NL2023252B1 - User Interface for a Printer - Google Patents

User Interface for a Printer Download PDF

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Publication number
NL2023252B1
NL2023252B1 NL2023252A NL2023252A NL2023252B1 NL 2023252 B1 NL2023252 B1 NL 2023252B1 NL 2023252 A NL2023252 A NL 2023252A NL 2023252 A NL2023252 A NL 2023252A NL 2023252 B1 NL2023252 B1 NL 2023252B1
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Netherlands
Prior art keywords
user interface
user
environment
information
printer
Prior art date
Application number
NL2023252A
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Dutch (nl)
Inventor
Cahn Emmanuelle
Original Assignee
Canon Production Printing Holding Bv
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
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Publication date
Application filed by Canon Production Printing Holding Bv filed Critical Canon Production Printing Holding Bv
Priority to NL2023252A priority Critical patent/NL2023252B1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of NL2023252B1 publication Critical patent/NL2023252B1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
    • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
    • G06F3/1202—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to achieve a particular effect
    • G06F3/1203—Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
    • G06F3/1204—Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
    • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
    • G06F3/1223—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to use a particular technique
    • G06F3/1229—Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
    • G06F3/1234—Errors handling and recovery, e.g. reprinting
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/12—Digital output to print unit, e.g. line printer, chain printer
    • G06F3/1201—Dedicated interfaces to print systems
    • G06F3/1278—Dedicated interfaces to print systems specifically adapted to adopt a particular infrastructure
    • G06F3/1285—Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)
  • User Interface Of Digital Computer (AREA)

Abstract

A user interface for a printer, the printer being in an environment that contains infrastructure and supplies needed for operation and/or maintenance of the printer, the user interface comprising a data processing system as well as input and output means for communication with the user and being configured to issue a message inviting the user to perform a specified action in conjunction with service and/or maintenance of the printer, characterized in that the user interface has an input function allowing the user to enter customized information that is related to the environment of the printer, and an output function utilizing said customized information and allowing the user to retrieve information on the environment.

