IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20140157032A1
• Filed: 12/03/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Junnosuke
• Granted Patent: US 10,551,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• 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 1/00928 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

Abstract

An image forming apparatus that enters a first power state in which a predetermined function is executable and a second power state in which the predetermined function is not executable includes a detection unit configured to detect an object; a return unit that a user operates in order to shift the image forming apparatus from the second power state to the first power state; a notification unit configured to, in a case where an object has been detected by the detection unit, notify a user of a position of the return unit; and a power-source control unit configured to, in a case where the return unit has been operated by the user, shift the image forming apparatus from the second power state to the first power state.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus that enters a first power state in which a predetermined function is executable and a second power state in which the predetermined function is not executable,

the image forming apparatus comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect an object;

a return unit that a user operates in order to shift the image forming apparatus from the second power state to the first power state;

a notification unit configured to, in a case where an object has been detected by the detection unit, notify a user of a position of the return unit; and

a power-source control unit configured to, in a case where the return unit has been operated by the user, shift the image forming apparatus from the second power state to the first power state.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the detection unit does not detect the object, the notification unit does not notify a user of the position of the return unit.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the detection unit has a first detection range and a second detection range that is smaller than the first detection range, and

wherein, in a case where an object has been detected in the first detection range by the detection unit, the notification unit notifies a user of the position of the return unit, and, in a case where an object has been detected in the second detection range by the detection unit, the power-source control unit shifts the image forming apparatus from the second power state to the first power state without operating the return unit by the user.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, in a case where an object has been detected in the second detection range by the detection unit, the notification unit does not notify a user of the position of the return unit.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit is a light-emitting section that is placed near the return unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a manner in which the light-emitting section performs illumination changes in accordance with a position of an object detected by the detection unit.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein an interval, the light-emission section blinking at the intervals, or a brightness of the light-emission section changes in accordance with a position of an object detected by the detection unit.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined function is at least one of a copy function, a print function, and a fax function.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes an infrared sensor.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the detection unit includes an infrared array sensor in which infrared sensors are arranged.

11. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus that enters a first power state in which a predetermined function is executable and a second power state in which the predetermined function is not executable,

the method for controlling the image forming apparatus comprising:

a step of detecting an object with a detection unit;

a step of, in a case where an object has been detected by the detection unit, notifying a user of a position of a return unit that a user operates in order to shift the image forming apparatus from the second power state to the first power state; and

a step of, in a case where the return unit has been operated by the user, shifting the image forming apparatus from the second power state to the first power state.

12. An image forming apparatus that enters a first power state in which a predetermined function is executable and a second power state in which the predetermined function is not executable,

the image forming apparatus comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect an object;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from a medium that stores identification information of a user who is to use the image forming apparatus, the identification information; and

a notification unit configured to, in a case where an object has been detected by the detection unit, notify a user of a position of the acquisition unit.

13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, in a case where the detection unit does not detect the object, the notification unit does not notify a user of the position of the acquisition unit.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the notification unit is a light-emitting section that is placed near the acquisition unit.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a manner in which the light-emitting section performs illumination changes in accordance with a position of an object detected by the detection unit.

16. A method for controlling an image forming apparatus that enters a first power state in which a predetermined function is executable and a second power state in which the predetermined function is not executable,

the method for controlling the image forming apparatus comprising:

a step of detecting an object with a detection unit; and

a step of, in a case where an object has been detected by the detection unit, notifying a user of a position of an acquisition unit configured to acquire, from a medium that stores identification information of a user who is to use the image forming apparatus, the identification information.