JP3093542B2 - Output device and display control method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an output device for generating and outputting output information based on input information input from an information processing device such as a host computer, and a display control method in the output device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional system configuration shown in FIG. 11, an output device 102 such as a printer transmits input information composed of character codes and control codes from an information processing device 101 such as a host computer to a printer controller 2.
000, output information such as bitmap data is generated based on the input information, and the output information is converted into a video signal or the like and output to a printing unit 105 such as a printer engine. The printer controller 1000 includes a data transmission / reception unit 103 that receives input information including a character code and a control code from the information processing apparatus 101 such as a host computer, and bitmap data and the like based on the input information received by the data transmission / reception unit 103. And a data processing unit 104 for generating the output information, converting the output information into a video signal or the like, and outputting it to the printing unit 105.

Further, the printer controller 2000
By detecting a failure of the printing unit 105 or the entire output device 102,
The message indicating that the failure has occurred is displayed on the LCD or the like of the operation unit 3000 of the output device 102.

[0004]

However, in the prior art,
There is a problem that an expensive LCD must be provided in the operation unit 3000 of the output device 102 in order to transmit a message about a failure that has occurred in the output device 102 or a message about how to avoid the failure to the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an output device for notifying a user of an error of the output device and a method of avoiding the error, and notifying the message without using an expensive LCD. It is an object to provide a display control method.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an output apparatus for generating and outputting output information based on input information input from an information processing apparatus. The detected error is detected, an error signal is issued, and based on the result of the determination of the type of the issued error signal, a message on an error avoidance method corresponding to the issued error signal is transmitted to the input information. It is displayed on a display unit of the information processing apparatus.

[0007]

According to the present invention, an error generated in an output device is detected, an error signal is issued, and a message regarding an error avoiding method corresponding to the issued error signal is generated based on the result of the determination of the type of the issued error signal. Can be displayed on the display unit of the information processing device that transmits the input information to the output device.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before describing the structure of this embodiment, the structures of a laser beam printer and an ink jet printer suitable for applying this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The printer to which this embodiment is applied is not limited to the laser beam printer and the ink jet printer, and it goes without saying that a printer of another printing method may be used.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of a first output device to which the present invention can be applied, and shows a case of a laser beam printer (LBP), for example.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1500 denotes an LBP main body, which inputs and stores print information (character codes, etc.), form information, macro instructions, and the like supplied from an externally connected host computer, , A corresponding character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created, and an image is formed on a recording medium such as recording paper.
Reference numeral 1501 denotes an operation panel on which switches and LED indicators for operation are arranged, and 1000 denotes an LBP main body 15.
This is a printer control unit that controls the entire 00 and analyzes character information and the like supplied from the host computer.
The printer control unit 1000 mainly converts character information into a video signal having a corresponding character pattern and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 1502. The laser driver 1502 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1503, and switches on / off a laser beam 1504 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1503 according to an input video signal. The laser beam 1504 is oscillated in the horizontal direction by the rotary polygon mirror 1505 to scan and expose the electrostatic drum 1506. As a result, an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1506. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 1507 provided around the electrostatic drum 1506, and then transferred to a recording sheet. This recording paper uses a cut sheet, and the cut sheet recording paper is LBP15.
The sheet is stored in a sheet cassette 1508 mounted on the sheet feeder 00, and is taken into the apparatus by a sheet feeding roller 1509, a conveying roller 1510, and a conveying roller 1511, and is supplied to the electrostatic drum 1506. The LBP body 1500 has at least one or more card slots (not shown), and includes an optional font card,
Control cards with different language systems (emulation cards)
It is configured to be able to connect.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing the configuration of a second output device to which the present invention can be applied, and shows, for example, the case of an ink jet recording device (IJRA).

In the figure, a spiral groove 5004 of a lead screw 5005 which rotates through driving force transmission gears 5011 and 5009 in conjunction with forward and reverse rotation of a driving motor 5013.
The carriage HC that engages with a pin (not shown)
And is reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b. An ink jet cartridge IJC is mounted on the carriage HC. Reference numeral 5002 denotes a paper pressing plate, which presses the paper against the platen 5000 in the carriage movement direction. Reference numerals 5007 and 5008 denote photocouplers, which function as home position detection means for confirming the presence of the carriage lever 5006 in this region and switching the rotation direction of the motor 5013. Reference numeral 5016 denotes a member for instructing a cap member 5022 for capping the entire surface of the recording head. Reference numeral 5015 denotes suction means for suctioning the inside of the cap, and performs suction recovery of the recording head via the opening 5023 in the cap. Reference numeral 5017 denotes a cleaning blade.
019 makes it possible to move in the front-back direction. Reference numeral 5018 denotes a main body support plate that supports the above-mentioned 5017 and 5019. 50
Reference numeral 12 denotes a lever for starting suction for recovery of suction, which moves with the movement of the cam 5020 engaging with the carriage, and the driving force from the drive motor is controlled by a known transmission means such as clutch switching or the like. .

