JP2001125646A - Movable printer and printed matter delivering method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a movable printer and a printed matter delivering method which can plan a movement path according to an indication of a print requester, etc., so that the movement time, etc., becomes short and can deliver printed matter to a desirable place while avoiding an obstacle, etc. SOLUTION: The movable printer 100 receives print data and delivery destination identification information by a computer from a transmitter receiver 104, obtains delivery destination position information by referring to map information, plans a movement path making it possible to efficiently visit plural delivery destinations, and moves by controlling a motor driving the wheels and steering according to the plan. Further, the printer has a control means for evading an obstacle detected by an obstacle sensor 103. Here, the printer 101 prints by using the received print data.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mobile printer and a printed matter delivery method. In particular, the present invention relates to a mobile printer and a printed matter delivery method for delivering output printed matter with reference to map information on a delivery destination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of information processing technology and the spread of related devices, the amount of information processed using computers in offices and the like is increasing more and more. In addition, facsimile machines that can easily exchange information such as characters and diagrams in a standardized manner have been widely used. Such information can be referred to directly through the screen of a computer connected to the network, but it is still often used once printed on paper or the like.

[0003] The reason why printing on paper is thus preferred is as follows.
Excellent information at a glance, easy to carry, easy to retrieve and refer to when needed, easy to write on printed matter with a pen, etc., enabling finer and higher quality printing than computer screens However, there are various reasons, such as the fact that eyestrain does not occur due to flicker and the like, and that it is a medium that humans have been accustomed to for many years. It is expected that such demand for printing on paper will not disappear even if the information system becomes paperless in the future.

[0004]

In the prior art,
Printers and facsimile machines have no means for themselves to move. Further, in these apparatuses, an output result printed based on a request is delivered to a requester's place or a designated place, a received and printed facsimile image is delivered to a destination person's place, and the delivery thereof is performed. It did not have a function to process information on the previous location or delivery route.

[0005] Therefore, the printer or facsimile machine is usually installed in a fixed place, and a person who has issued a print request goes to a place where the apparatus is located to obtain a printed matter, or a person who notices the facsimile communication receives a print. I saw the header page and delivered it to the recipient.

[0006] Further, due to the spread of LAN (Local Area Network), higher performance of server computers connected to LAN, and improvement of print processing speed of printers, one printer can be used for many users. Service has become available, which means that the average distance traveled to the printer device becomes longer for those who receive the service.

[0007] In work in an office or the like, the movement of a person as described above may cause a decrease in productivity. Especially in brain-intensive work, thinking may be temporarily interrupted due to the operation of getting prints to the printer, and it may take a long time to return to the state before interruption again, in such a case, The degree of productivity decline is remarkable. In addition, for a person who is difficult to move due to an injury or a physical obstacle, the time and labor required for such movement are particularly large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to obtain a printed matter while a print requester is present, or to output a printed matter based on an instruction of the requester. It is possible to automatically deliver a printed matter to a desired place, or to automatically deliver a received facsimile message to a destination person's place, thereby improving productivity in an office or the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile printer and a printed matter delivery method that can be used.

Further, the present invention provides delivery in a short time through a reasonable route, avoids any obstacles on the moving route, and performs delivery while avoiding the obstacles. Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile printer and a printed matter delivery method that can quickly deal with the problem.

[0010]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data communication apparatus for receiving a print request from a computer and delivery destination information on a delivery destination of a printed material based on the print request. Means, a printing unit that performs printing based on the print request, and a movement planning unit that plans a movement route to the delivery destination based on the delivery destination information and map information indicating the location of the delivery destination. The gist is a mobile printer characterized by the following.

With this configuration of the present invention, printing based on a print request from a computer can be performed, and a transfer plan to a delivery destination for delivering the printed matter can be created. By using an apparatus having such a configuration in combination with a moving means capable of moving based on a prepared movement plan, a printed matter based on a request can be delivered to a delivery destination specified by the requester.
The moving means may be provided in the device of the present invention, or may be a separate device.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the delivery destination is the computer that issues the print request.
The delivery destination information is identification information of the computer that issues the print request.

[0013] With such a configuration of the present invention, it is possible to deliver the printed matter to the location of the requesting computer. In such a configuration, since the delivery destination is limited to the requesting computer, the identification information of the computer used for another purpose can be used as it is as the delivery destination information.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the data communication means receives the map information, and the movement planning section acquires the map information from the data communication means.

[0015] With this configuration of the present invention, map information can be obtained from the outside. In such a configuration, the latest map information can be always obtained at the time of operation, so that it is not necessary to perform manual maintenance on the map information held in the mobile printer. Even when a large number of mobile printers are operated, only the map information placed at one place on the network needs to be maintained, and the operation cost can be reduced.

