Laser printer power saver

• US 5,321,428 A
• Filed: 09/04/1992
• Issued: 06/14/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PDACO LIMITED
• Original Assignee: Cordata, Inc.
• Inventors: Dornier, Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): Grimley, A. T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, THU A
• Application Number:
  US07/940,688
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 364/557, 355/206, 355/204, 355/208, 355/209, 355/282, 355/285, 355/289, 355/290, 219/469, 219/470, 219/497, 219/492, 219/493, 219/216, 346/76 PH, 400/120
• US Class Current: 347/211
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 15/10 Heated recording elements acting on heatsensitive layers
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/2003 using heat
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5087 for receiving image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3218 of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/325 Power saving in peripheral device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3284 Power saving in printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/12 by photographic printing , e.g. by laser printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0005 Accepting output data; Preparing data for the controlling system
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0082 Architecture adapted for a particular function
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system using a printer with a fuser-heater has control means for turning off the fuser-heater during times when no printing is required, while leaving the rest of the printing system operable. Time between print requests is monitored, and the fuser-heater is turned off when a preset time is reached without a print request. A next request turns the fuser-heater back on again. Data is accepted at a reduced rate while a heater warms up.

Claims

1. A system for operating a printer having a fuser-heater comprising:

means for initializing the printer by turning on the fuser-heater and printer circuitry, and readying the printer to accept print request and data;

means for transmitting a print request and data to be printed to the printer;

means for ascertaining, when a print request is received, whether the printer is initialized, and if it is, whether the fuser-heater is off, on but not at operating temperature, or on and at operating temperature;

means for turning the fuser-heater on in response to the condition that a print request and data is received, the printer is initialized, and the fuser-heater is off;

means for limiting the data acceptance rate at the printer to a rate less than the maximum rate in response to the printer being initialized and the fuser-heater being on and not at operating temperature, and accepting data at maximum rate in response to the printer being initialized and the fuser-heater being on and at operating temperature;

means for measuring time in response to the condition that the printer is initialized, a print request and data is received, and the fuser-heater is on and at operating temperature, the measured time reset to zero each time a print request is received; and

means for turning off the fuser-heater when the measured time reaches a preset maximum time without being reset to zero.

2. A system as in claim 1 further comprising user operable means for setting said preset maximum time.

3. A system as in claim 1 comprising a host computer connected to the printer by a data transmission link.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein said means for turning off the fuser-heater comprises means for reducing power to the fuser heater to specific power levels at specific measured times as well as turning off the fuser heater.

4. A system as in column 1 comprising a plurality of computers connected to one another and to at least one printer by a data transmission link operating on a network protocol.

6. A printer comprising:

a fuser-heater;

means for initializing the printer in response to a remote signal by turning on the fuser-heater and printer circuitry, and readying the printer to accept print requests and data;

means for ascertaining when a print request is received whether the printer is initialized, and if it is, whether the fuser-heater is off, on but not at operating temperature, or on and at operating temperature;

means for turning the fuser-heater on in response to the conditions that a print request and data is received;

the printer is initialized, and the fuser-heater is off;

means for limiting the data acceptance rate at the printer to a rate less than the maximum rate in response to the printer being initialized and the fuser-heater being on and not at operating temperature, and accepting data at maximum rate in response to the printer being initialized and the fuser-heater being on and at operating temperature;

means for measuring time in response to the condition that the printer is initialized, a print request and data is received, and the fuser-heater is on and at operating temperature, the measured time reset to zero each time a print request is received; and

means for turning off the fuser-heater when the measured time reaches a preset maximum time without being reset to zero.

7. A printer as in claim 6 further comprising user-operable means for setting said preset maximum time.

8. A printer as in claim 6 wherein said means for turning off the fuser-heater comprises means for reducing power to the fuser heater to specific power levels at specific measured times as well as turning off the fuser heater.

9. A method for minimizing power use by an initialized printer having a fuser-heater comprising steps of:

checking the status of the fuser-heater with each incoming print request as to whether the fuser-heater is off and the system is initialized, the fuser-heater is on and at operating temperature, or the fuser-heater is on and not at operating temperature;

turning the fuser-heater on in response to the conditions that a print request and data is received, the printer is initialized, and the fuser-heater is off;

limiting the data acceptance rate at the printer to a rate less than the maximum rate in response to the printer being initialized and the fuser-heater being on and not at operating temperature, and accepting data at maximum rate in response to the printer being initialized and the fuser-heater being on and at operating temperature;

measuring time in response to the condition that the printer is initialized, a print request and data is received, and the fuser-heater is on and at operating temperature, the measured time reset to zero each time a print request is received; and

turning off the fuser-heater when the measured time reaches a preset maximum time without being reset to zero.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising steps for reducing power to the fuser heater to specific power levels at specific measured times as well as for turning off the fuser heater.