Image processing apparatus, apparatus, method of switching mode of the image processing apparatus, and non-transitory storage medium storing program executable by computer of the image processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10819870-B2
Application number	US-201816229340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Dec 27, 2017
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes an image-data processor, an interface, a power source, and a controller. The controller selects a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode as a power supply mode. In the first mode, electric power is supplied from the power source to the image-data processor and the interface. In the second mode, supply of the electric power from the power source to the image-data processor and the interface is in a stopped state. In the third mode, the electric power is supplied from the power source to the interface, but supply of the electric power to the image-data processor is in a stopped state. The controller switches the power supply mode from the second mode to the third mode in response to receiving a power supply request from an external device via the interface in the second mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising:
an image-data processor;
an interface;
a power source; and
a controller configured to:
select one of a plurality of power supply modes of the image processing apparatus, the plurality of power supply modes including: (i) a first mode, when the image processing apparatus is in the first mode, electric power being supplied from the power source to the image-data processor and the interface; (ii) a second mode, when the image processing apparatus is in the second mode, supply of the electric power from the power source to the image-data processor and the interface being in a stopped state; and (iii) a third mode, when the image processing apparatus is in the third mode, the supply of the electric power from the power source to the image-data processor being in a stopped state, and the electric power being supplied from the power source to the interface; and
switch the power supply mode from the second mode to the third mode in response to receiving a power supply request from an external device via the interface when the image processing apparatus is in the second mode in a state in which the external device is connected to the interface

wherein the controller comprises:
a first controller configured to control the image-data processor; and
a second controller,

wherein, when the image processing apparatus is in the second mode, the electric power is supplied from the power source to the second controller,
wherein, when the image processing apparatus is in the second mode, the second controller is configured to switch the power supply mode from the second mode to the third mode in response to receiving the power supply request from the external device via the interface, and
wherein, when the image processing apparatus is in the second mode, the supply of the electric power from the power source to the first controller is in a stopped state.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, when the image processing apparatus is in the third mode, the supply of the electric power from the power source to the first controller is in the stopped state.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, when the image processing apparatus is in the third mode, the electric power is supplied from the power source to the second controller.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second controller is configured to switch the power supply mode from the third mode to the second mode in response to determining that the power supply request from the external device via the interface is finished.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second controller is configured to switch the power supply mode from the third mode to the second mode in response to determining that the external device is disconnected from the interface in the third mode.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second controller is configured to switch the power supply mode from the third mode to the first mode in response to receiving a job which is to be processed by the image-data processor.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a user interface,
wherein the second controller is configured to switch the power supply mode from the first mode to the third mode in response to determining that the user interface is operated.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a user interface,
wherein, when the second mode is selected, the second controller is configured to control the power source to supply the electric power from the power source to the user interface.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the interface is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface.

10. An image processing apparatus, comprising:
an engine including at least one of a print engine and a scanner engine, the print engine being configured to print an image on sheet, the scanner engine being configured to scan an image from a document;
an interface;
a power source; and
a controller configured to:
select one of a plurality of power supply modes of the image processing apparatus, the plurality of power supply modes including: (i) a first mode, when the image processing apparatus is in the first mode, electric power being supplied from the power source to the engine and the interface; (ii) a second mode, when the image processing apparatus is in the second mode, supply of the electric power from the power source to the engine and the interface being in a stopped state; and (iii) a third mode, when the image processing apparatus is in the third mode, the supply of the electric power from the power source to the engine being in a stopped state, and the electric power being supplied from the power source to the interface; and switch the power supply mode from the second mode to the third mode in response to receiving a power supply request from an external device via the interface when the image processing apparatus is in the second mode in a state in which the external device is connected to the interface

wherein the controller comprises:
a first controller configured to control the engine; and
a second controller,

wherein, when the image processing apparatus is in the second mode, the electric power is supplied from the power source to the second controller,
wherein, when the image processing apparatus is in the second mode, the second controller is configured to switch the power supply mode from the second mode to the third mode in response to receiving the power supply request from the external device via the interface, and
wherein, when the image processing apparatus is in the second mode, the supply of the electric power from the power source to the first controller is in a stopped state.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein, when the image processing apparatus is in the third mode, the supply of the electric power from the power source to the first controller is in the stopped state.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein, when the image processing apparatus is in the third mode, the electric power is supplied from the power source to the second controller.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the second controller is configured to switch the power supply mode from the third mode to the second mode in response to determining that the power supply request from the external device via the interface is finished.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the second controller is configured to switch the power supply mode from the third mode to the second mode in response to determining that the external device is disconnected from the interface in the third mode.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the second controller is configured to switch the power supply mode from the third mode to the first mode in response to receiving a job which is to be processed by the engine.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the interface is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface.

17. A method of switching a mode of an image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus comprising (i) an image-data processor configured to process image data, (ii) an interface configured to communicate with an external device, (iii) a power source, and (iv) a controller, the controller comprising a first controller

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Abe Naoki
• Usami Hajime

Classifications

• H04N1/00474 Primary

  outputting a plurality of functional options, e.g. scan, copy or print · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

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

• H04N1/00888 Primary

  Control thereof · CPC title

• H04N1/00904

  Arrangements for supplying power to different circuits or for supplying power at different levels (H04N1/00896 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/1221

  with regard to power consumption · CPC title