The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the movement planning unit plans a movement route based on a plurality of delivery destination information respectively corresponding to the plurality of print requests.

With this configuration of the present invention, a plurality of print requests can be handled simultaneously. Further, the movement planning unit creates a movement plan in which a plurality of delivery destinations are traversed with a small route cost, so that total time and energy consumption can be saved. Here, the path cost is a predefined amount such as the time required for the movement and the energy such as the power required for the movement.

Further, the invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the movement planning unit plans a movement route based on a priority order of the plurality of print requests.

With such a configuration of the present invention, printing and delivery can be performed based on priority. This makes it possible to quickly deliver urgent prints, process print requests from specific requesters first, and deliver prints that have been given a certain time after receiving a request. Order control becomes possible.

The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the data communication means is a wireless communication means.

With such a configuration of the present invention, the mobile printer does not require a cable for communication. As a result, restrictions on the moving range and moving path of the mobile printer are significantly reduced. Further, since the communication cable is not routed along with the movement of the mobile printer, the appearance of the mobile printer in an operating environment such as an office is not impaired. The wireless communication means is, for example, a device that performs communication using electromagnetic waves.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facsimile communication means for receiving a signal modulated by an original image and demodulating the signal to obtain a reproduced image, and for reproducing a reproduced image obtained by the facsimile communication function. A printing unit for printing, and a movement planning unit for planning a movement route to the delivery destination based on delivery destination information extracted from information received by the facsimile communication unit and map information indicating a position of the delivery destination. A gist of the present invention is a mobile printer characterized by being provided.

With such a configuration of the present invention, a facsimile image signal is received, and the image is printed on paper or the like.
By referring to the delivery destination information and the map information, the location information of the delivery destination can be acquired, and a movement plan to the delivery destination can be created. By using an apparatus having such a configuration in combination with a moving means capable of moving based on a prepared movement plan, a printed matter can be delivered to a delivery destination. The moving means may be provided in the device of the present invention, or may be a separate device.

The invention according to claim 8 recognizes a mark included in the reproduced image, extracts delivery destination information based on the recognition result, and passes the delivery destination information to the movement planning unit. It is characterized by having mark recognition means.

With such a configuration of the present invention, delivery destination information can be extracted from a facsimile image.
Here, the mark is, for example, information represented by a difference in shading or color at a predetermined location in an image according to a predetermined rule, or information represented by an image pattern coded according to a predetermined rule. It is.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, characters included in the reproduced image are recognized, delivery destination information is extracted based on the recognition result, and the delivery destination information is passed to the movement planning unit. Character recognition means is provided.

With such a configuration of the present invention, the character recognizing means can read the character written at a predetermined place in the facsimile image and acquire the delivery destination information.
According to a predetermined rule, the identification information of the delivery destination is written in characters at this predetermined place.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the facsimile communication means, the facsimile communication means receives the signal via a telephone network, accommodates a plurality of telephone numbers, and has a delivery destination based on the telephone number of the destination. Information is determined, and the delivery destination information is passed to the movement planning unit.

According to such a configuration of the present invention, a facsimile can be received via a telephone line, printed, and delivered to a destination. A delivery destination is identified based on telephone number information extracted from a telephone control signal. The telephone number used here may be a number in a public network or a number allocated in a private network.

[0030] The invention according to claim 11 is characterized in that the movement planning unit plans a movement route based on a plurality of pieces of delivery destination information respectively corresponding to a plurality of the reproduced images.

According to such a configuration of the present invention, a plurality of received facsimile messages can be handled simultaneously. Further, the movement planning unit creates a movement plan in which a plurality of delivery destinations are traversed with a small route cost, so that total time and energy consumption can be saved.

Further, the invention according to claim 12 is provided with a map information recording medium on which the map information is recorded, and by reading the map information recording medium, the movement planning unit acquires the map information. Features.

According to such a configuration of the present invention, the movement planning unit can acquire the position information of the delivery destination. Further, since the map information recording medium is provided in the mobile printer, there is no need to communicate with the outside each time the map information is referred.

[0034] Further, the invention according to claim 13 is characterized by comprising moving means for moving according to a moving route planned by the movement planning unit.

According to such a configuration of the present invention, since the mobile printer can be moved by the function of the printer itself, a separate device for the movement is not required.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the moving means includes three or more wheels and wheel driving means for driving the wheels.

With this configuration of the present invention, the present apparatus can run independently. By controlling the steering angle of one or more of the wheels, the traveling direction of the device can be changed. Alternatively, when the wheel travels on a track, the traveling direction of the device can be changed by a frictional force between the wheel and the track.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the moving means includes a direction control unit for controlling a direction by steering at least one of the wheels.

