GB2415278A - Suppressing unnecessary warning messages in a printing system - Google Patents
Suppressing unnecessary warning messages in a printing system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2415278A GB2415278A GB0413480A GB0413480A GB2415278A GB 2415278 A GB2415278 A GB 2415278A GB 0413480 A GB0413480 A GB 0413480A GB 0413480 A GB0413480 A GB 0413480A GB 2415278 A GB2415278 A GB 2415278A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- data
- manufacturer
- printer
- monitor
- identifying
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status 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 status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
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
- G06F3/121—Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
- B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
- B41J2/01—Ink jet
- B41J2/17—Ink jet characterised by ink handling
- B41J2/175—Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
- B41J2/17503—Ink cartridges
- B41J2/17543—Cartridge presence detection or type identification
- B41J2/17546—Cartridge presence detection or type identification electronically
-
- 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
- G06F3/1237—Print job management
- G06F3/1238—Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
-
- 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
- G06F3/1237—Print job management
- G06F3/1239—Restricting the usage of resources, e.g. usage or user levels, credit limit, consumables, special fonts
-
- 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
- G06F3/1284—Local printer device
Landscapes
- 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)
Abstract
A monitor program 30 checks for the transfer of data from a printer 3 identifying a cartridge manufacturer and modifies the data if it does not correspond to data identifying a pre-determined manufacturer expected by the status monitor 28, so that data identifying the predetermined manufacturer is passed to and stored in a registry 27. In this way when a compatible printer cartridge 7 which is not manufactured by the predetermined manufacturer is utilised in the printer 3, the generation of an unnecessary warning message by the status monitor 28 checking the registry 27 is prevented.
Description
24 1 5278
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPRESSING
UNNECESSARY WARNING MESSAGES
The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for suppressing unnecessary warning messages. In particular, the present invention concerns the suppression of unnecessary warning messages relating to printers.
When using certain types of printer such as printers based on piezo electric ejection of ink, it is lO important that a printer head is not activated when there is no ink available to eject. This is because activating the head in the absence of ink can cause damage to the printer head. In order to prevent such damage, printer manufacturers provide ink jet cartridges incorporating smart chips which monitor the levels of ink in an ink cartridge. When the level of ink falls below a critical level, the smart chip generates a signal which is sent to the computer activating the printer. This signal informs the computer that the cartridge is out of ink and the printer driver within the memory of the computer then halts printing until the ink cartridge has been replaced.
It has been suggested by certain printer manufacturers that in addition to problems arising when an ink cartridge has run out of ink, damage to a print head may occur when the ink used does not correspond to the manufacturer's own ink composition. To avoid this problem, the smart chips provided on these manufacturers' ink cartridges have been modified so as to send a signal to a printer driver to confirm that a printer cartridge being used in a printer has been manufactured by the printer manufacturer and therefore contains the approved ink type. If the printer driver fails to receive this signal, a warning message is displayed to a user informing them that the ink cartridge they are currently using is not one of the manufacturer's own ink cartridges.
Although the generation of warning messages when inappropriate ink is being utilised can be helpful, as the printer driver checks only for the presence of a signal representing manufacturers' own ink cartridges, the warning mechanism can be inappropriately triggered when a user chooses to use ink cartridges compatible with their printer which are manufactured by other companies even though the ink included in such cartridges may not differ from the manufacturer's own ink.
Further more, some printer manufacturers have modified their printer drivers so that rather than the printer driver interrogating the smart chip on a cartridge once during each individual print job, the printer driver checks whether the smart chip indicates that the cartridge being used is the manufacturer's own cartridge after each individual page has been printed.
If this is not the case, printing is interrupted and a warning message displayed which requires the user to confirm they wish to continue. Due to the inappropriate generation of warning messages, a user is therefore faced with a choice of either purchasing and utilising a manufacturer's own ink cartridges or alternatively having to confirm that the print job should be continued after each individual page.
In the majority of cases where a user is utilising a reputable alternative cartridge to the manufacturer's own cartridges, all of these generated warning messages are unnecessary. The need for a user to continually confirm that they wish to proceed with a print job effects the ease of use of a printer.
Further the repeated display of inappropriate warnings may erroneously persuade a user that it is essential to use the manufacturer's own ink cartridges when this is in fact not the case.
For these reasons, it is desirable to provide a printing system in which any compatible ink cartridge can be utilised and in which erroneous error messages are not generated.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a printing system comprising: means for reading data indicative of the manufacturer of an ink cartridge from an ink cartridge; means for transferring data read by said reading means into a data store; and a status monitor operable to monitor data stored in said data store and to generate a warning message if said stored data is not indicative of a cartridge manufactured by a predetermined manufacturer, characterized by further comprising a monitor program operable to monitor for the transfer of data from said reading means to said data store indicative of the manufacturer of an ink cartridge and responsive to determining that such data is being transferred to modify the data being transferred so as to cause data identifying said predetermined manufacturer to be stored in said data store.
List of Figures Further aspects and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a printing system incorporating a monitor program in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a flow diagram of the processing performed by the monitor program of Figure 1.
