JP2010244342A - Memory management control device and memory management control method - Google Patents

Abstract

A memory management control technique capable of controlling the occurrence of garbage collection without limiting the objects that can be used and without requiring a large-capacity physical memory.
A power mode transition detection unit detects that a condition for transition to a power saving mode is satisfied. When the power mode transition detection unit 102 detects that the condition for transition to the power saving mode is satisfied, the power control unit 104 checks the operation status of each hardware, and determines whether or not the transition to the power saving mode is possible. Judging. The GC control unit 105 requests the garbage collector 101 to generate a garbage collection when the power control unit 104 determines that it is possible to shift to the power saving mode. The garbage collector 101 generates garbage collection.
[Selection] Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a memory management control device and a memory management control method.

  In an image forming apparatus, it is necessary to stabilize various performances such as copy and printer productivity and facsimile communication performance. On the other hand, some image forming apparatuses are controlled by software implemented by an object-oriented programming language having a garbage collection (hereinafter referred to as GC) function. In such a model, it is necessary to stabilize the performance by suppressing the number of times that major garbage collection (hereinafter referred to as major GC) occurs during operation. Garbage collection and major garbage collection are one of the memory management functions of the operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS), and collect memory areas that are no longer used by programs and memory areas between programs. This is a technique for increasing the continuous usable memory area. In an OS in which this major GC is incomplete, the memory that can be used is gradually reduced, so that a restart is forced at regular intervals. Therefore, it is important to generate a major GC. On the other hand, the reason why the occurrence of a major GC must be suppressed is as follows, for example. An image forming apparatus equipped with various functions requires a large amount of heap memory. However, when a large amount of heap memory is secured, the major GC process takes 5 to 6 seconds. This is because the process is stopped. Therefore, a technique that does not generate a major GC by limiting the objects to be used is considered and already known. In Patent Document 1, it is possible to reuse objects of the same type by limiting the communication protocol to be used and the number of simultaneous sessions for the purpose of not generating GC. For this reason, it is not necessary to generate a new object even when a new communication occurs, and therefore no GC is generated during the communication.

  In the technology of Patent Document 1, the objects to be used are limited by limiting the functions to be used, and this technology can be applied to a device whose protocol is determined to some extent such as communication. . However, when this technique is applied to an image forming apparatus that originally has many functions and can be additionally installed, it is difficult to limit the objects to be used. Also, if a memory area that covers all the objects that can be generated is secured as a heap memory and an attempt is made to reuse the memory area, a huge amount of memory area is required. Therefore, there is a problem that a large-capacity physical memory has to be mounted on the image forming apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and is capable of controlling the occurrence of garbage collection without limiting the objects that can be used and without requiring a large-capacity physical memory. An object is to provide a device and a memory management control method.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the present invention is a memory management control device controlled by software implemented by an object-oriented programming language having a programming language having a garbage collection function, The image forming apparatus includes: a detection unit that detects that the image forming apparatus has not been used for at least a predetermined time; and a control unit that generates garbage collection according to a detection result of the detection unit.

  The present invention is also a memory management control method executed by a memory management control device controlled by software implemented by an object-oriented programming language having a programming language having a garbage collection function, wherein the memory management control device is Detecting means and control means, wherein the detecting means detects that the user has not used the image forming apparatus for at least a predetermined time, and the control means detects in the detecting step. And a control step of generating garbage collection according to the result.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to control the occurrence of garbage collection without limiting the objects that can be used and without requiring a large-capacity physical memory.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an appearance of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 10. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of the image forming apparatus 10. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of energy saving mode transition processing performed by the image forming apparatus 10. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a detailed procedure of the process of step S4 according to a modification. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of the energy saving mode transition process performed by the image forming apparatus 10 according to a modification.

  Exemplary embodiments of a memory management control device and a memory management control method according to the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(1) Configuration In this embodiment, an example in which a memory management control device is applied to an image forming apparatus will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. The image forming apparatus 10 is an MFP (Multi-Function Peripheral) having a copy function, a print function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function, and includes an auto document feeder (ADF) 12 and a document (subject) supplied from the ADF 12. And an image reader 14 having a CCD (photoelectric element) that photoelectrically converts the reflected light to generate an image signal. The ADF 12 and the image reader 14 form a scanner device. When the ADF 12 is not used, the image reader 14 may be configured to read the document by moving along the document table. In this case, the image reader 14 and its drive control device can be referred to as a scanner device.

