Abstract: A power supply control circuit includes: a power supply unit that outputs the DC voltage for the load operation; a first switch of which opening/closing is controlled by applying the DC voltage from the power supply unit; a second switch which is manually operated to switch over the power supply; and a control unit. The second switch achieves a first state when not manually operated, and achieves a second state when manually operated. The control unit closes the first switch, if the second switch is changed to the second state and thereafter changed to the first state, when the second switch is in the first state and the DC voltage output from the power supply unit is not less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: This invention allows completely cutting power supply to a circuit that has become dysfunctional because of blowout of a fuse. To accomplish this, a circuit includes a fuse connected to one supply line of an AC power supply, a switching unit connected to the other supply line of the AC power supply, a detection unit configured to detect blowout of the fuse, and a control unit configured to turn off the switching unit when the detection unit detects blowout of the fuse.

Abstract: A power supply control circuit includes: a power supply unit that outputs the DC voltage for the load operation; a first switch of which opening/closing is controlled by applying the DC voltage from the power supply unit; a second switch which is manually operated to switch over the power supply; and a control unit. The second switch achieves a first state when not manually operated, and achieves a second state when manually operated. The control unit closes the first switch, if the second switch is changed to the second state and thereafter changed to the first state, when the second switch is in the first state and the DC voltage output from the power supply unit is not less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: The conventional techniques cannot set optimal energy saving modes separately for a plurality of loads and can hardly attain further suppression of power consumption. To accomplish this, in an image forming apparatus including a main circuit board which has a master CPU and controls the operation of the entire image forming apparatus, and a plurality of sub circuit boards each have a slave CPU and control each corresponding control target, the operating condition of each slave CPU is stored in correspondence with the operation mode of the image forming apparatus, and, upon being notified of the operation modes of the image forming apparatus, the slave CPU of each of the plurality of sub circuit boards sets the operation status of the slave CPU by referring to the table of the operation modes.

Abstract: When the image forming apparatus shifts to the reduced power consumption mode, the image forming apparatus transmits an agency request command for requesting the server apparatus to respond to a status request, on behalf of the image forming apparatus, and the latest status thereof to the server apparatus. When there is a change in the status of the image forming apparatus in the reduced power consumption mode, the image forming apparatus transmits a changed status thereof to the server apparatus. The server apparatus receives a status request sent from an information processing apparatus connected to the network to the image forming apparatus, on behalf of the image forming apparatus. The server apparatus responds to the information processing apparatus in response to the status request, based on the status received beforehand from the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a coil for generating a magnetic flux; an endless belt having an electroconductive layer for generating heat by the magnetic flux of the coil wherein a recording material carrying image is heated by heat of the belt; a magnetic flux detecting means disposed opposed to the coil with the belt interposed therebetween and capable of detecting the magnetic flux from the coil, the magnetic flux detecting means including a detection portion capable of detecting such a part of the magnetic flux of the magnetic flux generated by the coil as is from a region corresponding to not less than one half of a heat generating region of the belt with respect to a widthwise direction of the recording material; and prohibition means for prohibiting electric power supply to the coil when an amount of the magnetic flux detected by the magnetic flux detecting means reaches a predetermined amount.

Abstract: This invention allows completely cutting power supply to a circuit that has become dysfunctional because of blowout of a fuse. To accomplish this, a circuit includes a fuse connected to one supply line of an AC power supply, a switching unit connected to the other supply line of the AC power supply, a detection unit configured to detect blowout of the fuse, and a control unit configured to turn off the switching unit when the detection unit detects blowout of the fuse.

Abstract: A control board includes a main-board and a plurality of sub-boards which control loads. The sub-boards each include a providing unit which provides a board type ID, a read unit which reads an installation location ID, and a transmission unit which transmits the board type ID and the installation location ID to the main-board. The main-board includes a communication control unit, a configuration information acquisition unit which acquires configuration information expressed by a combination of the board type ID and the installation location ID, an analysis unit which analyzes the configuration information, and a control unit which controls the sub-unit on the basis of information analyzed by the analysis unit.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a coil for generating a magnetic flux; an endless belt having an electroconductive layer for generating heat by the magnetic flux of the coil wherein a recording material carrying image is heated by heat of the belt; a magnetic flux detecting means disposed opposed to the coil with the belt interposed therebetween and capable of detecting the magnetic flux from the coil, the magnetic flux detecting means including a detection portion capable of detecting such a part of the magnetic flux of the magnetic flux generated by the coil as is from a region corresponding to not less than one half of a heat generating region of the belt with respect to a widthwise direction of the recording material; and prohibition means for prohibiting electric power supply to the coil when an amount of the magnetic flux detected by the magnetic flux detecting means reaches a predetermined amount.