Description

P4112NLQO 1 User Interface for a Printer The invention relates to a user interface for a printer, the printer being in an environment that contains infrastructure and supplies needed for operation and/or maintenance of the printer, the user interface comprising a data processing system as well as input and output means for communication with the user and being configured to issue a message inviting the user to perform a specified action in conjunction with service and/or maintenance of the printer.
It is known that user interfaces for printers may be configured to automatically deliver a message to a user, e.g. an operator or an occasional user of the printer, if any action is required from the user in order to keep the printer running. For example, such a message may prompt the user to load media sheets into the printer or to refill a toner or ink container. In case of a paper jam, the user interface may invite the user to fix the paper jam, and the invitation may be accompanied by information on where the paper jam has occurred and how it has to be fixed. Typically, the printer is installed in an environment, e.g. a print shop, where the necessary supplies such as media sheets of different types, ink or toner, tools for maintenance of the printer, and other commodities are stored. If an action such as loading media sheets into the printer is required from an occasional user while the operator of the print shop is not available, the user may be unable to take the required action because she does not know at which location in the print shop the media sheets have been stored. A conventional user interface cannot provide this information because the user interface is typically programmed and configured by the manufacturer of the printer at a time when it is not yet known in which environment the printer will be installed. A similar problem may occur if an action, e.g. a maintenance operation, has to be performed only at rare occasions or in large time intervals, so that a not so experienced operator may have forgotten where the required commodities have been stored. It is an object of the invention to provide a user interface with enhanced versatility.
P4112NLOO 2 In order to achieve this object, the user interface according to the invention has an input function allowing the user to enter customized information that is related to the environment of the printer, and an output function utilizing said customized information and allowing the user to retrieve information on the environment. Once the printer has been installed in a given environment, the input function may be used for customizing the user interface by entering the customized information that describes the environment or at least identifies a data source where such information can be found. Then, when the printer is operating and a specific action is required from a user, the user interface, when prompting the user to take the required action, may use the output function for providing the user also with the information on the environment that is needed for taking the necessary action.
More specific optional features of the invention are indicated in the dependent claims. The customized information may be stored in different formats, e.g. as a text file, an image or a set of images, or an audio or video file, and the like. Depending upon the data volume of the customized information, this information may be stored in a local memory of the user interface or in an external data storage device that may be accessible, for example, via a server. In the latter case, the customized information that has to be stored locally in the user interface may simply consist of a link to the data source where the information on the environment can be found. For example, the link may be communicated to the user in the form of a QR-code that can be read with a smartphone application of the user.
Embodiment examples will now be described in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic sketch of a printing system including a printer with a user interface according to the invention; Figs. 2t06 are examples of contents to be displayed on a screen of the user interface; and
P4112NLOO 3 Figs. 7 and 8 are flow diagrams illustrating a method of operating the printing system shown in Fig. 1.
Asis shown in Fig. 1, a printing system comprises a printer 10 installed in an environment 12. The environment 12 may for example be a print shop that contains infrastructure 14 and storage containers 16 for supplies and commodities that are needed for operating the printer. The infrastructure 14 may for example comprise a WLAN router connected to an external data source 18, e.g. the Internet, and configured for wireless communication with the printer 10, a computer 20 of a user, e.g. of an operator of the printing system, and a smartphone 22 of the operator or another user. The printer 10 has a local user interface 24 including a data processing system 26 as well as input means 28 and output means 30 for communication with the users. In the example shown, the input and output means are constituted by a touch screen 32 showing a command window with soft buttons serving as input means 28 and a display window serving as output means 30. In addition to the local user interface 24, the printer 10 may have user interfaces that have the same functionality but are constituted by software implemented on the computer 20 and/or the smartphone 22. As is well known in the art, the user interface 24 may prompt a user to take certain actions such as refilling toner or loading print media into a holder of the printer 10. The toner, the print media and other supplies are stored in the storage containers 16 in the environment 12. The storage containers may also store repair tools for maintenance of the printer, or other commodities such as protective gloves that the user should wear when refilling toner.
When an occasional user is invited to take an action for service or maintenance of the printer, she may possibly not know where to find the required supplies and commodities. In view of this problem, the user interface 24 and possibly also the software user interfaces have an input function allowing a user, e.g. an operator, to enter customized
P4112NLQO 4 information which will help an occasional user to fulfil her task. An output function of the user interface is configured for displaying this information on the touch screen 32, thereby showing the user where to find the supplies and commodities she needs. The information displayed on the screen may for example comprise images that show where the media sheets, the toner and the like are stored in the environment 12, or a video clip showing a user fetching the supplies from one of the storage containers 16.
A possible implementation of these input and output functions will now be explained in conjunction with Figs. 2 to 6.
Fig. 2 shows the touch screen 32 divided into a command window 34 (constituting the input means) and a display window 36 (constituting the output means). In the condition shown in Fig. 2, the printer is not operating, and the status of the printer is indicated by a message "printer is ready" in the display window. The command window 34 shows a button “start printer” and a button “customize UI”. Rather than starting the printer, an operator may choose to press the button “customize UI”, in order to customize the user interface by entering the information that will describe how the environment 12 is organized.
When the user presses the customize button, the contents displayed on the screen 32 change to what is shown in Fig. 3. The message window 36 shows a collection of messages that are preconfigured in the user interface and may be displayed in order to prompt a user to take certain actions. In this example, only two of such messages, namely “load media sheets” and “refill toner” have been shown. Further, the operator is invited to select one of these messages. In the example shown, the operator has selected the message “load media sheets”, as is indicated by a dark frame around that message. As soon as a message has been selected, a button 38 appears, and a process for entering the information may be started by pressing that button. Since the message “load media sheets” has been selected, the information to be entered will be information that shows where to find the media sheets.
