JP4483650B2 - Network processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a network processing apparatus .

  An image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile machine, a scanner, or a multifunction machine having these functions is connected to a local area network (LAN) via a network interface. In such an image forming apparatus, in order to save energy, when there is no access to any device of the computer within a predetermined time, each device is set in a standby state (power saving mode) to save power. It is possible to reduce consumption.

  Therefore, a network that can use a sleep function without depending on other network devices even when using a service application that requires a response to a periodic inquiry or a regular transmission of information on a LAN. An apparatus is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).

When the network device is notified that the received frame stored in the received frame storage unit matches the new received frame during the sleep function, the network device stores the transmission frame stored in the transmission frame storage unit. By controlling to transmit, a response frame can be returned in response to the inquiry frame even during the sleep function, so that, for example, the server can also shift to the power saving mode.
JP 2001-257688 A

  Since the network device described in Patent Document 1 has only a buffer for one frame ([0023]), when changing the transmission pattern, it is necessary to rewrite the transmission frame. For this reason, when there are a plurality of transmission patterns, there is a problem that the control becomes complicated and the processing load increases. In addition, when there is no CPU, there is a problem that only one fixed pattern can be transmitted.

  In addition, the transmission interval becomes longer or shorter when the normal mode is changed to the power saving mode or the power saving mode is changed to the normal mode while sending the transmission frame at regular intervals. There was a problem.

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the above-described problems. Even when there are a plurality of pattern data to be transmitted in the power saving mode, each pattern data is suppressed while suppressing the processing load. the aims to provide a network processing equipment which can be transmitted at a desired timing.

The network processing device according to the present invention is a network processing device that can be switched between a steady mode and a power saving mode, and stores a plurality of types of pattern data for transmission at transmission intervals according to each type. storage means, the setting information storage means for storing setting information for setting the periodic transmission of each pattern data, and a regular mode and a power saving mode, when the stationary mode, each pattern data, each pattern A first control unit that performs control to periodically transmit to the network at the transmission interval according to data; and a setting stored in the setting information storage unit when the first control unit is in a power saving mode. based on the information, periodically pattern data for each stored in the pattern data storage means at said transmission interval corresponding to the pattern data Comprising a second control means for performing control of transmitting to the network, and the second control means, the transmission interval corresponding to the pattern data, said constant when switched from normal mode to the power saving mode After the final pattern data in the steady mode before the switch to the power saving mode is transmitted, based on the time for each pattern data from when the final pattern data in the mode is transmitted until the transition to the power saving mode. Controlling the transmission of the first pattern data in the power saving mode for each pattern data so that the time until the transmission of the first pattern data in the power saving mode becomes the transmission interval corresponding to each pattern data. Features.

Network processing equipment according to the present invention, when the power saving mode, regularly network based on setting information stored in the setting information storage means, the pattern data each stored in the pattern data storing means By transmitting to, a plurality of pattern data can be transmitted without imposing a processing burden even in the power saving mode.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus is connected to various devices such as a printer, a facsimile machine, and a computer via the LAN 10. The image forming apparatus performs printing or facsimile transmission using data transmitted from the LAN 10, transmits a packet indicating the state of the apparatus to another device, or is transmitted from another device via the LAN 10. The status of other devices is monitored based on the received packets.

  The image forming apparatus includes a CPU 1 that performs image processing, a RAM 2 that is a data work area, a ROM 3 that stores a control program for the CPU 1, and a packet control unit 20.

  The CPU 1 instructs a printer unit, a scanner unit, and a facsimile unit (not shown) to perform image processing such as print processing, scanner processing, and facsimile transmission, respectively.

  Further, the CPU 1 is configured to be switchable between a steady mode and a power saving mode. In the steady mode, the CPU 1 transmits a packet indicating the state of the apparatus to another device via the interface 26 and the LAN 10. However, in the power saving mode, the CPU 1 stops all operations including packet transmission because the power is off.

  The packet control unit 20 performs automatic packet transmission on behalf of the CPU 1 when the CPU 1 is in the power saving mode. The packet control unit 20 selects and outputs packet data storage RAM 21 that stores a plurality of types of packet data, transmission determination control units 22A, 22B, 22C, and 22D that determine transmission of packet data, and packet data. A selector 23, a timer 24 for measuring time, a status register 25 for storing the state of the apparatus, and an interface 26 for transferring packets to and from the LAN 10 are provided.

