JP5414307B2 - Electronic device and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device connected to a network.

  Ethernet (registered trademark) is known as a typical standard for a network. A plurality of communication speed standards (10BASE-T, 100BASEX, 1000BASE-T) are defined as communication standards in Ethernet (registered trademark). In Patent Document 1, communication is waited for in the 10BASE-T communication mode, and communication is performed after the communication mode is switched to the 100BASETX mode in response to a communication request. It is described that the communication mode is switched to 10BASE-T after the communication is completed.

JP 2004-064335 A

  In Ethernet (registered trademark), there is a spanning tree protocol for efficiently performing broadcast data communication. This protocol is a standard protocol defined on IEEE 802.1D (routing method: spanning tree standard). In the spanning tree protocol, every time the communication speed is changed, the network is disconnected and the spanning tree protocol network is reconfigured. Therefore, if the frequency of changing the communication speed increases, there is a problem that a device that manages the network erroneously detects an abnormality and stops for several tens of seconds.

  Devices connected to the network change the communication speed in order to reduce power consumption. If the device frequently changes the communication speed in a short time, there is a problem that the frequency at which the network stops communication increases.

  The present invention provides an electronic device that realizes suppression of power consumption of devices connected to a network and does not cause a network to stop communication.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the electronic device of the present invention is connected to a network and can be set to perform communication at a first communication speed or a second communication speed lower than the first communication speed. An electronic device including a possible interface unit, and when the interface unit is set to perform communication at the first communication speed, after processing based on data received through the interface unit is completed After the predetermined period, the first communication speed is maintained when the number of changes in the communication speed of the interface means within the predetermined period is greater than or equal to the predetermined number, and when the number is less than the predetermined number, the second communication speed is changed to the second communication speed. and control means for controlling so. In addition, when the interface unit is set to perform communication at the first communication speed, the number of changes in the communication speed of the interface unit within a predetermined period when the user instructs to shift to the power saving mode. Control means for maintaining the first communication speed when the number of times is equal to or greater than the predetermined number of times, and changing the second communication speed to the second communication speed when the number is less than the predetermined number of times and shifting the electronic device to the power saving mode.

  With the above configuration, power consumption of devices connected to the network can be suppressed, and erroneous detection of network communication errors by devices managing the network can be suppressed.

It is a block diagram of the network in the embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the communication control in 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the communication control in 2nd Embodiment. It is a timing diagram which shows the state transition in 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the communication control in 3rd Embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an electronic device connected to a network. In this embodiment, a case of the image forming apparatus 105 will be described as an example of an electronic apparatus. The host apparatus 101 and the image forming apparatus 105 are connected via a HUB (concentrator) 102, a HUB (concentrator) 103, and a network 104. The HUB 102 and the HUB 103 are hubs compatible with the spanning tree protocol. In the network 104, communication can be performed using a spanning tree protocol. The image forming apparatus 105 includes a printer controller 106, a printer engine 107, a power control unit 108, and the like. The power control unit 108 controls power supply to each block such as the printer controller 106 and the printer engine 107 provided in the image forming apparatus 105.

  The host apparatus 101 and the image forming apparatus 105 communicate using the TCP protocol. When changing the communication speed using the TCP protocol, the communication path between the host apparatus 101 and the image forming apparatus 105 is once disconnected and then connected.

  In the TCP protocol, a data transmission notification is sent from the data transmission side to the reception side, and if the reception side also receives data, control is performed to respond to the transmission side. In addition, at the end of the communication, a notification is sent to the receiving side that all data has been sent to the receiving side, and the receiving side responds to the notification to complete the data transfer sequence. Further, when there is no response from the receiving side, the data is retransmitted. Therefore, even if the link is disconnected, the data is retransmitted from the transmitting side to the receiving side. Therefore, if the connection is made after the link is disconnected, data reception is normally performed.

