JP2000200160A - Recorder and control method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To send back status data even in a condition where a host computer cannot make setting of a reply item. SOLUTION: This recorder is provided with a bidirectional interface for sending back the status data in reply to a status request from the outside. When power is supplied, activation is performed in a step S11 and a prescribed reply item decided beforehand is set in a RAM in the step S12. Then, by the steps S13, S15 and S16, at the time of receiving the status request from the outside, the status data are generated for the reply item set in the RAM and outputted. The reply item inside the RAM is updated from the host computer by the step S13 and S14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a control method thereof. In particular, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus that returns status data in response to a status request from the outside and a control method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a recording apparatus which returns status data indicating its own status in response to a status request input from a host computer or the like. In the communication relating to such status data, first, a reply item for setting an item to be returned in response to the status request in the recording device is set. Thereafter, when there is a status request, the recording apparatus sets a reply item according to the information of the set reply item. Then, data corresponding to the set reply item is returned to the host computer as status data.

[0003]

Therefore, the recording apparatus is
After turning on the power, until a reply item to the status request is received from the host computer and the item to be returned is set in the recording device, the status data cannot be returned even if the status request is received.

As described above, the reply of the status data is
This cannot be performed until the host computer sets items to be returned to the recording device after the recording device is turned on. For this reason, if the recording device becomes busy before the host computer sets the reply item at power-on, the recording device cannot notify the host computer of the current state. For example,
If the ink cartridge is not mounted or the printer body cover is open when the power is turned on, such a situation occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has a recording apparatus capable of returning status data even in a situation where the host computer cannot set a reply item, and a recording apparatus therefor. It is an object to provide a control method.

[0006]

A recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object has, for example, the following configuration. That is, in response to a status request from the outside, an output unit that outputs status information for a reply item set and held in a memory, and a predetermined reply item is set and held in the memory during an initial operation of the recording apparatus. Initial setting means.

A method for controlling a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object includes, for example, the following steps. That is, in response to a status request from the outside, an output step of outputting status information for a reply item set and held in the memory, and at the time of an initial operation of the recording apparatus, a predetermined reply item is set and held in the memory. And an initial setting step.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention can be applied. In the figure, a lead screw 5005 rotates via driving force transmission gears 5011 and 5009 in conjunction with forward and reverse rotation of a driving motor 5013. The carriage HC has a pin (not shown) that engages with the spiral groove 5005 of the lead screw 5004, and the arrow a,
It is reciprocated in the direction b. An ink jet cartridge IJC is mounted on the carriage HC.

Reference numeral 5002 denotes a paper pressing plate which presses the paper against the platen 5000 in the moving direction of the carriage. Reference numerals 5007 and 5008 denote home position detecting means for confirming the presence of the lever 5006 of the carriage in this area and switching the rotation direction of the motor 5013. A member 5016 supports a cap member 5022 for capping the front surface of the recording head. Reference numeral 5015 denotes a suction unit that suctions the inside of the cap, and performs suction recovery of the recording head through the opening 5023 in the cap. 5017 is a cleaning blade.
Reference numeral 019 denotes a member which allows the blade to move in the front-rear direction, and these members are supported by the main body support plate 5018. It goes without saying that the blade is not limited to this form and a known cleaning blade can be applied to this example. or,
Reference numeral 5021 denotes a lever for starting suction for suction recovery. The lever 5021 moves with the movement of the cam 5020 that engages with the carriage, and the driving force from the driving motor is controlled by a known transmission means such as clutch switching. .

The capping, cleaning, and suction recovery are configured so that desired operations can be performed at the corresponding positions by the action of the lead screw 5004 when the carriage comes to the area on the home position side. If a desired operation is performed at a timing, any of the examples can be applied.

Next, a control configuration for executing the recording control of the above-described apparatus will be described with reference to a block diagram shown in FIG. In the figure showing the control circuit, 1700
Is an interface for inputting a recording signal, and 1701 is M
A PU 1702 is a program ROM for storing a control program executed by the MPU 1701, and 1703 is various data (the above-described recording signal and recording data supplied to the head).
RAM (hereinafter referred to as DRA)
M). Reference numeral 1704 denotes a gate array that controls supply of print data to the print head 1708, and includes an interface 1700, an MPU 1701, and a RAM 1703.
It also controls data transfer between them. 1710 is a recording head 17
Reference numeral 1709 denotes a transport motor for transporting recording paper. Reference numeral 1705 denotes a head driver for driving the head, and reference numerals 1706 and 1707 denote motor drivers for driving the transport motor 1709 and the carrier motor 1710, respectively.

