JP2001341396A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer constituted to inform a user of procedures for returning the printer to various states or a normal state by sound, still images and moving images. SOLUTION: Sound, still image and moving image files indicating detailed contents of operation failures and/or returning procedures to the normal state in a file form recognizable and reproducible by a host 20 connected to this printer 10 are related to various states of the printer and stored in a storage means 109 in a manner to be writable/readable. The sound, still image and moving image files are read out from the storage 109 in accordance with a state of the printer and reproduced by the host 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus used by connecting to a host device such as a personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, such a printing apparatus is connected to a host device such as a personal computer, for example, and prints on printing paper by a print head based on print data transmitted from the host device. When various events related to an operation failure state such as paper jam or running out of ink occur during printing or the like, the printing apparatus sounds a built-in buzzer or displays error information on the event on an attached display unit, Alternatively, by transmitting error information related to the event to the host device, a driver installed in the host device can transmit, for example, a display image on a screen of a display device connected to the host device and audio from a speaker. The user is notified that an event has occurred.

[0003]

However, in the printing apparatus having such a configuration, the printing apparatus generally instructs the host apparatus about the details of the event that has occurred and the procedure for returning to the normal state. Do not transmit the contents as error information. Therefore, the user cannot know the detailed contents of the event only by the display image on the display screen of the host device or the sound from the speaker. For this reason, it is necessary for the user to visually recognize the display unit of the printing apparatus. However, especially when the printing apparatus is connected to the host apparatus via the LAN, the printing apparatus itself may be located far away. , Resulting in complicated work.

Further, even if the user visually recognizes the display unit of the printing apparatus, the displayed content is only simple error information related to the event, and cannot know the detailed content of the event and the procedure for returning to the normal state. Therefore, when various events related to malfunctions occur in the printing apparatus, the user cannot quickly return the printing apparatus to the normal state unless the user is familiar with the printing apparatus. On the other hand, for example, when an event occurs, the display unit of the printing apparatus can display the details of the event that has occurred and the contents related to the procedure for returning to the normal state, but depending on the user's level of familiarity with the printing apparatus. Will give unnecessarily excessive and redundant information.

For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 9-331416 discloses a configuration in which moving image data relating to stored event information is read out when an event of a malfunction state occurs, and is notified to a host device. In this case, the data associated with the event information is only the moving image data. Therefore, by reproducing the moving image data on the host device, only the moving image data is visually displayed to the user. Therefore, when the user is away from the host device, the occurrence of the event cannot be immediately recognized. There is.

Further, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-305644
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-209555 discloses a configuration in which audio, image, and moving image data related to event information is transmitted to a host device when an event occurs. However, all of these data are limited to those stored in the storage device. For this reason, these data cannot be additionally registered, and the user can select from the data registered in the storage device. However, it is not possible to freely change the data to a favorite data and construct a unique interface. Impossible. Further, data cannot be deleted, and the limited storage capacity of the storage device cannot be used effectively.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-249834
Discloses a configuration in which a floppy (registered trademark) disk drive can be recognized as an external storage unit of a host device as a magnetic storage device. In this case, the floppy disk drive stores print data. This is for the purpose of keeping it, and is not for recording a file relating to event information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and is intended to notify a user of various operation failure states of a printing apparatus or a procedure for returning to a normal state by voice, a still image, and a moving image. It is another object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus.

[0009]

In order to achieve this object, a printing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a communication unit bidirectionally connected to a host apparatus and a state detecting state of the printing apparatus. A detecting device, and
Storage means for storing the details of a malfunction in a file format recognizable and reproducible by the host device and / or a procedure for returning to a normal state, a still image and a moving image file in a writable and readable manner; A control unit for registering the still image and the moving image file in the storage unit in association with various states detected by the state detection unit,
When the state detecting means detects an operation failure state, the control means reads out the sound, still image, and moving image file associated with this state from the storage means based on the detected state, and transmits the read data via the communication means. To the host device.

When the printing apparatus is configured as described above, when the state detecting means detects an operation failure state, the control means:
Based on the detected state, the sound, still image, and moving image associated with this state are read out from the storage means and transmitted to the host device. It is possible to visually confirm the event, that is, the state of the printing apparatus, for example, the state of malfunction such as a paper jam, and to know the procedure for returning this event to a normal state by playing back these files. it can.

