IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20150234474A1
• Filed: 02/12/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Junnosuke, Horishita, Yusuke
• Granted Patent: US 10,156,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An image processing apparatus capable of entering a power saving state includes a detection unit configured to detect an object, a determination unit configured to determine whether there is a human hand in a position higher than a predetermined height based on a detection result of the detection unit, and a control unit configured to, if the determination unit determines that there is a human hand in the position higher than the predetermined height, make the image processing apparatus return from the power saving state.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus capable of entering a power saving state, the image processing apparatus comprising:

a detection unit configured to detect an object;

a determination unit configured to determine whether there is a human hand in a position higher than a predetermined height based on a detection result of the detection unit; and

a control unit configured to, if the determination unit determines that there is a human hand in the position higher than the predetermined height, make the image processing apparatus return from the power saving state.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is arranged to detect an object lying within a predetermined distance and above the predetermined height.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation unit configured for a user to input an instruction to the image processing apparatus,

wherein the position higher than the predetermined height is above a height of the operation unit.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is arranged with a detection surface looking obliquely upward.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is arranged to face in a direction oblique to a front of the image processing apparatus.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit includes a plurality of detection parts configured to detect a temperature of the object, and

wherein the determination unit is configured to, if the detection part or parts detecting an object lying in the position higher than the predetermined height detect(s) a predetermined or higher temperature, determine that there is a human hand in the position higher than the predetermined height.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is an infrared array sensor including a plurality of infrared light receiving elements.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit is a camera configured to capture an image of the object.

9. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus capable of entering a power saving state, the image processing apparatus including a detection unit configured to detect an object, the method comprising:

determining whether there is a human hand in a position higher than a predetermined height based on a detection result of the detection unit; and

if it is determined that there is a human hand in the position higher than the predetermined height, making the image processing apparatus return from the power saving state.

10. A recording medium on which is recorded a program for causing a computer of an image processing apparatus capable of entering a power saving state to function as:

a detection unit configured to detect an object;

a determination unit configured to determine whether there is a human hand in a position higher than a predetermined height based on a detection result of the detection unit; and

a control unit configured to, if the determination unit determines that there is a human hand in the position higher than the predetermined height, make the image processing apparatus return from the power saving state.