US 10,254,692 B1 · Image forming apparatus and method of controlling return from sleep mode in image forming apparatus

Abstract

A detection unit detects a presence of an individual near an image forming apparatus during a sleep mode in which an image forming unit, an image reading unit, and a user interface unit enter a sleep state of non-conduction. An individual specifying unit specifies the individual detected by the detection unit. A determination unit determines whether there is a printing job corresponding to the individual specified by the individual specifying unit. A control unit warms up a heater by causing the fixer to transition from the sleep state to a ready state when the determination unit determines that there is the printing job corresponding to the individual specified by the individual specifying unit. Conversely, the control unit maintains the fixer in the sleep state when the determination unit determines that there is no printing job corresponding to the individual specified by the individual specifying unit.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit configured to form an image on an image forming medium, an image reader configured to read the image, and a user interface configured to receive a user selection of scanning or copying and to perform printing, scanning, and copying, the apparatus comprising:

a fixer that is installed in the image forming unit and includes a heater;
a detector configured to detect a presence of an individual near the image forming apparatus during a sleep mode in which the image forming unit, the image reader, and the user interface enter a sleep state of non-conduction;
an individual specifying circuit configured to specify the detected individual;
a processor configured to determine whether there is a printing job corresponding to the specified individual;
and
a controller configured to warm up the heater by causing the fixer to transition from the sleep state to a ready state when there is the printing job and maintain the fixer in the sleep state when there is no printing job.

3 more elements

A method of controlling a return from a sleep mode in an image forming apparatus including an image forming unit that includes a fixer including a heater and forms an image on an image forming medium, an image reader that reads an image, and a user interface that receives a user selection of scanning or copying and is configured to perform operations including printing, scanning, and copying, the method comprising:

specifying a detected individual when a presence of the individual near the image forming apparatus is detected during a sleep mode in which the image forming unit, the image reader, and the user interface enter a sleep state of non-conduction;
determining whether there is a printing job corresponding to the specified individual;
warming up the heater by causing the fixer to transition from the sleep state to a ready state when there is the printing job;
and
maintaining the fixer in the sleep state when there is no printing job.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image forming apparatus and method of controlling return from sleep mode in image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Image forming apparatus and method of controlling return from sleep mode in image forming apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18