With such a configuration of the present invention, the traveling direction of the apparatus can be changed by the frictional force between the wheels and the running surface such as the floor. Further, as compared with the case of using a track or the like, there is an advantage that less equipment is required and the degree of freedom of the moving range is large.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the moving means controls the direction of movement by controlling a leg having a plurality of joints, a joint driving means for driving the joints, and the joint driving means. A direction control unit.

With this configuration of the present invention, the device can be moved by walking with the legs. In such legged walking, it is possible to go up and down stairs, and to move across uneven parts of the floor surface and obstacles, etc., and the degree of freedom of movement is greater than in the case of wheel running There is a merit of becoming.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an obstacle sensor for measuring a distance from an obstacle, and a direction reference table for recording information on a traveling direction corresponding to a pattern of a signal from the obstacle sensor. Wherein the direction control unit controls the direction based on the signal from the obstacle sensor and information read from the direction reference table.

According to this configuration of the present invention, when the obstacle sensor measures the distance from the apparatus to the obstacle and detects the presence of the obstacle in the traveling direction, the obstacle sensor can reduce the size as much as possible by referring to the direction reference table. The obstacle can be avoided at the turning angle. Therefore, even in an environment where an obstacle exists on the movement route, the mobile printer can safely move and deliver the printed matter to the destination. It is more effective to provide an obstacle sensor so as to detect obstacles in a plurality of directions as viewed from the mobile printer.

The invention according to claim 18 is a power supply for supplying power required for communication and printing, and a voltage warning generating means for issuing warning information when the supply voltage of the power supply is lower than a predetermined reference voltage. And characterized in that:

With this configuration of the present invention, when the apparatus becomes inoperable due to a voltage drop or is expected to become inoperable, the fact is notified by warning information, and the power supply is exchanged or charged. Operation can be prompted. If there is any uncompleted print, the communication unit asks the user whether to cancel the print. Further, such a mechanism can improve the operation rate and convenience of the present apparatus.

The invention according to claim 19 is a printing medium shortage warning generating means for issuing warning information when the number of printing media loaded for performing printing by the printing unit is less than a predetermined number. It is characterized by having.

With such a configuration of the present invention, when the print medium runs out or is expected to run out, the fact is notified by warning information, and the replenishment of the medium can be prompted. If there is any uncompleted print, the communication unit asks the user whether to cancel the print. Further, such a mechanism can improve the operation rate and convenience of the present apparatus. Here, the printing medium is typically printing paper. Further, the remaining amount is managed by an appropriate quantity according to the type of the supplied print medium. For example, in the case of cut paper, the shortage of print paper is detected based on the remaining number of sheets or the thickness when the remaining paper is overlapped, and in the case of roll paper, the remaining length or the remaining thickness in a roll state. . Further, the predetermined quantity that triggers a warning may be zero or a non-zero quantity.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printed matter delivery method using communication means, printing means, and moving means, wherein print request data and delivery destination identification information are received via the communication means. Then, by referring to the map information based on the delivery destination identification information, the location information of the delivery destination is obtained,
A moving plan is created based on the position information, the printing unit is moved to a delivery destination by a moving unit based on the moving plan, and a printed matter is created by the printing unit based on the print request data. The summary of the printed matter delivery method is as follows.

With such a configuration of the present invention, it is possible to deliver a printed matter according to a print request from a computer or a printed matter according to a received facsimile message to a destination. By delivering the printed matter by such a method, the user does not have to go to the place where the printing apparatus is installed to get the printed matter, and the work productivity in an office or the like can be improved.

According to a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pairs of print request data and delivery destination identification information are received via the communication means, and map information is generated based on the plurality of delivery destination identification information. The method is characterized in that positional information of a plurality of the delivery destinations is acquired by referring to the information, and a movement plan that sequentially passes through the plurality of delivery destinations is created.

With such a configuration of the present invention, it is possible to plan an efficient moving route and to deliver a printed matter to a plurality of delivery destinations with as little moving cost as possible. This makes it possible to handle multiple print requests simultaneously.
It is possible to reduce the time required for delivering the printed matter. This effect becomes even more pronounced when the delivery destinations are widely distributed.

[0052]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a computer network system using the mobile printer according to the embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 100 denotes a mobile printer.
Reference numeral 00 denotes a printer 101 (printing unit), a plurality of driving wheels 102 (wheels), and a plurality of side distance sensors 10 provided at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the side surface so that the distance to other objects can be measured.
3 (obstacle sensor) and a transmission / reception device 104 (data communication means) for performing wireless communication.

