Controller which controls power supply of electrical machinery and apparatus connected to another equipment

Determination is made as to whether a vendor (an apparatus which allows use of a copying machine according to the value of any money entered) is connected to a copying machine having a power supply to be controlled. If the vendor is connected to the copying machine, an automatic power off function is inhibited. When the power supply is turned off, if any coin is entered in the vendor, the supply is automatically turned on.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a power supply controller, and more particularly relates to a power supply controller which can appropriately control the power supply of the electrical machinery or apparatus when another equipment is connected to the electrical machinery or apparatus to be controlled.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, a controller which controls the power supply of the electrical machinery or apparatus (hereinafter referred to just as electrical apparatus) is provided. Some controllers automatically turn on or off the power supply of the electrical apparatus at a prescribed timing. Generally such controllers automatically turn on or off the power supply when a preset time has arrived. On the other hand, some controllers turn off the power supply when no manipulation of the electrical apparatus or operation according to the manipulation is carried out for a prescribed period. The latter controllers are particularly applied to an image formation apparatus such as a copying machine.

On the other hand, a vendor is provided which is connected to the electrical apparatus and used. The vendor allows the use of the electrical apparatus according to the value entered in itself. Generally a coin or prepaid card is used as the value entered in the vendor.

If the controller automatically turning on or off the power supply of the electrical apparatus and the vendor are simultaneously applied to the electrical apparatus, the problems described in the following (1) and (2) occur.

(1) When the vendor is connected to the electrical apparatus, if the controller turns off the power supply of the electrical apparatus, the user needs to turn on the supply of the apparatus again.

(2) When the power is supplied from the electrical apparatus to the vendor, if the power supply of the electrical apparatus is turned off, the power supply of the vendor is also turned off. A trouble which occurs in this case is that even if there is any balance of the value entered in the vendor, the balance becomes ineffective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made to solve the problems described above. An object of the invention is to improve ease of use of a controller for the power supply of an electrical apparatus to be controlled.

Another object of the invention is to effectively control the electrical apparatus to which a vendor is connected.

According to one aspect of the invention, a controller which controls the power supply of an electrical apparatus determines whether another apparatus is connected to the electrical apparatus, and changes details of the control of the power supply according to the result of the determination.

According to another aspect of the invention, a controller, which controls the power supply of an electrical apparatus to which a vendor allowing the use of the electrical apparatus according to an entered value is connected, determines whether there is any balance of the value entered in the vendor, and changes details of the control of the power supply according to the result of the determination.

According to still another aspect of the invention, a controller, which controls the power supply of an electrical apparatus to which a vendor allowing the use of the electrical apparatus according to an entered value is connected, determines whether any value is entered in the vendor, and changes details of the control of the power supply according to the result of the determination.

According to still another aspect of the invention, an image formation apparatus having an automatic power-off function which allows the power supply to be automatically turned off at a prescribed timing includes: a determination circuit which determines whether a vendor allowing the use of the image formation apparatus according to a value entered in the image formation apparatus is connected or not; and a control circuit which inhibits the power supply from being turned off by the automatic power-off function if the determination circuit determines that a vendor is connected to the image formation apparatus.

According to still another aspect of the invention, an image formation apparatus to which a vendor allowing the use of the image formation apparatus according to an entered value and which has the automatic power-off function which allows the power supply to be automatically turned off at a prescribed timing includes: a determination circuit which determines whether there is any balance of the value entered in the vendor; and a control circuit which inhibits the power supply from being turned off by the automatic power-off function if the determination circuit determines there is any balance in the vendor.

According to still another aspect of the invention, an image formation apparatus to which a vendor allowing the use of the image formation apparatus according to an entered value is connected and which has the automatic power-off function which allows the power supply to be automatically turned off at a prescribed timing includes: a determination circuit which determines whether any value is entered in the vendor and a control circuit which allows the power supply of the image formation apparatus to be turned on if the determination circuit determines that some value is entered in the vendor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment in which the invention is applied to an electrophotographic copying machine is described in detail referring to the attached figures. Although the electrophotographic copying machine is mentioned as one example of an electric apparatus to be controlled, the invention can be applied to any apparatus which is driven by the electric power.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section of an electrophotographic copying machine (hereinafter referred to just as copying machine) 100 and a schematic view of a coin vendor 200 connected to copying machine 100 according to the first embodiment of the invention.