The operation of the above control configuration will be described. When a recording signal enters the interface 1700, the gate array 1
The recording signal is converted into recording data for printing between the 704 and the MPU 1701. And the motor driver 1
The printheads 706 and 1707 are driven, and the printhead is driven according to the print data sent to the head driver 1705 to perform printing.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration relating to communication with the host computer of the ink jet recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, a control unit 101 of the inkjet printing apparatus includes an arithmetic and control unit 102 for controlling the entire printing apparatus, a ROM 103 for storing various information, a RAM 104, a status data reply item setting unit 105, and information with a host computer. It has a bidirectional communication interface 106 for inputting and outputting data. It should be noted that the status data reply item setting unit 105 and the calculation / control unit 102 are implemented by the MPU 1701 of FIG.
By executing the control program stored in the. The ROM 103 is the ROM 17 shown in FIG.
02, and the RAM 104 stores the DRA shown in FIG.
Part of M1703.

Reference numeral 200 denotes a host computer, which transmits a print job to the ink jet recording apparatus. Note that the host computer 200 issues a status request as necessary, and attempts to collect status information of the inkjet recording apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of status data items and transition states held by the recording apparatus of the present embodiment. In this embodiment, when the host computer sets a reply status to the recording apparatus, the host computer 200 transmits an ASCII code (hereinafter, referred to as an item code) of a label (JOB, ERROR, WARNING) representing an item. . Then, the recording apparatus stores the received item code in the RAM 104. When the recording apparatus returns status data to the host computer 200, the format is [item label]: [state label] (eg, ERROR).
R: PARER) ASCII code (hereinafter, referred to as R)
Status code).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing processing relating to communication of status information of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment. The processing described below is executed by the arithmetic and control unit 102, which is executed by the MPU 1701 in the ROM 17.
02 is executed by executing the control program stored in the control program 02.

When the power of the recording apparatus is turned on, the recording apparatus is started in step S11.
In step S12, the status data reply item setting unit 105 sets the initial contents of the reply item in the RAM 104.

When the reply item is set in the RAM 104,
The recording apparatus monitors its own operation state and sets a corresponding state for each reply item set in the RAM 104. For example, E is stored in the RAM 104 as one of the reply items.
If RROR is set and an error relating to the cartridge is detected, a status label “CARTRG” is set for the item label “ERROR” (see FIG. 4).

In step S13, it is determined whether or not reply item setting data has been received from host computer 200. If the reply item setting data has not been received, the process proceeds to step S15, and if it has been received, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the setting of the reply item set in the RAM 104 is updated according to the received data, and then the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, it is determined whether status data has been requested from the host computer. If required,
Status data is generated in accordance with the reply items set in the RAM 104 and returned to the host computer 200.

As described above, the items of status data to be returned to the host computer are set in advance by the recording apparatus itself when the power is turned on. As described above, since the status data items to be returned are set in advance by the recording device itself, it is not possible for the host computer to set the reply items, for example, when the recording device becomes busy immediately after power-on. Even in a possible situation, it is possible to return status data from the recording device.

With respect to the processing described with reference to FIG. 5, an example of a specific operation of the recording apparatus of the present embodiment when an error occurs during the startup processing will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a process when an error occurs during the startup process. In addition,
In this example, the items set at the time of startup are JOB and ERROR among the items shown in FIG. The operation of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to these drawings.

First, in step S1, the recording apparatus is turned on. After the power is turned on, the recording apparatus enters a startup process in step S2 (step S11 in FIG. 5). At this time,
JOB and ERROR are set as initial reply items by the status data reply item setting unit 105 as reply items, and are stored in the RAM 104 (step S1 in FIG. 5).
2).

Thereafter, the arithmetic / control unit 102 monitors the state of the recording apparatus itself, and records the state value shown in FIG. 4 for each reply item set in the RAM 104. For example, FIG. 6 shows a case where a cartridge error (for example, a cartridge is not mounted) is found during the startup process. In this case, step S in FIG.
In FIG. 3, according to FIG. 4, the operation / control unit 102 sets a status value relating to the set reply item. Here, [JOB: IDLE] and [ERROR: CRTR
G] is set in the RAM 104 (step S in FIG. 5).
13). In step S4, the arithmetic / control unit 102 monitors a status data request from the host computer, and if there is a status data request, proceeds to step S5 (step S14). While there is no status request, the status of the recording device is checked, and the status of the reply item is updated as necessary.