Reference numeral 111 denotes a LAN (local area network), 110 denotes a transmission / reception device connected to the LAN 111, and 120 denotes a plurality of computers capable of performing communication through the LAN 111. Transmission / reception device 110
Is a transmitting / receiving device 10 provided in the mobile printer 100.
4 can perform wireless communication, and functions as a gateway device that relays between the LAN 111 and the mobile printer 100. Accordingly, the computer 120
A print request is transmitted to the mobile printer 100 via the N111 and the transmission / reception device 110, and various related information can be transmitted / received.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the mobile printer according to the present embodiment. In this figure, reference numeral 141 denotes a print control server. The print control server 141 receives print request data and print request IDs (delivery destination information and computer identification information) from the application software running on the computer 120 via the transmission / reception devices 110 and 104, and based on them. Perform print control. The print data is temporarily stored in the print data spool 151S, and the print request management information is stored in the print request queue 1 for controlling the print order and the like.
Entered in 51Q.

Based on an instruction from the print control server 141, the movement planning module 142 (movement planning unit) reads out a print request ID from the print request queue 151Q, and stores a route map recorded in the map database 172 (map information). While referring to the print request ID and the location-related data,
Plan the printing order and travel route. The map database is recorded on a map information recording medium. The path planning module 142 receives the current position coordinates read from the compass unit 156 by the compass data reading module 146, and
Recognize the current position of 0.

The map database 172 includes map information on a range in which the mobile printer 100 moves, position information of each computer 120 to which a print request ID is allocated, a movement route of the mobile printer 100, and a movement cost thereof. Information is stored. A specific method of creating a movement plan will be described later.

In this example, the destination of the printed matter is the location of the computer of the print requester, and the print request ID uses an ID assigned to each computer 120. For example, when an IP (Internet Protocol) address is fixedly assigned to each computer 120, the IP address is assigned to the print request ID.
Can be used as In an environment where the IP address is dynamically allocated, the server that allocates the IP address dynamically supplies the information, or uses another appropriate ID associated with the location of the computer 120. I do.

Based on the signal from the movement planning module,
The steering control module 143 (direction control unit)
3 to change the direction of the steered wheels 131, and the motor control module 144 controls the motor 154 (wheel driving means) to drive the drive wheels 102. In this way, the mobile printer 100 sequentially prints while moving according to the movement plan, and delivers the printed matter to the computer of each requester.

As shown in FIG. 1, eight side distance sensors 103 are provided on the side surface of the movable printer 100 at equal angular intervals in plan view. By processing the information detected by 103 by the side distance control unit 155, the distance to an obstacle or the like in that direction can be measured. For example, an ultrasonic sensor is used as the distance sensor. The distance measuring sensor processing module 145 receives this information, and
Recognize how far the obstacle is in the direction.

The side distance sensor processing module 145 sends information on the distance to the obstacle to the steering measurement module 143.
When the obstacle is present in the traveling direction, the mobile printer 100 is decelerated or stopped under the control of the motor control module 144. Further, the steering control module 143 controls the steered wheels so as to avoid an obstacle based on information received from the side distance sensor processing module 145 and information read from the steering reference table 173 (direction reference table). The contents and functions of the steering reference table 173 will be described later.

Next, the operation procedure of the main modules of the mobile printer 100 will be described with reference to a flowchart. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of the print control server 141. Print control server 141
Waits for the arrival of a print request from the computer 120 or the notification from the movement planning module 142 indicating that printing has been started in the request arrival waiting state of step S11. In step S12, it is determined which of these events has arrived, and the process proceeds to a process according to the determination result.

If the print request has arrived from the computer 120, the print request ID is determined in step S13.
And print data, and clears the planned travel route once. Then, in step S14, the arrival of the print request is notified to the movement plan module 142.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the movement planning module 142. When receiving the print request arrival notification from the print control server 141 in the arrival waiting state in step S21, the movement plan module 142 determines in step S22 the print request queue 151Q.
Read the information entered in. Then, in step S23, a travel route plan is created based on the read information of the print request. At this time, the route cost is calculated by a method defined in advance, and a route that optimizes the route cost is planned.

Then, in step S24, the print request queue 1 in the delivery order based on the created travel route plan
In step S25, the print control server 141 is notified of print start OK. Then, in step S26, data of the current position coordinates of the own device is received from the compass data reading module 146, and a steering instruction is issued to the steering control module 143 based on the current position coordinates and the coordinates of the delivery destination to deliver the next printed matter. send.

Printing start O from the movement planning module 142
Upon receiving the notification of K, the print control server 141 outputs data from the printer device 101 using the data stored in the print data spool 151S in step S15 in FIG. 3 in accordance with the order shown in the print request queue 151Q. .