The structure of copying machine 100 is basically similar to the conventional electrophotographic copying machine. Specifically, a photoreceptor drum 103 which is rotatably driven is placed at a central portion of copying machine 100 . Several units such as a main eraser lamp, a transfer charger, an image edge eraser lamp, a developing device, a transfer charger, a copy paper separation charger, and a cleaning unit (not shown) are provided around the photoreceptor drum. Photoreceptor drum 103 is illuminated by the eraser lamp per one transfer and charged by the corona charger. The front and rear edges of an image area are discharged by the image edge eraser lamp, and the image is exposed to the photoreceptor drum 103 by means of an optical system.

Copying machine 100 includes automatic paper feed cassettes 107 - 110 provided at respective paper feed outlets. Copy papers in the automatic paper feed cassettes are selectively provided by respective feed rollers into copying machine 100 , passed through a paper path 106 , transported to a timing roller pair 102 in a pressed state, and temporarily held there.

At the transfer, a toner image on photoreceptor drum 103 is transferred to a copy sheet fed by timing roller pair 102 by corona discharging of the transfer charger at a transfer portion. The copy sheet is then separated from photoreceptor drum 103 by the corona discharging of the separation charger and the resiliency of the copy paper itself. The copy paper is attracted onto a transport belt 104 having air suction means and, at the same time, transported leftward with respect to the plane of the figure following rotation of belt 104 .

The transported copy paper is passed through a fixing unit 105 and the toner image is fused and fixed, and the copy paper is discharged from copying machine 100 .

Coin vendor 200 is connected to copying machine 100 and used. When any coin is entered in coin vendor 200 , it allows sheets of the number corresponding to the entered value to be copied. It is noted that coin vendor 200 may allow the copying according to any bank note, prepaid card and the like entered therein. Management of the copying machine by such a vendor is known, and description of its details is omitted.

Coin vendor 200 includes a display portion 201 on which any balance of the entered coin is displayed, a coin slot 202 for inserting a coin therein, a coin return button 203 for returning the entered coin, and a coin return outlet 204 for discharging the coin to be returned.

FIG. 2 shows one example of the display on display portion 201 of coin vendor 200 .

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing schematically a power supply portion of copying machine 100 .

Referring to FIG. 3 , the power supply portion includes a power supply control portion (24V power supply) 301 for controlling the supply voltage input from an alternating current power supply AC, a main switch 303 provided at the copying machine body, a main relay 302 controlled by a CPU in copying machine 100 , and a control portion (5V power supply) 304 for converting the voltage of 24V output from power supply control portion 301 via main switch 303 to the voltage of 5V.

By turning on or off main relay 302 which is controlled by the CPU, the power supply of copying machine 100 can be turned on or off, or a power saving mode of copying machine 100 can be made operable or not.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a structure of a circuit at the periphery of the CPU of copying machine 100 .

With reference to FIG. 4 , the components connected to a CPU 401 are: a key input portion 402 constituted by a ten key, a start key and the like; a display portion 403 which displays the state of the copying machine, its mode and the like; a copy control portion 404 which controls feeding of copy sheets, exposure, development, transfer, fixing and the like; an ROM 405 in which a control program, for example, is written; an RAM 406 constituted by a non-volatile memory and stores control data and the like; and a communication interface 407 which provides and receives information to and from coin vendor 200 concerning the number of sheets to be copied, the sheet size, discharging of the sheet, the state of the connection of the vendor, the presence/absence of any coin and the like. CPU 401 operates according to the program written in ROM 405 .

A power supply of 5V is provided to CPU 401 . CPU 401 transmits a control signal to main relay 302 thereby turning on/off the power supply of copying machine 100 .

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a circuit at the periphery of the CPU of coin vendor 200 .

With reference to FIG. 5 , the components connected to a CPU 501 are: a key input portion 502 constituted by a coin return button 203 and the like; a display portion 201 which displays the balance of any entered coin; a coin control portion 504 which controls the entered coin or any coin to be returned; an ROM 505 which stores a program for controlling coin vendor 200 ; an RAM 506 constituted by a non-volatile memory and stores control data and the like; and a communication interface 507 which provides and receives information to and from copying machine 100 concerning the number of sheets to be copied, the sheet size, discharging of the sheet, the state of connection of the vendor, presence/absence of any coin, and the like.