  The packet data storage RAM 21 stores four types of packet data A, B, C, and D. For this reason, even if the packet to be transmitted is changed, there is no need to rewrite the packet data. The capacity of the packet data storage RAM 21 is, for example, 512 bytes (8 bits × 512 words, no CRC).

  The transmission determination control units 22A, 22B, 22C, and 22D determine the transmission timing of the packet data A, B, C, and D stored in the packet data storage RAM 21 based on the corresponding packet transmission control tables.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a packet transmission control table stored in the transmission determination control unit 22A. This packet transmission control table is data for setting automatic transmission of packet data A, and is “Flag” (1 bit), “Mad” (10 bits), “Size” (10 bits), “Fst” ( 16 bits) and “Freq” (16 bits).

  “Flag” designates automatic transmission enable of packet data A (0: automatic transmission off, 1: automatic transmission on). “Mad” designates the start address of the packet data A in the packet data storage RAM 21. “Size” sets how many bytes are transmitted from the head of the transmission packet pattern. “Fst” represents an initial transmission time, and specifies how many seconds after the active transmission enable and the transmission flag are turned on, the first packet is transmitted. The maximum is about 18 hours. “Freq” represents a transmission interval, and designates how many seconds the packet is transmitted. Note that the maximum is 18 hours, and a setting of 0 indicates single packet transmission.

  FIG. 3 is a packet timing chart. As shown in the figure, “Fst” represents the time [seconds] until the first packet is transmitted when the transition from the steady mode to the power saving mode is taken as a reference.

Here, the time t1 is the time from the last packet transmission in the steady mode to the transition to the power saving mode. In order to maintain the transmission interval (Freq) of packet data even after shifting from the steady mode to the power saving mode,
Fst = Freq−t1
It is necessary to. That is, the initial transmission time Fst is set so that packets are transmitted at regular intervals in consideration of the time t1 even when the normal mode shifts to the power saving mode.

  Similarly, the transmission determination control units 22B, 22C, and 22D store packet transmission control tables for setting automatic transmission of packet data B, C, and D, respectively. The configuration of each packet transmission control table is the same as in FIG.

The timer 24 starts measuring time when the steady mode is changed to the power saving mode. The timer 24 is reset every time a packet is transmitted, measures the current time T _S (elapsed time) with respect to the time of transmission of the last packet, and sequentially calculates this time T _S as the status register 25. Write to. For this reason, the status (time T _S ) that is sequentially updated in the status register 25 indicates how much time has elapsed since the packet was last transmitted.

  In the image forming apparatus configured as described above, the following processing is performed in each of the steady mode and the power saving mode.

(In steady mode)
In the steady mode, the CPU 1 periodically transmits, for example, four types of packets (A: transmission interval 10 seconds, B: transmission interval 1 minute, C: transmission interval 10 minutes, D: transmission interval 15 minutes) to the LAN 10. . In this embodiment, an example in which there are four types of packets will be described. However, the types of packets are not limited to this.

  In addition, the CPU 1 sets information for performing regular transmission of each packet in the power saving mode in advance in the steady mode. That is, the CPU 1 sets a packet transmission control table.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating information for performing periodic transmission of packets in the power saving mode. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the CPU 1 sets the information shown in FIG. 4 for each of the packet data A, B, C, and D in the steady mode. Each packet transmission control table does not include a priority. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the selector 23 sets priorities in the order of packet data A, B, C, and D.

  Then, for example, when predetermined data is not transmitted from the LAN 10 for a predetermined time or when an operation panel (not shown) is not operated for a predetermined time, the CPU 1 is turned off and shifts from the steady mode to the power saving mode. To do.

(In power saving mode)
When the power saving mode is set, each transmission determination control unit 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D monitors the timer 24 and waits until the initial transmission time is reached. And each transmission judgment control part 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D issues a transmission request to the selector 23 when each initial transmission time comes.

  When the selector 23 detects the transmission request, the selector 23 reads the packet data corresponding to the transmission request from the packet data storage RAM 21 with reference to the packet transmission control table of the transmission determination control unit 22 that has made the transmission request, and passes through the interface 26. To the LAN 10.

