JP4604967B2 - Printing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, and more particularly to a printing apparatus that reads an image file from a mounted portable recording medium and executes printing.

  With the widespread use of digital cameras, the demand for so-called direct printers that perform printing by directly connecting to a portable recording medium without a host computer is increasing. For example, the printer described in Patent Document 1 includes a direct printing interface, which is connected to a digital camera, and realizes direct printing by transferring printing information including image data. On the other hand, when the function of the printer becomes complicated, the operation of the operation panel (input device) also becomes complicated. In particular, in the case of a direct printer, panel operation must be performed for image selection, output format selection, and the like. Therefore, good operability is important. In this regard, Patent Document 2 proposes an improvement in operability of the operation panel.

JP 2004-104817 A JP 2002-103732 A

  However, in the technique of Patent Document 2, in order to display a menu screen for direct printing, the user must press a button on the operation panel to open the menu screen. This will bother the user.

  An object of the present invention is to enable direct printing without bothering the user.

In order to achieve the above object, the printing apparatus of the present invention provides:
A connection detection means for detecting a connection interface with a portable recording medium and a connection of the portable recording medium to the connection interface;
When the connection detection unit detects the connection of the portable recording medium, the display unit includes a menu display unit that displays a menu for direct printing using the storage information of the portable recording medium. .

  The connection interface may be a USB host interface.

  The connection interface may be a memory card slot.

  Further, the menu display means may not display the menu for direct printing when the printing apparatus is in a state where the menu for direct printing should not be displayed. The state where the menu for direct printing should not be displayed may be at least one of an error screen, a reset screen, a job cancel screen, a help screen, and a printer setting screen.

  The menu display means may display a menu for direct printing when a printable file exists on the portable recording medium.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a hardware configuration around a controller 10 of a printing apparatus 100 to which this embodiment is applied. The printing apparatus 100 has a function of directly reading and printing an image file recorded on a portable recording medium (including what is called a “storage device”) such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory 200. For this reason, it is possible to print stand-alone without using a host computer.

  As shown in the figure, the controller 10 of the printing apparatus 100 includes a CPU 11 that executes various programs, an SDRAM 16, and a ROM 17. An IO control ASIC 15 that controls reading of the program is provided. Here, the SDRAM 16 is a storage area used for developing image data, storing image data, and the like.

  The memory control ASIC 12 is connected to an image processing ASIC 13 that controls image processing for printing, and outputs image data to a print engine (not shown) via an image data interface 14 provided on the controller 10.

  The printing apparatus 100 includes an operation panel 20, a USB host connector 21, a hard disk device (HDD) 22, a USB device connector 23, a network connector 24, and the like outside the controller 10, and is controlled by the IO control ASIC 15.

  Here, the operation panel 20 includes a liquid crystal display device, operation buttons, and the like, and has a user interface function of receiving a layout instruction from the user and a selection of an image file to be printed.

  The USB host connector 21 is a connector for connecting a USB device. In this embodiment, the USB host connector 21 is connected to a USB memory 200 in which a plurality of image files are recorded. Note that the connected USB memory 200 may be attached to or built in a digital camera and connected via a USB cable.

  The hard disk device 22 can store image data and the like used for printing, but is not necessarily provided in the present invention.

  The network connector 24 is a connector for connecting to a computer network or the like.

  The USB device connector 23 is a connector used when connecting to a USB host such as a host computer via a USB cable and using the printing apparatus 100 as a peripheral device. A digital camera that functions as a host may be connected to the USB device connector 23.

  Note that the hardware configuration around the controller 10 of the printing apparatus 100 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. For example, a plurality of slots into which various media such as memory cards can be mounted may be provided.

  Next, a characteristic functional configuration of the printing apparatus 100 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

  As shown in the figure, the printing apparatus 100 includes a panel setting control unit 110, a USB memory file management unit 120, an image processing unit 130, and a print engine control unit 140. These can be realized by software, for example. Moreover, the role of each functional unit described below is an example, and the present invention is not limited to these.