  In such a configuration, when a user sets a document in the feeder of the ADF 12 and inputs an operation via the operation panel, the document is sent to the image reader 14 by the ADF 12, and based on the image signal generated by the CCD. Image data is generated. The operation panel is an operation input device such as a keyboard or a mouse that receives user operation input and a display device that displays information. The generated image data is sent to the control unit 16, and image processing is performed by a control processing unit included in the control unit 16. The image data subjected to the image processing is sent to, for example, a FIFO (First in-First Out) buffer or the like, and a laser beam or LED beam modulated in accordance with the image data is passed through the exposure optical system to the photosensitive member. The charge on the photosensitive drum 18 is canceled by a photo carrier irradiated on the drum 18 and generated in response to a modulated laser beam or the like, and an electrostatic latent image is formed.

  Thereafter, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 18 is conveyed to the developing device 20 as the photosensitive drum 18 rotates, and is developed by the developing device 20. The colored image developed by the developing device 20 is then transferred to the intermediate transfer member 24 by the transfer member 22. The intermediate transfer member 24 further moves together with the colored image transferred in the direction of the arrow A, is transferred to a recording medium such as paper or a plastic sheet by the secondary transfer device 26, and is further transferred by the fixing device 28. It is fixed. In this way, an image is formed on the recording medium based on the image signal generated by the CCD.

  The image forming apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 is shown as a color image forming apparatus corresponding to four colors such as cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (B) as the photosensitive drum 18. Has been. However, it is also possible to provide a monochrome image forming apparatus or printer that includes only a photosensitive drum corresponding to B and transfers a colored image onto a transfer material without using an intermediate transfer member.

  The image forming apparatus 10 is connected to a line 30 such as a public telephone line or ISDN, and performs facsimile transmission by analog or digital communication or mail transmission. Further, the image forming apparatus 10 is connected to a network such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or the Internet via an Ethernet (registered trademark) connection cable 32 such as 10BASE-100. , Providing network services such as email. The image forming apparatus 10 includes a mass storage device such as a floppy (registered trademark), a CD-ROM, and a hard disk drive (not shown) and a storage device such as a RAM, accumulates acquired image data, and The accumulated image data is processed based on the command or request.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the image forming apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a scanner I / F 54, an input / output I / F 56, a CPU 42, a RAM 44, and a ROM 46.

  The CPU 42 controls the entire image forming apparatus 10. Further, the CPU 42 has a timer for counting time. The ROM 46 stores various setting data and various programs executed by the CPU 42. The RAM 44 temporarily stores various setting data and various programs, and functions as a work area when the CPU 42 executes the various programs. When the image data acquired by the scanner device 50 included in the image forming apparatus is input to the scanner I / F 54, the scanner I / F 54 converts the image data into a format suitable for internal processing, and sends it to the CPU 42 via the internal bus 76. Then, the data is transferred by the interrupt process and transferred to the image processing unit 48. When a user's operation input is performed on the operation panel 52, the input / output I / F 56 converts the data of the operation input into a format suitable for internal processing, and interrupts the CPU 42 via the internal bus 76. Pass by. The image processing unit 48 processes the image data acquired by the scanner device 50, performs character image processing, image image processing, and color determination, and sends them to a FIFO buffer (not shown) for each processing unit. It provides to the processing in each function processing unit. The acquired original image is stored in a storage unit such as the RAM 44. Thereafter, the original image is read into the RAM 44 in response to the user command, and image processing in response to the user designation is executed.

  The control processing unit 40 further includes an IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) that manages a facsimile controller 58, an engine controller 60, a network interface card (NIC) 62, and an external storage device such as a hard disk or a floppy (registered trademark) disk. A function processing unit including an interface 64 and the like, and an I / F for the function processing unit. Explaining the processing of each function processing unit, the facsimile controller 58 uses a protocol such as G3, G4, T-30, etc., associating a facsimile number with the image data converted into the facsimile format. A facsimile function is provided directly through a public telephone line or DSU / TA 68 via a facsimile transmission / reception device 78 such as a modem.

