JP2002207398A - Unit mounting state monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to prevent an unused article and a used article from being used in a wrong mixed combination when two units to be used in pairs like consumable units and electronic keys are used in combination. SOLUTION: Concerning a process unit 2 mounted on a copying machine main body 1 and an electronic key 3 mounted on the process unit 2 mounted on the copying machine 1, respectively, a CPU 11 detects whether or not they are new ones. Then, when one of the process unit 2 and the electronic key 3 is an unused one and the other is used one, the CPU 11 displays a message on a display part of an operation panel 14, urging a user to replace them due to the unsuitable combination of the process unit 2 and the electronic key 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a unit mounting state suitable for applications such as monitoring of the state of consumables in a product having replaceable consumables such as a copying machine, a printer or a facsimile machine. It relates to a monitoring device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In copying machines and printers, consumables such as photosensitive drums are generally used. In order to facilitate user maintenance, such consumables are unitized and easily replaced. Make it possible.

[0003] Such a consumable unit often deteriorates with repeated use, and when it reaches a certain amount of use, the desired performance cannot be exhibited.
Therefore, conventionally, the usage status of the consumable unit is monitored, and for example, when the consumable unit reaches the end of its life, measures such as prohibiting the use of the consumable unit are taken.

In order to monitor the usage status of the consumable unit, it is conceivable to store information indicating the usage status in a memory provided in an electronic key mounted on the consumable unit or the apparatus body. ing.

[0005]

In this case, the consumable unit and the electronic key must be used as a pair, but the consumable unit is not replaced due to an operator's mistake when replacing the consumable unit. In some cases, only the electronic key has been replaced with a new one, or conversely, the used electronic key has been mounted even though the consumable unit has been replaced with a new one.

In such a case, there is a discrepancy between the actual usage status of the consumable unit and the usage status indicated by the information stored in the electronic key, which makes it impossible to correctly manage the usage status of the consumable unit. there were.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to combine two units such as a consumable unit and an electronic key which need to be used in a pair. In this case, it is an object of the present invention to provide a unit mounting state monitoring device capable of preventing an unused product and a used product from being used in an erroneous combination.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method of mounting a predetermined first unit, such as a copying machine body, to a predetermined first unit, such as a process unit. The second system in a system in which information on the usage status of the second unit is stored in a predetermined third unit such as an electronic key arbitrarily attached to the first unit or the second unit.
In a unit mounting state monitoring device that monitors the validity of a combination of a unit and the third unit, it is detected whether the second unit mounted on the first unit is an unused item, for example, software of a CPU. A first detecting means such as a new and old process unit detecting means realized by processing, and a CPU for detecting whether the third unit mounted on the first unit or the second unit is an unused product, for example, a CPU A second detecting means such as an electronic key new / old detecting means realized by the software processing, and the second unit and the second unit when the detection result by the first detecting means and the detection result by the second detecting means do not match. Execute a predetermined notification operation for notifying the user that the combination of the third unit is invalid, for example, And a notification unit consisting notification control means and the operation panel are realized by software processing of the PU.

[0009] By taking such measures, the first
It is detected whether the second unit mounted on the unit or the third unit mounted on the first unit or the second unit is an unused product, respectively. If the detection results do not match, the second unit and A predetermined notification operation for notifying the user that the combination of the third units is invalid is executed. Therefore, the second unit which is unused and the third unit which is used are mixed, or the second unit which is used and the third unit which is unused are mounted and mixed. In this case, the user is notified that the combination is invalid.

[0010]

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 block diagram showing the configuration of a main part of a digital copying machine in which the unit mounting state monitoring apparatus according to the present embodiment is applied for monitoring the mounting state of a process unit and an electronic key.

As shown in FIG. 1, the digital copying machine of this embodiment comprises a copying machine main body 1, a process unit 2, and an electronic key 3. The process unit 2 is separate from the copying machine main body 1 and can be freely attached to and detached from the copying machine main body 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the copier body 1 has a CPU.
11, a ROM 12, a RAM 13, an operation panel 14, a scanner 15, a printer main body 16, an input / output unit (hereinafter referred to as an I / O
17, connectors 18, 19, code converter 2
0, 21, collating units 22, 23 and cover state detecting unit 2
Four. And CPU1 of these parts
1, the ROM 12, the RAM 13, the operation panel 14, the scanner 15, the printer main body 16, the I / O unit 17, and the cover state detecting unit 24 are connected to each other via a system bus 25.