Specific Description
Referring to Figure 1, a computer 1 is shown which is connected to a display 2 and printer 3. The printer 3 includes a smart chip reader 5 which is arranged to read a smart chip included as part of a printer cartridge 7 when the printer cartridge 7 is inserted into the printer 3. The computer 1 comprises a micro processor 10 and a memory 11. The memory is configured by computer software read from a data storage medium such as a disk or alternatively by being downloaded from the Internet so as to become configured into a number of functional blocks. As will be described in detail, one of these functional blocks is configured so as to prevent inappropriate generation of error messages.
More specifically, in this embodiment, the conventional functional blocks comprise an application program 20 such as a word processor program arranged to generate computer files which a user may wish to print out; a printer driver 22 for converting documents generated by the application program 20 into a printer language such as postscript or ESC-P/2, a language monitor 23 for determining the language being generated by the printer driver 22, a USB port monitor 24 for monitoring and ensuring the smooth flow of data from the language monitor 23, and a USB driver 25 arranged to transmit and receive data to and from the printer 3.
In addition to passing data between the printer driver 22 and the USB driver 25, the language monitor 23 is also arranged to store status data in a registry 27. A status monitor 28 is then provided which monitors the content of the registry 27 and generates display data which causes a user interface to be displayed on the display 2 in response to data being stored in the registry 27. By monitoring the content of the registry 27 the status monitor 28 is therefore able to cause a user interface display to be shown which indicates the progress or any problems which arise during printing a document using the printer 3. Further the status monitor 28 is also arranged to interact with the printer driver 22 to halt or pause printing if the status monitor 28 determines that a problem has occurred which means that this is necessary.
In contrast to a conventional printing system in which the language monitor 23 is connected directly to the USB port monitor 24, in accordance with the present invention a further monitor program 30 is stored within the memory 11 of the computer 1. This monitor program 30 is arranged so as to be interposed between the USB port monitor 24 and the language monitor 23 and to monitor and amend data as it is passed between the USB port monitor 24 and the language monitor 23.
Prior to describing the processing of the monitor program 30 in detail, the transfer of data in a conventional system in which the language monitor 23 and the USB port monitor 24 are directly connected will first be described.
In such a conventional system when a user wishes a document to be printed, the user inputs instructions into the application program 20 which causes the application program 20 to invoke the printer driver 22. The printer driver 22 then sends a signal via the language monitor 23 and the USB port monitor 24 and the USB driver 25 to the smart chip reader 5 of the printer 3, requesting that the smart chip reader 5 checks that the printer cartridge 7 within the printer 3 includes ink. Additionally the smart chip reader 5 may also be asked to output data identifying the manufacturer of the printer cartridge 7 currently within the printer 3. The output data is then transferred back via the USB driver 25, USB port monitor 24 to the language monitor 23. The language monitor 23 then causes this data to be stored in the registry 27.
At the same time, the status monitor 28 monitors the content of the registry 27. If the status monitor 28 determines that data identifying that the printer is out of ink has been stored, a warning message is generated and displayed on the display 2. The status monitor 28 also then transmits a signal to the printer driver 22 to prevent printing until a new printer cartridge has been inserted in the printer 3.
Additionally certain printer manufacturers have modified their status monitor 28 so as to cause the status monitor 28 to generate a warning message and a signal to stop printing if the data within the registry 27 identifies that the identified manufacturer of the print cartridge 7 is not the manufacturer of the printer 3.
In accordance with the present invention however, instead of the USB port monitor 24 transferring data directly to the language monitor 23, data from the USB port monitor 24 is passed to the monitor program 30.
Figure 2 is a flow diagram of the processing of the monitor program 3 0. The monitor program 30 is initially arranged to check (S2-1) all data as it flows from the USB port monitor program 24 to the language monitor 23. Whenever data flows from the USB port monitor 24 to the language monitor 23, the monitor program 3 O determines whether the data being passed between the USB port monitor 24 and the language monitor 23 is data identifying a cartridge manufacturer (S2-2). If this is not the case, the monitor program 30 takes no action and merely conveys the data received from the USB port monitor 24 to the language monitor 23. The monitor program 30 then continues to check (S2-1) for any further data which is being passed from the USB port monitor 24 to the language monitor 23.
When (S2-2) the monitor program 30 determines that data identifying the manufacturer of the printer cartridge 7 is being passed from the USB port monitor 24 to the language monitor 23, instead of passing this data directly to the language monitor 23 the monitor program 30 modifies (S2-3) this data so that it corresponds to the form expected by the status monitor 28 for a printer cartridge manufactured by a predetermined printer manufacturer. This modified data is then passed by the language monitor 23 to the registry 27.
When the status module 28 then checks the content of the registry 27, the status monitor 28 then does not proceed to generate a warning message as the content of the registry 27 will indicate to the status monitor 28 that the printer's manufacturer own cartridge is being used. Thus a user is able to utilise cartridges made by other manufacturers without the status monitor 28 continually generating unnecessary warning message.
