System and method for controlling power modes in printers, photocopiers, and multi-function devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9317789-B2
Application number	US-201314102178-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2013
Priority date	Dec 10, 2013
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A printer, copier, or multi-function printing device (MFP) operates in a reduced power mode in which a controller identifies a path of motion of an object external to the printer with reference to signals from a proximity sensor housed in the printer. The controller connects one or more components to electric power to transition to an elevated power operating mode if the identified path corresponds to a path history that is stored in a memory of paths of object paths that have occurred prior to operation of the printer, copier or MFP. The activation of the components reduces a delay that an operator perceives as the printer, copier or MFP transitions from the reduced power operating mode to the elevated power operating mode thus significantly reducing power consumption during operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating a printer comprising:
decoupling with a controller a graphical display device in the printer and at least one other component in the printer from electrical power while a first proximity sensor in the printer is operatively connected by the controller to electrical power;
receiving at the controller a plurality of signals from the first proximity sensor that generates signals corresponding to a position of an object with respect to the printer;
identifying with the controller a path of movement of the object in proximity to the printer with reference to the plurality of signals generated by the first proximity sensor;
identifying with the controller a degree of similarity between the identified path of movement for the object and each cluster of object paths in a plurality of object paths stored in a memory, the plurality of object paths stored in the memory includes a plurality of clusters of object paths that precede data being received through the graphical display device and a plurality of clusters of object paths that do not precede data being received through the graphical display device;
detecting that the identified degree of similarity between the identified path of movement for the object and one cluster of object paths that precedes data being received through the graphical display device exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
operatively connecting with the controller the graphical display device in the printer and the at least one other component in the printer to electrical power in response to the controller detecting that the degree of similarity between the identified path of movement of the object and the one cluster of object paths that precedes data being received through the graphical display exceeds the predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , the identification of the path of movement of the object further comprising:
receiving at the controller a plurality of signals generated by a second proximity sensor that correspond to positions of the object with respect to the printer; and
identifying with the controller the degree of similarity for the identified path of movement for the object with reference to the plurality signals generated by the first proximity sensor and the plurality of signals generated by a second proximity sensor in the printer, the second sensor being operatively connected to electrical power by the controller.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
storing with the controller in the plurality of object paths stored in the memory data corresponding to the plurality of signals from the first sensor and the second sensor in association with data being received through the graphical display device in response to the graphical display device associated with the printer receiving data.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
detecting with the controller that the degree of similarity between the identified path of movement for the object and a cluster of object paths that do not precede data being received through the graphical display device in the plurality of object paths stored in the memory exceeds the predetermined threshold; and
continuing to operate the printer without operatively connecting the graphical display device in the printer and the at least one other component in the printer to electrical power in response to the controller detecting that the degree of similarity between the identified path of movement for the object and the cluster of object paths that does not precede data being received through the graphical display device exceeds the predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:
storing with the controller in the plurality of object paths stored in the memory data corresponding to the plurality of signals from the first sensor and the second sensor in association with no data being received through the graphical display device in response to the graphical display device associated with the printer receiving no data within a predetermined time period following detection of the object with the controller.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
operatively connecting with the controller an electric heater to electrical power in response to the degree of similarity between the identified path of the movement for the object and the cluster of object paths that precede data being received through the graphical display device exceeds the predetermined threshold, the electric heater being operatively connected to a fuser in the printer.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
operatively connecting with the controller an electric heater to electrical power in response to the degree of similarity between the identified path of the movement for the object and the cluster of object paths that precede data being received through the graphical display device, the electric heater being operatively connected to an ink reservoir in the printer.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying a previously performed operation of the printer with reference to operational history data stored in the memory in the printer;
identifying a first component in the printer used in the previously performed operation;
identifying a second component in the printer not used in the previously performed operation, the display device, the at least one other component, the first component, and the second component being different components; and
operatively connecting the first component to electrical power with the controller and leaving the second component decoupled from electrical power.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the previously performed operation is a scanning operation, the first component is an optical scanner component, and the second component is a heater operatively connected to a fuser in the printer.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the previously performed operation is a scanning operation, the first component is an optical scanner component, and the second component is a heater operatively connected to an ink reservoir in the printer.

11. A printer comprising:
a housing;
a first proximity sensor supported by the housing and configured to sense movement of objects external to the housing and generate signals corresponding to positions of the objects with respect to the printer;
a print unit supported by the housing;
a graphical display device supported by the housing;
an input device supported by the housing;
a memory; and
a controller operatively connected to the first proximity sensor, print unit, graphical display device, input device, and the memory, the controller being configured to:
decouple the graphical display device and at least one other component in the print unit from electrical power while the first proximity sensor is operatively connected to electrical power;
receive a plurality of signals from the first proximity sensor;
identify a path of movement of an object in proximity to the printer with reference to the plurality signals generated by the first proximity sensor;
identify a degree of similarity between the identified path of movement for the object and each cluster of object paths in a plurality of object paths stored in a memory, the plurality of object paths stored in the memory includes a plurality of clusters of object paths that precede data being received through the graphical display device and a plurality of clusters of object paths that do not precede data being received through the graphical display device;
detect that the identified degree of similarity for the identified path of movement for the object and one cluster of object paths that precede data being received

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Wilsher Michael John
• Judd Derek William
• Marquez Daniel Vila

Classifications

• G03G15/5091

  for user-identification or authorisation · CPC title

• G03G15/5004 Primary

  Power supply control, e.g. power-saving mode, automatic power turn-off · CPC title

• G03G15/5016

  User-machine interface; Display panels; Control console · CPC title

• G06K15/005

  only locally · CPC title

• G06K15/14

  by electrographic printing, e.g. xerography; by magnetographic printing {(G06K15/12 takes precedence)} · CPC title