# US 11,122,184 B2 · Image forming apparatus and data protection method to avoid data corruption or damage to a storage device

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- Number: US 11,122,184 B2
- Document ID: US11122184B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/936,225
- Filed: 2020-07-22
- Published: 2021-01-28
- Granted: 2021-09-14
- Earliest claimed: 2019-07-26
- Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Yoshikazu Kondoh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11122184B2

## CPC

- H04N 1/32101: {Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title}
- G06F 21/608: {Secure printing}
- H04N 1/00514: {for individual users}
- H04N 1/00891: {Switching on or off, e.g. for saving power when not in use (H04N1/00896 takes precedence)}
- Y02D 10/00: Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus including a storage device storing, from among data to be retained when the power is shut off, either or both of important protection data, being a type determined to be important in advance, and protection data, to be retained when the power is shut off other than the important protection data, at respective predetermined timings. A detection information acquirer receives detection information from a sensor detecting at least one of: a change in either or both of direction and tilt, vibration, a predetermined operation, an approaching person, a person entering a room, and a person entering a predetermined area. A protection processor starts processing for writing either or both of the important protection data and the protection data into the storage device in response to the detection information received by the detection information acquirer, at timings different from the predetermined timings.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a storage device that stores, from among data to be retained when power is shut off, either or both of important protection data, being a type determined to be important in advance, and protection data to be retained when the power is shut off other than the important protection data at respective predetermined timings;
a detection information acquirer that receives detection information from a sensor that detects at least one of a change in either or both of direction and tilt, vibration, a predetermined operation, an approaching person, a person entering a room, and a person entering a predetermined area;
a target recognizer that recognizes, based on the detection information, a person as a target in relation to at least any one of an approaching person, a person entering a room, and a person entering a predetermined area;
a history generator that stores a behavior related to the target into the storage device as a behavior history in association with the target;
an attention level determiner that determines a behavior attention level of the target based on the behavior history stored in the storage device, regarding the target recognized by the target recognizer; and
a protection processor that starts processing for writing either or both of the important protection data and the protection data into the storage device in response to the detection information received by the detection information acquirer, at timings different from the predetermined timings,
wherein the protection processor determines a range of processing for writing into the storage device in response to the behavior attention level determined for the target.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein when the target recognizer recognizes the target during image formation, the protection processor determines whether to stop at least a part of an operation related to the image formation, in accordance with the behavior attention level, in addition to the range of processing for writing into the storage device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein in case of stopping at least the part of the operation related to the image formation, the protection processor determines an aspect of an operation to be stopped according to the behavior attention level.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises a sensor that detects at least one of a change in either or both of direction and tilt, an approaching person, a person entering a room, and a person entering a predetermined area, and outputs the detection information, or
wherein the detection information acquirer acquires the detection information from an external sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a power plug coupled to a power system to obtain power, the power plug including a latch mechanism that prevents a detachment, and an actuator that operates and releases the latch mechanism,
wherein the protection processor controls the actuator to allow the latch mechanism to be operated while writing either or both of the important protection data and the protection data into the storage device.

### Claim 6

A data protection method for an image forming apparatus, comprising:
using a controller of the image forming apparatus to write, from among data to be retained when power is shut off, either or both of important protection data, being a type determined to be important in advance, and protection data to be retained when the power is shut off other than the important protection data, into a storage device at respective predetermined timings;
receiving detection information from a sensor that detects at least one of a change in either or both of direction and tilt, vibration, a predetermined operation, an approaching person, a person entering a room, and a person entering a predetermined area;
recognizing, based on the detection information, a person as a target in relation to at least any one of an approaching person, a person entering a room, and a person entering a predetermined area;
storing a behavior related to the target into the storage device as a behavior history in association with the target;
determining a behavior attention level of the target based on the behavior history stored in the storage device, regarding the target recognized by the target recognizer; and
starting processing for writing either or both of the important protection data and the protection data into the storage device in response to the detection information received, at timings different from the predetermined timings,
wherein the controller determines a range of processing for writing into the storage device in response to the behavior attention level determined for the target.