  The engine controller 60 is a central functional processing unit of the image forming apparatus, and performs image forming sequences such as photoconductor rotation driving, charging, exposure, development, transfer, and fixing of the image control apparatus. Use and control. The NIC 62 is configured as a network interface card, and provides a function processing unit that manages communication at the data link layer level and the physical layer level in terms of software and hardware. The NIC 62 performs mail transmission and reception and data transmission / reception at a level such as TCP / IP, UDP / IP, and NETBEUI using the SMTP or POP3 protocol via the Ethernet (registered trademark).

  IDE64 has standards such as ATA, serial ATA, ATAPI, and ATA-4, and is acquired by a scanner device and includes BMP, TIFF, JPEG, JPEG2000, GIF, PICT, metafile, original format, and the like. A storage function processing unit is provided for storing image data converted into an appropriate format in a hard disk drive (HDD) 74 and providing it for later user use. The HDD 74 can also store an operating system and a program for the control program. In the present embodiment, the image forming engine 70 and the engine controller 60 may be connected by a serial or parallel bus such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) or IEEE 1284. The image forming engine 70 includes the photosensitive drum 18 and the developing device 20 described above, and forms an image on a recording medium.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of the image forming apparatus 10. The software of the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is realized on the image forming apparatus 10 when the CPU 42 of the image forming apparatus 10 loads a program stored in the ROM 46 or the HDD 74 into the RAM 44. The CPU 42 executes this software to perform various processes and realize various functions. As shown in the figure, the software configuration according to the present embodiment has a three-layer hierarchical structure. The first layer 82 includes a printer application PA for responding to a print request via a LAN, a copy application CA that enables copy processing according to an operation input from the operation panel 52, and a facsimile transmission destination. It has software for a facsimile application FA that enables processing such as setting and passing data to a facsimile transmission / reception device. The first layer 82 further includes a scanner application SA that enables processing of images from the scanner device, a network application NA that manages connection to the network, and a panel display that enables user interface formation processing. Each software includes a processing application PDA and an e-mail application EMA such as a mailer for enabling mail transfer or mail reception based on the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) or the POP3 protocol.

  The second layer 84 includes an operating system 86, a language runtime 100, a garbage collector 101, and a utility software group 88 for performing initial inspection and input / output management of the image forming apparatus 10. The language runtime 100 is software implemented by an object-oriented programming language, and interprets an intermediate language independent of the programming language and environment on the operating system 86 to realize various functions. Specifically, the language runtime 100 includes a garbage collector 101, and the garbage collector 101 becomes unnecessary in a memory area (referred to as heap memory) dynamically allocated by a program under the control of the language runtime 100. The free memory area is released, that is, garbage collection is generated. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the garbage collector 101 generates garbage collection in response to a request from the GC control unit 105 described later. Here, for example, it is assumed that the heap memory 106 is secured in the RAM 44. In the object-oriented language, objects necessary for executing a program are stored in the heap memory 106.

  The utility software group 88 starts an engine controller EC, a mechanics controller MC for mechanics such as a drive system, an optical controller OC for controlling optical systems such as an exposure optical system and a scanner, and a facsimile function. A facsimile controller FC for transmitting image data to a destination inputted by the user, a storage controller SC for managing a memory such as a RAM, and a device for detecting a device connected to the image forming apparatus 10 It has software such as Finder DF. Such utility software group 88 cooperates with each device I / F shown in FIG. 3 as the third layer to input / output to / from hardware constituting each function processing unit and to perform sequence processing of each hardware. For example, data is transmitted to and received from a hardware-specific interface or device driver, and the execution result of the software of the first layer 82 is passed to the hardware.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the utility software group 88 includes a power mode transition detection unit 102 and a power saving mode transition processing unit 103. The power mode transition detection unit 102 determines whether or not a condition for transitioning to the power saving mode (referred to as a transition condition) is satisfied, and detects whether the condition for transitioning to the power saving mode is satisfied according to the determination result. To do. Here, as the power mode, a normal operation mode and a power saving mode with different energization states are set. The normal operation mode is a state in which a command, data, or the like is received and a process for forming an image or a process corresponding to reception of the command, data, or the like is awaited in a state where it can be immediately executed. The power saving mode is a standby state in which the power consumption of the image forming apparatus 10 is further reduced. The standby state in the normal operation mode is a state in which power of a predetermined potential is supplied to all hardware, whereas in the power saving mode, power is supplied only to the minimum hardware for receiving commands and data. Further, power is not supplied to hardware such as the image forming engine 70 or power lower than a predetermined potential is supplied to reduce power consumption of the image forming apparatus 10. The condition for shifting to the power saving mode is, for example, that the operation input of the user is not performed on the operation panel 52 of the image forming apparatus 10 for at least a predetermined time, and the engine operation is performed on the image forming apparatus 10 for at least the predetermined time. The operation input for instructing the shift to the power saving mode is performed on the operation panel 52. For example, the image forming apparatus 10 starts a timer after an operation input is made on the operation panel 52, and compares the time counted by the timer with a predetermined time, and the former exceeds the latter time. Then, it is determined that the user's operation input has not been performed for at least a predetermined time, and it is determined that the condition for shifting to the power saving mode is satisfied. The predetermined time may be arbitrarily set by the user. The set time value is stored in the HDD 74, for example. Further, when an operation input is performed on the operation panel 52 after the image forming apparatus 10 has shifted to the power saving mode, the power mode transition detecting unit 102 determines that a condition for returning to the normal operation mode has been established. To do.

