Information processing apparatus configured to change a control related to power consumption

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10591973-B2
Application number	US-201815899810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2018
Priority date	Mar 15, 2017
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

An information processing apparatus that can communicate with another information processing apparatus is provided. The information processing apparatus includes a detection device and a processor that is configured to execute processes of detecting a passerby passing a detection range of the detection device that is formed in at least a part of a region surrounding the information processing apparatus; transmitting to the other information processing apparatus, a passerby notification indicating that the detected passerby is approaching the other information processing apparatus; receiving from the other information processing apparatus, a use notification indicating that the other information processing apparatus has been used; determining that the information processing apparatus has not been preferentially used upon receiving the use notification from the other information processing apparatus; and changing a control related to power consumption depending on whether the processor has determined that the information processing apparatus has not been preferentially used.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus that is capable of communicating with another information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising:
a detection device; and
a processor configured to execute processes of
detecting a passerby passing a detection range of the detection device that is formed in at least a part of a region surrounding the information processing apparatus;
transmitting to the other information processing apparatus, a passerby notification indicating that the detected passerby is approaching the other information processing apparatus;
receiving from the other information processing apparatus, a use notification indicating that the other information processing apparatus has been used;
determining that the information processing apparatus has not been preferentially used upon receiving the use notification from the other information processing apparatus; and
changing a control related to power consumption of the information processing apparatus depending on whether the processor has determined that the information processing apparatus has not been preferentially used more than a predetermined number of times,

wherein both the information processing apparatus and the another information processing apparatus are image forming apparatuses.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the information processing apparatus is configured to operate in at least one of a second operation mode in which power consumption is reduced and a first operation mode in which power consumption is higher than the second operation mode; and
when the processor determines that the information processing apparatus has not been preferentially used while the information processing apparatus is operating in the second operation mode, the processor turns off a power supply of the detection device.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
when the processor receives an in-use notification indicating that the other information processing apparatus is in use while the power supply of the detection device is turned off, the processor turns on the power supply of the detection device.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
when the processor determines that the information processing apparatus has not been preferentially used, the processor sets a transition time before transitioning from the first operation mode to the second operation mode to be shorter than a default value.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when the information processing apparatus is in a non-usable state that prevents the detected passerby from using the information processing apparatus, the processor refrains from transmitting the passerby notification to the other information processing apparatus.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitting transmits the passerby notification from the information processing apparatus that is not preferentially used to the another information processing apparatus that is preferentially used.

7. An information processing apparatus that is capable of communicating with another information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus comprising:
a detection device; and
a processor configured to execute processes of
receiving from the other information processing apparatus, a passerby notification indicating that a passerby that has passed a detection range of the other information processing apparatus is approaching the information processing apparatus;
detecting an operation performed on the information processing apparatus;
determining that the information processing apparatus has been preferentially used upon detecting the operation performed on the information processing apparatus within a predetermined time after receiving the passerby notification from the other information processing apparatus; and
changing a control related to power consumption of the information processing apparatus depending on whether the processor has determined that the information processing apparatus has been preferentially used more than a predetermined number of times,

wherein both the information processing apparatus and the another information processing apparatus are image forming apparatuses.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the information processing apparatus is configured to operate in at least one of a second operation mode in which power consumption is reduced and a first operation mode in which power consumption is higher than the second operation mode; and
when the processor determines that the information processing apparatus has been preferentially used, the processor sets a transition time before transitioning from the first operation mode to the second operation mode to be longer than a default value.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the processor further executes processes of
receiving a walking speed of the passerby from the other information processing apparatus;
calculating the predetermined time based on the walking speed received from the other information processing apparatus and a distance between the other information processing apparatus and the information processing apparatus, the distance being stored in the information processing apparatus in advance; and
determining whether the information processing apparatus has been preferentially used based on the calculated predetermined time.

10. An information processing system comprising:
a first information processing apparatus; and
a second information processing apparatus that is capable of communicating with the first information processing apparatus;
wherein the first information processing apparatus includes a first detection device and a first processor that is configured to execute processes of
detecting a passerby passing a detection range of the first detection device that is formed in at least a part of a region surrounding the first information processing apparatus;
transmitting to the second information processing apparatus, a passerby notification indicating that the detected passerby is approaching the second information processing apparatus;
receiving from the second information processing apparatus, a use notification indicating that the second information processing apparatus has been used;
determining that the first information processing apparatus has not been preferentially used upon receiving the use notification from the second information processing apparatus; and
changing a first control related to power consumption of the first information processing apparatus depending on whether the first processor has determined that the first information processing apparatus has not been preferentially used more than a predetermined number of times; and

wherein the second information processing apparatus includes a second detection device and a second processor that is configured to execute processes of
receiving the passerby notification from the first information processing apparatus;
detecting an operation performed on the second information processing apparatus;
determining that the second information processing apparatus has been preferentially used upon detecting the operation performed on the second information processing apparatus within a predetermined time after receiving the passerby notification from the first information processing apparatus;
changing a second control related to power consumption of the second information processing apparatus depending on whether the second processor has determined tha

Assignees

• Nagasawa Yuichi
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nagasawa Yuichi

Classifications

• H04N1/00891

  Switching on or off, e.g. for saving power when not in use (H04N1/00896 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N2201/0094

  Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception · CPC title

• H04N1/00896

  using a low-power mode, e.g. standby · CPC title

• G06F1/3231 Primary

  Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

  Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management · CPC title