As shown in FIG.
It has a process unit main body 26, a code converter 27 and connectors 28, 29, 30.

The electronic key 3 has a memory section 31 and a connector 32, as shown in FIG.

The CPU 11 controls each unit for realizing an operation as a digital copying machine by software processing based on an operation program stored in the ROM 12.

The ROM 12 stores a control program for the CPU 11 and the like.

The RAM 13 is used to store various information required for the CPU 11 to perform various processes.

The operation panel 14 is used by the user to operate the CPU 1.
A key input unit for receiving various instruction inputs to the CPU 1 and various information to be notified to the user
And a display unit for displaying under one control.

The scanner 15 has an image sensor, an image processing circuit, and the like, reads a document to be copied, and generates image data indicating the document.

The printer body 16 forms an image on paper by a well-known electrophotographic process. When the printer main body 16 forms an image, the mounted process unit 2 is used.

The I / O unit 17 includes connectors 18, 19,
The code converters 20 and 21 and the matching units 22 and 23 are connected to each other, and signal output processing for the connectors 18 and 19 and the code converters 20 and 21 is performed.
, And input signals output from the matching units 22 and 23.

When the process unit 2 is mounted, the connectors 18 and 19 are connected to the connectors 28 and 29 provided in the process unit 2. The connector 18 has an output port and an input port, respectively, and outputs a signal output from the I / O unit 17 to the process unit 2 and compares a signal output from the process unit 2 with the matching units 22 and 23. Give to
The connector 19 has an output port, an input port, and a bus connection port. The connector 19 outputs a signal output from the I / O unit 17 to the process unit 2 and outputs a signal output from the process unit 2 to the I / O unit 17. / O unit 17.

The code converters 20 and 21 include an I / O unit 17
Are output to the process unit 2 respectively. And this transcoder 20,
21 converts the code of the input signal according to a predetermined rule. Each of the code converters 20 and 21 performs a predetermined logical operation to realize code conversion, and the logical operation is performed by different first logic and second logic, respectively.

The collating units 22 and 23 collate the signal supplied from the process unit 2 via the connector 18 with the signal which has been subjected to code conversion by the code converters 20 and 21, respectively. And outputs collation result information indicating whether or not it is.

The cover state detecting section 24 detects the open / close state of the open / close cover provided on the copying machine main body 1, and
The CPU 11 is notified of a detection result in response to a request from the CPU 11. The opening / closing cover is a door for exposing the accommodation space of the process unit 2 to the outside of the copying machine main body 1 for exchanging the process unit 2 or the like.

The process unit main body 26 is provided with consumables such as a photosensitive drum and a developing device, and has a cartridge shape so that a user can easily replace it.

The code converter 27 is attached to the process unit main body 26. The transcoder 27 uses a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), and can rewrite the internal logic under the control via the connector 29. The code converter 27 performs a logical operation on the signal input via the connector 28 with the set logic, and outputs the operation result to the connector 28.

When the connectors 28 and 29 are mounted on the copier body 1, the connectors 1 and 2 of the copier body 1
8 and 19. The connector 28 has an output port and an input port, respectively, and supplies a signal output from the copier body 1 to the code converter 27,
The signal output from the code converter 27 is supplied to the copying machine main body 1. The connector 29 has an output port, an input port, and a bus connection port. The connector 29 supplies a signal output from the copier main body 1 and supplied to the input port to the code converter 27 and outputs the signal from the code converter 27. The output signal is output from the output port to the copier body 1.

The bus connection port of the connector 29 is connected to the connector 30. When the electronic key 3 is attached to the process unit 2, the connector 30 is connected to the connector 32 of the electronic key 3. Further, the connector 32 is connected to the memory unit 31. Thus, the bus connection port of the connector 19, the bus connection port of the connector 29, the connector 30 and the connector 32 connect the I / O section 17 of the copying machine body 1 and the memory section 31 of the electronic key 3 by bus.

The memory unit 31 is used to store information indicating the usage status of the process unit 2 such as the number of prints (hereinafter referred to as usage status information). The memory unit 31 is also used to store information (hereinafter referred to as new / old information) indicating whether or not the electronic key 3 is an unused item. The memory unit 31 is accessed by the CPU 11 via the I / O unit 17 to write and read usage status information and new / old information.