  For example, when there is a transmission request from the transmission determination control unit 22A, the selector 23 refers to the packet transmission control table of the transmission determination control unit 22 and reads 64 bytes of data from the memory address 0 of the packet data storage RAM 21. To the LAN 10.

  In addition, when there are a plurality of transmission requests from the transmission determination control units 22A, 22B, 22C, and 22D at the same time, the selector 23 transmits the packet data in descending order of priority.

  For example, since the initial transmission times of the packet data A and B are both 5 seconds, the first transmission request of the packet data A and B to the selector 23 is simultaneous. At this time, the selector 23 transmits packet data A having a high priority first, and then transmits packet data B after a predetermined time has elapsed. Similarly, when other packet data transmission requests are made simultaneously, the selector 23 transmits the packet data in descending order of priority.

  For example, when predetermined data is transmitted from the LAN 10 or an operation is performed on an operation panel (not shown), the CPU 1 is turned on, and the CPU 1 returns from the power saving mode to the steady mode.

(When returning to steady mode)
The CPU 1 first accesses the status register 25, reads the time T _S , and calculates the transmission start time t2 (= Freq−T _S ). The CPU 1 transmits the first packet after the return when the transmission start time t2 comes after returning to the steady mode.

Thus, the CPU 1 determines the transmission start time t2 in consideration of the time T _S even if the time T _S from the last packet transmission in the power saving mode to the transition to the normal mode is not constant. Even when returning from the power saving mode to the steady mode, the packet data transmission interval can be maintained.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention can receive a plurality of packets from the packet data storage RAM 21 based on the packet transmission control table corresponding to each of a plurality of packet data even in the power saving mode. By reading each data, a plurality of packet data can be easily transmitted to the network without imposing a processing burden.

  Further, since the image forming apparatus sets the initial transmission time Fst in consideration of the time t1 from the last packet transmission in the steady mode to the transition to the power saving mode, the transition from the steady mode to the power saving mode is performed. Even in this case, the packet transmission interval can be maintained.

Furthermore, the image forming apparatus holds a time T _S from the last packet transmission in the power saving mode to the transition to the normal mode, and sets the transmission start time t2 in consideration of this time T _S. Even when the power saving mode is shifted to the steady mode, the packet transmission interval can be maintained.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that the present invention can also be applied to a design modified within the scope described in the claims.

  For example, the priority order of packet data is set in advance, but may be arbitrarily set. Further, the packet transmission control table is not limited to the case where the packet transmission control tables are stored in the transmission determination control units 22A, 22B, 22C, and 22D, respectively. These packet transmission control tables may be combined into one and stored in a predetermined memory.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the packet transmission control table memorize | stored in the transmission judgment control part. It is a timing chart of a packet. It is a figure which shows the information for performing regular transmission of the packet in a power saving mode.

Explanation of symbols

1 CPU
2 RAM
3 ROM
10 LAN
20 Packet control unit 21 Packet data storage RAM
22A, 22B, 22C, 22D Transmission judgment control unit 23 Selector 24 Timer 25 Status register 26 Interface

Claims (1)

A network processing device capable of switching between a steady mode and a power saving mode,
Pattern data storage means for storing a plurality of types of pattern data for transmission at transmission intervals according to each type ;
Setting information storage means for storing setting information for setting periodic transmission of each pattern data;
A first control unit having a steady mode and a power saving mode, and performing control for periodically transmitting each pattern data to the network at the transmission interval according to each pattern data in the steady mode;
When the first control unit is in the power saving mode, each pattern data stored in the pattern data storage unit is set according to each pattern data based on the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit. Second control means for performing control to periodically transmit to the network at the transmission interval ,
The second control means shifts to the power saving mode after the transmission interval corresponding to each pattern data and the final pattern data in the steady mode when the steady mode is switched to the power saving mode are transmitted. Time from the last pattern data in the steady mode before switching to the power saving mode to the transmission of the first pattern data in the power saving mode based on the time for each pattern data until A network processing apparatus that controls transmission of initial pattern data in a power saving mode for each pattern data so that the transmission interval according to data is obtained .

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