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

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 through the graphical display device exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• and
• operatively connect the graphical display device and the at least one other component in the print unit to electrical power in response to detection that the degree of similarity between the identified path of movement for the object and the one cluster of object paths that precede data being received through the graphical display device exceeds the predetermined threshold.