The control means realized by the CPU 11 by software processing based on the operation program stored in the ROM 12 is a well-known general control means in a digital copying machine, a process unit new / old detecting means, an electronic key new / old detecting means. And notification control means.

Here, the process unit new / old detection means is as follows:
It is detected whether the mounted process unit 2 is an unused product.

The electronic key new / old detecting means detects whether or not the electronic key 3 mounted on the process unit 2 is an unused item.

The notification control means informs the user that the combination of the process unit 2 and the electronic key 3 is invalid when the detection result by the new / old process unit detection means and the detection result by the new / old electronic key detection means do not match. A message is displayed on the operation panel 14 for notification.

Next, the operation of the digital copying machine configured as described above will be described. The well-known general operations of the digital copying machine such as the copying operation are the same as those of the conventional digital copying machine, so that the description thereof is omitted, and here, the attached process unit 2 and the attached process unit 2 are described. The monitoring operation of the validity of the combination of the electronic keys 3 will be described in detail.

First, the process unit 2 may be replaced when the CPU 11 is started by turning on the power of the digital copying machine or when the open / close cover is closed from the open state. At a certain timing, the CPU 11 executes a process unit validity monitoring process as shown in FIG.

In this process unit validity monitoring process, the CPU 11 first detects whether or not the process unit 2 is mounted (step ST1), and checks whether or not there is a mounted process unit 2 (step ST2).
If the CPU 11 confirms that the process unit 2 is not mounted, the CPU 11
A message prompting the user to mount the device is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel 14 (step ST3), and the process unit validity monitoring process ends.

However, if it is confirmed in step ST2 that the process unit 2 is mounted, C
The PU 11 detects whether the attached process unit 2 is new or old (step ST4). The new and old process unit 2 means whether the process unit 2 is an unused product or an existing product. Hereinafter, an unused process unit 2 is referred to as a new process unit, and an existing process unit 2 is referred to as an old process unit. Each of them will be referred to as a unit.

The detection of the new and old process units is performed in the following manner.

That is, the CPU 11 controls the output port of the connector 18 and the code converter 20 via the I / O unit 17.
An identification code having an arbitrary bit arrangement with a predetermined bit length is output to 21.

When the identification code is output as described above, I
The identification code output from the / O unit 17 is
8 to a transcoder 27. Therefore, the same identification code is given to each of the code converters 20 and 21 and the code converter 27, and code conversion is performed for each. A code after code conversion by the code converter 20 (hereinafter, referred to as a first normal conversion code)
The code after the code conversion by the code converter 27 (hereinafter, referred to as a response code) is referred to both the collation unit 22 and the code after the code conversion by the code converter 21 (hereinafter, the second normal conversion code). ) And the response code are both input to the collation unit 23 and collated.

Now, the code converter 2 of the process unit 2
7, the first logic is set at the time of shipment.

Therefore, if the new process unit is mounted, the logic of the code converter 27 is set to the first logic. Therefore, if the mounted process unit 2 is in such a state, the response code is a code obtained by transcoding the identification code by the first logic, and is replaced by the first normal conversion code output from the code converter 20. Should match.

Then, after outputting the identification code as described above, the CPU 11 outputs the identification result (first
(Logical comparison result), and if it is determined that they match, it is determined that the mounted new process unit.

The above is the specific procedure of detecting the old and new of the process unit. If the detection of the old and new of the process unit 2 is completed in this way, the CPU 11 is subsequently mounted as a result of the detection in step ST4. It is determined whether or not the current process unit is determined as a new process unit (step ST5). If it is determined that the new process unit is mounted as described above, the CPU
11 executes an old process unit transfer process for changing the mounted process unit 2 to an old process unit (step ST6).

Now, specifically, in the old process unit transfer processing, the CPU 11 accesses the code converter 27 via the I / O unit 17 and the connectors 19 and 29,
This is a process of rewriting the logic to the second logic. Thus, the logic of the transcoder 27 in the process unit 2 once started to use is made different from that when it is not used.

Subsequently, the CPU 11 detects whether or not the electronic key 3 is mounted (step ST7), and checks whether or not the mounted electronic key 3 is present (step ST8). If the CPU 11 confirms that the electronic key 3 is not mounted, the CPU 11 displays a message urging the user to mount the electronic key 3 on the display unit of the operation panel 14 (step ST9). The unit validity monitoring process ends.

