An automatic document feeder includes: a recording-medium set unit, on which a recording medium is set; a recording-medium set detecting unit that detects whether the recording medium is set on the recording-medium set unit; a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium; a sheet-feeding cover section that constitutes part of the conveying unit and that includes an openable and closable sheet feeding cover; and a control unit that separately receives a power-on signal, which is output when a power source of an image forming device including the automatic document feeder is turned on, and an energy-saving return signal, which is output when a return is made from an energy saving state where a power source of part of the device is disconnected. When the power-on signal is received, the control unit performs an initialization operation to initialize each unit of the automatic document feeder.

An image forming apparatus which performs an adjustment operation at appropriate timing. Whether to execute a first or a second adjustment processes is controlled based on the number of sheets on which images are formed. A first adjustment operation is executed in a case where the number of sheets has reached a first number since a previous first adjustment process was executed. A second adjustment operation is executed in a case where the number of sheets has reached a second number since a previous second adjustment process was executed. The first adjustment operation is executed in a case where the number of sheets has reached the first number prior to a designated time by a predetermined period. The second adjustment operation is skipped in a case where the number of sheets has reached the second number prior to the designated time by the predetermined period.

A document processing system includes a print job queue management system configured to temporarily hold print jobs in the print queue during periods of light use, so as to maximize the amount of time that the document processing system spends in energy efficient low power modes. The print job queue management system compares print jobs in the queue with print job hold criteria and releases print jobs for printing when certain criteria are met, such as when a threshold number of documents or pages are in the print queue, if an incoming print job is designated as high priority print job to be immediately printed, or during particular times of the day that are designated as peak use times, which can be determined from historical data. A user can manually force a document to print from the user interface of the document processing systems.

An apparatus and method for saving power in an office machine having a display panel are provided. The method comprises setting the apparatus in an operation standby mode, detecting whether an error exists in the apparatus and turning on the display panel to display the error thereon when the error is detected. Furthermore, the apparatus keeps the display panel in an off state when the error is not detected. Thus, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a power saving method of an office machine which prevents unnecessary power consumption during an operation of an office machine having a display panel.

An electronic device includes circuitry. The circuitry controls a state transition between an operation ready state and a low power state, the low power state being a state whose standby power is lower than standby power of the operation ready state. The circuitry calculates a predicted time period required for the electronic device to transit to the low power state. The circuitry selects, from a plurality of device diagnoses, a particular device diagnosis whose execution is completed within the calculated predicted time period. The circuitry executes the selected particular device diagnosis.

An image forming apparatus includes: a post-processor including a sheet detection circuit detecting a sheet inserted in a sheet insertion opening for manual stapling, a staple mechanism executing stapling processing on the sheet, and a drive circuit actuating the staple mechanism; a post-processing controller operating the drive circuit in response to detection of the sheet; a power circuit supplying power to the drive circuit and another circuit in the apparatus; and a power saving controller shutting off a power supply from the power circuit to the drive circuit and the other circuit and shifting from a normal mode to a power saving mode when a shifting condition is satisfied. Prior to shifting, the power saving controller checks the post-processing controller whether the stapling processing is currently executed, and, when the stapling processing is not currently executed, instructs prohibition of the stapling processing and shifts to the power saving mode.

An apparatus includes a communication unit which communicates with a communication device, and can write data received from the communication device in a memory. The apparatus receives an operation request to the apparatus from the communication device, and stores the received operation request in the memory. The apparatus has a function of specifying a function corresponding to the operation request of a plurality of functions included in the apparatus in a state in which the operation request is stored in the memory. When the function is specified, and is not activated, the apparatus activates the function, and controls the activated function.

An energy saving setting unit controls an image forming apparatus that makes a transition to a power saving state if a transition time passes without any prescribed operation in a normal state, and it includes: a unit for storing specific day information distinguishing a normal operation day and a specific day; an auto pattern updating unit determining the transition time in a normal operation day based on past operational status of the normal operation day of the image forming apparatus; a specific day pattern registering unit receiving and storing setting of the transition time of the specific day; and a switching unit, switching the state of conduction of the image forming apparatus using the transition time determined by the auto pattern updating unit and the stored transition time, on the normal operation day and on the specific day, respectively, based on the specific day information.

An information processing apparatus including a processor and a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) device includes a device controller configured to change a state of the PCI device between a first power state and a second power state in which electric power is consumed less than the first power state, and a power mode controller configured to control a power mode of the information processing apparatus in the standby state. The device controller maintains a power state of the PCI device in the first power state when a power mode of the information processing apparatus in the standby state controlled by the power mode controller is a first power mode, and changes the power state of the PCI device between the first and second power states in a second power mode in which electric power is consumed less than the first power mode.

A determination unit determines whether a server is an apparatus configured with an information processing apparatus in an integrated manner, and according to a result of the determination of the determination unit, a communication connection between the server and the information processing apparatus is controlled, and the transition of a power state is controlled.