P4112NLOO
When the button 38 has been pressed, the contents of the screen changes to what is shown in Fig. 4. The message window 36 now shows a collection of different data formats in which the information may be entered, e.g. text, audio, image and video. 5 Inthe command window 34, a button 40 can be used for starting a process in which the information is loaded into a local memory of the user interface.
A button 42 starts a process in which only a link is entered into the local memory of the user interface, said link pointing to a data store, e.g. a web page on the Internet, from where the information describing the environment 12 can be retrieved.
A button 44 starts a process in which the information that is entered into the local memory of the user interface consists of a QR-code that may be read for example by a QR-code reader application on the smartphone 22 and encodes a link to the data source.
If the user wants to enter a video showing from where to fetch the media sheets, she may record the video with her smartphone and may then activate an application on the smartphone which connects the smartphone to the user interface 24. The screen on the smartphone may then show the same contents as in Fig. 4. When the user has selected the format “video” and presses the button 40, she will be invited to select the video which will then be uploaded into the memory of the user interface 24. As an alternative, the user may choose to store the video in some other data store (or on the smartphone 22) and may then press the button 42, whereupon a link to the data store is loaded in the local memory of the user interface 24. Still another option would be to encode the link as a QR-code.
The encoding may be done with any suitable software running on the smartphone 22 or on a computer.
Then, by pressing the button 44, only the QR-code will be loaded into the local memory of the user interface 24.
P4112NLQO 6 Fig. 5 illustrates a situation where the user interface has been customized in any of the ways described above, and the printer has been started and is now running short of media sheets. The message window 36 indicates the status of the printer and displays a message inviting the user to load media sheets of the required type. If the user knows where to find these media sheets, she may just execute the required action and may confirm this by pressing a button 46 “media loaded” in the command window 34. If she does not know where to find the media sheets, she may instead press a button 48 “call detailed information”, which starts a process in which the previously stored video is retrieved. If the video had been stored in the local memory of the user interface, the video will be displayed in the message window 36. If only a link to the video has been stored, the user interface will connect to the Internet, retrieve the video from the pertinent web page and then display the video in the message window 36. If only a QR- code has been stored, this QR-code will be displayed in the message window 36, as has been shown in Fig. 6, and the user is invited to read that code with her smartphone.
Then, the smartphone will connect to the pertinent web page and the video will be displayed on the screen of the smartphone. When the user has fulfilled her task, she may confirm this by pressing the button 46. The steps of a method for customizing the user interface have been summarized in Fig.
7. The procedure is started with step S1, and then the message for which customized information shall be entered is selected in step S2 (Fig. 3). The format in which the information shall be entered is selected in step S3, using the screen shown in Fig. 4. Then, in step S4, the customized information is entered by pressing any of the buttons 40, 42, 44, and the process ends with step S5. Of course these steps are not necessarily performed in this order. Other orderings may be employed, for example S1- S3-S4-S2-55.
P4112NLQO 7 Fig. 8 illustrates the steps of a process that is performed when the printer is running and some action is required from a user. When the printer has been started in step 10, it is checked in step S11 whether any action is required from a user. The step is repeated as long as no action is required. Then, if an action is required, the processor of the user interface proceeds with step S12 where the corresponding message is displayed on the output device (Fig. 5). At the same time, the user is offered the possibility to retrieve information on the environment that is related to the required action (button 48 in Fig. 5). In step S13, it is checked whether or not the button 48 has been pressed. If it has been pressed, access to the relevant information is provided in step S14, e.g. by displaying a video on the screen 32, on the smartphone 22, or any other display device. For example, the video may as well be projected onto a wall of the print shop or directly onto a top cover of the printer 10.
If the button 48 has not been pressed in step S13, the step S14 is skipped. Then it is checked in step S15 whether the user has accomplished the required action. As soon as that is the case, the process loops back to step S11 to see whether another action is required.
Embodiments
1. A user interface (24) for a printer (10), the printer being in an environment (12) that contains infrastructure (14) and supplies needed for operation and/or maintenance of the printer, the user interface (24) comprising a data processing system (26) as well as input and output means (28, 30) for communication with the user and being configured to issue a message inviting the user to perform a specified action in conjunction with service and/or maintenance of the printer (10), characterized in that the user interface (24) has an input function allowing the user to enter customized information that is related to the environment (12) of the printer, and an output function utilizing said customized information and allowing the user to retrieve information on the environment (12).
P4112NLOO 8
2. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the input function allows the user to link the customized information to a message that is preconfigured in the user interface for being delivered to a user.
3. The user interface according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information on the environment (12) is included in a video file.
4. The user interface according to claim 3, wherein the output means (30) are configured to display the video file.
5. The user interface according to any of the preceding claims, having a local memory configured to store the information on the environment (12).
6. The user interface according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing system (26) is configured to receive and store the customized information in the form of a link that points to a data source (18) from which the information on the environment (12) can be retrieved.
7. The user interface according to claim 8, wherein the output means (30) are configured to display the link.
8. The user interface according to claim 7, wherein the output means (30) are configured to display the link in the form of a QR-code.
9. A printing system comprising a printer (10), characterized in that the printer (10) has a user interface (24) according to any of the claims 1 to 8.
10. A method of operating the printing system according to claim 9, comprising a step of entering customized information that is related to an environment (12) of the printer (10) into the user interface (24), a step of outputting a message that prompts a user to take a specified action in conjunction with service and/or maintenance of the printer {10}, and a step of retrieving, on the basis of the customized information said information on the environment (12) that is related to the required action.

