JP2004202845A - Control method of printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recorder in which a recordable volume can be increased even when power is supplied from a battery, and to provide a method for controlling power consumption in the recorder. <P>SOLUTION: In the control method of a printer operating with electric power as a drive source, state of a battery is detected and when lowering of battery capacity is detected, simultaneous image processing is interrupted and altered to serial image processing. Furthermore, when lowering of battery capacity is detected, the printer is controlled to perform printing while changing the output form thereof so that printing can be completed even upon lowering in the residual capacity of the battery. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a control method of a battery-driven printer device that uses a battery as a power supply and performs printing by changing a print control method from a normal state when the battery capacity is reduced.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art A printer device that operates with relatively low power consumption, such as a printer device using a thermal head or the like or an ink jet printer, is known. Some of such printer devices use a rechargeable battery such as a nickel-cadmium battery as a power source, and are configured to be able to print freely anywhere. In such a portable printer device, the power capacity of the battery decreases as the number of prints increases, and even if printing is continued, the power eventually runs short and printing cannot be performed. For this reason, the power capacity of the battery is monitored from time to time, and when the remaining power of the battery falls below a certain level, a lamp is lit or a message is displayed on the display unit to inform the user that the power capacity of the battery is low. Then you have a warning.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 104835/1993 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-7-132650
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-described conventional inkjet printer, the power capacity of the battery is monitored, and when the power capacity falls below a predetermined value, the user is prompted to charge the battery. However, after the battery capacity falls below the threshold value of the recordable power capacity, recording becomes impossible, and there is a possibility that data during recording may be lost. Therefore, it has been desired that a warning is issued to the user in advance based on the remaining battery level so that the battery can be driven using the battery for a certain period of time even after the remaining battery level falls below a predetermined value.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and has as its object to provide a recording apparatus capable of increasing a recordable amount even when power is supplied from a battery, and a power consumption control method in the apparatus.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the control method of the present invention has the following configuration.
[0007]
That is, according to the present invention, in a control method of a printer that operates using electric power supplied from electricity as a driving source, a detecting step of detecting a state of a battery, and detecting that a battery capacity has decreased in the detecting step. And a changing step of changing the processing method so that the simultaneous processing of the image processing is stopped and the processing is executed serially.
[0008]
According to the present invention, in a control method of a printer operating using electric power supplied from electricity as a driving source, a detecting step of detecting a state of a battery, and detecting that a capacity of the battery has decreased in the detecting step. And controlling the printing so as to change the output form of the printer.
[0009]
According to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to complete printing even when the remaining battery level is low.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
(Embodiment 1)
First, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described in detail.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a printer device using the present embodiment in the simplest manner. In this embodiment, a PC card printer system will be described as an example of a printer device.
[0013]
Reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU, which controls the entire system. Reference numeral 2 denotes a printer control device which reads out print data stored in the RAM, transfers image data to the print head, and controls various motors and sensors incorporated in the printer mechanism. Reference numeral 3 denotes a nonvolatile memory such as a ROM or a flash ROM, which is a main program of a PC card printer system using the present embodiment. In addition, a built-in image used for a template or the like is stored. 4. Is a main memory, which is classified into a system area and a work area for performing image processing. 5. Denotes image processing hardware, which is composed of various hardware for repairing image data at high speed, and is composed of JPEG hardware, enlargement / reduction hardware, data conversion hardware, and the like. 6. Reference numeral denotes a PC card interface, which takes in image data and the like taken by a digital camera into the main body via a memory card, and takes in data to be printed via various interface cards into the main body. 7. Is a printer mechanism, which actually prints on paper under the control of a printer control device and a CPU. 8. Is a battery. This is a power supply of the printer device using the present embodiment. 9. Is a battery remaining amount detecting device, which can monitor the voltage level of the battery and detect the battery remaining amount.
[0014]
Next, a control method of the printer device using the present embodiment will be described in detail. The printer device of the present embodiment performs image band processing (hereinafter, band processing). Band processing is processing that is performed because the entire image cannot be processed at one time because the capacity of the main memory is small. The image is divided into bands and divided. This is a process for reducing the image data to a size that can be processed by the main memory. By repeating the processing of the divided band-shaped images in order, printing can be performed with a small memory.
[0015]
The actual processing flow will be described with reference to FIG. A case in which a FLASH card is inserted into the PC card interface and a JPEG image is stored will be described.
[0016]
When print start is instructed, it is determined whether the remaining battery level is sufficient or not based on the output result of the battery level detection device. If the remaining battery power is sufficient, normal printing using simultaneous processing is performed. Hereinafter, the simultaneous processing will be described.
