Image processing apparatus, and non-transitory recording medium storing computer readable program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018220035-A1
Application number	US-201815879122-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 24, 2018
Priority date	Feb 2, 2017
Publication date	Aug 2, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes a memory, an auxiliary storage used as a virtual memory together with the memory, and a hardware processor. The hardware processor determines whether or not a predetermined region set in the memory has a free space corresponding to a size of a necessary region to be reserved for execution of a specific application. When determining that the predetermined region does not have the free space, the hardware processor applies a first power-saving mode as a power-saving mode of the auxiliary storage. When determining that the predetermined region has the free space, the hardware processor applies, as the power-saving mode of the auxiliary storage, a second power-saving mode in which less power is consumed than in the first power-saving mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image processing apparatus comprising:
a memory; an auxiliary storage used as a virtual memory together with the memory; and a hardware processor; wherein the hardware processor determines whether or not a predetermined region set in the memory has a free space corresponding to a size of a necessary region to be reserved for execution of a specific application, and when determining that the predetermined region does not have the free space, the hardware processor applies a first power-saving mode as a power-saving mode of the auxiliary storage, and when determining that the predetermined region has the free space, the hardware processor applies, as the power-saving mode of the auxiliary storage, a second power-saving mode in which less power is consumed than in the first power-saving mode.

2 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware processor determines whether or not the predetermined region has the free space by detecting a used region size, in the predetermined region, of a region used by a second application which is running and different from the specific application and by checking whether or not a difference obtained by subtracting the used region size from a whole size of the predetermined region is equal to or greater than the size of the necessary region.

3 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the auxiliary storage is a hard disk drive, the first power-saving mode is a mode in which supplying electric power to the auxiliary storage is not stopped and a rotational speed of a magnetic disk of the auxiliary storage is reduced or rotation of the magnetic disk is stopped, and the second power-saving mode is a mode in which supplying electric power to the auxiliary storage is stopped.

4 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a communication device capable of using “N” fax lines concurrently, wherein
the specific application is to print an image onto paper based on fax data received by the communication device, and
the size of the necessary region is equal to a size of data for “N” pages fax.

5 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a communication device for receiving data from a terminal in accordance with an Internet Protocol (IP), wherein
the specific application is to print an image onto paper based on PC printing data received by the communication device, the number of terminals using PC printing concurrently is estimated to be “M”, and the size of the necessary region is equal to a size of data for “M” pages for the PC printing.

6 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising
a modem capable of using “N” fax lines concurrently, and an IP communication device for receiving data from a terminal in accordance with an IP, wherein one of the specific applications is to print an image onto paper based on fax data received by the modem, and another one of the specific applications is to print an image onto paper based on PC printing data received by the IP communication device, the number of terminals using PC printing concurrently is estimated to be “M”, and the size of the necessary region is equal to a sum of a size of data for “N” pages fax and a size of data for “M” pages for the PC printing.

7 . An image processing apparatus comprising:
a memory; an auxiliary storage used as a virtual memory together with the memory; and a hardware processor; wherein the hardware processor determines whether a second application which is running and different from a specific application is an application of a low-consumption type estimated to use a predetermined region set in the memory only by a predetermined size or smaller, or an application of a high-consumption type estimated to be an application other than the application of the low-consumption type, and when determining that the second application is the application of the high-consumption type, the hardware processor applies a first power-saving mode as a power-saving mode of the auxiliary storage, and when determining that the second application is the application of the low-consumption type, the hardware processor applies, as the power-saving mode of the auxiliary storage, a second power-saving mode in which less power is consumed than in the first power-saving mode.

8 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the auxiliary storage is a hard disk drive, the first power-saving mode is a mode in which supplying electric power to the auxiliary storage is not stopped and a rotational speed of a magnetic disk of the auxiliary storage is reduced or rotation of the magnetic disk is stopped, and the second power-saving mode is a mode in which supplying electric power to the auxiliary storage is stopped.

9 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , comprising a communication device capable of using “N” fax lines concurrently, wherein
the specific application is to print an image onto paper based on fax data received by the communication device, and
the size of the necessary region is equal to a size of data for “N” pages fax.

10 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , comprising a communication device for receiving data from a terminal in accordance with an Internet Protocol (IP), wherein
the specific application is to print an image onto paper based on PC printing data received by the communication device, the number of terminals using PC printing concurrently is estimated to be “M”, and the size of the necessary region is equal to a size of data for “M” pages for the PC printing.

11 . The image processing apparatus according to claim 7 , comprising
a modem capable of using “N” fax lines concurrently, and an IP communication device for receiving data from a terminal in accordance with an IP, wherein one of the specific applications is to print an image onto paper based on fax data received by the modem, and another one of the specific applications is to print an image onto paper based on PC printing data received by the IP communication device, the number of terminals using PC printing concurrently is estimated to be “M”, and the size of the necessary region is equal to a sum of a size of data for “N” pages fax and a size of data for “M” pages for the PC printing.

12 . A non-transitory recording medium for storing a computer readable program used in an image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus including a memory, and an auxiliary storage used as a virtual memory together with the memory, the computer readable program controlling the image processing apparatus to execute processing comprising:
determination processing for determining whether or not a predetermined region set in the memory has a free space corresponding to a size of a necessary region to be reserved for execution of a specific application; and power-saving processing for, when it is determined that the predetermined region does not have the free space, applying a first power-saving mode as a power-saving mode of the auxiliary storage, and when it is determined that the predetermined region has the free space, applying, as the power-saving mode of the auxiliary storage, a second power-saving mode in which less power is consumed than in the first power-saving mode.

13 . A non-transitory recording medium for storing a computer readable program used in an image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus including a memory, and an auxiliary storage used as a virtual memory together with the memory, the computer readable program controll

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Chitpasong Bounta

Classifications

• H04N1/32673 Primary

  Adjusting or controlling an operating mode, e.g. from paper reception to memory reception (H04N1/32678 takes precedence; inhibiting an operation H04N1/00925) · CPC title

• H04N1/32448

  Controlling data flow to or from the memory in relation to the available memory capacity · 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

• H04N1/00891 Primary

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