In this case, since the audio, still image, and moving image files are stored in the storage means in a writable and readable manner, the user can freely rewrite or additionally register these files. You can build your own interface.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the printing apparatus, the control means converts a sound, still image, and moving image file associated with a predetermined state based on a command transmitted from the host device via the communication means. There is a configuration to change.
With such a configuration of the printing apparatus, the voice, still image, and moving image files associated with a predetermined state can be changed. The playback of
It is possible to provide the minimum necessary information to the user without providing the user with detailed contents of unnecessary and redundant event information and a return procedure, and to associate files unnecessary for the user himself. , It is possible to prevent a specific file, for example, an audio file from being reproduced.

[0013] According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the printing apparatus, the control means may include a voice transmitted from the host device via the communication means,
Still images and moving image files are additionally registered in the storage means. When the printing apparatus is configured as described above, the voice created by the user or obtained by others,
By additionally registering the still image and moving image files, it is possible to establish a unique user interface for the printing apparatus by associating these additionally registered files with event information.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the printing apparatus, the control unit deletes the voice, still image, and moving image files registered in the storage unit based on a command transmitted from the host device via the communication unit. There is a configuration. With such a configuration of the printing apparatus, the user can effectively use the limited storage capacity of the storage unit by deleting unnecessary files.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the printing apparatus, the control means is controlled by a driver executed by the host device and controls the state detection means. When the printing apparatus is configured as described above, the associated voice, still image, and moving image files are read from the storage apparatus in accordance with the detected state of the printing apparatus, and these files are additionally registered, deleted, and associated. Can be executed from the host device via the driver.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the printing apparatus, the driver reproduces a sound, a still image, and a moving image file transmitted from the control unit via the communication unit on the host device. With such a configuration of the printing apparatus, when the state detecting unit of the printing apparatus detects a specific state, a sound, still image, and moving image file driver associated with the specific state is transmitted from the printing apparatus. Then, these files are reproduced, and the user is notified of the details of the event information by audio, a still image, and a moving image both audibly and visually.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the storage device for storing the voice, still image, and moving image files is configured to be recognizable from the host device as an external storage device. With such a configuration of the printing apparatus, with respect to the audio, still image, and moving image files registered in the storage means, the host apparatus can add and delete these files and edit these files. You can do it.

In the printing apparatus according to the present invention, the storage means is controlled by a file management program executed by a host device, and registers, reads or deletes audio, still image and moving image files and associates them with event information. Is performed. With such a configuration of the printing apparatus, by using the file management program, the host apparatus can easily add and delete the audio, still image, and moving image files registered in the storage unit from the host apparatus. Can be done,
These files can be easily edited.

[0019]

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

[First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the printing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a first embodiment of a printing apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 10 includes a CPU 101 as control means, a transmission / reception section 102 as communication means, a memory control section 103, an apparatus control section 104,
Drawing unit 105, print control unit 106, reception buffer 10
7, memory 108, storage device 109 as storage means,
It comprises an engine 110 and a display unit 111.

The CPU 101 controls the transmission / reception unit 102, the memory control unit 103, the device control unit 104, the drawing unit 105, and the print control unit 106 to execute various processes performed by these units.

The transmission / reception unit 102 is bidirectionally connected to a host device 20 such as a personal computer, and by controlling a reception buffer 107 when receiving print data from the host device, Is temporarily stored in the reception buffer 107.
A connection interface between the transmission / reception unit 102 and the host device 20 is, for example, a parallel interface, a serial interface, a USB interface, or an LA interface.
Any of the N interfaces and the like can be used.
The host device 20 controls the driving of the printing device 10 by the installed printer driver.
Data from the printing device 10 is received.

The memory control unit 103 includes a ROM, RA
And a storage device 109 capable of storing a large amount of print data. Here, the storage device 109 is a writable / readable storage device such as a hard disk drive, a magneto-optical disk (MO), a CD-R, a CD-RW, and a DVD-R.
It is composed of an optical disk drive such as an AM or a semiconductor memory. The connection interface between the memory control unit 103 and the storage device 109 is IDE, SC
Various interfaces including SI and USB can be used.