  FIG. 2A is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer controller 201, which corresponds to 106 in FIG. The printer controller 201 receives a print instruction and image data for printing from a host device such as a personal computer, converts the received image data into binary image data, and a printer engine (301 in FIG. 2B). It has a function to output to.

  The printer controller 201 includes an ASIC 202, an operation unit 215, a display unit 216, an expansion slot 217 in which a function expansion unit is mounted, an RTC unit 218, an EEPROM unit 219, a RAM unit 220, and a ROM unit 221. .

  The ASIC 202 includes a CPU 203, an image processing unit 204, an operation control unit 205, a display control unit 206, an expansion bus circuit unit 207, and an external interface unit 208. The ASIC 202 includes a serial communication control unit 209, an EEPROM controller 210, a RAM controller 211, a ROM controller 212, and an engine interface unit 213. Each of these blocks is connected to the system bus bridge 214 via bus lines 203b to 213b. Further, these blocks are realized as a system LSI, that is, as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 202 sealed in one package.

  The CPU 203 governs overall control of the printer controller 201, and sequentially reads and executes control procedures stored in the RAM unit 220 or the ROM unit 221. As a result, control of the external interface unit 208 sets the communication speed, interprets the network protocol of the received data, determines the port number, and analyzes the data type and print mode.

  For example, by changing the communication speed setting under the control of the CPU 203, the first communication speed (1000BASE-T standard communication speed, 1000 Mbps) is changed to the second communication speed (100BASEX standard communication speed, 100 Mbps). Can be changed. Of course, it is also possible to change from the second communication speed (100 BASETX standard communication speed, 100 Mbps) to the first communication speed (1000 BASE-T standard communication speed, 1000 Mbps) under the control of the CPU 203.

  Further, the CPU 203 executes control of the operation control unit 205 and the display control unit 206. The CPU 203 executes control of the image processing unit 204 for converting the received image data into image formation data, control of the engine interface unit 213 for transferring the generated image formation data to the printer engine, and the like. .

  The image processing unit 204 converts the multi-value image data received from the host device into binary image data that can be printed by the printer engine (FIG. 2B) 301.

  The operation control unit 205 notifies the state of the electrical signal output from the switch constituting the operation unit 215 as register information in accordance with a read command from the CPU 203. When a change occurs in the state of the electrical signal output from the switch, the operation control unit 205 generates an interrupt signal and transmits it to the CPU 203. The display control unit 206 outputs an electrical signal to the liquid crystal display device constituting the display unit 216 and the LED lamp.

  The external interface unit 208 is a block having a transmission / reception function conforming to a plurality of network communication methods including 100BASETX. The external interface unit 208 transmits / receives data to / from a host device such as a personal computer or a workstation connected via a network, and transmits a message to an SMTP server connected to the network. The external interface unit 208 includes a display unit such as an LED indicating the connected network communication speed.

  The serial communication control unit 209 controls the RTC unit 218 connected to the ASIC 202 via the serial communication interface 218b.

  The CPU 203 can read the information of the connected RTC unit 218 by reading the register in the serial communication control unit 209 and executing the writing, and also writes the information to the RTC unit 218.

  The EEPROM controller 210 controls the EEPROM unit 219 connected to the ASIC 202 via the serial communication interface 219b. The EEPROM controller 210 reads data stored from the EEPROM unit 219 and writes data to the EEPROM unit 219 in response to a request from the CPU 203.

  The communication method of the serial communication interface 219b is the same communication method as that of the serial communication interface 218b connecting the RTC unit 218.

  The RAM controller 211 controls the RAM unit 220 connected to the ASIC 202 via the RAM bus 220b. The RAM controller 211 generates necessary control signals in response to read requests and write requests from the CPU 203 and each block, and writes to the RAM unit 220 and reads from the RAM unit 220.

