Electronic apparatus and method for detecting the value of voltage supplied by a power source during the operation of an input and/or output device on the basis of test data sent to the input and/or output device

• US 5,386,575 A
• Filed: 04/22/1992
• Issued: 01/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Shinkai, Michinori, Sakaguchi, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AUVE, GLENN ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US07/871,998
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 395/750, 395/575, 364/707, 364/273.1, 364/DIG. 1, 364/948.4, 364/DIG. 2, 364/483, 371/66, 371/12, 371/14, 371/13, 371/20.4, 371/21.4, 340/853.2, 340/870.39, 340/516, 340/636, 340/660, 340/661, 324/426, 324/429, 324/433, 324/435
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0754 by exceeding limits

Abstract

An electronic apparatus and method includes a memory for storing data to be sent to an input and/or output device, a transmitter for transmitting data stored in the memory, a power source for supplying power to the input and/or output device, a device for outputting predetermined test data to the input and/or output device, a detector for detecting the value of the voltage supplied by the power source during operation of the input and/or output device on the basis of the predetermined test data, and a determining device for determining whether the voltage detected by the detector is higher than a predetermined voltage. The data stored in the memory is sent to the input and/or output device when the voltage detected by the detector is determined to be higher than the predetermined voltage.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data to be sent to an input and/or output device;

sending means for sending out the data stored in said storage means to the input and/or output device;

source means for supplying power to the input and/or output device;

output means for outputting predetermined test data to the input and/or output device;

detecting means for detecting a voltage value of voltage supplied by said source means during the receiving of the predetermined test data by the input and/or output device;

determining means for determining whether a voltage detected by said detecting means is higher than a predetermined voltage,

wherein the data stored in said storage means is sent to the input and/or output device when the voltage detected by said detecting means is determined to be higher than the predetermined voltage; and

restricting means for restricting transmission of the data stored in said storage means to the input and/or output device when the voltage detected by said detecting means is determined to be lower than the predetermined voltage.

2. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising data memory means for storing a minimum voltage detected by said detecting means,

wherein said determining means determines whether the minimum voltage stored in said data memory means is higher than a predetermined voltage.

3. An electronic apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising display-control means for displaying a message when the voltage detected by said detecting means is determined to be lower than the predetermined voltage.

4. An electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display control means for displaying a message when the voltage detected by said detecting means is determined to be lower than the predetermined voltage.

5. An electronic apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data to be sent to an input and/or output device;

sending means for sending out the data stored in said storage means to the input and/or output device;

source means for supplying power to the input and/or output device;

output means for outputting predetermined test data to the input and/or output device;

detecting means for detecting a voltage value of voltage supplied by said source means during the receiving of the predetermined test data by the input and/or output device;

determining means for determining whether a voltage detected by said detecting means is higher than a predetermined voltage,

wherein the data stored in said storage means is sent to the input and/or output device when the voltage detected by said detecting means is determined to be higher than the predetermined voltage; and

display control means for displaying a message when the voltage detected by said detecting means is determined to be lower than the predetermined voltage.

6. An electronic apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data to be sent to an input and/or output device;

test data sending means for sending out predetermined test data to the input and/or output device before sending the data stored in said storage means;

detecting means for detecting a voltage value of voltage supplied by a power source during the sending out of test data from the test data sending means to the input and/or output device;

transmission means for transmitting data stored in said storage means to the input and/or output means on the basis of a result of detection by said detecting means; and

restricting means for restricting transmission of the data stored in said storage means to the input and/or output device when the voltage detected by said detecting means is determined to be lower than the predetermined voltage.

7. An electronic apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising data memory means for storing a minimum voltage detected by said detecting means,

wherein said transmission means sends the data stored in said storage means on the basis of the minimum voltage stored in said data memory means.

8. An electronic apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising display control means for displaying a message when the voltage detected by said detecting means is lower than a predetermined voltage.

9. An electronic apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising display control means for displaying a message when the voltage detected by said detecting means is lower than a predetermined voltage.

10. An electronic apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing data to be sent to an input and/or output device;

test data sending means for sending out predetermined test data to the input and/or output device before sending the data stored in said storage means;

detecting means for detecting a voltage value of voltage supplied by a power source during the sending out of test data from the test data sending means to the input and/or output device;

transmission means for transmitting data stored in said storage means to the input and/or output means on the basis of a result of detection by said detecting means; and

display control means for displaying a message when the voltage detected by said detecting means is lower than a predetermined voltage.

11. An electronic apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing transmission data comprising a header portion and a main portion;

detecting means for detecting a voltage of a power source; and

comparison means for comparing the voltage detected by said detecting means and a predetermined voltage,

wherein said comparison means compares the voltage of the power source during transmission of the header portion of the transmission data by transmission means, and

wherein the transmission means transmits the main portion of the transmission data on the basis of the result of the comparison.

12. An electronic apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising display control means for displaying a message when the voltage detected by said detecting means is lower than the predetermined voltage.

13. An electronic apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising data memory means for storing a minimum voltage detected by said detecting means,

wherein the data transmission means sends the data stored in said storage means on the basis of the minimum voltage stored in said data memory means.

14. An data transfer method comprising the steps of:

before sending data stored in storage means to an input and/or output device, sending test data to the input and/or output device;

detecting a value of voltage supplied by a power source during the operation of the input and/or output device and during the sending of test data to the input and/or output device;

sending data stored in the storage means to the input and/or output device on the basis of the detected voltage detected in said detecting step; and

restricting means for restricting transmission of the data stored in said storage means to the input and/or output device when the voltage detected by said detecting means is determined to be lower than the predetermined voltage.

15. A method comprising the steps of:

storing data to be sent to an input and/or output device;

supplying power to the input and/or output device;

outputting predetermined test data to the input and/or output device;

detecting a voltage value of voltage supplied by said supplying step during the receiving of the predetermined test data by the input and/or output device;

determining whether a voltage detected in said detecting step is higher than a predetermined voltage;

sending the data stored in said storing step to the input and/or output device when the voltage detected in said detecting step is determined to be higher than the predetermined voltage; and

displaying a message when the voltage detected in said detecting step is determined to be lower than the predetermined voltage.