Abstract: The conventional techniques cannot set optimal energy saving modes separately for a plurality of loads and can hardly attain further suppression of power consumption. To accomplish this, in an image forming apparatus including a main circuit board which has a master CPU and controls the operation of the entire image forming apparatus, and a plurality of sub circuit boards each have a slave CPU and control each corresponding control target, the operating condition of each slave CPU is stored in correspondence with the operation mode of the image forming apparatus, and, upon being notified of the operation modes of the image forming apparatus, the slave CPU of each of the plurality of sub circuit boards sets the operation status of the slave CPU by referring to the table of the operation modes.

Abstract: A sub-CPU copes with a status obtaining request from a network in a sleep mode. Further, necessary least power control for updating a status in an image forming apparatus in the sleep mode is realized by the sub-CPU.

Abstract: A control board includes a main-board and a plurality of sub-boards which control loads. The sub-boards each include a providing unit which provides a board type ID, a read unit which reads an installation location ID, and a transmission unit which transmits the board type ID and the installation location ID to the main-board. The main-board includes a communication control unit, a configuration information acquisition unit which acquires configuration information expressed by a combination of the board type ID and the installation location ID, an analysis unit which analyzes the configuration information, and a control unit which controls the sub-unit on the basis of information analyzed by the analysis unit.

Abstract: When the image forming apparatus shifts to the reduced power consumption mode, the image forming apparatus transmits an agency request command for requesting the server apparatus to respond to a status request, on behalf of the image forming apparatus, and the latest status thereof to the server apparatus. When there is a change in the status of the image forming apparatus in the reduced power consumption mode, the image forming apparatus transmits a changed status thereof to the server apparatus. The server apparatus receives a status request sent from an information processing apparatus connected to the network to the image forming apparatus, on behalf of the image forming apparatus. The server apparatus responds to the information processing apparatus in response to the status request, based on the status received beforehand from the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus communicated across a network to a server for effecting personal authentication, including: a personal authentication data inputting device for inputting personal authentication data; a personal authentication data transmitting device for transmitting to the server the personal authentication data inputted by the authentication data inputting device; an authentication result receiving device for receiving a result of authentication from the server; a utilization mode data obtaining device for obtaining from the server utilization mode data corresponding to a user authenticated by the server; an operation mode setting device for setting the operation mode of the image forming apparatus to an operation mode corresponding to the utilization mode data obtained by the utilization mode data obtaining device; and a utilization mode data renewing device for renewing the utilization mode data of the server on the basis of the utilization mode data corresponding to the operation mode utilized

Abstract: A printing system for processing a print job transmitted from a terminal to a printer by the printer, includes a display which can display information associated with the print job, and a controller which switches in accordance with a demanding party of the information associated with the print job whether all pieces of information associated with the print job are displayed on the display or some pieces of information associated with the print job are limited upon display on the display.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus which is capable of responding to a status request with the minimum possible energy consumption even when the image forming apparatus is in a sleep state, to thereby achieve energy conservation. A main-chip microcomputer Q701 responds to an externally input status request when the image forming apparatus is in a normal standby mode, and enters an inoperative state where it does not respond to the externally input status request when the image forming apparatus is in a reduced power consumption mode. A 1-chip microcomputer Q702 responds to the externally input status request on behalf of the main-chip microcomputer Q701 when the image forming apparatus is in the reduced power consumption mode.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus which is capable of responding to a status request with the minimum possible energy consumption even when the image forming apparatus is in a sleep state, to thereby achieve energy conservation. A main-chip microcomputer Q701 responds to an externally input status request when the image forming apparatus is in a normal standby mode, and enters an inoperative state where it does not respond to the externally input status request when the image forming apparatus is in a reduced power consumption mode. A 1-chip microcomputer Q702 responds to the externally input status request on behalf of the main-chip microcomputer Q701 when the image forming apparatus is in the reduced power consumption mode.

Abstract: A sub-CPU copes with a status obtaining request from a network in a sleep mode. Further, necessary least power control for updating a status in an image forming apparatus in the sleep mode is realized by the sub-CPU.

Abstract: An image retrieving apparatus having a reading unit for reading the image of an original, a comparing unit for comparing the image data of the original outputted from the reading unit with a plurality of image data stored in a storage medium, and a retrieving unit for outputting one of the image data generally coincident with the image data of the original from the storage medium, and the discrimination information for discriminating the image data generally coincident, in accordance with the comparison result by the comparing unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a heater for generating heat upon reception of electric energy; a film movable with a recording material having an unfixed image; and a pressure roller for forming a nip with the heater, with the film interposed therebetween; wherein the pressure roller starts to rotate at the same time as a main power switch of the apparatus is turned on.