The apparatus control section 104 controls various operations of the printing apparatus 10 and detects the operation state of each section as state detection means. If an operation failure occurs, the apparatus control section 104 reports the operation failure to the event type information. Is sent to the CPU 101. The drawing unit 105 performs an engine 11 based on the print data received from the host device 20.
The drawing data to be output to 0 is constructed. The print control unit 106 controls the operation of the engine 110 that performs printing. The display unit 111 is constituted by, for example, a small liquid crystal display device of a dot matrix type. When the device control unit 104 detects the operation state of each unit, it performs a display corresponding to the operation state.

Each unit controlled by the CPU 101
That is, the transmission / reception unit 102, the memory control unit 103, the device control unit 104, the drawing unit 105, the print control unit 106, the reception buffer 107, the memory 108, the storage device 109, the engine 110, and the display unit 111 have configurations known to those skilled in the art. Since it does not directly relate to the description of the present invention, its detailed configuration and description are omitted.

Here, as a feature of the present invention, the storage device 109 stores the detailed contents of the operation failure of the file format reproducible on the host device 20 and / or the sound, image or video indicating the procedure for returning to the normal state. I remember the file. At this time, each file is registered in association with various states of the printing apparatus 10, and this association information is also registered in the storage device 109. Note that the audio file is an audio file in a file format such as WAVE, mp3, etc., the image file is a still image file in various file formats such as bmp, jpeg, gif, and the like. For example, it is a moving image file of various file formats such as mpeg, QuicktimeMovie (registered trademark) and the like, all of which are file formats that can be reproduced on the host device 20.

Next, the operation of the printing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Printing device 1
0 performs the status detection operation shown in FIG. 2, the file association shown in FIG. 3, the file addition registration shown in FIG. 4, and the file deletion shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the state detection operation of the printing apparatus 10. First, when an event related to an operation failure such as a paper jam occurs in step 1, the device control unit 104 detects this event (operation state), and in step 2, specifies the event type, for example, a paper jam. The event type information
The data is transmitted from the host 101 to the host device 20 via the transmission / reception unit 102.

Thus, the driver 2 of the host device 20
In step 3, based on the event type information from the device control unit 104, it is determined whether or not there is an audio, image, or video file associated with this event type. , And the process ends. If there is such a file, the driver 21 of the host device 20 determines in step 4 that the storage device 10
9 is read, and it is determined whether or not the file is registered in the storage device 109. If the file is not registered, the transmission / reception unit 102 switches the display unit 111 from the transmission / reception unit 102 in step 5. By performing the control, an error is displayed on the display unit 111, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if the file is registered in the storage device 109 in step 4, the driver 21 of the host device 20 determines in step 6
The controller 101 loads (reads out) the corresponding file from the storage device 109 by acquiring the corresponding file via the transmission / reception unit 102.

Thereafter, the driver 21 of the host device 20
Reproduces the file in step 7. That is, in the case of an audio file, the host device 20 reproduces the audio file and notifies the user of the detailed information on the event information or the procedure for returning to the normal state by voice from a built-in or external speaker. In the case of an image file, the host device 20 reproduces the image file, displays an image of the image file on the screen of the display device, and returns to the detailed information on the event information or the normal state. The procedure is announced by a still image. Further, in the case of a video file, the host device 20 reproduces the video file, displays the video by the video file on the screen of the display device, and returns to the detailed information on the event information or the normal state. The procedure is announced by a moving image. Thus, the state detection operation is completed.

In this case, the user can grasp the event information of the operation failure of the printing apparatus 10 in an auditory and visual manner in detail by voice, a still image, or a moving image by the host apparatus 20 and can return to the normal state. Can be known, and even a user who is not familiar with the printing apparatus 10 can quickly perform a return operation to the normal state.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of the file association operation. First, in step 11,
In response to a user's input operation on the host device 20, the driver 21 of the host device 20 transmits an association command to the CPU 101 via the transmission / reception unit 102. This command is composed of event information and a file name of a new audio, image or video file associated therewith. Thereby, the CPU 101 reads out the association information from the storage device 109 based on this command in step 12, and changes the old file name associated with the event information to the new file name in step 13. . After that, the CPU 101 determines in step 14
The updated association information is registered in the storage device 109 again, and a notification of the completion of the association change is transmitted to the host device 20 via the transmission / reception unit 102. In response to this, the host device 20 causes the driver 21 to display the completion of the change of the association information on the screen of the display device, for example, in step 15. With the above, the change of the association of the audio, image or video file is completed.

