Energy-saving facsimile apparatus and energy-saving method for facsimile apparatus

Claim 2

A facsimile apparatus comprising: energy-saving means which causes said facsimile apparatus to enter an energy-saving mode in which power consumption is reduced in said facsimile apparatus, and further determines to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode when a predetermined cause has been detected; and main control means which controls the entirety of said facsimile apparatus and supplies an energy-saving control signal to said energy-saving means, said energy-saving control signal indicating instructions that said energy-saving means is to perform; wherein: said energy-saving means supplies an energy-saving canceling cause signal to said main control means, said energy-saving canceling cause signal indicating the predetermined cause due to which said energy-saving means has determined to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode; said main control means redetects the predetermined cause due to which said energy-saving means has determined to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode, and thus determines whether or not the determination of said energy-saving means is based on a correct one of the predetermined cause; said main control means supplies the energy-saving control signal which instructs said energy-saving means to cause said facsimile apparatus to enter said energy-saving mode when said main control means has determined that the previous determination of said energy-saving means to cause said facsimile apparatus to enter said energy-saving mode is based on the correct cause, and said main control means supplies the energy-saving control signal which instructs said energy-saving means not to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode when said main control means has determined that the previous determination of said energy-saving means to cause said facsimile apparatus to enter said energy-saving mode is not based on the correct cause.

Claim 3

A facsimile apparatus comprising: energy-saving means which causes said facsimile apparatus to enter an energy-saving mode in which power consumption is reduced in said facsimile apparatus, and further determines to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode when a predetermined cause has been detected; and main control means which controls the entirety of said facsimile apparatus and supplies an energy-saving control signal to said energy-saving means, said energy-saving control signal indicating instructions that said energy-saving means is to perform; wherein: said energy-saving means supplies an energy-saving canceling cause signal to said main control means, said energy-saving canceling cause signal indicating the predetermined cause due to which said energy-saving means has determined to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode; the predetermined cause due to which said energy-saving means determines to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode comprises an event that an energy-saving on-and-off switch has been pressed, an event that an original image sheet has been set, an event that a ringing signal has been received and an event that an off-hook of an externally provided telephone has been performed.

Claim 4

A facsimile apparatus comprising: energy-saving means which causes said facsimile apparatus to enter an energy-saving mode in which power consumption is reduced in said facsimile apparatus, and further determines to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode when a predetermined cause has been detected; and main control means which controls the entirety of said facsimile apparatus and supplies an energy-saving control signal to said energy-saving means, said energy-saving control signal indicating instructions that said energy-saving means is to perform; wherein: said energy-saving means supplies an energy-saving canceling cause signal to said main control means, said energy-saving canceling cause signal indicating the predetermined cause due to which said energy-saving means has determined to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode; the predetermined cause due to which said energy-saving means determines to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode comprises an event that an energy-saving on-and-off switch has been pressed, an event that an original image sheet has been set, an event that a ringing signal has been received and an event that an off-hook of an externally provided telephone has been performed.

Claim 5

A facsimile apparatus comprising: energy-saving means which causes said facsimile apparatus to enter an energy-saving mode in which power consumption is reduced in said facsimile apparatus, and further determines to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode when a predetermined cause has been detected; and main control means which controls the entirety of said facsimile apparatus and supplies an energy-saving control signal to said energy-saving means, said energy-saving control signal indicating instructions that said energy-saving means is to perform; a network control unit which detects a calling signal from a switchboard, performs a dial calling, and switches connection with a telephone line between said facsimile apparatus and an externally provided telephone; a power source which selectively supplies power to units in said facsimile apparatus; and an energy-saving mode operation circuit which controls said power source and causes said power source to supply power to a predetermined one of said units in said facsimile apparatus; wherein: said energy-saving means supplies an energy-saving canceling cause signal to said main control means, said energy-saving canceling cause signal indicating the predetermined cause due to which said energy-saving means has determined to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode; said energy-saving means detects, as the predetermined cause, one of a calling signal, a signal indicating an off-hook of said externally provided telephone, a signal indicating that an on-hook button is pressed, a signal indicating that an original image sheet is inserted in said facsimile apparatus, and an event that an energy-saving mode button is pressed, the detection being performed using predetermined signals supplied from units to which power is supplied under control of said energy-saving mode operation circuit; and said energy-saving means determines that said facsimile apparatus should exit said energy-saving mode when having detected one of the calling signal, signal indicating the off-hook of said externally provided telephone, signal indicating that the on-hook button is pressed, signal indicating that the original image sheet is inserted in said facsimile apparatus, and the event that an energy-saving mode button is pressed.

Claim 6

A facsimile apparatus comprising: energy-saving means which causes said facsimile apparatus to enter an energy-saving mode in which power consumption is reduced in said facsimile apparatus, and further determines to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode when a predetermined cause has been detected; and main control means which controls the entirety of said facsimile apparatus and supplies an energy-saving control signal to said energy-saving means, said energy-saving control signal indicating instructions that said energy-saving means is to perform; a network control unit which detects a calling signal from a switchboard, performs a dial calling, and switches connection with a telephone line between said facsimile apparatus and an externally provided telephone; a power source which selectively supplies power to units in said facsimile apparatus; and an energy-saving mode operation circuit which controls said power source and causes said power source to supply power to a predetermined one of said units in said facsimile apparatus; wherein: said energy-saving means supplies an energy-saving canceling cause signal to said main control means, said energy-saving canceling cause signal indicating the predetermined cause due to which said energy-saving means has determined to cause said facsimile apparatus to exit said energy-saving mode; said energy-saving means detects, as the predetermined cause, one of a calling signal, a signal indicating an off-hook of said externally provided telephone, a signal indicating that an on-hook button is pressed, a signal indicating that an original image sheet is inserted in said facsimile apparatus, and an event that an energy-saving mode button is pressed, the detection being performed using predetermined signals supplied from units to which power is supplied under control of said energy-saving mode operation circuit; and said energy-saving means determines that said facsimile apparatus should exit said energy-saving mode when having detected one of the calling signal, signal indicating the off-hook of said externally provided telephone, signal indicating that the on-hook button is pressed, signal indicating that the original image sheet is inserted in said facsimile apparatus, and the event that an energy-saving mode button is pressed.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 4, wherein said first and second predetermined times are times applicable under a condition in which none of a calling signal, a signal indicating an off-hook of said externally provided telephone, a signal indicating that an on-hook button is pressed, a signal indicating that an original image sheet is inserted in said facsimile apparatus, an event that an energy-saving mode button is pressed is detected during said first and second predetermined times.