However, if it is confirmed in step ST8 that the electronic key 3 is mounted, the CPU 11
Detects whether the attached electronic key 3 is new or old (step ST10). The new and old electronic key 3 means whether the electronic key 3 is unused or already used. Hereinafter, the unused electronic key 3 is referred to as a new electronic key, and the used electronic key 3 is referred to as an old electronic key. They will be referred to as keys respectively.

The detection of the new / old state of the electronic key 3 is performed by confirming the new / old information stored in the memory unit 31 of the mounted electronic key 3. That is, CPU1
1 reads out the new / old information stored in the memory unit 31 via the I / O unit 17 and determines that it is a new electronic key if this is information indicating that it is unused,
Otherwise, it is determined that the key is the old electronic key.

When the detection of the new or old electronic key 3 is completed in this way, the CPU 11 subsequently confirms whether or not the mounted electronic key 3 is determined to be a new electronic key as a result of the detection in step ST10 (step ST10). Step ST11). If it is determined that the new electronic key is mounted as described above, the CPU 11 executes an old electronic key transfer process for changing the mounted electronic key 3 to an old electronic key. (Step ST12).

The old electronic key transfer processing here is C
This is a process in which the PU 11 accesses the memory unit 31 via the I / O unit 17 and rewrites the old and new information stored in the memory unit 31 with information indicating that it is a used product.

If the new process unit and the new electronic key are mounted as described above, the CPU 11 can determine that the proper combination has been mounted and perform printing. Is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel 14 (step ST13), and the current process unit validity monitoring process ends.

It is to be noted that the attached electronic key 3 has the new and old information rewritten as information indicating that it is used, as described above, and the attached electronic key 3 is the old electronic key. Is confirmed in step ST11, the message prompting the user to replace the electronic key 3 with a new electronic key is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel 14 (step ST14). This ends the process unit validity monitoring process.

By the way, when the process unit validity monitoring process is started, the
Is already used, the logic of the code converter 27 is set to the second logic as described above. Therefore, in the process unit validity monitoring process in a state where the process unit 2 is mounted, the response code is obtained by converting the identification code by the second logic and does not match the first normal conversion code. It should match the second normal transformation code. Then, based on this, the CPU 11 determines that the installed process unit is the old process unit in step ST4, and subsequently confirms in step ST5 that the installed process unit is not the new process unit. Becomes

Therefore, in this case, the CPU 11 subsequently detects whether or not the electronic key 3 is attached (step ST15).
It is confirmed whether or not there is the attached electronic key 3 (step ST16). If it is confirmed that the electronic key 3 is not mounted, the CPU 11 displays a message prompting the user to mount the electronic key 3 on the display unit of the operation panel 14 (step ST17). The unit validity monitoring process ends.

However, if it is confirmed in step ST16 that the electronic key 3 is mounted, the CPU 1
1 detects whether the attached electronic key 3 is new or old (step ST18), and confirms whether or not the attached electronic key 3 is a new electronic key (step ST19).

If it is determined that the mounted electronic key is the old electronic key, the CPU 11 mounts the electronic key in a regular combination because the mounted electronic device is the old process unit and the old electronic key. Is determined, and a ready message for notifying the user that printing is possible is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel 14 (step ST20). finish.

However, the mounted electronic key 3
If it is confirmed in step ST19 that is determined to be a new electronic key in step ST18, the CPU 1
1 displays a message urging the user to replace the process unit 2 with a new process unit on the display unit of the operation panel 14 (step ST21), and ends the current process unit validity monitoring process.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the process unit 2 to which the electronic key 3 is mounted is mounted on the copying machine body 1, they are the new process unit and the new electronic key or the old process unit and the old process unit. If the combination is the old electronic key, a ready message for notifying the user that printing is possible is displayed, but if the combination is the new process unit and the old electronic key, the electronic key is replaced. And a message prompting the user to replace the process unit if the combination is the old process unit and the new electronic key. By this display, when the replacement work of the process unit 2 is performed,
Even if an inappropriate work such as replacement of the electronic key 3 or replacement of the electronic key 3 is performed by mistake, the user can confirm that such an inappropriate combination is obtained. Therefore, the process unit 2 and the electronic key 3
The user is urged to perform the operation of correcting the combination with the above, and it is possible to prevent the user from being left in a state of being mounted in an incorrect combination. That is,
It is possible to prevent the process unit 2 from being left in a state where it cannot be correctly managed, and to correctly manage the use status of the process unit 2 and perform an accurate operation.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the detection of the mounting state of the process unit 2 and the electronic key 3 and the display of a message indicating the detection result are performed by the copying machine main body 1, but are performed by the process unit 2 and the electronic key 3. Alternatively, an independent monitoring device may be provided separately from the copying machine body 1, the process unit 2, and the electronic key 3, and the processing may be performed here.