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the steering control module 143. In step S31, when the instruction of the turning angle is received from the movement planning module 142, in step S32, the data from the side distance sensor processing module 145 is received. When no obstacle is detected, the direction of the instruction angle received in step S37. The direction of the steered wheels is controlled so as to proceed.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the motor control module 144. When the motor control module 144 receives the data from the distance measuring sensor processing module 145 in step S41,
In step S44, the drive wheel 102 is driven by the motor 154 so as to move at a speed corresponding to the distance to the surrounding obstacle. When there is no obstacle around, a predetermined speed is set in step S43.

FIG. 7 shows the side distance sensor processing module 14.
6 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of No. 5. The side distance sensor processing module 145 sets 8 in step S51.
The process reads the distance information from the side distance sensor 103 in each direction, combines them in step S52 to create detection pattern data, and repeats the process of transmitting the information to the steering control module 143 in step S53.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation procedure of the compass data reading module 146. The compass data reading module 146 proceeds to step S6
In step S1, the data is read from the compass unit 156, and the process of transmitting the current position coordinates to the movement planning module 142 is repeated in step S62.

With the above operation, when the mobile printer 100 that performs printing and movement arrives at the place where the printed matter is to be delivered, the mobile printer 100 notifies the user of the arrival by signal sound or announcement sound. If the printout has already been completed at that time, the process stands by for a certain period of time on the spot until the printed matter is picked up. If the print output is not completed,
After the printing is completed, the apparatus stands by while stopping for a predetermined time.

If there are still more print requests in the print request queue 151Q, after the standby is completed, the mobile printer 1
00 starts moving toward the delivery destination while performing the next printout. When the print request in the print request queue 151Q becomes empty, the print request moves to the home position.

Here, the information stored in the map database 172 and a method of planning a moving route will be described.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a model of a movement route of the mobile printer 100. In this figure, the space of the moving range is shown by a graph, with the delivery destination location and other places of the mobile printed material as nodes, and the moving route between the nodes as links. Nodes A, B, C, D, E,
F is the location of the requesting computer, that is, the delivery location, and the other nodes r, s, t, and u are nodes that correspond to branch points on the route.

The numerical value shown along with the link is the route cost of the route. An example of a route cost is
The time required for movement on the route is used. Here, the illustrated graph does not have a link closed path. That is, a route from a certain node to another node is uniquely determined.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a method of expressing such route information on the map database 172. Here, for each link on the graph, the start node and end node of the link, the route cost, and various information related to the route are stored in a table format. However, in this example, since the link has no direction, the start node and the end node are not distinguished.

The method of creating a movement plan on a route is as follows. For example, it is assumed that the mobile printer 100 is located at the home position node t, at which time print requests from the nodes A, B, C, and D have arrived.

The first method of moving route planning is to make a moving route such that the route is delivered in ascending order of the route cost from the current position. In this case, the node A,
Path costs to B, C, and D are 4, 9, 1, respectively.
0, 15, so the delivery order is node ABCDC
Becomes Accordingly, the total route cost for completing the delivery to the node D, which is the final delivery destination, is 53, and 68 when including the route cost of returning to the node t, which is the home position. The feature of this method is that the procedure for determining the delivery order is simple and the processing can be performed in a short time.

The second method is to set a moving route such that, upon completion of delivery to each print request source node, the request source having the smallest route cost from that location is set as the next delivery destination. Also in this case, the request source having the minimum route cost from the current position is the node A, the undelivered request source having the minimum route cost from the node A is the node C, the node C
Since the undelivered request source having the minimum route cost is the node B, the delivery order is the node ABCD. Therefore, the route cost is the same as in the first method. A feature of this method is that the procedure for determining the delivery order is as simple as the first method, and the total route cost may be better than the above method.

The third method is that, in a route that circulates all the print request sources existing on the print request queue 151Q,
This is to make the moving route such that the total route cost is minimized. In this example, there are a plurality of routes with the minimum cost that go around all of A, B, C, and D. In one of them, the delivery order is the node CABD. In this case, the total route cost until the delivery to the final delivery destination node D is completed is 45, and the total route cost to return to the home position node t is 60. The feature of this method is that it always seeks the optimal route.

As another method, the print request queue 1
The order may be controlled so that the first registered print request among the print requests entered in 51Q is always printed first. A feature of this method is that there is no unfairness to the requester from a computer at a location remote from the printer because the printout and delivery are always in the order requested.

It is also possible to assign a priority to the print requests and control the order so that a print request having a higher priority is printed first. This makes it possible to quickly output and deliver urgent printed matter.

When a print request from a computer is generated without interruption, a request generated later is entered in a higher order, so that a lower-order print request may not be executed forever.
In order not to create such a situation, for example, for a print request that has passed a predetermined time or more after being received by the print control server 141, control may be performed to make the print order earlier.

