ELECTRONIC DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING POWER SUPPLY, AND RECORDING MEDIUM STORING POWER SUPPLY CONTROL PROGRAM

• US 20150212560A1
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: UEDA, Shigeo
• Granted Patent: US 9,317,091 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/00 Details of, or accessories for, typewriters or selective printing mechanisms not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5004 Power supply control, e.g. power-saving mode, automatic power turn-off
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/80 Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00983 using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3212 Monitoring battery levels, e.g. power saving mode being initiated when battery voltage goes below a certain level
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00896 using a low-power mode, e.g. standby
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00901 Using different supplies or connection to an external supply H04N1/00893, H04N1/00896 take 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 2201/0094 Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An electronic device includes a power generation device that generates electricity, a charging battery that charges electricity, and a power supply device that receives power supply from the outside power source. The electronic device selects at least one of the power generation device, the charging battery, and the power supply device as a power supply source to supply electric power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating, based on an operating state of the electronic device or operation being performed by the electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a power generation device configured to generate electricity;

a charging battery configured to charge electricity;

a power supply device configured to receive power supply from the outside power source; and

processing circuitry configured to select at least one of the power generation device, the charging battery, and the power supply device as a power supply source to supply electric power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating, based on an operating state of the electronic device or operation being performed by the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a charge electricity measuring device configured to measure electricity charged on the charging battery,

wherein the processing circuitry selects at least one of the power generation device, the charging battery, and the power supply device as a power supply source to supply electric power, based on the measured charged electricity, in addition to the operating state or operation of the electronic device.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the operating state of the electronic device indicates whether the electronic device operates in a power saving mode, and

when the electronic device operates in the power saving mode,

the processing circuitry selects the charging battery as a power supply source to supply power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode, when the measured charged electricity is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, and

selects the power supply device as a power supply source to supply power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode, when the measured charged electricity is less than the first threshold value.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein, when the electronic device operates in the power saving mode with power supplied from the charging battery, the processing circuitry continuously measures charged electricity of the charging battery while the charging battery supplies power, and

when the charged electricity becomes less than the first threshold value, the processing circuitry selects the power supply device as a power supply source to switch the supply from the charging battery to the supply from the power supply device.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry sets the first threshold value to a value that is previously determined according to the unit of the electronic device to which the power is supplied in the power saving mode.

6. The electronic device of claim 2, further comprising:

a generated electricity measuring device configured to measure generated electricity generated at the power generation device,

wherein the processing circuitry selects at least one of the power generation device, the charging battery, and the power supply device as a power supply source to supply electric power, based on the measured generated electricity, in addition to the operating state or operation of the electronic device and the measured charged electricity.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the operating state of the electronic device indicates whether the electronic device operates in a power saving mode, and

when the electronic device operates in the power saving mode,

the processing circuitry selects the power generation device as a power supply source to supply power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode, when the measured generated electricity is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, and

selects the charging battery as a power supply source to supply power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode, when the measured generated electricity is less than the second threshold value.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein, when the electronic device operates in the power saving mode with power supplied from the power generation device, the processing circuitry continuously measures generated electricity of the power generation device while the power generation device supplies power, and

when the measured generated electricity becomes less than the second threshold value, the processing circuitry selects the charging battery as a power supply source to switch the supply from the power generation device to the supply from the charging battery.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein

the power generation device includes a solar battery and a measuring device that measures surrounding luminance of the electronic device,

wherein, when the electronic device operates in the power saving mode and when the measured luminance is equal to or greater than the second threshold value, the processing circuitry selects the solar battery as a power supply source to supply power to the unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

when the electronic device is preforming image forming using an image forming unit, the processing circuitry selects the power supply device as a power supply source to supply power, and

when the electronic device is performing any one of scanning and communicating through a network, the processing circuitry selects the charging battery as a power supply source to supply power.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a scanner configured to scan an original into a scanned image; and

an image forming unit configured to form the scanned image on a recording sheet,

wherein the power generation device includes a thermoelectric converter, provided near a fixing unit of the image forming unit,

wherein, in response to transition to a power saving mode, the processing circuitry determines whether operation performed by the electronic device immediately before transition is image forming performed by the image forming unit, and

selects the thermoelectric converter of the power generation device as a power supply source to supply power when it is determined that image forming is performed.

12. A method of controlling power supply, comprising:

controlling switching of a power supply source that supplies electric power to each unit of an electronic device that is operating based on an operating state of the electronic device or operation being performed by the electronic device,

the power supply source being selected from a power generation device configured to generate electricity;

a charging battery configured to charge electricity; and

a power supply device configured to receive power supply from the outside power source.

13. The power supply method of claim 12, further comprising:

measuring electricity charged on the charging battery; and

selecting at least one of the power generation device, the charging battery, and the power supply device as a power supply source to supply electric power, based on the measured charged electricity, in addition to the operating state or operation of the electronic device.

14. The power supply method of claim 13, further comprising:

measuring generated electricity generated at the power generation device; and

selecting at least one of the power generation device, the charging battery, and the power supply device as a power supply source to supply electric power, based on the measured generated electricity, in addition to the operating state or operation of the electronic device and the measured charged electricity.

15. The power supply method of claim 14, wherein, in response to transition to a power saving mode, the method further comprising:

selecting the power generation device as a power supply source to supply power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode, when the measured generated electricity is equal to or greater than a second threshold value;

selecting the charging battery as a power supply source to supply power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode, when the measured charged electricity is less than the second threshold value and is equal to or greater than a first threshold value; and

selecting the power supply device as a power supply source to supply power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode, when the measured charged electricity is less than the first threshold value.

16. A non-transitory recording medium storing a plurality of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform a power supply method, comprising:

controlling switching of a power supply source that supplies electric power to each unit of an electronic device that is operating based on an operating state of the electronic device or operation being performed by the electronic device,

the power supply source being selected from a power generation device configured to generate electricity;

a charging battery configured to charge electricity; and

a power supply device configured to receive power supply from the outside power source.