Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Kazuya Iwabayashi

Yusuke Nagano

Kenichi Morimoto

Yoshifumi Maitani

Yoshio Nishimoto

Yasuhiro Takai

Shigeharu Maehara

Yasuhiro Inoue

Yoshinori Nakahira

Recording of time information and function information of each image forming process for which processing has been completed in a recording portion(S), judgment (S) of whether or not a switching time that has been set is 0 for processing in which the elapsed time from completion to the present time is within a predetermined time for processing among the information in the recording portion (), calculation (S) of a time (T) in which the switching time is added to the completion time of each image forming process, comparison (S) of the time (T) and a time information (Tmax), and update (S) of the time information (Tmax) by the time (T) when the calculated time (T) is later than the time information (Tmax) are repeatedly executed, and the latest time is set to the time information (Tmax). Switching is made to a power-saving mode when a counter () has timed the time information (Tmax).

Image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming program

The invention relates to a power supply device and a communication system. The power supply device supplies power to a main device. The communication system is provided with the main device mounting the power supply device therein and an external device connected to the main device. A feature of the invention is to offer a power supply device and a communication system that are capable of being responsive to external signals for returning to a normal operation mode with minimum power consumption in a power-saving operation mode. In the power saving operation mode, a main power supply circuit () is turned off and only an auxiliary power supply circuit () is operated. In order to detect external signal, the auxiliary power supply circuit () supplies power not to an entire interface section (), but to a ring detection circuit (), a LAN signal detection circuit (), a 1284 signal detection circuit (), a USB signal detection circuit (), and a panel signal detection circuit () that are respectively provided with a minimum functions for detecting external signal.

Power supply device and communication system

An additional image is formed on a recording medium by filling a predetermined area including a punched portion or a stapled portion, in addition to an image which is to be formed originally, such as a text document. The additional image is formed with white developer or transparent developer. Since the thickness of the recording medium is increased by the white developer or transparent developer forming the additional image portion, the region around the punched portion or the stapled portion is reinforced and the recording medium is kept from being broken easily. When the image and the additional image are superposed, the superposition of the image and the additional image is avoided by either reducing the image or changing the position of the image to be formed.

Image forming apparatus performing post treatment accompanied with perforation

A multi-function printer (MFP) has a main control circuit for setting the operation mode of the apparatus to either a normal operation mode or a power-saving operation mode. There are provided a main power supply circuit and an auxiliary power supply circuit for supplying power to the main control circuit in the normal operation mode and in the power-saving operation mode, respectively. The MFP also has a power detection circuit for detecting a state of power supply from the main power supply circuit to the main control circuit. If a power-save request is followed by a start-up request, when an amount of power detected by the power detection circuit is greater than a predetermined value, the main control circuit stops an operation relating to the power-save request and initiates an operation according to a start-up request.

Growing community of inventors

Tenri, Japan

Kazuya Iwabayashi