The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured so that desired operations can be performed at the corresponding positions by the action of the lead screw 5005 when the carriage comes to the home position side area. It is sufficient if the device is configured to perform a desired operation.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the second output device shown in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1700 denotes an interface for inputting a recording signal; 1701, an MPU; 1702, a ROM for storing a control program executed by the MPU 1701, host print information, and the like; The recording data supplied to the head is stored. Reference numeral 1704 denotes a gate array for controlling the supply of output data to the print head 1708. The interface 1700, the MPU 1701, and the DRAM 17
It also controls the transfer of data during 03. Reference numeral 1710 denotes a carrier motor for transporting the recording head 1708;
Reference numeral 09 denotes a transport motor for transporting the recording paper; 1705, a head driver for driving the recording head; 1706, a motor driver for driving the transport motor 1709;
A motor driver 07 drives the carrier motor 1710.

In the above-described recording apparatus, when input information is input from a host computer 100 to be described later via the interface 1700, the input information is output between the gate array 1704 and the MPU 1701 as output information for printing. Is converted to Then, the motor drivers 1706 and 1707 are driven, and the recording head is driven according to the output information sent to the head driver 1705 to execute printing.

The MPU 1701 is an interface 1
The communication processing with the host computer 100 described below is enabled via the communication unit 700, and the host computer 100 described below can be notified of memory information and resource data related to the DRAM 1703 and host print information in the ROM 1702. As will be described later, an error in the output device is detected, and a display means (not shown) indicates that an error has occurred, or prints out an error avoidance method.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a printer control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Here, a laser beam printer (FIG. 1) will be described as an example. Note that, as long as the functions of the present invention are executed, the present invention is applicable to a single device, a system including a plurality of devices, and a system in which processing is performed via a network such as a LAN. It goes without saying that the invention can be applied.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an information processing device such as a host computer for transmitting input information including character codes and control codes to an output device such as the printer 1500 shown in FIG. A keyboard, a CRT and the like are provided. Reference numeral 2 denotes an output device such as a printer 1500 that receives input information from the information processing apparatus 1 via the bidirectional interface 200, generates output information based on the input information, and outputs the generated information. Printer 1
Reference numeral 500 includes the printer control unit 1000 described above, the printing unit 6 including the laser driver 1502 and the transport roller 1510 described above, and the operation unit 1501 described above. The printer control unit 1000 includes a data transmission / reception unit 3 and a data processing unit 4 which will be described later. The printer control unit 1000 receives input information from the information processing apparatus 1 and instruction information from the operation unit 1501 via the bidirectional interface 200, A data transmission / reception unit 3 for transmitting the status within the information processing device 1 and the operation unit 1501, and output information is generated based on input information received by the data transmission / reception unit 3, converted into a video signal, and output to the printing unit 6. Or an error in the printing unit 6 or an error in the printer control unit 1000 is detected, and the information processing device 1
And a data processing unit that outputs error information to the operation unit 1501 and outputs the content (how to avoid errors or failures) to the printing unit 6. The data processing unit 4 includes a CP
U, ROM, and RAM. The ROM is a CPU control program shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 6 and 9 described below, a lookup table described later, and an LED described later.
A lighting pattern table 8, an error printing content generation table 12, which will be described later, an LED driver, which is a program for controlling light emission of an LED, which will be described later, and output information generated based on input information received from the information processing apparatus 1 are shown in FIG. A font pattern and the like used when generating output information are stored. The RAM is used for temporarily storing a work area and data. The printing unit visibly outputs to a recording medium such as paper based on the video signal converted from the output information generated by the printer control unit 1000. For example, a text (hereinafter, message print) describing the method of avoiding an error or a failure detected by the printer control unit 1000 and the content of the status message is printed out.