When there is a status request and the process proceeds to step S5, the arithmetic and control unit 102 returns JOB and ERROR set in the RAM 14 through the interface 106 (steps S14 and S1 in FIG. 5).
6). In this flowchart, after that, step S6
Then, the error is released and the status reply item can be set from the host computer. Then, in step S7, JOB, ERROR, and WARNING are transmitted from the host computer as reply item setting information. The transmitted reply item is stored in the RAM 104 by the status data reply item setting unit 105 (steps S14 and S15 in FIG. 5). That is, RAM
Initial reply items JOB, ERR held in 104
From OR, new reply items JOB, ERROR, WAR
Updated to NING. Therefore, after the end of step S7, if there is a request for status data from the host computer, WARNIN is added in addition to JOB and ERROR.
G will also reply.

In the above procedure, the status of the recording device is monitored, and the status of the content set as a reply item in the RAM 104 is recorded. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, status values obtained as monitoring results are stored for all items that can be set as reply items, and when sending status data in step S16, the status values of the items set as reply items are extracted. May be transmitted.

In the above-described embodiment, the timing when the power is turned on is shown as the timing at which the initial reply items are set in the RAM 104. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
04 may be set for the initial reply item.

Although the above embodiment has been described using a printing apparatus that performs ink-jet printing as a printing mode, other printing modes, such as thermal printing and printing using a laser beam system or the like as a printing device, are used. It may be a device.

Generally, "setting of status reply item" and "status request" are separate operations, and the host computer sets the reply item in advance in the recording device. Then, the recording device receiving the status request,
Returns status information to the host computer according to the set reply items. However, in general, when the recording apparatus becomes busy, data transmission from the host computer to the recording apparatus becomes impossible, and it becomes impossible to set a reply item to the recording apparatus. Therefore, if an error such as a cartridge error, a paper jam, or a cover open is detected (for example, these errors are detected when the power is turned on) before setting the reply item, the recording device becomes busy and the reply item is set. Cannot be set, and a reply to the status request cannot be made. On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, even if the reply item cannot be set while the reply item by the host computer is not set, the status information (the initially set reply item Corresponding status information). The status request can be accepted by operating the signal line even when the recording apparatus is busy, and data transmission (status information transmission) from the recording apparatus to the host computer is also possible.

The present invention can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, etc.), but it can be applied to a single device (for example, a copier, a facsimile). Device).

Another object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and to provide a computer (or CPU) of the system or apparatus.
And MPU) read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Even in a situation where the host computer cannot set the reply item, the recording device sets in advance the status data items to be returned by the recording device itself,
Status data can be returned.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an ink jet recording apparatus to which the present invention can be applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration related to communication with a host computer of the inkjet recording apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of status data items held by the recording apparatus of the present embodiment and a transition state.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing related to communication of status information of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a process when an error occurs during a startup process.

Claims (12)

[Claims] An output unit configured to output status information on a reply item set and held in a memory in response to a status request from the outside; and a predetermined reply item set in the memory during an initial operation of the recording apparatus. , An initial setting means for holding. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the initial operation includes turning on a power supply. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the initial operation includes a reset operation. 4. An updating means for updating a setting item held in the memory in response to a reply item setting request from the outside, wherein the output means stores the setting item in the memory by the initial setting means or the updating means. 2. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein status information for the latest reply item set and held is output. 5. An ink jet recording head for discharging ink to perform recording as recording means for recording an image on a recording medium based on external print data. 5. The recording device according to any one of 4. 6. The recording head according to claim 1, wherein the recording head ejects ink using thermal energy, and is an ink jet recording head including a thermal energy converter for generating thermal energy applied to the ink. The recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: 7. The printing head according to claim 1, wherein a state change is caused in the ink by the thermal energy applied by the thermal energy converter, and the ink is ejected from an ejection port based on the state change. Claim 6
The recording device according to any one of the preceding claims. 8. An output step of outputting status information for a reply item set and held in a memory in response to a status request from the outside, and setting a predetermined reply item in the memory during an initial operation of the recording apparatus. And an initial setting step of holding. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the initial operation includes turning on a power supply. 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the initial operation includes a reset operation. 11. An update step of updating a setting item held in the memory in response to a reply item setting request from the outside, wherein the output step includes the step of updating the setting item in the memory in the initial setting step or the updating step. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein status information for the latest reply item set and held is output. 12. A storage medium storing a control program for causing a computer mounted on a recording device to control output of status information, wherein the control program stores the control program in a memory in response to a status request from the outside. It is characterized by comprising a code of an output step of outputting status information for a set and held reply item, and a code of an initial setting step of setting and holding a predetermined reply item in the memory during an initial operation of the recording apparatus. Storage medium.