  The ROM controller 212 controls the ROM unit 221 connected to the ASIC 202 via the ROM bus 221b. The ROM controller 212 generates necessary control signals in response to a read request from the CPU 203, reads control procedures and data stored in advance in the ROM unit 221, and reads the read contents via the system bus bridge 214. The data is sent back to the CPU 203.

  The expansion bus circuit unit 207 controls the function expansion unit installed in the expansion slot 217, receives control for transmitting data to the function expansion unit, and data output from the function expansion unit via the expansion bus 217b. Control. A hard disk drive unit or the like that provides a large capacity storage function can be mounted in the expansion slot 207.

The engine interface unit 213 is a block that transmits and receives data between the image forming controller device 201 and a printer engine (not shown).
The engine interface unit 213 includes a DMAC (Direct Memory Access Controller). The engine interface unit 213 sequentially reads binary image data generated by the image processing unit 204 and stored in the RAM unit 220 via the RAM controller 211 and transfers the binary image data to a printer engine (not shown).

  Note that, like the engine interface unit 213, the image processing unit 204, the external interface unit 208, and the expansion bus circuit unit 207 have a DMAC and issue a memory access request.

  The system bus bridge 214 connects the blocks constituting the ASIC 202, and arbitrates bus rights when access requests are issued simultaneously from a plurality of blocks including the CPU 203.

  The operation unit 215 includes an operation setting key for the image forming apparatus 105, a print mode setting key, a power mode setting key, and the like. The display unit 216 includes a liquid crystal display device, an LED lamp, and the like. The liquid crystal display device displays an operation state of the printer device 105 and displays a menu screen by operating a menu button or the like of the operation unit 215. The LED lamp displays the operation status of the printer device 105 and a warning.

  The RTC unit 218 includes an RTC device having a serial communication interface, a crystal resonator for generating a reference clock, and the like. The RTC unit 218 measures the time in units of year, month, day of the week, and seconds, and notifies the time information via the serial communication interface 218b.

The EEPROM unit 219 includes an EEPROM having a serial communication interface and stores parameters necessary for controlling the image forming apparatus 105.
The RAM unit 220 is configured by a synchronous DRAM or the like, and stores a control procedure executed by the CPU 203, temporarily stores image formation data generated by the image processing unit 204, and a memory block that provides functions such as a work memory of the CPU 203 It is. In addition, the RAM unit 220 includes data that the external interface unit 208 temporarily transfers image data received from the host device, and data that is transferred to and from the connected function expansion unit via the expansion bus 217b. Is temporarily saved.

  The ROM unit 221 is configured with a flash memory or the like, and stores a control procedure executed by the CPU 203. The flash memory is an electrically rewritable and non-volatile device, and the control procedure can be rewritten by following a predetermined sequence.

  In addition, each circuit block includes a register for setting an operation mode and the like, and the CPU 203 can set the operation mode and the like of each circuit block via a register access bus (not shown).

  A printer engine (FIG. 2B) 301 is a printing mechanism that prints an image on a recording medium based on binary image data sent from the printer controller 201.

  Next, the transition of the image forming apparatus 105 from the standard power mode to the power saving mode will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The CPU 203 instructs the power supply control unit 108 (see FIG. 1) to stop power supply to the printer engine 107 (see FIG. 1), and reduces the clock frequency supplied to the image processing unit 204. Further, the CPU 203 performs setting to change the network communication speed from the first communication speed (1000 Mbps) to the second communication speed (100 Mbps). The external interface unit 208 once disconnects the link and switches the communication speed to a low speed. Further, the CPU 203 instructs the RAM unit 220 to enter a self-refresh state, and the RAM unit 220 enters a self-refresh state. By performing the above processing, the image forming apparatus 105 enters a power saving mode.

