving mode by restarting supply of electric power to all or part of the portion to which the supply of electric power has been stopped in power saving mode when the recognition portion recognizes a human moving toward the image forming apparatus while power saving mode is in effect; and

not changing an electric power supply mode when the recognition portion recognizes a human crossing.

14. The method according to claim 11, comprising:

storing, in the discrimination data, data defining a variation pattern of the first and second signals;

recognizing a variation pattern of the first and second signals; and

recognizing the direction of the movement of the human based on whether or not the recognized pattern agrees with the pattern defined in the discrimination data.

15. The method according to claim 11, comprising:

storing, in the discrimination data, data defining a relationship between the first and second signals in terms of frequency or cycle; and

calculating a frequency or a cycle of the first and second signals to recognize the direction of the movement of the human based on the discrimination data.

16. The method according to claim 11, comprising:

generating a synthesized signal by synthesizing the first and second signals together;

storing, in the discrimination data, data defining a variation pattern of the synthesized signal;

recognizing a variation pattern of the synthesized signal; and

recognizing the direction of the movement of the human based on whether or not the recognized pattern agrees with the pattern defined in the discrimination data.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein

a first lens for the pyroelectric sensor of the first detection portion and a second lens for the pyroelectric sensor of the second detection portion have different focal points.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the first and second lenses have equivalent characteristics, and

in the discrimination data, there are defined,

as the condition for recognizing a human approaching the image forming apparatus, conditions that a frequency of the first signal is lower than a frequency of the second signal and that a duty factor of the first signal is increasing,

as the condition for recognizing a human receding from the image forming apparatus, conditions that the frequency of the first signal is lower than the frequency of the second signal and that the duty factor of the first signal is decreasing, and

as the condition for recognizing a human crossing, conditions that the frequency of the first signal is higher than the frequency of the second signal and that a duty factor of the second signal first increases and then decreases.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the first detection portion, the first signal generation portion, the second detection portion, and the second signal generation portion are adjusted such that output waveforms of the first and second signals are closer to each other, and

in the discrimination data, there are defined,

as the condition for recognizing a human approaching the image forming apparatus, a condition that duty factors of the first and second signals are increasing,

as the condition for recognizing a human receding from the image forming apparatus, a condition that the duty factors of the first and second signals are decreasing, and

as the condition for recognizing a human crossing, a condition that frequencies of the first and second signals are higher than a prescribed frequency.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the first detection portion, the first signal generation portion, the second detection portion, and the second signal generation portion are adjusted such that output waveforms of the first and second signals are closer to each other, and

in the discrimination data, there are defined,

as the condition for recognizing a human approaching or receding from the image forming apparatus, a condition that frequencies of the first and second signals are higher than a prescribed frequency, and

as the condition for recognizing a human crossing, a condition that duty factors of the first and second signals both first increase and then decrease.