Communication system, image formation apparatus, controller, computer readable medium and data signal
View Patent ↗An image formation apparatus includes a reception section, a function section, an image formation section and a power output device. The reception section is configured to be connected to a communication line over which image information and power are transmitted. The reception section receives the image information and the power transmitted over the communication line. The function section receives supply of the power received by the reception section, to function. The image formation section forms an image on a medium based on the image information received by the reception section or the function section. The power output device receives power supply from a commercial power supply. The power output device outputs power of a predetermined voltage to the image formation section.
1. A communication system comprising:
a relay device that comprises a first power output device and an output section, the first power output device configured to convert a voltage of a commercial power supply to a voltage to be output, the output section configured to output power of the converted voltage to a plurality of image formation apparatuses over a communication line; and
the plurality of image formation apparatuses are connected to the relay device through the communication line and receive the power output from the relay device, wherein:
each of the image formation apparatuses comprises
a function section that performs a function by using the power output from the relay device;
a second power output device that converts a voltage of a commercial power supply to a predetermined voltage, and that outputs power of the predetermined voltage;
an image formation section that forms an image on a medium by using the power of the predetermined voltage output from the second power output device; and
a distribution-and-transmission section that receives the power output from the relay device and supplies the power output from the relay device to the function section, and
the output section of the relay device is configured to output image information to be formed on the medium as the image to one of the plurality of image formation apparatuses based upon image formation apparatus identifying information contained within the image information.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein
the distribution-and-transmission section receives the image information from the output section of the relay device, and supplies the image information to the image formation section, and
the image formation section forms the image corresponding to the image information on the medium.
3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the image formation apparatuses further comprises a switch section that selectively switches supply of the power from the distribution-and-transmission section to the function section between a connection state and a shutoff state.
4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein if the function section continuously stops the function for a predetermined time period, the switch section sets the supply of the power to the shutoff state.
5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the function section includes a controller that controls the image formation section to form the image on the medium, and
the image formation section further comprises a power supply source switch section that selectively switches between (i) supply of the power from the distribution-and-transmission section to the function section and (ii) supply of the power from the second power output device to the function section.
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the relay device is connected to a plurality of the image formation apparatuses.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein power consumption of the function section is smaller than power consumption of the image formation section.
8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the image formation apparatus identifying information includes at least a MAC address at a top of the image information.