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US 11,447,352 B2Granted
Sensor control apparatus, sensor system, and image forming apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorMitsuhiro Sugeta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is a sensor control apparatus including a main board, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor, which are connected in series to the main board. The first sensor includes a diagnosis unit configured to perform a failure diagnosis of each of an LED, a phototransistor, and an LED controller. In a case where a failure is detected, the diagnosis unit electrically isolates the first sensor from the series connection, and supplies a power supply voltage to the second sensor.
Claims10
A sensor control apparatus comprising:
- a controller;
- and
- a plurality of sensors connected in series to the controller,
- the plurality of sensors each including:
- a detector configured to perform a detection operation based on a first voltage applied from the controller;
- a first switch provided on a first path for applying a voltage, which extends from the controller to the detector;
- a second switch provided on a second path for supplying the voltage applied from the controller to one of the plurality of sensors in a subsequent stage;
- a third switch provided on a third path for outputting a detection result obtained by the detector, which extends to the controller;
- and
- a diagnosis unit configured to perform a failure diagnosis of the detector,
- wherein the diagnosis unit is configured to bring, in a case where it is diagnosed that a failure has occurred in the detector, the third switch into a cutoff state, to thereby electrically isolate the sensor from the series connection.
8 more elements
A sensor system comprising a plurality of sensors connected in series to a controller,
- the sensor system being configured to have an operation thereof controlled by the controller,
- the plurality of sensors each including:
- a detector configured to perform a detection operation based on a first voltage applied from the controller;
- a first switch provided on a first path for applying a voltage, which extends from the controller to the detector;
- a second switch provided on a second path for supplying the voltage applied from the controller to one of the plurality of sensors in a subsequent stage;
- a third switch provided on a third path for outputting a detection result obtained by the detector, which extends to the controller;
- and
- a diagnosis unit configured to perform a failure diagnosis of the detector, and
- the diagnosis unit being configured to bring, in a case where it is diagnosed that a failure has occurred in the detector, the third switch into a cutoff state, to thereby electrically isolate the sensor from the series connection.
6 more elements
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a sensor control apparatus;
- a plurality of containers each configured to receive a sheet;
- an image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet;
- and
- a conveyor configured to convey the sheet from each of the plurality of containers to the image forming unit through a conveyance path,
- the sensor control apparatus including:
- a controller;
- and
- a plurality of sensors connected in series to the controller,
- the plurality of sensors each including:
- a detector configured to perform a detection operation based on a first voltage applied from the controller;
- a first switch provided on a first path for applying a voltage, which extends from the controller to the detector;
- a second switch provided on a second path for supplying the voltage applied from the controller to one of the plurality of sensors in a subsequent stage;
- a third switch provided on a third path for outputting a detection result obtained by the detector, which extends to the controller;
- and
- a diagnosis unit configured to perform a failure diagnosis of the detector,
- the plurality of sensors each being provided between each of the plurality of containers and the conveyance path, and each being configured to detect the sheet, and
- the diagnosis unit being configured to bring, in a case where it is diagnosed that a failure has occurred in the detector, the third switch into a cutoff state, to thereby electrically isolate the sensor from the series connection.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.