  FIG. 2B is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer engine 301, which corresponds to 107 in FIG. The printer engine 301 is a serial type printer. The engine control unit 302 controls the printer engine 301. The head control unit 303 sends a signal to the head unit 306 to discharge ink. The motor control unit 304 controls a paper conveyance motor 308 for conveying the recording medium and a carriage motor 307 for causing the head unit 306 to scan in a direction different from the medium conveyance direction. An image is formed on the recording medium with the ink ejected from the scanning head unit 306. Under the control of the engine control unit 302, scanning of the head unit 306 and conveyance of the recording medium are alternately performed to perform recording on the recording medium in band units.

  The sensor control unit 305 is connected to the ink remaining amount detection unit 309 and the cover open / close detection unit 310 and controls sensor detection of each detection unit. The sensor control unit 305 is connected to the engine control unit 302 in the same manner as the head control unit 303 and the motor control unit 304, and the engine control unit 302 transmits data detected by each sensor in the sensor control unit 305 to the printer controller.

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the first embodiment. The image forming apparatus 105 is in a state of shifting to the power saving mode. In this power saving mode, the second communication speed (100 Mbps) is set, and the external interface unit 208 receives data at the second communication speed.

  Here, the condition for shifting to the power saving mode is that when a predetermined time (for example, 2 minutes) has elapsed after the printing operation is completed, or an operation for shifting to the power saving mode (power saving state) is performed by the operation unit 215. This is the case. Specifically, when the printing operation for one page is completed, the image forming apparatus 105 shifts to a standby state and starts measuring time. When two minutes have elapsed, if no print instruction is received from the host device, the mode shifts to the power saving mode (power saving state). On the other hand, if a print instruction is received from the host device before two minutes have elapsed, the print operation is performed in the standard power mode (standard power state). In the power saving mode, for example, the power consumption can be reduced by stopping the operations of the image processing unit 204 and the engine interface unit 213.

  Step S401 is a step of waiting for the external interface unit 208 to receive data from the host apparatus 101. When the data is received (YES in S401), the CPU 203 temporarily stores the received data in the RAM unit 220, and proceeds to step S402.

  In S402, the CPU 203 analyzes the communication protocol, port number, received data type, and print mode of the received data stored in the RAM unit 220 in S401, and the process proceeds to step S403.

  In step S403, the CPU 203 determines whether the communication protocol is the TCP protocol from the analysis result of the received data, and further determines whether the port number is the port number for the print job. If the port number is the port number of the print job (indicating print data) (YES in S403), the process proceeds to S404, and the first communication speed (1000 Mbps) is set. With this setting, the communication speed is changed from the second communication speed to the first communication speed. Then, the process proceeds to S405 and waits for the end of data reception in S405.

  On the other hand, if the communication protocol is a protocol other than the TCP protocol or the port number is the information request port number even if the communication protocol is the TCP protocol (NO in S403), the process proceeds to step S405 without changing the communication speed.

  In summary, the protocol type and port number included in the received data are determined, and the speed is set based on the determination result. If the received data is print data, the communication speed is changed to a higher speed for reception, and if the received data is an information request command, the reception is performed without changing the communication speed. This information request is information regarding the state of the image forming apparatus 105.

  According to the configuration of the first embodiment, the communication control in the image forming apparatus changes the communication speed to a high speed when specific data or a command is received in the power saving mode. Control is performed to change from the power saving mode to the standard power mode as the communication speed is changed.

  As described above, even when a communication request for confirming the printer status is received from the host device 101, the network reconfiguration can be performed by switching the communication speed conventionally by performing control to maintain the communication speed. The frequency can be lowered.

Second Embodiment
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the second embodiment. This process is executed when the time Tw (for example, 2 minutes) continues in the reception waiting state. In the second embodiment, control when the communication protocol of received data described in the first embodiment is a TCP protocol and the port number is a port number for a print job will be described. Descriptions common to the first embodiment are omitted.