  The power saving mode transition processing unit 103 includes a power control unit 104 and a GC control unit 105. If the power mode transition detection unit 102 detects that the condition for transition to the power saving mode has been established, the power control unit 104 can check the operation status of each hardware described above, and can the power control unit 104 transition to the power saving mode? Judge whether or not. For example, the power control unit 104 determines that it is possible to shift to the power saving mode when there is no operating hardware, and determines that it is not possible to shift to the power saving mode when there is operating hardware. To do. When the power control unit 104 determines that the image forming apparatus 10 can shift to the power saving mode, the power control unit 104 supplies power corresponding to the power saving mode to each piece of hardware in order to shift the image forming apparatus 10 to the power saving mode. I do. In addition, when the power mode transition detection unit 102 that satisfies the condition for returning to the normal operation mode determines, the power control unit 104 determines whether the image forming apparatus 10 shifts to the normal operation mode. Power supply corresponding to the normal operation mode. The GC control unit 105 requests the garbage collector 101 to generate a garbage collection when the power control unit 104 determines that it is possible to shift to the power saving mode.

  In the configuration as described above, in the present embodiment, the heap memory 106 is secured to be large in advance so that garbage collection does not occur when the user uses the image forming apparatus 10. In order to eliminate the garbage that still accumulates little by little in the heap memory 106, garbage collection is generated at an arbitrary timing when the user shifts to the power saving mode that is not used for a certain period of time. As a result, garbage collection is not generated at the timing used by the user, and it is possible to prevent the operation according to the user's operation from being hindered.

(2) Operation Next, the procedure of the energy saving mode transition process performed by the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The image forming apparatus 10 determines whether or not the condition for shifting to the power saving mode is satisfied by the function of the power mode transition detecting unit 102 (step S1). When the determination result is affirmative, the image forming apparatus 10 confirms the operation status of each hardware by the function of the power control unit 104 and determines whether or not the mode can be shifted to the power saving mode ( Step S2). If the determination result is affirmative, the image forming apparatus 10 generates garbage collection by the function of the garbage collector 101 (step S4). Further, the image forming apparatus 10 supplies power corresponding to the power saving mode to each hardware by the function of the power control unit 104 (step S5). As a result, the image forming apparatus 10 shifts to the power saving mode. If the determination result in step S2 is negative, the image forming apparatus 10 activates a timer for several seconds (for example, 10 seconds) by the function of the power mode transition detection unit 102 and waits for several seconds (step S3). ). After several seconds, the image forming apparatus 10 determines again whether or not the condition for shifting to the power saving mode is satisfied by the function of the power mode shift detecting unit 102 in step S1, and repeats the subsequent processing. .

  As described above, the garbage collection is generated at the timing when the user shifts to the power saving mode in which the image forming apparatus 10 is not used for a predetermined time. According to such a configuration, the size is large enough to limit the objects used by limiting the functions, or to prepare a large amount of physical memory and reuse all objects that may be created The occurrence of garbage collection can be suppressed without securing the heap memory. As a result, problems due to the occurrence of garbage collection can be avoided. In other words, the problem that the processing is stopped due to the occurrence of garbage collection while the user is using the image forming apparatus 10 and the real-time property such as copying and the real-time property such as facsimile communication is deteriorated is avoided. be able to. Therefore, occurrence of garbage collection can be effectively controlled.