In the above embodiment, the electronic key 3 is mounted on the process unit 2. However, the present invention can be applied to a configuration in which the electronic key 3 is mounted directly on the copying machine body 1. It is.

The method of detecting the old and new of the process unit 2 and the electronic key 3 is not limited to the method shown in the above embodiment. For example, the method of detecting the old and new of the process unit 2 in the above embodiment is changed to the old and new of the electronic key 3. It is used as a detection method, conversely, the method of detecting the old and new of the electronic key 3 in the above embodiment is used as a method of detecting the old and new of the process unit 2, or a method based on whether the fuse is blown or not. May be used.

In the above embodiment, the operation panel 1 is used to notify the user that the combination is invalid.
Although the message is displayed on the display unit 4, for example, notification by display in other forms such as lighting of an alarm lamp, or notification by audible sound such as an alarm sound or a voice message, The form of notification may be arbitrary.

In the above embodiment, when the combination of the process unit 2 and the electronic key 3 is inappropriate, the user is only informed of this fact. Other measures such as completely prohibiting the execution of the operation or allowing only a limited print amount may be taken.

In the above embodiment, the first unit is the copier body 1, the second unit is the process unit 2, and the third unit is the electronic key 3. The mounting state of the process unit 2 in the copier body 1 and its process An example is shown in which the mounting state of the electronic key 3 with respect to the unit 2 is monitored. The second unit is arbitrarily mounted on the first unit and used, and the third unit is the first unit. Alternatively, as long as the relationship is established that is arbitrarily attached to the second unit and stores information on the usage status of the second unit, any unit may be used for the first unit, the second unit, and the third unit. good.

In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0068]

According to the present invention, it is detected whether the second unit mounted on the first unit or the third unit mounted on the first unit or the second unit is an unused product, respectively. When the detection results are not consistent, a predetermined notification operation for notifying the user that the combination of the second unit and the third unit is invalid is performed, so that the product is unused. When the second unit and the used third unit are mixedly installed, or when the used second unit and the unused third unit are installed together, the combination thereof is used. Is notified to the user. As a result, when two units such as a consumable unit and an electronic key which need to be used in a pair are used in combination, the unused unit is not used. It is possible to prevent a used in the wrong combination has been mixed with goods and the used product.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a digital copying machine in which a unit mounting state monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied for monitoring the mounting state of a process unit and an electronic key.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in a process unit validity monitoring process by a CPU 11 in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Copier main body 2 ... Process unit 3 ... Electronic key 11 ... CPU 12 ... ROM 13 ... RAM 14 ... Operation panel 15 ... Scanner 16 ... Printer main body 17 ... Input / output unit (I / O unit) 18, 19 ... Connector 20 , 21 ... code converter 22, 23 ... collating unit 24 ... cover state detection unit 25 ... system bus 26 ... process unit main body 27 ... code converter 28, 29, 30 ... connector 31 ... memory unit 32 ... connector

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat II (reference) H04N 1/00 106 G03G 15/00 556 F term (reference) 2C061 AP03 AP04 AQ06 BB11 CF01 CF14 2H027 DA27 DA44 DD00 DD05 DD09 EJ04 EJ05 EJ08 GB08 HA02 HA10 HB05 HB13 HB14 HB15 HB17 2H071 BA05 BA13 BA33 DA32 5C062 AA05 AB23 AB42 AC05 AC48 AC58 AC60 AD02 AD05 AF07 BA00

Claims (1)

[Claims] An information relating to a use state of a predetermined second unit which is arbitrarily attached to a predetermined first unit and used is transmitted to a predetermined unit arbitrarily attached to the first unit or the second unit. In a unit mounting state monitoring device that monitors the validity of a combination of the second unit and the third unit in a system configured to store the second unit in a third unit, the second unit mounted on the first unit is not yet checked. First detection means for detecting whether or not the product is used; and second detection means for detecting whether the third unit mounted on the first unit or the second unit is an unused product. If the result of detection by the first detection means and the result of detection by the second detection means do not match, the combination of the second unit and the third unit is not correct. And a notifying means for executing a predetermined notifying operation for notifying the user of the fact.