Determination unit for determining, through detecting information associated with external object, whether or not external object will use functional apparatus or who is external object, so as to provide appropriate service

• US 5,822,077 A
• Filed: 11/07/1996
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Arai, Yoshinori, Ichimiya, Kouji, Sasaki, Eiichi, Kanaya, Mitsuhisa, Kishi, Fumio, Namie, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US08/739,734
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 399/85, 399/38, 358/296, 395/81, 395/82, 395/90, 395/93, 395/22, 364/461, 324/207.23, 324/207.26, 250/221, 356/375, 73/597, 342/28, 342/114, 340/435, 340/436, 340/903, 340/540, 340/541, 340/556, 340/557, 367/93, 367/94
• US Class Current: 358/296
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00885 Power supply means, e.g. arrangements for the control of power supply to the apparatus or components thereof
• 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

Abstract

A determination unit is used for a functional apparatus, for determining whether or not an external object will use the functional apparatus. The determining unit comprises a detecting unit, a determining sub-unit, a service providing unit. The detecting unit detects movement of an external object. The determining sub-unit determines, based on the result of the detection by the detection unit, whether or not the external object will use the functional apparatus. The service providing unit provides a service which is appropriate based on the determination performed by the determining sub-unit.

Claims

1. A determination unit, used in a functional apparatus, for determining whether or not an external object will use said functional apparatus, said determining unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting a number of positions of said external object over a time;

determining means for interpolating said detected positions for generating interpolated movements with respect to said functional apparatus, and determining based on said interpolated movements whether or not said external object will approach said functional apparatus so as to commence use of said functional apparatus and whether or not said external object will depart said functional apparatus so as to end the use of said functional apparatus; and

service providing means for providing a service which is appropriate based on the determination performed by said determining means, said functional apparatus having a input/display unit for inputting to said functional apparatus specifications concerning usage of said functional apparatus, by an external object wherein said input/display unit is also for displaying information associated with said functional apparatus, in response to said determining means determining that an external object will use said functional unit, said service providing means then changing, prior to said external object reaching said functional apparatus, a condition of said input/display unit from a no-input condition to an input condition, wherein the external object can input specifications concerning usage of said functional apparatus through said input/display unit in said input condition whereas the external object cannot input specifications concerning usage of said functional apparatus through said input/display unit in said no-input condition.

2. A determination unit, used in a functional apparatus, for determining whether or not an external object will use said functional apparatus, said determining unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting a number of positions of said external object over a time;

determining means for interpolating said detected positions for generating interpolated movements with respect to said functional apparatus, and determining based on said interpolated movements whether or not said external object will approach said functional apparatus so as to commence use of said functional apparatus and whether or not said external object will depart said functional apparatus so as to end the use of said functional apparatus; and

service providing means for providing a service which is appropriate based on the determination performed by said determining means, said functional apparatus having an input/display unit for inputting to said functional unit specifications concerning usage of said functional apparatus, by an external object wherein said input/display unit is also for displaying information associated with said functional apparatus, in response to said determining means determining that an external object has finished using said functional unit, said service providing means then changing a condition of said input/display unit from an input condition to a no-input condition, wherein the external object can input specifications concerning usage of said functional apparatus through said input/display unit in said input condition whereas the external object cannot input specifications concerning usage of said functional apparatus through said input/display unit in said no-input condition.

3. A determination unit, used in a functional apparatus, for determining whether or not an external object will use said functional apparatus, said determining unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting a number of positions of said external object over a time;

determining means for interpolating said detected positions for generating interpolated movements with respect to said functional apparatus, and determining based on said interpolated movements whether or not said external object will approach said functional apparatus so as to commence use of said functional apparatus and whether or not said external object will depart said functional apparatus so as to end the use of said functional apparatus; and

service providing means for providing a service which is appropriate based on the determination performed by said determining means, said functional apparatus, including said image forming apparatus, having a fixing unit for fixing an objective image on a recording sheet, said objective image having been previously represented thereon in response to said determining means determining that an external object will use said functional unit, then said service providing means changing, prior to said external object reaching said functional apparatus, a condition of said fixing unit from a non-fixing condition to a fixing condition, wherein said functional apparatus fixes an objective image on a recording sheet through said fixing unit in said fixing condition whereas said functional apparatus is disabled to fix an objective image on a recording sheet through said fixing unit in said non-fixing condition.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said fixing unit fixes an objective image on a recording sheet by means of heat; and

a temperature of said fixing unit is in a first temperature in said non-fixing condition whereas the temperature of said fixing unit is at a second temperature in said fixing condition, wherein said second temperature is higher than said first temperature.

5. A determination unit, used in a functional apparatus, for determining whether or not an external object will use said functional apparatus, said determining unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting a number of positions of said external object over a time;

determining means for interpolating said detected positions for generating interpolated movements with respect to said functional apparatus, and determining based on said interpolated movements whether or not said external object will approach said functional apparatus so as to commence use of said functional apparatus and whether or not said external object will depart said functional apparatus so as to end the use of said functional apparatus; and

service providing means for providing a service which is appropriate based on the determination performed by said determining means, said functional apparatus, including said image forming apparatus, having a fixing unit for fixing an objective image on a recording sheet, said objective image having been previously represented thereon in response to said determining means determining that an external object has finished using said functional unit, said service providing means then changing a condition of said fixing unit from a fixing condition to a non-fixing condition, wherein said functional apparatus fixes an objective image on a recording sheet through said fixing unit in said fixing condition whereas said functional apparatus is disabled to fix an objective image on a recording sheet through said fixing unit in said non-fixing condition.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

said fixing unit fixes an objective image on a recording sheet by means of heat; and

the temperature of said fixing unit is at a first temperature in said non-fixing condition whereas the temperature of said fixing unit is in a second temperature in said fixing condition, wherein said second temperature is higher than said first temperature.

