Power control system
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsEiji Enami, Tetsuya Yano, Takaaki Shirai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power mode designating unit of a main system outputs an operation mode designating signal to a sub system. Upon shifting from the normal operation mode to the power-saving mode, a control unit of the sub system outputs a power-saving mode shift enable signal indicating that shifting to the power-saving mode is possible to a power control unit of the sub system. When the operation mode designating signal designates the power-saving mode and the power-saving mode shift enable signal indicates that shifting to the power-saving mode is possible, the power control unit supplies a power-saving mode voltage to the control unit.
Claims9
A power control system comprising:
- a main system that controls the power control system;
- a sub system that is connected to the main system in a communicatable manner and that implements various functions;
- and
- a power control unit, wherein
- the main system includes a power mode designating unit that outputs an operation mode designating signal that designates either one of a normal operation mode and a power-saving mode to the sub system, and
- the sub system includes
- a control unit that controls the sub system, and
- a sub power control unit that supplies, in the normal operation mode, a first voltage with which driving of the control unit is possible to the control unit, and while in the power-saving mode, supplies a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage, with which driving of the control unit is impossible but retention of a condition is possible, to the control unit, the power control unit supplying a voltage to the sub power control unit,
- when shifting to the power-saving mode is possible, the control unit outputs a power-saving mode shift enable signal indicating that shifting to the power-saving mode is possible to the sub power control unit, and
- when the operation mode designating signal designates the power-saving mode and the power-saving mode shift enable signal indicates that shifting to the power-saving mode is possible, the sub power control unit supplies the second voltage to the control unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.