CPU 501 carries out an operation based on the program stored in ROM 505 .

It is noted that coin vendor 200 is supplied with electric power from copying machine 100 .

FIG. 6 is a flow chart schematically showing the processing carried out by CPU 401 shown in FIG. 4 .

With reference to FIG. 6 , when the CPU is reset (e.g. by turning on the power supply or a reset button) and execution of a program is started, initializing of the CPU such as clearing of the RAM, setting of various registers and the like is carried out (step S 30 ). At this time, an initial value of TSET is set as a count value TIME of an automatic power off timer. An internal timer which is contained in the CPU and in which the count value is set in advance at the initialization thereafter starts (step S 31 ).

Next, various subroutine processes necessary for the copying process are executed. Specifically, a display process (step S 32 ), an input process (step S 33 ), copy control (step S 34 ), a process of transmitting and receiving data to and from the vendor (step S 35 ), a process of controlling turning on/off of the power supply (step S 36 ), and other processes (step S 37 ) are successively performed.

After all of the subroutine processes are completed, one routine completes when the counting of the initially set internal timer ends (step S 38 ), and the processing returns to the step S 31 . Counting of various timers employed in respective subroutines is carried out using the length of time of this one routine.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing specific processes carried out in the power supply control process (step S 36 ) in FIG. 6 .

Referring to FIG. 7 , whether coin vendor 200 is connected to copying machine 100 or not is determined in step S 40 . Specifically, this determination can be made by detecting if a connector of the vendor 200 is connected to copying machine 100 or not, or transmitting and receiving a signal via communication interfaces 407 and 507 .

If NO in step S 40 (coin vendor 200 is not connected), it is determined whether copying machine 100 is in no-copying operation state or not in step S 41 . If YES (copying operation is not proceeding) in step S 41 , whether all of the keys of copying machine 100 are off or not is determined in step S 42 . If YES in step S 42 , the count value TIME of the automatic power off timer is counted down by one (step S 43 ). Whether TIME is zero or not is determined in step S 45 . If YES, the power supply of copying machine 100 is turned off by turning off relay 302 in step S 46 .

Next in step S 47 , whether main relay 302 is turned off or not is determined. If YES, whether any coin is entered in coin vendor 200 or not is determined in step S 48 .

If YES in step S 48 , the main relay is turned on and the power supply of copying machine 100 is accordingly turned on in step S 49 .

If YES in the step S 40 , or NO in the step S 41 or the step S 42 , initial value TSET which is preset as a value of TIME is set in step S 44 . Processes starting from step S 47 are thereafter carried out.

If NO in the step S 45 , processes are carried out starting from step S 47 .

If NO in either the step S 47 or the S 48 , the process is completed.

Copying machine 100 according to this embodiment is provided with the automatic power off function which allows the power supply of the copying machine to be automatically turned off when manipulation or key input by an user and a copying operation based on such manipulation are not carried out for a prescribed period. Whether vendor 200 is connected to copying machine 100 or not is determined. If connected, the automatic power off function is inhibited thereby controlling to prevent the power supply from being turned off.

When the main relay is turned off (the power supply is turned off by the automatic power off function), if any coin is entered in coin vendor 200 , the main relay is automatically tuned on. Accordingly, the user can utilize copying machine 100 just by entering a coin without turning on the power supply of copying machine 100 again, so that ease of use of the copying machine can be improved.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a variation of the flow chart in FIG. 7 .

With reference to FIG. 8 , a difference between the flow chart in FIG. 8 and that in FIG. 7 is that whether vendor 200 is connected or not is determined in step S 50 , and if YES, whether there is any balance in vendor 200 is determined in step S 51 .

If YES in step S 51 , the process is started from step S 55 , and if NO, the process is started from step S 52 .

If NO in step S 50 , the process starting from step S 52 is carried out.

Since the processes carried out in the steps S 41 to S 49 in FIG. 7 respectively correspond to those from S 52 to S 60 in FIG. 8 , description thereof is omitted.

According to the flow chart shown in FIG. 8 , the automatic power off function is controlled so that it does not function only when there remains any balance in vendor 200 . Therefore, the trouble can be avoided in which the power supply is turned off by the automatic power off function and the balance is canceled even if there is any balance in the vendor 200 .