[Modification]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Moreover, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined. Further, various modifications as exemplified below are possible.

<Modification 1>
In the above-described embodiment, various programs executed by the image forming apparatus 10 may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by being downloaded via the network. The various programs are recorded in a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, and a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) in an installable or executable format file. You may comprise so that it may provide as a computer program product.

<Modification 2>
In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the memory management control device is applied to a multifunction peripheral having a copy function, a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function as an image forming apparatus has been described. The present invention can be applied to any image forming apparatus such as a multifunction machine, a copier, a printer, a scanner apparatus, and a facsimile apparatus having at least two functions among a printer function, a scanner function, and a facsimile function.

  In the above-described embodiment, garbage collection is generated in step S4 immediately after it is determined in step S2 in FIG. 4 that the mode can be shifted to the power saving mode. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the garbage collection may be generated after step S5 or until it is determined that it is possible to shift to the power saving mode and return to the normal operation mode.

<Modification 3>
In the above-described embodiment, garbage collection is generated when the user has not used the image forming apparatus 10 for at least a predetermined time to shift to the power saving mode state. For example, garbage collection may be generated when shifting to the state of the residual heat mode. The remaining heat mode is a power mode in which the display on the operation panel 52 is turned off and the temperature of a fixing device (not shown) included in the image forming engine 70 is lowered.

  Further, even if the user has not used the image forming apparatus 10 for at least a predetermined time, if the setting is such that the mode does not shift to the power saving mode, it is detected that the user has not used the image forming apparatus 10 for at least the predetermined time. Then, garbage collection may be generated.

<Modification 4>
In the above-described embodiment, the garbage collection target physical memory is the RAM 44, and the heap memory 106 is secured in the RAM 44. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and heap memory is secured in the HDD 74 and other physical memories. You may do it.

  Further, the initial size of the heap memory may be changed according to the size of the physical memory mounted on the image forming apparatus 10.

<Modification 5>
In the above-described embodiment, the size of the heap memory 106 may be expanded as necessary when garbage collection is generated in step S4 of FIG. In such a configuration, when the power control unit 104 determines that the transition to the power saving mode is possible, the GC control unit 105 acquires the usage status of the heap memory 106 via the language runtime 100 and uses the usage. Depending on the situation, the size of the heap memory 106 is expanded to request the garbage collector 101 to generate garbage collection. In the case of Java (registered trademark), the size of the heap memory 106 is a value that can be acquired with the maximum memory “: java.Runtime.Maxmemory ()” of the language runtime, and is secured as a heap memory. It is the maximum size. This size is not originally expanded.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a detailed procedure of the process of step S4 according to the present modification. First, the image forming apparatus 10 acquires the usage status of the heap memory 106 via the language runtime 100 by the function of the GC control unit 105 and determines whether or not the size of the heap memory 106 needs to be expanded (step). S40). For example, the image forming apparatus 10 compares the size of the object to be used with the size of the heap memory 106, and if the value obtained by subtracting the former from the latter is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, the size of the heap memory 106 needs to be expanded. It is judged that. If the determination result in step S40 is affirmative, the image forming apparatus 10 determines whether or not the heap memory 106 can be expanded in size (step S41). For example, the image forming apparatus 10 determines whether expansion is possible according to the overall size of the RAM 44 and the size that can be used as the heap memory 106. If the determination result in step S41 is affirmative, the image forming apparatus 10 expands the size of the heap memory 106 (step S42). The size to be expanded may be determined according to the size of the entire RAM 44 or the size that can be used as the heap memory 106. Then, the image forming apparatus 10 generates garbage collection by releasing a memory area that is no longer necessary in the heap memory by the function of the garbage collector 101 (step S43). Even when the determination results in steps S40 and S41 are negative, the image forming apparatus 10 performs the process in step S43.

  According to the above configuration, garbage collection can be generated more effectively.