FIG. 5 is a diagram specifically illustrating the data processing section 4 shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 7 denotes an error judgment unit which indicates an error signal (indicating a failure of a ROM checksum test, a failure of a RAM test, a failure of NVRAM self-diagnosis (not shown), etc.) input from the controller sensor 13, and a printing unit 6. The error signal (paper jam, no toner, no paper, etc.) input from each of the sensors and other error signals input from other sensors inside the printer are discriminated, and the result is determined by the LED lighting pattern generation table 8 and the error print content. Occurrence table 1
Output to 2. The LED lighting pattern generation table 8
The lighting (display) pattern of the LED corresponding to each error is determined by referring to the lookup table shown in FIG. 6 based on the error signal determination result input from the error determination unit 7. A display example will be described later. Then, the LED driver 9 is started based on the determined lighting (display) pattern control method, and the LED 1 is transmitted via the data transmitting / receiving unit 3.
By turning on or off the LED 11 and the LED 11, respectively, the user is notified that an error has occurred in the printer 1500 and the type of the error is reported. The error print content generation table 12 refers to a look-up table having an address map shown in FIG. 6 based on the error signal determination result input from the error determination unit 7, and thereby print content (corresponding to the error signal). For example, the information of the message print for outputting the messages 500 and 600 shown in FIG. 7 is output to the printing unit 6 to be printed out or displayed on the CRT of the information processing apparatus 1. The printing unit 6 prints out a message as shown in FIG. 7 using the font pattern stored in the ROM or the RAM.

FIG. 8 is a schematic flow chart showing a control program of the CPU for performing LED extinguishing (display) control and message printing corresponding to each error signal judged by the error judging section 7 and stored in the ROM. ing.

The operation of the data processing unit 4 (CPU) will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

After the power of the printer 1500 is turned on, the printing unit 6
Alternatively, in response to an error signal input from the controller sensor 13 or the like, the LED is turned off (displayed) (step S1), and whether or not message printing is possible in the printing unit 6 is determined based on the error signal from the printing unit 6. (Step S2), and if the message can be printed,
And generates message print information such as an error avoidance method corresponding to the error signal input from the controller sensor 13 or the printing unit 6 or the like, and outputs it to the printing unit 6 (step S3). In step S3, the message is printed by the printing unit 6.
And a message may be displayed on the CRT of the information processing apparatus 1 via the data transmission / reception unit 6.
Alternatively, only a message may be displayed on the CRT of the information processing device 1. If it is determined in step S2 that the printing unit 6 does not operate normally, the message print information cannot be printed out by the printing unit 6, and is displayed on the CRT of the information processing device 1 via the data transmission / reception unit 3 (step S2). S
4) It is determined whether or not a power-off command for the printer 1500 has been input (step S5). If a power-off command has been input, the power is turned off, the processing is terminated, and the power is turned off.
If no FF instruction has been input, the process returns to step S1 and repeats the above steps.

FIG. 9 specifically explains step S1 (LED display control processing) of the flowchart shown in FIG.
It is a flowchart which shows the control program of CPU,
It is stored in the ROM. In the present embodiment, the LED
Uses two light emitting units having two light emitting portions, green and red, per one display window. When the two light emitting portions emit light simultaneously, the LED is configured to display orange. Note that the LED will be described using two LEDs of two colors, but three or more LEDs may be used in any color.
There may be four or more.

After the power of the printer 1500 is turned on, the printing unit 6
Alternatively, it is determined whether an error signal has been input from the controller sensor 13 or another sensor to the error determination unit 7 (step S10). If an error signal has been input, the error signal is transmitted to the printing unit 6 It is determined whether the signal is an error signal from the printer (step S11). If the signal is an error signal from the printing unit 6, it is determined in advance to notify the engine error to notify the engine error to the outside as shown in FIG. Based on the LED display control method used, one of the LEDs is displayed in green and the other LED is displayed in red (step S1).
2). If it is determined in step S11 that the error is not an engine error, it is determined whether or not the error is a controller error (step S13). If the error is a controller error, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 10, in order to notify the controller error to the outside, the LED is controlled based on a predetermined LED display control method for notifying the controller error.
Of one is displayed in green and the other is displayed in orange (step S
14). If it is determined in step S13 that the error is not a controller error, it is another error.
To signal other errors externally as shown in 0,
LE predetermined to signal other errors
Based on the D display control method, both LEDs are displayed in red (step S15). If it is determined in step S10 that an error signal has not been input, the error signal from the printing unit 6 is used to notify the outside that the printer 1500 is powered on, as shown in FIG. Power on to notify the power on status to the outside
Based on a predetermined LED display control method for notifying the state, one of the LEDs is green and the other LED is turned off to perform display control (step S16). Although not shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9, in order to notify the outside that the printer 1500 is in the power-off state as shown in FIG. 10, it is predetermined to notify the power-off state. Based on the LED display control method, both LEDs can be turned off to perform display control. Although not shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9, it is determined in advance to notify that the printer 1500 is performing data processing as shown in FIG. Based on the LED display control method, both of the LEDs can be controlled to display green. Therefore, according to the present invention, even in the case other than the error or status shown in FIG. It goes without saying that you can do it.