Claims (10)

P4112NLOO 9 ConclusiesP4112NLOO 9 Conclusions 1. Een gebruikersinterface (24) voor een afdruktoestel (10), het afdruktoestel verkerende in een omgeving (12) die infrastructuur (14) omvat alsmede verbruiksmiddelen benodigde voor de werking en/of het onderhoud van het afdruktoestel, de gebruikersinterface (24) omvattende een gegevensverwerkingssysteem (26) alsmede invoer- en uitvoermiddelen (28, 30) voor communicatie met de gebruiker en ingericht om een bericht af te geven om de gebruiker uit te nodigen een specifieke handeling uit te voeren met betrekking tot een dienst van en/of onderhoud aan het afdruktoestel (10), met het kenmerk dat de gebruikersinterface (24) een invoerfunctie heeft die het de gebruiker mogelijk maakt op omstandigheden toegespitste informatie in te voeren dat betrekking heeft op de omgeving (12) van het afdruktoestel, en een uitvoerfunctie die gebruik maakt van deze op omstandigheden toegespitste informatie en die het de gebruiker mogelijk maakt de informatie met betrekking tot de omgeving (12) te verkrijgen.A user interface (24) for a printing device (10), the printing device located in an environment (12) comprising infrastructure (14) as well as consumables necessary for the operation and / or maintenance of the printing device, the user interface (24) comprising a data processing system (26) as well as input and output means (28, 30) for communicating with the user and arranged to issue a message inviting the user to perform a specific action with regard to a service and / or maintenance to the printing device (10), characterized in that the user interface (24) has an input function that allows the user to input condition-specific information relating to the environment (12) of the printing device, and an output function that uses turns this circumstantial information and enables the user to obtain the information related to the environment (12). 2. De gebruikersinterface volgens conclusie 1, waarbij de invoerfunctie het de gebruiker mogelijk maakt om de op omstandigheden toegespitste informatie te associëren met een bericht dat vooraf in de gebruikersinterface gedefinieerd is om aan de gebruiker af te geven.The user interface of claim 1, wherein the input function allows the user to associate the circumstantial information with a message predefined in the user interface for delivery to the user. 3. De gebruikersinterface volgens conclusie 1 of 2, waarbij de informatie met betrekking tot de omgeving (12) omvat is in een videobestand. The user interface of claim 1 or 2, wherein the information regarding the environment (12) is contained in a video file. 4 De gebruikersinterface volgens conclusie 3, waarbij de uitvoermiddelen {30) ingericht zijn om het videobestand te vertonen.The user interface of claim 3, wherein the output means (30) is arranged to display the video file. 5. De gebruikersinterface volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, omvattende een lokaal geheugen ingericht om de informatie met betrekking tot de omgeving (12) op te slaan.The user interface of any preceding claim, comprising a local memory arranged to store the information related to the environment (12). 6. De gebruikersinterface volgens een van de voorgaande conclusies, waarbij het gegevensverwerkingssysteem (26) ingericht is om de op de omstandighedenThe user interface of any of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing system (26) is configured to respond to the circumstances P4112NLOO 10 toegespitste informatie te ontvangen en op te slaan in de vorm van een verwijzing naar een gegevensbron (18) waarvan de informatie met betrekking tot de omgeving (12) verkregen kan worden.P4112NLOO 10 receive and store tailored information in the form of a reference to a data source (18) from which the information relating to the environment (12) can be obtained. 7. De gebruikersinterface volgens conclusie 6, waarbij de uitvoermiddelen (30) ingericht zijn om de verwijzing te tonen.The user interface of claim 6, wherein the output means (30) is arranged to display the reference. 8. De gebruikersinterface volgens conclusie 7, waarbij de uitvoermiddelen {30) ingericht zijn om de verwijzing te tonen in de vorm van een QR-code.The user interface of claim 7, wherein the output means {30) is arranged to display the reference in the form of a QR code. 9. Een afdruksysteem omvattende een afdruktoestel (10), met het kenmerk dat het afdruktoestel (10) een gebruikersinterface (24) omvat volgens een van de conclusies 1 tot en met 8.A printing system comprising a printing device (10), characterized in that the printing device (10) comprises a user interface (24) according to any one of claims 1 to 8. 10. Een werkwijze voor het bedienen van het afdruksysteem volgens conclusie 9, omvattende een stap van het ingeven in de gebruikersinterface (24) van op omstandigheden toegespitste informatie die betrekking heeft op een omgeving (12) van het afdruktoestel (10), een stap van het afgeven van een bericht dat een gebruiker aanzet om een specifieke handeling te verrichten met betrekking tot een dienst van en/of onderhoud aan het afdruktoestel (10), en een stap van het verkrijgen, op basis van de op de omstandigheden toegespitste informatie, van deze informatie met betrekking tot de omgeving (12) die betrekking heeft op de vereiste handeling.A method of operating the printing system according to claim 9, comprising a step of entering into the user interface (24) condition-specific information relating to an environment (12) of the printing device (10), a step of issuing a message prompting a user to perform a specific action related to a service and / or maintenance of the printing device (10), and a step of obtaining, based on the circumstantial information, of this information relating to the environment (12) relating to the required action.
NL2023252A 2019-06-03 2019-06-03 User Interface for a Printer NL2023252B1 (en)

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Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1903404A2 (en) * 2006-09-04 2008-03-26 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Maintenance system for image forming apparatuses and maintenance method
US20150109637A1 (en) * 2013-10-21 2015-04-23 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus, and method and program for controlling the same

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1903404A2 (en) * 2006-09-04 2008-03-26 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Maintenance system for image forming apparatuses and maintenance method
US20150109637A1 (en) * 2013-10-21 2015-04-23 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming apparatus, and method and program for controlling the same

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