In this way, the user can use the storage device 109
By appropriately selecting an audio, image, or video file already registered in the printer, the audio, image, or video file associated with various event information can be arbitrarily changed. Can associate an audio, image, or video file that details the procedure for returning to the normal state with various event information, and a user familiar with the printing apparatus 10 can Audio, image or video files that only indicate the contents of simple events can be associated, and unnecessary and redundant information provision can be omitted.

Accordingly, the host device 20 reproduces these files by associating audio, image or video files in accordance with the user's familiarity or demands with the printing device 10 with various events of malfunction in the printing device 10. By doing so, the minimum necessary event information can be provided to each user. Further, in this case, the user can associate only necessary files, that is, only one or two of audio, image and video files with various events.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of the file addition registration operation. First, the driver 21 of the host device 20 transmits a file addition registration command to the CPU 101 via the transmission / reception unit 102 in step 21 in response to a user input operation on the host device 20. Accordingly, the CPU 101 determines in step 22 that
Based on this command, a reception OK signal is transmitted to the host device 20 via the transmission / reception unit 102 in preparation for file reception. In response, the host device 20 transmits a new audio, image, or video file to the transmission / reception unit 102 by the driver 21 in step 23. Thereby, C
In step 24, the PU 101 controls the transmission / reception unit 102 to temporarily receive the received file in the reception buffer 107. After that, in step 25, the CPU 101 registers the file received via the memory control unit 103 in the storage device 109, and transmits a notification of completion of the file addition registration to the host device 20 via the transmission / reception unit 102. In response, the host device 20 proceeds to step 26
Then, the driver 21 displays the completion of the file addition registration on, for example, a screen of a display device. Thus, the additional registration of the audio, image or video file is completed.

In this way, the user can enter the storage device 10
9 is added to the storage device 109 from the host device 20 in addition to the audio, image or video file already registered in the storage device 109, so that the audio, image or video file associated with various event information is registered. Since the video file can be changed to a file of your choice, for example, a file created by yourself or a file obtained from another, the user can construct a unique interface according to his / her own familiarity with the printing apparatus 10, for example. can do.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the flow of the file deletion operation. First, in step 31, the driver 21 of the host device 20 causes the driver 21 of the host device 20 to input
A file deletion command is transmitted to the PU 101. This command includes the file name (deletion file name) of the audio, image or video file to be deleted. Accordingly, the CPU 101 deletes the deletion file registered in the storage device 109 based on this command in step 32, reads out the association information from the storage device 109 in step ST33, and
If the deleted file name is associated with the event information at step 35, the association is released at step 35. If the deleted file name is not associated with the event information in step 34, the CPU 10
1 transmits a notification of completion of file deletion to the host device 20 via the transmission / reception unit 102 in step 36. In response to this, in step 37, the host device 20 causes the driver 21 to display the completion of the file deletion on the screen of the display device, for example, in step 37. Thus, the deletion of the audio, image or video file is completed.

In this way, the user can use the storage device 109
Since the audio, image or video files registered in the file can be appropriately deleted, unnecessary files are deleted from the files having a large file size in general, so that the storage capacity of the limited storage capacity is reduced. Apparatus 10
9 can be used effectively.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 6, the printing apparatus 30 has substantially the same configuration as the printing apparatus 10 shown in FIG.
The host device 20 is configured to be recognizable as external storage means. Other configurations are the same as those of the printing apparatus 1 shown in FIG.
Since it has the same configuration as 0, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted. In this case, the host device 2
0 executes the installed file management program to execute file management of the storage device 109, that is, file browsing and operation (copying, deleting, editing, etc.) in the same manner as other internal or external storage devices. Can be performed. As the file management program, for example, various programs such as an explorer and a file manager in Windows (registered trademark) can be used.