  In step S501, history information about communication speed switching is acquired. That is, the number of times of switching during a predetermined period is acquired. In S502, it is determined whether the number of times of switching during the predetermined period is smaller than a threshold value. If it is smaller, the process proceeds to S503. In S503, the communication speed is set to the second communication speed while shifting to the power saving state L1. On the other hand, if the number of times of switching is not smaller than the threshold value, the process proceeds to S504. In S504, the process shifts to the power saving state L2. The communication speed setting remains at the first communication speed (switching to the second communication speed is not performed). The above process is performed and the process ends.

  Here, for example, the threshold is 6, and the frequency of switching the communication speed is not changed if the speed switching has already been performed six times during the period Tn (for example, 10 minutes). This is because if the network is disconnected more frequently than this, a device that manages the network may erroneously detect (erroneous determination) that the network is defective.

  This control will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram when the communication speed is changed, and FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram when the communication speed is not changed. In FIG. 6, time passes from left to right.

  In FIGS. 5A and 5B, the upper row shows the power mode of the image forming apparatus 105. H is a first power consumption mode which is a normal power consumption state. In this state, the first communication speed is set. L1 is the second power consumption mode. In this state, the second communication speed is set. L2 is the third power consumption mode. In the third power consumption mode, the external interface unit 208 is set to the first communication speed. That is, the magnitude relationship of power consumption is H> L2> L1. The power consumed by the external interface unit 208 is higher when the communication speed is set to be higher.

  5A and 5B, the lower stage shows the operating state of the image forming apparatus 105. P1 to P4 indicate print operation states, and W1 to W4 indicate standby states in which no print operation is performed. For example, the timing tpe1 indicates the end timing of the printing operation P1. This timing is a transition timing from the printing operation P1 to the standby state W1.

  Timing tps2 indicates the start timing of the printing operation P2. The start timing of the printing operation is, for example, the timing at which reception of print data from the host device is started. The power mode shifts from the state H to the state L1 or L2. For example, after the time Tw elapses from the timing tpe1, the state H is shifted to the state L1.

  In FIG. 5A, when the time Tw elapses from the timing tpe3 when the printing operation P3 is completed, the value of the communication speed change count (switch count) in the past period Tn is acquired from the RAM section 220. In this case, since the value of the number of times of switching is 4, it is less than the threshold value of 6. Therefore, the communication speed is set to a low speed. At timing td, the normal power consumption state H shifts to the first power consumption state L1.

  On the other hand, in FIG. 5B, when the time Tw elapses from the timing tpe4 when the printing operation P4 ends, the value of the communication speed switching count in the past period Tn is acquired from the RAM unit 220. In this case, since the value of the number of times of switching is 6, it is equal to the threshold value of 6. Therefore, the communication speed is maintained at a high speed. At timing td, the normal power consumption state H shifts to the first power consumption state L2.

  To summarize the above, it is determined whether or not to change the communication speed based on the change frequency when a predetermined time has elapsed after the end of the printing operation. If the change frequency is equal to or higher than the threshold, the change of the communication speed is prohibited, and if the change frequency is less than the threshold, the change of the communication speed is permitted.

  In order to perform the above control, history information regarding the switching timing of the control of the image forming apparatus is held in the RAM unit 220. Further, in order to acquire and control this timing information, the timer means is operated. This timer means uses, for example, the RTC unit 218. The timer means counts the elapsed time after the end of the printing operation.

  As described above, unnecessary disconnection (spanning tree reconstruction) is suppressed by setting the communication speed based on the communication frequency change frequency (switching frequency).

<Third Embodiment>
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the third embodiment. This process is a process of changing the transmission speed by the operation unit 215. The same processing as in the second embodiment will not be described, and differences will be described. In step S503a, the display unit 216 displays a message indicating that the communication speed is maintained although the mode is shifted to the power saving mode. The difference from the second embodiment is that this step is added. The configuration for controlling the third example is the same as the configuration described in the second embodiment.

  With the above configuration, when the user performs an operation to shift the image forming apparatus to the power saving mode, the display unit is displayed for a predetermined time to notify the user.

