Electronic device, method of controlling power supply, and recording medium storing power supply control program

• US 9,317,091 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Ueda, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Worku, Negussie
• Application Number:
  US14/600,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20150212560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14, 358/475, 358/1.15, 358/442, 358/468, 358/474, 358/1.16, 358/479, 358/480, 358/483, 358/484, 379/100.01, 399/69, 399/88, 703/20, 713/300, 713/330, 713/340
• 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, the power generation device including a plurality of power generation components, at least one of the plurality of power generation components being selected to generate electricity based on an operating state of the electronic device and surrounding environment of the electronic device;

a charging battery configured to be charged by the power generation device;

a power supply configured to receive power from an outside power source; and

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

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

a first measuring device configured to measure an amount of charged electricity on the charging battery, wherein,

the processor is configured to select at least one of the power generation device, the charging battery, and the power supply as the power supply source to supply electric power, based on the amount of charged electricity, the operating state of the electronic device or the operation being performed by 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 if the electronic device is configured to operate in the power saving mode, the processor is configured to,

select the charging battery as the power supply source to supply electric power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode if the amount of charged electricity is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, and

select the power supply to supply electric power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode if the amount of charged electricity is less than the first threshold value.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein

if the electronic device operates in the power saving mode with the charging battery as the power supply source, the first measuring device is configured to continuously measure the amount of charged electricity on the charging battery, and

if the amount of charged electricity is less than the first threshold value, the processor is configured to switch the power supply source from the charging battery to the power supply.

5. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to set the first threshold value to a value previously determined based on the unit of the electronic device to which the electric power is supplied in the power saving mode.

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

a second measuring device configured to measure an amount of generated electricity at the power generation device, wherein,

the processor is configured to select at least one of the power generation device, the charging battery, and the power supply as the power supply source to supply electric power, based on the amount of generated electricity, the operating state or the operation of the electronic device and the amount of charged electricity on the charging battery.

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 if the electronic device is configured to operate in the power saving mode, the processor is configured to,

select the power generation device as the power supply source to supply electric power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode if the amount of generated electricity is equal to or greater than a second threshold value, and

select the charging battery as the power supply source to supply electric power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode if the amount of generated electricity is less than the second threshold value.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein

if the electronic device operates in the power saving mode with the power generation device as the power supply source, the second measuring device is configured to continuously measure the amount of generated electricity of the power generation device, and

if the measured generated electricity is less than the second threshold value, the processor is configured to switch the power supply source from the power generation device to the charging battery.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the power generation device includes:

a solar battery as one of the plurality of the power generation components, and

a measuring device configured to measure surrounding luminance of the electronic device, wherein,

if the electronic device operates in the power saving mode and the measured luminance is equal to or greater than the second threshold value, the processor is configured to select the solar battery as the power supply source to supply electric power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

if the electronic device is preforming image forming using an image forming unit, the processor is configured to select the power supply as the power supply source to supply electric power, and

if the electronic device is performing one of scanning and communicating through a network, the processor is configured to select the charging battery as the power supply source to supply electric power.

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

a scanner configured to scan an original document 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 as one of the power generation components near a fixing unit of the image forming unit, and

the processor is configured to,

determine, based on a transition to a power saving mode, if an operation performed by the electronic device immediately before the transition is the image forming performed by the image forming unit, and

select the thermoelectric converter of the power generation device as the power supply source to supply electric power if it is determined that the image forming is performed.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein

the operating state includes a normal operating mode and a plurality of power saving modes, and

the surrounding environment includes surrounding illuminance data of the electronic device or the power generation efficiency of a solar power generator.

18. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of power generation components include a solar power generator, a thermoelectric converter, and a power generator.

13. A method of controlling power supply, comprising:

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

the power supply source is selected from one of a power generation device configured to generate electricity, a charging battery configured to charge electricity, and a power supply configured to receive power from an outside power source, and

the power generation device includes a plurality of power generation components, at least one of the plurality of power generation components being selected to generate electricity based on an operating state of the electronic device and surrounding environment of the electronic device.

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

measuring an amount of charged electricity on the charging battery; and

selecting at least one of the power generation device, the charging battery, and the power supply as the power supply source to supply electric power based on the amount of charged electricity, the operating state of the electronic device or the operation being performed by the electronic device.

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

measuring an amount of generated electricity at the power generation device; and

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

16. The power supply method of claim 15, wherein, based on a transition to a power saving mode, the method further comprises:

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

selecting the charging battery as the power supply source to supply electric power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode if the amount of 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 as the power supply source to supply electric power to each unit of the electronic device that is operating in the power saving mode if the amount of charged electricity is less than the first threshold value.

17. A non-transitory recording medium storing computer readable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform:

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

the power supply source is selected from one of a power generation device configured to generate electricity, a charging battery configured to charge electricity, and a power supply configured to receive power from an outside power source, and

the power generation device includes a plurality of power generation components, at least one of the plurality of power generation components being selected to generate electricity based on an operating state of the electronic device and surrounding environment of the electronic device.