<Modification 6>
In the embodiment described above, before the occurrence of garbage collection in step S4 of FIG. 4, the occurrence of swap is detected, and a message is displayed to prompt the user to add memory according to the detection result. You may make it display on the panel 52. FIG. In such a configuration, the power saving mode transition processing unit 103 further includes a swap detection unit (not shown). The swap detection unit detects the occurrence of swap and prompts the user to add a memory subject to garbage collection according to the occurrence. Thereby, the image forming apparatus 10 notifies the user that it is necessary to increase the memory. Specifically, for example, the swap detection unit detects the number of occurrences of swap and the amount of swapped data, and if the occurrence count is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, If the amount is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold, it is determined that swaps are occurring frequently, and a message that prompts for additional memory is displayed on the operation panel 52. In the case where the image forming apparatus 10 includes a sound output unit that outputs sound, a message for prompting expansion of the memory may be output by sound.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of the energy saving mode transition process performed by the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present modification. Steps S1 and S2 are the same as those in the first embodiment. In step S20, the image forming apparatus 10 detects the occurrence of swap by the function of the swap detection unit, and determines whether or not there are frequent swaps (step S20). If the determination result is affirmative, the image forming apparatus 10 causes the operation panel 52 to display a message for prompting the addition of memory (step S21), and proceeds to step S4. If the determination result of step S20 is negative, the image forming apparatus 10 proceeds to step S4 without performing the process of step S21. The processing in steps S3 to S5 is the same as that in the first embodiment.

  If many functions are installed in the image forming apparatus 10 and a lot of swaps occur, the process does not stop completely unlike the case where garbage collection occurs, but the entire process is performed. Will slow down, leading to a decline in productivity. However, according to this modification, it is possible to prevent a decrease in productivity by detecting that swaps are frequently occurring and prompting the user to add memory. Further, by encouraging the addition of the memory according to the configuration of this modification, it becomes possible for the service person to know how much the memory is used and how much the memory needs to be added after the function is installed.

<Modification 7>
You may combine above-mentioned embodiment and the technique described in the patent document 1 demonstrated in the prior art column. For example, when many functions are installed in the image forming apparatus 10 and a large-capacity physical memory is to be installed, some objects are installed in the same manner as the technique described in Patent Document 1. You may make it suppress generation | occurrence | production of garbage collection by using repeatedly.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 14 Image reader 16 Control unit 52 Operation panel 70 Image creation engine 86 Operating system 88 Utility software group 100 Language runtime 101 Garbage collector 102 Power mode transition detection part 103 Power saving mode transition process part 104 Electric power Control unit 105 GC control unit 106 Heap memory

JP 2007-86838 A

Claims (6)

A memory management control device controlled by software implemented by an object-oriented programming language having a programming language having a garbage collection function,
Detecting means for detecting that the user has not used the image forming apparatus for at least a predetermined time;
A memory management control apparatus comprising: a control unit that generates garbage collection according to a detection result of the detection unit. Image forming means for forming an image on a recording medium based on an image signal generated by photoelectrically converting reflected light from a subject;
According to the detection result of the detection unit, the normal operation mode in which predetermined power is supplied to the image forming unit, and the power saving mode in which lower power than the predetermined power is supplied to the image forming unit. Transition processing means for shifting the image forming apparatus,
2. The memory management control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit generates garbage collection when the shift processing unit shifts the image forming apparatus from the normal operation mode to the power saving mode. . The control means includes
According to the detection result of the detection means, an acquisition means for acquiring the usage status of the heap memory secured in the memory subject to garbage collection;
Expansion means for expanding the size of the heap memory according to the usage status of the heap memory;
The memory management control device according to claim 1, further comprising a garbage collector that generates garbage collection in the heap memory. According to the detection result of the detection means, acquisition means for acquiring the occurrence status of swap,
4. The memory management according to claim 1, further comprising notification means for prompting a user to add a memory subject to garbage collection according to the occurrence state of the swap. 5. Control device. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a changing unit that changes an initial size of a heap memory to be secured in the memory according to a size of a memory to be garbage collected. Memory management controller. A memory management control method executed by a memory management control device controlled by software implemented by an object-oriented programming language having a programming language having a garbage collection function,
The memory management control device includes detection means and control means,
A detecting step for detecting that the user has not used the image forming apparatus for at least a predetermined time;
The memory management control method, wherein the control means includes a control step of generating garbage collection according to a detection result in the detection step.

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