[0017]
In normal printing, as step 1, first, the JPEG hardware reads image data corresponding to the portion A in FIG. 2 from the FLASH card, decompresses the data, and stores the output data in the main memory.
[0018]
Next, as step 2, the JPEG hardware reads the image data of B from the FLASH card, decompresses the data, and stores the output data in the memory. At the same time, the enlargement / reduction hardware reads out the A image data expanded by the JPEG hardware in step 1 from the memory, and enlarges or reduces the image data according to the designated paper size. Is stored in the memory.
[0019]
Next, as step 3, the JPEG hardware processes the C image data, and the enlargement / reduction hardware processes the B data. At this time, the data conversion hardware reads the image data of A that has been enlarged / reduced on the memory, converts the data into a data format printable by a printer, and stores the result in the memory.
[0020]
Next, as step 4, the JPEG hardware processes the D image data, and the enlargement / reduction hardware processes the C image data. Further, the data conversion hardware processes the image data of B. At the same time, the printer control device executes printing while controlling the printer while reading out the image data of the data A converted by the data conversion hardware in step 3 from the memory.
[0021]
By repeating the above steps, it is possible to execute printing of the entire image. In this case, all the modules of the printer device operate at the same time, and can perform high-speed printing. However, the peak current becomes maximum and a large load is applied to the battery.
[0022]
On the other hand, when the start of printing is instructed, if it is determined from the output result of the battery level detection device that the battery level is not sufficient, control is performed to suppress the peak current, and the load on the battery is reduced. A printing operation using serial processing is performed so as to reduce the number. Hereinafter, a specific printing operation using serial processing will be described.
[0023]
In step 1, the JPEG hardware first reads the image data corresponding to the portion A in FIG. 2 from the FLASH card, decompresses the data, and stores the output data in the main memory.
[0024]
Next, in step 2, the enlargement / reduction hardware reads out the image data of A expanded from the memory by the JPEG hardware in step 1 and enlarges or reduces the image data according to the designated paper size. And store the result in memory.
[0025]
Next, in step 3, the data conversion hardware reads out the image data of A that has been enlarged / reduced on the memory, converts the data into a data format printable by a printer, and stores the result in the memory.
[0026]
Next, in step 4, the printer control device executes printing while controlling the printer while reading out the image data of the data A converted by the data conversion hardware in step 3 from the memory.
[0027]
By performing steps 1 to 4 above, printing of the image of A is completed. By repeating this step while moving the area of the image data to be processed as B, C, D,..., The printing of the entire image is completed. In this case, the modules of the printer device do not operate at the same time, the peak current for the battery can be minimized, and printing can be performed even with the printer device with a low remaining battery level. However, in this case, the time required for printing is longer than that for normal printing.
[0028]
Further, by simultaneously performing appropriate power saving processing such as stopping the clock or delaying the clock with respect to the unused hardware, the peak current and power consumption of the entire printer apparatus are further suppressed. It becomes possible.
[0029]
As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when the remaining battery power is low, the simultaneous processing is stopped and the processing method is changed so as to execute the serial processing. By controlling the peak current of the battery, it is possible to complete the printing by performing the control method of the present embodiment even if the remaining battery level is difficult to complete in the case of normal printing. Become.
[0030]
Also, in the present embodiment, all the processes have been described as being performed serially. However, processes in which only modules with large current consumption do not operate simultaneously. For example, if the device that consumes a large amount of current in the printer of the present embodiment is a printing operation and a flash card access, the printing operation by the printer control device and the operation of the JPEG hardware accompanied by the flash card access are performed. Only the simultaneous processing is performed and the other modules that perform image processing and the like are operated at the same time, so that the peak current can be suppressed and printing can be performed at a higher speed than when all the processing is performed in serial.
[0031]
(Embodiment 2)
Next, a second embodiment will be described.
[0032]
In the first embodiment, when the remaining battery power is low, the simultaneous processing of the printing processing is stopped, and the serial processing is executed to reduce the peak current applied to the battery, thereby enabling printing. That was mentioned. In the first embodiment, the processing is such that the printing result is the same as in normal printing at the expense of printing time.
[0033]
The second embodiment described below describes a method of changing the size of print output and outputting when the remaining battery power is low.
[0034]
When print start is instructed, it is determined whether the remaining battery level is sufficient or not based on the output result of the battery level detection device. If the battery level is sufficient, printing is performed using the print settings normally set by the user.
[0035]
On the other hand, if the remaining battery power is not sufficient, the operation is notified to the operation panel of the printer without starting printing, and the user is prompted to make another selection.
[0036]
As an example of the notification, as shown in FIG. 3, "The battery cannot be printed to the specified size because the remaining battery power is low. Change the print size or cancel printing. Current print size = A message such as "full bleed printing" is appropriate.