The provision of the monitoring program 30 therefore increases the functionality of the printing system when other manufacturers' printer cartridges 7 are used and hence increases the choice available to a user as to the source from which they purchase printer cartridges 7. Such additional ease of use is achieved without making any modifications to any other elements of the computer program stored within the memory ll of the computer l other than causing the language monitor 23 and the USB port monitor 24 to pass data via the monitor program 30 rather than directly between one and another.
It will be appreciated that the monitor program 30 could utilise any conventional means to identify the data being transferred between the USB port monitor 24 and the language monitor 23 as being data relating to a manufacturer of a cartridge. Thus for example the monitor program 30 could store a template for such data and identify whenever a match between data being passed between the USB port monitor 24 and the language monitor 23 corresponded to the template for manufacturer data. Embodiments of the present invention could be arranged to alter all items of data identifying printer manufacturers. Alternatively, the monitor program could check the data being transferred against a pre stored list to confirm that the manufacturer was approved and only modify the data if the manufacturer was determined to be an approved manufacturer.
Similarly the monitor program 30 could utilise any conventional means for modifying this identified data so as to correspond to data for a specific manufacturer. Thus for example, the monitor program 30 could store data corresponding to the pre determined manufacturer and overwrite the manufacturer data received from the USB port monitor 24 with the pre stored data.
Although the embodiments of the invention described with reference to the drawings comprise computer apparatus and processes performed in computer apparatus, the invention also extends to computer programs, particularly computer programs on or in a carrier, adapted for putting the invention into practice. The program may be in the form of source or object code or in any other form suitable for use in the implementation of the processes according to the invention. The carrier can be any entity or device capable of carrying the program.
For example, the carrier may comprise a storage medium, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a semiconductor ROM, or a magnetic recording medium, for example a floppy disc or hard disk. Further, the carrier may be a transmissible carrier such as an electrical or optical signal which may be conveyed via electrical or optical cable or by radio or other means.
When a program is embodied in a signal which may be conveyed directly by a cable or other device or means, the carrier may be constituted by such cable or other device or means.
Alternatively, the carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is embedded, the integrated circuit being adapted for performing, or for use in the performance of, the relevant processes.
Claims (8)
1. A printing system comprising: a printer operable to receive ink cartridges, said printer including means for reading data indicative of the manufacturer of an ink cartridge from an ink cartridge inserted in said printer; and a computer including: transfer means for transferring data read from an ink cartridge into a data store; a status monitor operable to monitor data stored within said data store and to generate a warning message if data is stored which is not indicative of a cartridge manufactured by a predetermined manufacturer; and a monitor program operable to monitor the transfer of data by said transfer means and responsive to determining that data identifying a manufacturer of a cartridge is being transferred to modify the data being transferred to replace said data with data identifying said predetermined manufacturer prior to said data being stored in said data store.
2. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said monitor program comprises: means for identifying data corresponding to data identifying a manufacturer; and update means for updating said data being transferred so as to replace data not identifying said predetermined manufacturer with data identifying said predetermined manufacturer.
3. A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said update means includes a lookup table storing data identifying said predetermined manufacturer.
4. A computable readable medium storing computer implementable instructions for causing a programmable computer to become configured to include a monitor program for the use in a system in accordance with any of claims 1-3.
5. A computable readable medium in accordance with claim 4 comprising an electrical signal in a communications network.
6. A computable readable medium in accordance with claim 4 comprising a computer disk.
7. A computer disk in accordance with claim 6 comprising a magneto, optical or magneto optical disk.
8. A method of printing comprising the steps of: storing data identifying a cartridge manufacturer in a smart chip on an ink cartridge; inserting said ink cartridge into a printer; transmitting a signal to said printer requesting the output of data identifying said stored data; monitoring the transmission of data from said printer to identify when data identifying a printer manufacturer output in response to a request is being transmitted; and responding to the identification of the transmission of data not identifying a predetermined manufacturer by replacing said data with data identifying said pre determined manufacturer.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0413480A GB2415278A (en) | 2004-06-16 | 2004-06-16 | Suppressing unnecessary warning messages in a printing system |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0413480A GB2415278A (en) | 2004-06-16 | 2004-06-16 | Suppressing unnecessary warning messages in a printing system |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0413480D0 GB0413480D0 (en) | 2004-07-21 |
| GB2415278A true GB2415278A (en) | 2005-12-21 |
Family
ID=32750025
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0413480A Withdrawn GB2415278A (en) | 2004-06-16 | 2004-06-16 | Suppressing unnecessary warning messages in a printing system |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2415278A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2499043A (en) * | 2012-02-06 | 2013-08-07 | Ebp Group Ltd | Modification of a printer user interface |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP1190859A2 (en) * | 2000-09-19 | 2002-03-27 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Optional mountable element and ink cartridge |
-
2004
- 2004-06-16 GB GB0413480A patent/GB2415278A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP1190859A2 (en) * | 2000-09-19 | 2002-03-27 | Seiko Epson Corporation | Optional mountable element and ink cartridge |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2499043A (en) * | 2012-02-06 | 2013-08-07 | Ebp Group Ltd | Modification of a printer user interface |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB0413480D0 (en) | 2004-07-21 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |