Image processing apparatus
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus that can implement a job by effectively employing the charged electric power, generated and stored by the locally-equipped power generator, and can cope with such a job whose urgency level is specifically high. The apparatus includes a job implementing section to implement a job in regard to image data; an electric generator section; an electrical accumulator section; and a controlling section to change a job implementation mode between a first job implementation mode, in which the job is implemented by employing the electrical accumulator section after the electrical accumulator section is sufficiently charged by an electric power generated by the electric generator section, and a second job implementation mode, in which the job is instantaneously implemented by employing an external electric power source, when an amount of electric power charge, stored in the electrical accumulator section, is in short supply for implementing the job.
1. An image processing apparatus connectable to an external electrical power source, comprising:
a job implementing section to implement a job in regard to image data;
an electric generator section;
an electrical accumulator section to accumulate an electric power generated by the electric generator section; and
a controlling section configured to:
calculate a charging time necessary to accumulate, in the electrical accumulator section, the electric power sufficient for implementing the job,
compare the charging time with an allowable delay time set by the user,
when the charging time is equal to or smaller than the allowable delay time, set a job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a first job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing the electrical accumulator section without employing the external electric power source, and
when the charging time is larger than the allowable delay time, set the job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a second job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing at least the external electric power source,
wherein, when the amount of electric power charge, currently stored in the electrical accumulator section, is in short supply for implementing the job, the controlling section further notifies the user, who inputted the job concerned, of a message indicating a shortage of electric power charge being necessary for implementing the job, and accepts the user's operation for establishing the allowable delay time.
2. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein, when the amount of electric power charge, currently stored in the electrical accumulator section, is in short supply for implementing the job, the controlling section further notifies the user of the charging time in addition to the message.
3. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the allowable delay time is established in advance.
4. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein, in the first job implementation mode, the job is implemented after the electric power charging operation has been completed, even if the allowable delay time has not elapsed.
5. An image processing apparatus connectable to an external electrical power source, comprising:
a job implementing section to implement a job in regard to image data;
an electric generator section;
an electrical accumulator section to accumulate an electric power generated by the electric generator section; and
a controlling section configured to:
calculate a charging time necessary to accumulate, in the electrical accumulator section, the electric power sufficient for implementing the job,
compare the charging time with an allowable delay time set by the user,
when the charging time is equal to or smaller than the allowable delay time, set a job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a first job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing the electrical accumulator section without employing the external electric power source, and
when the charging time is larger than the allowable delay time, set the job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a second job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing at least the external electric power source,
wherein the job is defined as a reserved job, an implementation commencement time of which is designated in advance, and
wherein the controlling section further determines whether or not the amount of electric power charge, currently stored in the electrical accumulator section, is in short supply for implementing the reserved job, at the implementation commencement time of the reserved job.
6. An image processing apparatus connectable to an external electrical power source, comprising:
a job implementing section to implement a job in regard to image data;
an electric generator section;
an electrical accumulator section to accumulate an electric power generated by the electric generator section; and
a controlling section configured to:
calculate a charging time necessary to accumulate, in the electrical accumulator section, the electric power sufficient for implementing the job,
compare the charging time with an allowable delay time set by the user,
when the charging time is equal to or smaller than the allowable delay time, set a job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a first job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing the electrical accumulator section without employing the external electric power source, and
when the charging time is larger than the allowable delay time, set the job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a second job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing at least the external electric power source,
wherein, in the second job implementation mode, the job is implemented by further employing the electrical accumulator section after the electrical accumulator section is charged by the electric power generated by the electric generator section within the allowable delay time.
7. An image processing apparatus connectable to an external electrical power source, comprising:
a job implementing section to implement a job in regard to image data;
an electric generator section;
an electrical accumulator section to accumulate an electric power generated by the electric generator section; and
a controlling section configured to:
calculate a charging time necessary to accumulate, in the electrical accumulator section, the electric power sufficient for implementing the job,
compare the charging time with an allowable delay time set by the user,
when the charging time is equal to or smaller than the allowable delay time, set a job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a first job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing the electrical accumulator section without employing the external electric power source, and
when the charging time is larger than the allowable delay time, set the job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a second job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing at least the external electric power source,
wherein, accepting the user's establishment in regard to whether or not the user, who inputted the job, may wait an implementation of the job, the controlling section further switches the job implementation mode between the first job implementation mode and the second job implementation mode, based on predetermined decision criteria including the user's establishment.
8. The image processing apparatus of claim 7 ,
wherein, when the amount of electric power charge, currently stored in the electrical accumulator section, is in short supply for implementing the job, the controlling section further notifies the user, who inputted the job concerned, of a message indicating a shortage of electric power charge being necessary for implementing the job, and accepts the user's establishment.
9. The image processing apparatus of claim 8 ,
wherein, when the amount of electric power charge, currently stored in the electrical accumulator section, is in short supply for implementing the job, the controlling section notifies the user of the charging time in addition to the message.
10. A method for controlling a job implementation process to be conducted in an image processing apparatus that is connectable with an external power source and includes a job implementing section to implement a job in regard to image data, an electric generator section and an electrical accumulator section to accumulate an electric power generated by the electric generator section, the method comprising:
calculating a charging time necessary to accumulate, in the electrical accumulator section, the electric power sufficient for implementing the job;
comparing the charging time with an allowable delay time set by the user;
when the charging time is equal to or smaller than the allowable delay time, setting a job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a first job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing the electrical accumulator section without employing the external electric power source;
when the charging time is larger than the allowable delay time, setting the job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a second job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing at least the external electric power source;
notifying the user, who inputted the job concerned, of a message indicating a shortage of electric power charge being necessary for implementing the job, when the amount of electric power charge, currently stored in the electrical accumulator section, is in short supply for implementing the job; and
accepting the user's operation for establishing the allowable delay time after notifying the user of the message.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
notifying the user of the charging time in addition to the message, when the amount of electric power charge, currently stored in the electrical accumulator section, is in short supply for implementing the job.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein in the first job implementation mode, the job is implemented after the electric power charging operation has been completed, even if the allowable delay time has not elapsed.
13. A method for controlling a job implementation process to be conducted in an image processing apparatus that is connectable with an external power source and includes a job implementing section to implement a job in regard to image data, an electric generator section and an electrical accumulator section to accumulate an electric power generated by the electric generator section, the method comprising:
calculating a charging time necessary to accumulate, in the electrical accumulator section, the electric power sufficient for implementing the job;
comparing the charging time with an allowable delay time set by the user;
when the charging time is equal to or smaller than the allowable delay time, setting a job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a first job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing the electrical accumulator section without employing the external electric power source;
when the charging time is larger than the allowable delay time, setting the job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a second job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing at least the external electric power source; and
accepting the user's establishment in regard to whether or not the user, who inputted the job, may wait an implementation of the job,
wherein, based on predetermined decision criteria including the user's establishment, the job implementation mode is made to switch between the first job implementation mode and the second job implementation mode.
14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer executable program for implementing a job in an image processing apparatus that is connectable to an external power source and includes a job implementing section to implement the job in regard to image data, an electric generator section and an electrical accumulator section to accumulate an electric power generated by the electric generator section, the program being executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a process comprising:
calculating a charging time necessary to accumulate, in the electrical accumulator section, the electric power sufficient for implementing the job;
comparing the charging time with an allowable delay time set by the user;
when the charging time is equal to or smaller than the allowable delay time, setting a job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a first job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing the electrical accumulator section without employing the external electric power source, and
when the charging time is larger than the allowable delay time, setting the job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a second job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing at least the external electric power source;
notifying the user, who inputted the job concerned, of a message indicating a shortage of electric power charge being necessary for implementing the job, when the amount of electric power charge, currently stored in the electrical accumulator section, is in short supply for implementing the job; and
accepting the user's operation for establishing the allowable delay time after notifying the user of the message.
15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the process further comprising:
notifying the user of the charging time in addition to the message, when the amount of electric power charge, currently stored in the electrical accumulator section, is in short supply for implementing the job.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein in the first job implementation mode, the job is implemented after the electric power charging operation has been completed, even if the allowable delay time has not elapsed.
17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer executable program for implementing a job in an image processing apparatus that is connectable to an external power source and includes a job implementing section to implement the job in regard to image data, an electric generator section and an electrical accumulator section to accumulate an electric power generated by the electric generator section, the program being executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a process comprising:
calculating a charging time necessary to accumulate, in the electrical accumulator section, the electric power sufficient for implementing the job;
comparing the charging time with an allowable delay time set by the user;
when the charging time is equal to or smaller than the allowable delay time, setting a job implementing mode of the job implementing section to a first job implementation mode in which the job is implemented by employing the electrical accumulator section without employing the external electric power source; and
accepting the user's establishment in regard to whether or not the user, who inputted the job, may wait an implementation of the job,
wherein, based on predetermined decision criteria including the user's establishment, the job implementation mode is made to switch between the first job implementation mode and the second job implementation mode.