According to the printing apparatus 30 having such a configuration,
The state detection operation can be performed in the same manner as the printing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, and the file management program 22 is executed by the host apparatus 20 to reproduce, for example, audio, image, and video files by the file management program. By associating the file with the program, by placing the mouse cursor on a file and double-clicking the file from the file list display, the file can be reproduced and the file contents can be confirmed. Further, the host device 20 stores audio, image, and video files created or obtained in advance in another internal or external storage device, and the file management program 22 stores the audio, image, and video files from these storage devices. By copying or moving to the storage device 109 of the printing device 30, a new audio, image, and video file can be easily additionally registered in the storage device 109. In the host device 20, the file management program 22
Voice registered in the storage device 109 of the printing device 30,
With regard to images and video files, it is possible to easily change or cancel the association of event information or delete unnecessary files.

In the above-described embodiment, the driver 21 of the host device 20 determines the event type from the storage device 109 by the CPU 101 based on the event type information transmitted from the CPU 101 of the printing device 10 when an event occurs. It is configured to read the associated audio, still image and moving image files,
The present invention is not limited to this. The CPU 101 as a control unit reads out the audio, still image, and moving image files associated with the event type information from the storage device 109 based on the event type information from the device control unit 104, and transmits / receives the files. The data may be transmitted to the host device 20 via the unit 102.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the printing apparatus is in a state that requires user intervention such as a paper jam, the voice, still image and moving image files are read from the storage means. Then, by transmitting the file to the host device, the host device reproduces these files. This allows the printing apparatus to provide the user with an audio and still image and a moving image as well as the sound or the moving image to the user, and to make the detailed contents of the malfunctioning state and the normal state visually and visually. A return procedure can be notified. Therefore, even if the user is not familiar with the printing apparatus, the user can know the return procedure audibly and visually as described above, so that the printing apparatus can be easily and quickly returned.

Further, the user can change the association of the audio, still image and moving image files stored in the storage device of the printing device with the event information via the driver installed in the host device. It is possible to select a file containing information content according to the degree of need of the user, and to cancel the association of an unnecessary file, for example, an audio file.

Further, the user additionally registers the voice, still image, and moving image files created or obtained independently in the storage means and associates the files with the event information. You can build your own interface by playing back these files. In addition, by configuring the storage unit so that the host device can recognize it as an external storage unit, the host device can easily change the association, add, and delete the audio, still image, and moving image files stored in the storage unit. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a state detection operation in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an association changing operation in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a file addition registration operation in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a file deletion operation in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 printing device 101 CPU (control means) 102 transmitting / receiving unit (communication means) 103 memory control unit 104 device control unit 105 drawing unit 106 print control unit 107 reception buffer 108 memory 109 storage device (storage unit) 110 engine 111 display unit 20 host Device 21 driver 22 file management program

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C061 AP01 HJ08 HQ20 HQ21 HV09 HV14 HV35 5B021 AA01 BB01 BB10 NN16 NN17 NN21 5E501 AA06 AC15 AC16 BA03 CA08 EA32 FA14 FA15 FA32 FA43 FA46

Claims (8)

[Claims] A communication unit that is bidirectionally connected to a host device; a state detection unit that detects a state of the printing apparatus;
A printing device provided with a host device, capable of writing and reading audio, still image, and moving image files indicating detailed contents of a malfunction in a file format recognizable and reproducible by a host device and / or a procedure for returning to a normal state. Storage means for storing, and control means for registering the voice, still image and moving image files in the storage means in association with various states detected by the state detection means, wherein the state detection means has a malfunction. When detecting the state, the control means reads out the sound, still image, and moving image file associated with the state from the storage means based on the detected state, and transmits the file to the host device via the communication means. A printing device characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes a sound, still image, and moving image file associated with a predetermined malfunction state based on a command transmitted from the host device via the communication unit. The printing device according to claim 1. 3. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit additionally registers a voice, still image, and moving image file transmitted from the host device via the communication unit. Printing device. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means deletes voice, still image and moving image files registered in the storage means based on a command transmitted from the host device via the communication means. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is controlled by a driver executed by a host device and controls a state detection unit. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the driver reproduces a sound, a still image, and a moving image file transmitted from the control unit via the communication unit on the host device. . 7. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage means for storing the audio, still image and moving image files is configured to be recognizable as an external storage means from a host device. . 8. The storage means is controlled by a file management program executed by a host device, and registers, reads or deletes audio, still image and moving image files and associates them with event information. The printing device according to claim 7, which performs the printing.