7. A determination unit, used in a functional apparatus, for determining whether or not an external object will use said functional apparatus, said determining unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting a number of positions of said external object over a time;

determining means for interpolating said detected positions for generating interpolated movements with respect to said functional apparatus, and determining based on said interpolated movements whether or not said external object will approach said functional apparatus so as to commence use of said functional apparatus and whether or not said external object will depart said functional apparatus so as to end the use of said functional apparatus; and

service providing means for providing a service which is appropriate based on the determination performed by said determining means, said determining means determining that an external object will use said functional unit, said service providing means then changing, prior to said external object reaching said functional apparatus, a condition of said functional apparatus from a non-operation condition to an operation condition.

8. The determination unit according to claim 7, wherein said functional apparatus is in an on-operation mode and a display unit of said functional apparatus is on in said operation condition whereas said functional apparatus is in an economy mode and said display unit is off in said non-operation condition.

9. A determination unit, used in a functional apparatus, for determining whether or not an external object will use said functional apparatus, said determining unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting a number of positions of said external object over a time;

determining means for interpolating said detected positions for generating interpolated movements with respect to said functional apparatus, and determining based on said interpolated movements whether or not said external object will approach said functional apparatus so as to commence use of said functional apparatus and whether or not said external object will depart said functional apparatus so as to end the use of said functional apparatus; and

service providing means for providing a service which is appropriate based on the determination performed by said determining means, in response to said determining means determining that an external object has completed using said functional unit, then said service providing means changing a condition of said functional apparatus from an operation condition to a non-operation condition.

10. The determination unit according to claim 9, wherein said functional apparatus is in an on-operation mode and a display unit of said functional apparatus is on in said operation condition whereas said functional apparatus is in an economy mode and said display unit is off in said non-operation condition.

11. A determination unit, used in a functional apparatus, for determining whether or not an external object will use said functional apparatus, said determining unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting a number of positions of said external object over a time;

determining means for interpolating said detected positions for generating interpolated movements with respect to said functional apparatus, and determining based on said interpolated movements whether or not said external object will approach said functional apparatus so as to commence use of said functional apparatus and whether or not said external object will depart said functional apparatus so as to end the use of said functional apparatus; and

service providing means for providing a service which is appropriate based on the determination performed by said determining means, said functional apparatus having an image reading unit for reading an objective image represented on a draft, said draft to be read being put on in a reading portion provided for said image reading unit, said functional apparatus further having a left-draft detecting unit for detecting a draft left on said reading portion of said image reading unit; and

said service providing means alerting an external object when said determining means determines that said external object has completed using said functional unit and further determines that said left-draft detecting unit detects a draft left on said reading portion of said image reading unit.

12. A determination unit, used in a functional apparatus, for determining whether or not an external object will use said functional apparatus, said determining unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting a number of positions of said external object over a time;

determining means for interpolating said detected positions for generating interpolated movements with respect to said functional apparatus, and determining based on said interpolated movements whether or not said external object will approach said functional apparatus so as to commence use of said functional apparatus and whether or not said external object will depart said functional apparatus so as to end the use of said functional apparatus; and

service providing means for providing a service which is appropriate based on the determination performed by said determining means, said functional apparatus having an image recording unit for recording an objective image on a recording sheet, wherein a recording sheet, that is, a recording sheet having an objective image recorded thereon is then put on a sheet receiving portion also provided for said functional apparatus, said functional apparatus further having a left-recorded-sheet detecting unit for detecting the recorded sheet left on said sheet receiving portion, said service providing means alerting an external object when said determining means determines that said external object has finished using said functional unit and further determines that said left-recorded-sheet detecting unit detects the recorded sheet left on said sheet receiving portion.

13. A determination unit, used in a functional apparatus, for determining whether or not an external object will use said functional apparatus, said determining unit comprising:

detecting means for detecting a number of positions of said external object over a time;

determining means for interpolating said detected positions for generating interpolated movements with respect to said functional apparatus, and determining based on said interpolated movements whether or not said external object will approach said functional apparatus so as to commence use of said functional apparatus and whether or not said external object will depart said functional apparatus so as to end the use of said functional apparatus; and

service providing means for providing a service which is appropriate based on the determination performed by said determining means, said functional apparatus having an input unit for inputting to said functional unit specifications concerning usage, by an external object, of said functional apparatus, wherein said input unit has a predetermined initial specifications concerning usage of said functional apparatus, which specifications are preset therein before an external object inputs other specifications concerning usage of said functional apparatus so as to thereby update said predetermined initial specification, in response to said determining means determining that an external object has finished using said functional unit, said service providing means then resetting said predetermined initial specifications concerning usage of said functional apparatus in said input unit.