<Other embodiments>
Although three embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the configurations and numerical values described in these descriptions. As an example of the electronic apparatus, an image reading apparatus other than the image forming apparatus 105 may be used. Further, the communication speed, the threshold value, the time value, and the like are not limited to the values described above. For example, the first communication speed may be 100 Mbps, and the second communication speed may be 10 Mbps.

  The printer engine as the image forming apparatus has been described as an inkjet printer, but other recording methods such as an LBP (laser beam printer) may be used.

  In the first embodiment, the communication speed is changed using the protocol and the port number. However, in addition to this form, the communication speed may be changed using information related to the print mode.

For example, the image forming apparatus can execute a plurality of print modes, and performs printing at a first print mode in which a print operation is performed at a first print speed, and at a second print speed that is lower than the first print speed. The second printing mode for executing the operation is made executable. The CPU 203 acquires information specifying the print mode included in the print data. Then, using the information specifying the print mode, it is determined whether or not printing can be appropriately performed at the second communication speed. If it is determined that printing can be performed properly, the power saving mode is changed to the standard power mode while maintaining the communication speed.
Thus, when shifting from the standby state to the operating state, control is performed so as to reduce the frequency of the communication speed as much as possible.

101 Host device 102, 103 HUB (hub)
104 Network 105 Image Forming Apparatus 106, 201 Printer Controller 107, 301 Printer Engine

Claims (7)

An electronic device comprising interface means connected to a network and configured to communicate at a first communication speed or a second communication speed lower than the first communication speed,
When the interface unit is set to perform communication at the first communication speed, the interface within a predetermined period after a lapse of a predetermined period from the end of processing based on data received via the interface unit. Control means for controlling to maintain the first communication speed when the number of changes in the communication speed of the means is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, and to change to the second communication speed when the number is less than the predetermined number. Electronics. An electronic device comprising interface means connected to a network and configured to communicate at a first communication speed or a second communication speed lower than the first communication speed,
When the interface unit is set to perform communication at the first communication speed, the number of changes in the communication speed of the interface unit within a predetermined period when the user instructs to shift to the power saving mode is predetermined. The first communication speed is maintained when the number of times is greater than or equal to the number of times, and control means for changing the second communication speed to the second communication speed when the number is less than the predetermined number of times and causing the electronic device to shift to a power saving mode is provided. Electronics. From the data received via the interface means, having an acquisition means for acquiring a value indicating the type of communication protocol and a value indicating the port number,
The control means has a value indicating the communication protocol acquired by the acquisition means when the interface means is set to communicate at the second communication speed when data is received via the interface means; 3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein whether or not the communication speed of the interface unit is switched to the first communication speed is controlled based on a value indicating a port number . The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the network is a network compatible with a spanning tree protocol . The control means sets the communication speed of the interface means to the first communication speed when the value indicating the communication protocol acquired by the acquiring means is a value corresponding to a predetermined communication protocol and indicating a predetermined port number. The electronic device according to claim 3 , wherein the electronic device is changed to:   The electronic device is an image forming apparatus capable of printing an image, and the control unit is configured such that a value indicating a communication protocol acquired by the acquiring unit corresponds to a predetermined communication protocol, and a value indicating a port number is a print job. 6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, when the electronic device is used, the communication speed of the interface unit is changed to the first communication speed. A method for controlling an electronic device comprising interface means connected to a network and configured to communicate at a first communication speed or a second communication speed lower than the first communication speed,
When the interface means is set to perform communication at the first communication speed, it is saved by a user after a predetermined period has elapsed since the completion of the process based on 0 received through the interface means. When instructed to shift to the power mode, the first communication speed is maintained when the number of changes in the communication speed of the interface means within a predetermined period is greater than or equal to a predetermined number, and when the number is less than the predetermined number, the second communication speed is maintained. A control method for an electronic device, characterized in that control is performed so as to change the communication speed to a maximum .