Although the graph shown in FIG. 9 does not have a closed path, for example, as shown in FIG. 11, by allowing a path having a closed path, the cost of the delivery path can be reduced. You may be able to. The graph shown in FIG. 11 is provided with a link directly connecting the node A and the node D, and has a configuration including a closed path of the node AstuDDA. In such a route configuration, the home position from the node t to the node CA
When the delivery is performed in the order of -DB, the total route cost to complete the delivery to the node D is 49, and the total route cost to return to the home position node t is 54.

However, as the number of closed circuits increases, the amount of processing for graph search also becomes large. Therefore, in order to be able to plan a path with a realistic amount of processing, it is necessary to consider the route configuration in advance. There is.

Next, a method for avoiding a moving obstacle using the steering reference table will be described. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a table structure of the steering reference table 173. As described above, the mobile printer 100 has eight side distance sensors 1.
03 is provided, and each distance sensor 103 outputs whether or not there is a danger of contact with an obstacle by values of “1” and “0”, respectively. Therefore, a total of 256 (2
There are 8 side-by-side patterns. Each of the columns of the table shown in FIG. 12 is assigned a maximum of 256 patterns. In each row of the table, 72 steering angles are assigned from 0 degrees to 355 degrees in increments of 5 degrees.

At the intersection of each row and each column of the steering reference table 173, numerical data is recorded. The fact that this value is positive indicates that steering by the angle in the side-distance pattern has a low risk of collision based on the experience of this device. A negative value indicates that there is a high risk of collision.

As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5, when the side distance sensor detection pattern has arrived in step S33, the steering control module 143 refers to the steering reference table 173 in step S34. If the arrived pattern is not registered on the table in step S35, the pattern is newly registered in the steering reference table 173 in step S36, and a random angle is set to control the steered wheels.

The pattern is already in the steering reference table 1
If it is registered in step 73, in step S38, a turning angle is set such that the recorded numerical value is positive and the absolute value is minimum in the side distance pattern. here,
For example, a turning angle of 350 degrees means that the turning angle is -10.
This is the same as the degree, and “minimum absolute value” means that the turning angle is minimum in either positive or negative (left or right) direction.

In the steering reference table 173, numerical values are registered in advance by a process such as learning. A simulator equivalent to an actual mobile printer is prepared, and a movement simulation is performed in a virtual space where a plurality of obstacles are arranged. In this simulation, when a certain distance pattern is detected and the distance to the obstacle becomes equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, a random angle in the range of 0 to 355 degrees is selected in increments of 5 degrees, and the angle is selected. Steer. If the side distance sensor in the traveling direction after turning still indicates a distance equal to or smaller than the threshold value, “−1” is added to the corresponding portion of the turning reference table 173. In addition, if the obstacle with the distance equal to or less than the threshold value disappears due to the turning, “1” is added to the corresponding portion of the turning reference table 173. By performing such a simulation a sufficient number of times, the learned value can be held in the steering reference table 173.

The mobile printer 100 has a battery mounted thereon, and the battery supplies power necessary for communication processing and printing processing. The power supplied by the battery is also consumed as power for movement and energy required for various controls. It is preferable that this battery is as light as possible in order to reduce energy consumed when moving,
It is also preferable that stable power can be supplied for as long as possible. For example, a fuel cell that supplies hydrogen to react with oxygen in air to extract energy is used. As a power source required for the operation, a battery as described above may be used, a power generator may be mounted, or power may be supplied from a power outlet provided in a building through a cord.

When the voltage supplied by the power supply falls below a predetermined value, the function of the voltage warning generating means provided in the mobile printer 100 causes a warning sound or an audio announcement to be made on the spot, and the battery to be output. Ask for replacement or charging. Alternatively, a warning message may be transmitted to the administrator using the transmission / reception device 104. At this time, if a print request remains in the print request queue 151Q, the print control server 141 transmits a message notifying that the printed matter cannot be delivered to the requesting computer 120. The computer 120 displays a message to that effect on its own screen, and prompts the user to continue processing or cancel the print request on the spot when the voltage is restored and operation becomes possible. I do.

The mobile printer 100 is provided with a paper feeding mechanism, and performs a moving and printing process while loading printing paper (printing medium). When the print paper runs out or when the remaining paper falls below a predetermined amount, the function of the print medium shortage warning generation means is provided to emit a warning sound or make an audio announcement on the spot. Try to replenish the paper. Alternatively, a message urging refilling of paper may be transmitted to the administrator or to the computer 120 of the request source using the transmission / reception device 104.