In the flowchart shown in FIG.
After the display control of D is performed and the error or status inside the printer is notified to the outside, in step S3, the message is printed out by the printing unit 6, or the information processing apparatus is printed out together with the message through the data transmitting and receiving unit 6. 1 CRT
Is displayed on the screen, but the message printout in the printing unit 6 and the display output on the CRT of the information processing apparatus can be selected based on the input of the selection instruction information from the operation unit 1501 or the command from the information processing apparatus. You may do it. For example, due to the combination of the above-described instruction information or command, the user can clearly open the door or the like,
For those found to be out of order, the message print can be canceled and the error avoidance method and status information can be displayed on the CRT of the information processing apparatus. In addition, according to the above-mentioned instruction information or command, the printer 1500 does not use a display such as an LCD in order to reduce the cost, and notifies the error and status of the printer 1500 by the display control of the LED as described above so that the cost can be reduced. Then, the specific content and the method of avoiding errors are displayed and output on the CRT of the information processing device connected via the bidirectional interface,
By transferring the role of the LCD of the operation unit in the conventional output device to the CRT of the information processing device, the cost of the output device can be further reduced.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Detects an error that has occurred in the output device, issues an error signal, and outputs a message about an error avoidance method corresponding to the issued error signal based on the result of the determination of the type of the issued error signal. The information can be displayed on an information processing device that transmits the input information to the device, so that the message can be notified without using an expensive LCD in order to inform the user of the error of the output device and how to avoid the error. it can.

The error avoiding method can be printed out on an output device, or the error avoiding method can be displayed on a display such as a CRT of an information processing device connected via a bidirectional interface. It has an excellent effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a first output device to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing a configuration of a second output device to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of a second output device illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram specifically illustrating a configuration of a data processing unit 4 shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a lookup table referred to when determining an LED control method corresponding to an error.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an output result of a message such as an error avoidance method.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the data processing unit 4;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a specific operation of the data processing unit 4;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an LED pattern corresponding to each error or status.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional printer control system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information processing apparatus 200 Bidirectional interface 3 Data transmission / reception part 4 Data processing part 6 Printing part 1000 Printer control unit 1500 Printer 1501 Operation part

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-4-93853 (JP, A) JP-A-2-42568 (JP, A) JP-A-5-50719 (JP, A) JP-A-63-1988 39371 (JP, A) JP-A-5-92645 (JP, A) JP-A-62-199479 (JP, A) JP-A-5-221095 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 29/42 B41J 29/46 G06F 3/12

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. An output device for generating and outputting output information based on input information input from an information processing device, wherein a detection unit detects an error occurring in the output device and issues an error signal. Determining means for determining the type of the error signal issued by the detecting means, based on a result of the determination by the determining means, a message about an error avoidance method corresponding to the error signal issued by the detecting means, An output device comprising: display control means for displaying input information on a display unit of the information processing device. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a print control unit that prints a message related to an error avoidance method corresponding to the error signal issued by the detection unit based on a result of the determination by the determination unit. Output device. And determining whether or not the message can be printed based on a result of the determination by the determining means. If the message can be printed, causing the print control means to print the message. 3. The output device according to claim 2, further comprising control means for causing the display control means to display a message when the message cannot be printed. And determining whether to cause the print control unit to print a message or to display the message on the display control unit based on a command from the information processing device or instruction information from an operation unit of the output device. The output device according to claim 2, further comprising control means for performing the operation. 5. A display control method in an output device for generating and outputting output information based on input information input from an information processing device, comprising: detecting an error occurring in the output device; A detecting step of issuing, a determining step of determining a type of the error signal issued by the detecting step, and an error avoiding method corresponding to the error signal issued by the detecting step based on a result of the determination by the determining step. A display control step of displaying a message on a display unit of the information processing apparatus that transmits the input information. 6. A printing control step for printing a message related to an error avoidance method corresponding to the error signal issued in the detecting step based on a result of the determination in the determining step.
Display control method described in 1. 7. A method of determining whether the message can be printed based on a result of the determination in the determining step. If the message can be printed, causing the print control step to print the message. 7. The display control method according to claim 6, wherein when the message cannot be printed, the message is displayed in the display control step. And determining whether to cause the print control unit to print a message or to display the message on the display control unit based on a command from the information processing device or instruction information from an operation unit of the output device. The display control method according to claim 6, further comprising a control step of performing the control.