  The panel setting control unit 110 performs processing for receiving a layout designation, selection of an image file to be printed, and the like from the user via the operation panel 20. Further, processing for displaying an error screen, a reset screen, a job cancel screen, a help screen, a printer setting screen, a printable screen, a warning screen, and the like on the operation panel 20 according to the state of the printing apparatus 100 is performed.

  The USB memory file management unit 120 performs processing for accessing an image file recorded in the USB memory 200.

  The image processing unit 130 performs processing for creating image data for printing an image based on an image file selected as a printing target according to a designated layout.

  The print engine control unit 140 controls printing execution by the print engine according to the image data created by the image processing unit 130.

  Next, a characteristic processing operation of the printing apparatus 100 in the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing flow when a device is connected to the USB host connector 21 of the printing apparatus 100.

  This process is started when a device is connected to the USB host connector 21 (S101).

  The USB memory file management unit 120 determines whether or not the connected device is the USB memory 200 (mass storage) (S102). If it is not the USB memory 200, the process ends. In such a case, a predetermined process is performed according to the connected device.

  On the other hand, when the connected device is the USB memory 200 (S102: Y), the USB memory file management unit 120 initializes a file list for direct printing (S103). Subsequently, the directory in the USB memory 200 is scanned (S104), a printable file is found (S105: Y), and the number of the files is counted up (S106). In this way, all the files in the directory are scanned (S107).

  Next, the USB memory file management unit 120 determines whether or not the number of printable files> 0 (S108). Otherwise (S108: N), the USB memory file management unit 120 sends a message such as “no printable file” to the operation panel 20 via the panel setting control unit 110 for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds). It is displayed on the display screen (S109). Then, this process ends. After that, the panel setting control unit 110 displays the screen before the device is connected again, and waits for an input from the user.

  On the other hand, if there is a printable file (S108: Y), the USB memory file management unit 120 determines whether or not it is possible to shift to the direct print menu (S110). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the USB memory file management unit 120 holds information (referred to as “menu transfer enable / disable information 400”) for determining whether or not transfer to the direct print menu is possible. Yes. In the menu transfer enable / disable information 400, information 402 indicating whether transfer to the direct print menu is possible for each state 401 of the printing apparatus 100 is stored. The USB memory file management unit 120 determines whether it is possible to shift to the direct print menu according to the current state of the printing apparatus 100.

  For example, if the direct print menu should not be displayed, such as when an error screen, reset screen, job cancel screen, help screen, or printer setting screen is displayed on the operation panel 20, a USB memory file The management unit 120 determines that the transition to the direct print menu is impossible. On the other hand, when a screen indicating that printing is possible and a warning screen (for example, a warning screen for the remaining amount of ink or the remaining amount of paper) are displayed, it is determined that the transition to the direct print menu is possible.

  When it is determined that the direct print menu cannot be transferred (S110: N), the USB memory file management unit 120 ends this process.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the transition to the direct print menu is possible (S110: Y), the USB memory file management unit 120 instructs the panel setting control unit 110 to shift to the direct print menu. In response to this, the panel setting control unit 110 displays a screen including a menu for direct printing on the operation panel 20, and waits for an instruction from the user (S112).

  The menu for direct printing is a menu including items such as “index printing”, “document file printing”, and “image file printing”. The image processing unit 130 generates image data for printing from a file in the USB memory 200 according to the item selected by the user, and outputs the image data to the print engine control unit 140. The print engine control unit 140 performs printing by the print engine based on the image data received from the image processing unit 130.

  The processing when a device is connected to the USB host connector 21 has been described above.

  FIG. 4 is a transition example of the display screen of the operation panel 20 in such processing.