In the above-described embodiment, the location of the computer that issued the print request is the destination of the output printed matter, but a location different from the location of the requesting computer is designated as the destination. You may be able to. In this case, the delivery destination is specified using other identification information instead of the ID of the requesting computer. As a result, for example, it is possible to directly deliver a printed matter to a conference room, or to deliver a printed matter directly to a reader's seat.

In the above embodiment, the mobile printer 1
00 prints based on a print output request from a computer, but instead, a received facsimile message may be printed and automatically delivered to a destination. Further, it may have both functions of output from a computer and facsimile reception output. Such a mobile printer is provided with a facsimile communication function (facsimile communication means).

The delivery destination of the printed facsimile message may always be a fixed place.

A mark sheet reading function (mark recognizing means) is provided in the mobile printer 100, and a destination designation mark in a destination designation area laid out at a predetermined position on a facsimile header page is read, so that a delivery destination can be obtained. May be determined.

The mobile printer 100 is provided with a character reading function (character recognizing means) for reading a destination name, a destination address, and the like entered in a destination entry field laid out at a predetermined position on a facsimile header page. May be used to determine the location of the delivery destination.

Further, the facsimile communication function may accommodate and handle a plurality of telephone numbers, and determine a delivery destination according to a destination telephone number at the time of an incoming call.

In the above-described embodiment, the printer is moved by the driving wheels driven by the motor and the steering wheels having the steering mechanism. However, the moving means is not limited to such a form, and the moving means is controlled by any power source. It may be a form that moves on a track by wheels, a thing that floats and moves, a thing that moves by an endless track, a thing that moves by a cableway, or a thing that moves by moving a provided leg.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing one example of such a moving means and showing a basic structure of a legged mobile robot having two legs. In this figure, reference numerals 13L, 13
R, 14L, and 14R are parts that constitute the legs. Also, 5, 6, 7L, 7R, 8L, 8R, 9L, 9R, 1
0L, 10R, 11L, 11R, 12L, and 12R are joints, respectively. This robot can perform rotational movement about the axis of these joints by means of joint driving means such as a motor, and moves in a form similar to human walking by a combination of such movements. Also,
The direction control unit controls the joint driving means to change the traveling direction of walking. The walking control of the robot having the structure shown in FIG. 13 is described in JP-A-7-205070 by the same applicant as the present invention.

By providing the various components of the present invention to the legged mobile robot having such a structure, a mobile printer can be realized. By adopting such a leg-type movement method, it is possible to move up and down stairs, and to move across uneven portions of the floor surface and obstacles, etc. There is an advantage that the degree of freedom of movement is increased.

[0101]

As described above, according to the present invention, information for identifying a delivery destination and map information indicating the position of each delivery destination are referred to, and based on the position information obtained in this manner. Therefore, the mobile printer can deliver the printed matter to the destination of the destination. As a result, the user does not have to go to the place where the printer is installed to obtain the printed material, and the user's work productivity is improved.

Further, according to the present invention, since the mobile printer performs the delivery of the printed matter while efficiently traveling to a plurality of delivery destinations, there is an effect that the time required for the movement can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, the mobile printer includes the obstacle sensor, measures the distance to the obstacle existing in the traveling direction, reduces the traveling speed in accordance with the distance, and sets the direction reference table. And moving while avoiding obstacles by turning at an angle as small as possible in accordance with the pattern detected by the obstacle sensor, it is possible to move safely in an operating environment.

Further, according to the present invention, since the mobile printer moves by walking using the articulated legs, it can move over uneven portions of the floor surface or move up and down stairs. This has the effect that the movable range can be increased.

Further, according to the present invention, the mobile printer detects a drop in the power supply voltage or a shortage of the printing paper and issues warning information to notify the user of such a situation. It can be communicated to the administrator and encouraged to take a countermeasure. In addition, when an uncompleted print remains, the user can select whether or not to cancel the print. Thereby, there is an effect that the operation rate and convenience of the mobile printer are improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of a computer network system using a mobile printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a print control server of the mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a movement planning module of the mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a steering control module of the mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of the motor control module of the mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a side distance sensor processing module of the mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation procedure of a compass data reading module of the mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a model of a movement route of the mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a table of route information held in a map database of the mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a model of a movement route of the mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a structure of a steering reference table of the mobile printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a basic structure of a moving means by biped walking of the mobile printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

5, 6, 7L, 7R, 8L, 8R, 9L, 9R, 10
L, 10R, 11L, 11R, 12L, 12R Joint 100 Mobile printer 101 Printer device 102 Drive wheel 103 Distance sensor 104 Transceiver device 110 Transceiver device 111 LAN (Local Area Network) 120 Computer 131 Steering wheel 141 Print control server 142 Move Planning module 143 Steering control module 144 Motor control module 145 Distance measuring sensor processing module 172 Map database 173 Steering reference table

