ELECTRONIC DEVICE, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20100064157A1
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Miura, Shinichi, Matsuura, Sachio
• Granted Patent: US 8,533,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/322
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

When a user presses down an extension directing button, a control unit of an image forming apparatus detects the press-down of the extension directing button and executes a setting process of new mode set time. In this case, the control unit calculates the new mode set time by adding extension time extracted from an extension time data storage unit to basic set time acquired from a basic set time data storage unit and records the new mode set time in a mode set time data storage unit. Then, when start of a sleep mode is detected, the control unit of the image forming apparatus records the basic set time, which is extracted from the basic set time data storage unit, in the mode set time data storage unit as new mode set time when the mode set time is extended.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a control unit connected to a process executing unit executing a directed information process;

a set time data storage unit recording data about mode set time taken until transition to a power saving mode consuming small power after the information process in the process executing unit is finished;

a basic set time data storage unit recording data about basic set time, an extension time data storage unit recording data about extension time, and

an operation unit;

wherein

the control unit has

a mode control unit which measures the time elapsed from end of the information process and, when the elapsed time passes over the mode set time recorded in the set time data storage unit, causes the process executing unit to transition to the power saving mode;

an extension processing unit which, when an extension direction of the mode set time is detected via the operation unit, calculates extended mode set time by using the extension time recorded in the extension time data storage unit and records the calculated mode set time in the set time data storage unit; and

a recovery processing unit which, when transition to the power saving mode is made in the case in which the extended mode set time is stored in the set time data storage unit, records the basic set time, which is recorded in the basic set time data storage unit, in the set time data storage unit.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein

the operation unit includes an extension directing button;

the extension time data storage unit stores data about unit extension time of the case in which the extension directing button is pressed down one time; and

the extension processing unit detects an extension direction when the extension directing button is pressed down, detects the number of times of the press-down when the extension directing button is pressed down, calculates the extension time by multiplying the number of times of the press-down by the unit extension time stored in the extension time data storage unit, and calculates the extended mode set time by adding the extension time to the basic set time.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further has a basic set time changing unit which executes a changing process of changing the basic set time when a time changing direction is detected via the operation unit.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is connected to an authentication data storage unit storing authentication data about an administrator who has authority to change the basic set time;

and

the basic set time changing unit acquires authentication data of a user after the time changing direction is detected and, when the authentication data of the user matches the authentication data recorded in the authentication data storage unit, executes the changing process.

5. An electronic device switching an operating mode to a power saving mode when predetermined time elapses, the electronic device comprising:

a data storage unit storing mode set time which is waiting time taken until the operating mode is switched to the power saving mode;

an extension processing unit extending the mode set time by predetermined time and stores the extended mode set time in the data storage unit when an extension directing operation is carried out after end of an image formation process and before elapse of the mode set time;

a mode control unit switching the operating mode of the electronic device to the power saving mode when the mode set time elapses after end of the image formation process; and

a recovery processing unit returning the mode set time to a reference value after the operating mode is switched to the power saving mode by the mode control unit.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein, when an extension directing button is pressed down, the extension processing unit counts the number of times of press-down of the extension directing button, acquires extension time corresponding to the number of times of the press-down, and extends the mode set time by the acquired extension time.

7. A method for controlling an electronic device comprising:

a control unit connected to a process executing unit executing a directed information process, a set time data storage unit recording data about mode set time taken until transition to a power saving mode consuming small power after the information process in the process executing unit is finished, a basic set time data storage unit recording data about basic set time, an extension time data storage unit recording data about extension time, and an operation unit;

wherein

the control unit executes;

a mode control step of measuring the time elapsed from end of the information process and, when the elapsed time passes over the mode set time recorded in the set time data storage unit, causing the process executing unit to transition to the power saving mode;

an extension processing step of, when an extension direction of the mode set time is detected via the operation unit, calculating extended mode set time by using the extension time recorded in the extension time data storage unit and recording the calculated mode set time in the set time data storage unit; and

a recovery processing step of, when transition to the power saving mode is made in the case in which the extended mode set time is stored in the set time data storage unit, recording the basic set time, which is recorded in the basic set time data storage unit, in the set time data storage unit.

8. The control method of the electronic device according to claim 7, wherein

the operation unit includes an extension directing button;

the extension time data storage unit stores data about unit extension time of the case in which the extension directing button is pressed down one time; and

in the extension processing step, an extension direction is detected when the extension directing button is pressed down, the number of times of the press-down is detected when the extension directing button is pressed down, the extension time is calculated by multiplying the number of times of the press-down by the unit extension time stored in the extension time data storage unit, and the extended mode set time is calculated by adding the extension time to the basic set time.

9. A control method of an electronic device switching an operating mode to a power saving mode when predetermined time elapses, the control method of the electronic device comprising:

a step of storing mode set time which is waiting time taken until the operating mode is switched to the power saving mode;

an extension processing step of extending the mode set time by predetermined time and storing the extended mode set time when an extension directing operation is carried out after end of an image formation process and before elapse of the mode set time;

a mode control step of switching the operating mode of the electronic device to the power saving mode when the mode set time elapses after end of the image formation process; and

a recovery processing step of returning the mode set time to a reference value after the operating mode is switched to the power saving mode in the mode control step.

10. The control method of the electronic device according to claim 9, wherein in the extention processing step, when an extension directing button is pressed down, the number of times of press-down of the extension directing button is counted, extension time corresponding to the number of times of the press-down is acquired, and the mode set time is extended by the acquired extension time.

11. A recording medium storing a control program of an electronic device comprising a control unit connected to a process executing unit executing a directed information process, a set time data storage unit recording data about mode set time taken until transition to a power saving mode consuming small power after the information process in the process executing unit is finished, a basic set time data storage unit recording data about basic set time, an extension time data storage unit recording data about extension time, and an operation unit;

wherein

the recording medium stores a program for causing the control unit to function as;

a mode control unit which measures the time elapsed from end of the information process and, when the elapsed time passes over the mode set time recorded in the set time data storage unit, causes the process executing unit to transition to the power saving mode;

an extension processing unit which, when an extension direction of the mode set time is detected via the operation unit, calculates extended mode set time by using the extension time recorded in the extension time data storage unit and records the calculated mode set time in the set time data storage unit; and

a recovery processing unit which, when transition to the power saving mode is made in the case in which the extended mode set time is stored in the set time data storage unit, records the basic set time, which is recorded in the basic set time data storage unit, in the set time data storage unit.