  First, it is assumed that the printing apparatus 100 is in a printable state. That is, the panel setting control unit 110 displays “printing is possible” on the liquid crystal display panel 300 as shown in FIG. When the USB memory 200 is inserted (S102: Y), the USB memory file management unit 120 counts the number of files. The panel setting control unit 110 displays the number of files in the USB memory 200 as shown in (b). The USB memory file management unit 120 determines whether there is a printable file. If there is, the USB memory file management unit 120 further determines whether it is possible to shift to the direct print menu. Here, since the USB memory 200 is inserted in the printable state, it is possible to shift to the direct print menu. Therefore, the panel setting control unit 110 displays a menu for direct printing, as shown in (c). Thereafter, the panel setting control unit 110 waits for an input from the user. On the other hand, when there is no printable file in the USB memory 200 (S108: N), the panel setting control unit 110, as shown in (c ′), for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds), Is not displayed. Thereafter, as shown in (d ′), the display returns to the original screen representing the printable state.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

  According to the above-described embodiment, when the recording medium is connected to the connection interface, the operation panel automatically shifts to the direct print menu display, so that user operability is improved. In addition, the user can be prompted to perform a print start operation by changing the screen of the operation panel, thereby improving operability.

  Also, it is determined whether there is a printable file on the inserted recording medium. If there is no printable file, the process does not shift to the direct print menu. Therefore, unnecessary processing operations can be prevented from being performed.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The above embodiment can be variously modified within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

  For example, the recording medium connected to the printing apparatus 100 is not limited to the USB memory 200 but may be a memory card. In such a case, the connection interface includes various slots into which a memory card can be inserted.

In addition, a digital camera with a built-in hard disk or a digital camera with a portable recording medium such as a memory card attached thereto may be connected to the connection interface via a cable. Even in such a case, the printing apparatus 100 can detect whether or not it is connected, and if it is connected, can display the direct print menu. It is also possible to detect whether there is a printable file on a recording medium built in or attached to the digital camera and display the direct print menu if there is a printable file.

  Further, the processing flow is not limited to that shown in FIG. The process for determining whether or not the transition to the direct print menu can be performed (S110) may be performed immediately after the process for determining whether or not the connected device is a storage device (S102).

  Further, not only displaying the menu for direct printing (S112), but the mode may be shifted to the direct printing mode.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration around a controller of the printing apparatus. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the printing apparatus. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining processing operations of the printing apparatus. FIG. 6 is a transition diagram of a display screen of the operation panel. 4 is a configuration example of menu transition availability information 400.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Controller, 11 ... CPU, 12 ... Memory control ASIC, 13 ... Image processing ASIC, 14 ... Image data interface, 15 ... IO control ASIC, 16 ... SDRAM, 17 ... ROM, 20 ... Operation panel, 21 ... USB host Connector 22 ... Hard disk device 23 ... USB device connector 24 ... Network connector
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Printing apparatus 110 ... Panel setting control part 120 ... Memory file management part 130 ... Image processing part 140 ... Print engine control part 200 ... USB memory

Claims (5)

A printing device,
A connection interface with a portable recording medium; and a connection detection means for detecting connection of the portable recording medium to the connection interface;
A counting means for counting up the number of printable files in the portable recording medium when the connection detecting means detects the connection of the portable recording medium;
Menu display means for displaying a menu for direct printing that uses the recording information of the portable recording medium; and
The menu display means includes
If the connection is detected the portability of the recording medium in a printable file, to display a menu for direct printing,
If there is no printable file on the portable recording medium whose connection is detected, a message indicating that there is no printable file is displayed, and the portable recording medium is connected after a predetermined time has elapsed. A printing apparatus that displays an original screen that was displayed before the printing. In claim 1,
The printing apparatus, wherein the connection interface is a USB host interface. In claim 1,
The printing apparatus, wherein the connection interface is a memory card slot. In claim 1,
The menu display means includes
When the printing apparatus is in a state where a menu for direct printing should not be displayed, the printing apparatus does not display a menu for direct printing. In claim 4,
The state where the menu for direct printing should not be displayed is
A printing apparatus comprising at least one of an error screen, a reset screen, a job cancel screen, a help screen, and a printer setting screen.

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