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI theme coat ゛ (reference) 9A001 F term (reference) 2C032 HB05 HB25 HD03 HD18 2C055 EE00 2C061 AP01 AP03 AP10 5C053 FA04 JA21 JA24 JA30 KA05 KA24 LA03 LA11 LA14 LA20 5H301 AA02 AA10 BB05 CC06 CC10 DD01 DD17 GG07 GG11 KK02 KK16 LL01 LL02 LL06 LL11 9A001 BZ04 HH34 HZ19 JJ35

Claims (21)

[Claims] 1. A data communication means for receiving a print request from a computer and a delivery destination information on a delivery destination of a printed material based on the print request, a printing unit for performing printing based on the print request, the delivery destination information and the delivery And a movement planning unit that plans a movement route to the delivery destination based on map information indicating a destination position. 2. The mobile printer according to claim 1, wherein the delivery destination is the computer that issues the print request, and the delivery destination information is identification information of the computer that issues the print request. . 3. The data communication unit according to claim 1, wherein the data communication unit receives the map information, and the movement planning unit acquires the map information from the data communication unit. Mobile printer. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the movement planning unit plans a movement route based on a plurality of delivery destination information respectively corresponding to the plurality of print requests. Mobile printer. 5. The mobile printer according to claim 1, wherein the movement planning unit plans a movement route based on a priority order of the plurality of print requests. 6. The mobile printer according to claim 1, wherein the data communication unit is a wireless communication unit. 7. A facsimile communication means for receiving a signal modulated by an original image and demodulating the signal to obtain a reproduced image, a printing unit for printing a reproduced image obtained by the facsimile communication function, and the facsimile communication A travel planning unit that plans a travel route to the delivery destination based on delivery destination information extracted from the information received by the means and map information indicating the location of the delivery destination. Printer. 8. A mark recognition means for recognizing a mark included in the reproduced image, extracting delivery destination information based on the recognition result, and transferring the delivery destination information to the movement planning unit. The mobile printer according to claim 7, wherein: 9. Recognizing a character included in the reproduced image,
9. The mobile printer according to claim 7, further comprising character recognition means for extracting delivery destination information based on the recognition result and transferring the delivery destination information to the movement planning unit. 10. The facsimile communication means receives the signal via a telephone network, accommodates a plurality of telephone numbers,
Determining delivery destination information based on the telephone number of the called party;
The mobile printer according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the delivery destination information is passed to the movement planning unit. 11. The moving planning unit according to claim 7, wherein the moving planning unit plans a moving route based on a plurality of delivery destination information respectively corresponding to the plurality of reproduced images. Mobile printer. 12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a map information recording medium on which the map information is recorded, wherein the movement planning unit acquires the map information by reading the map information recording medium. The mobile printer according to any one of the above. 13. The mobile printer according to claim 1, further comprising moving means for moving according to a moving route planned by said moving planning unit. 14. The mobile printer according to claim 13, wherein said moving means includes three or more wheels and wheel driving means for driving said wheels. 15. The mobile printer according to claim 14, wherein the moving unit includes a direction control unit that controls a direction by steering at least one of the wheels. 16. The moving means includes a leg having a plurality of joints, a joint driving means for driving the joints, and a direction control unit for controlling a direction of movement by controlling the joint driving means. The mobile printer according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein 17. The direction control unit, comprising: an obstacle sensor that measures a distance to the obstacle; and a direction reference table that records information about a traveling direction according to a pattern of a signal from the obstacle sensor. Controlling a direction based on the signal from the obstacle sensor and information read from the direction reference table.
7. The mobile printer according to 6. 18. A power supply for supplying power required for communication and printing, and voltage warning generating means for generating warning information when a supply voltage of the power supply is equal to or lower than a predetermined reference voltage. The mobile printer according to claim 1. 19. A printing medium shortage warning generating means for issuing warning information when the number of printing media stacked for performing printing by the printing unit is equal to or less than a predetermined number. 19. The mobile printer according to any one of claims 18 to 18. 20. A printed matter delivery method using a communication unit, a printing unit, and a moving unit, comprising: receiving print request data and delivery destination identification information via the communication unit; Obtaining the location information of the delivery destination by referring to the map information, creating a movement plan based on the location information, and moving the printing means to the location of the delivery destination by the movement means based on the movement plan; A printed matter delivery method, wherein a printed matter is created by the printing means based on print request data. 21. A method for receiving a plurality of pairs of print request data and delivery destination identification information via the communication means and referring to map information based on the plurality of delivery destination identification information, thereby providing a plurality of delivery destinations. 21. The printed matter delivery method according to claim 20, wherein the position information is acquired, and a movement plan is created so as to sequentially pass through the plurality of delivery destinations.