[0037]
Here, when printing is stopped, the user presses a print stop key to stop the printing operation. When printing is desired even if the print size is reduced, printing is performed by pressing a key for normal printing, 1/2 size printing, or 1/4 size printing. The printer device automatically adjusts the reduction ratio of the enlargement / reduction hardware in FIG. 1 to reduce the print image size and continue printing. By reducing the print size, power consumption can be suppressed and printing can be completed. The smaller the print size, the lower the power consumption of the battery. For example, at the start of printing, the remaining battery level is detected. As a result, if the remaining battery level is a little small, as shown in FIG. Normal printing, 1 / 2-size printing, and 1 / 4-size printing can be selected. If the battery level is low, the selection screen can be used to cancel printing and select only 1 / 4-size printing. It is possible.
[0038]
As described above, according to the embodiment, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the battery by changing the output size to be printed when the remaining battery power is low. Even if the remaining battery level is difficult to complete, printing can be completed by performing the control method of this embodiment.
[0039]
It is also conceivable that the user can select a draft print at the same time as reducing the print size.
[0040]
(Embodiment 3)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[0041]
In the above-described first and second embodiments, the remaining battery level is detected at the start of printing, and when the remaining battery level is low, the first embodiment stops the simultaneous processing of image processing and performs serial processing. An example has been described in which the processing is performed to reduce the peak current for the battery, thereby reducing the load on the battery and performing printing. In the second embodiment, the configuration has been described in which printing is performed by reducing the power consumption of the battery by reducing the print size and performing printing.
[0042]
In the third embodiment of the present invention, at the time of starting printing, a control method of not only detecting the remaining battery power but also calculating the amount of printing and switching the printing operation to be performed is performed.
[0043]
In other words, even when the remaining battery level is small at the start of printing, if the amount of printing is small, normal printing is performed as it is. Examples of the print amount calculation means include a method of prescanning the entire image once to estimate the amount of ink used, and a method of sampling only one or two or more limited areas from one image. Then, a method of estimating the amount of ink used for the entire image can be considered, but any method can be used as long as the method can estimate the amount of ink used.
[0044]
The control method in consideration of the print amount can be realized by combining either the first embodiment or the second embodiment.
[0045]
As described above, the present embodiment increases the possibility of completing printing according to the setting initially set by the user, as compared with the case where the sole control of the first or second embodiment is performed alone. Is possible.
[0046]
(Embodiment 4)
Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first and second embodiments of the present invention, the remaining battery level is detected at the start of printing, and when the remaining battery level is low, in the first embodiment, simultaneous processing of image processing is stopped and serial printing is stopped. The configuration has been described in which the processing is performed to reduce the peak current to the battery, thereby reducing the load on the battery and performing printing. Also, in the second embodiment, it has been described that printing is performed by reducing the power consumption of the battery by reducing the print size and performing printing.
[0047]
In the present embodiment, at the start of printing, when the remaining battery level is detected and it is determined that the remaining battery level is low, the control method is switched according to the set print mode.
[0048]
For example, when printing is started in the text print mode, printing is performed as it is even if it is determined that the remaining battery power is low. On the other hand, in the photo print mode, when printing is started, when it is determined that the remaining battery power is low, printing is not started, and the first embodiment, the second embodiment, or the third embodiment is not performed. Printing is started after the printing method is switched using the control method described in the embodiment.
[0049]
As described above, the present embodiment is a method of switching the control method when it is determined that the remaining battery power is low according to the current print setting conditions, so that the printing method described in the third embodiment is used. The switching condition can be determined without performing processing such as calculating the amount, and the processing can be simplified.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, there is an effect that printing can be completed even when the remaining battery level is low.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a printer device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a processing flow in the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an operation panel for explaining an example of notification in the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 CPU
2 Printer control device 3 ROM (Flash ROM)
4 RAM (main memory)
5 Image processing device (including image interpolation device)
6 PC card interface 7 Printer mechanism unit 8 Battery 9 Battery level detection device

Claims (8)

In a control method of a printer that operates using electric power supplied from electricity as a driving source,
A detecting step of detecting a state of the battery;
In the detecting step, when it is detected that the capacity of the battery has been reduced, the simultaneous processing of the image processing is stopped, a changing step of changing the processing method to execute the processing serially,
A method of controlling a printer, comprising: In a control method of a printer that operates using electric power supplied from electricity as a driving source,
A detecting step of detecting a state of the battery;
In the detecting step, when it is detected that the capacity of the battery has been reduced, a step of controlling to perform printing by changing the output mode of the printer,
A method of controlling a printer, comprising: 2. The printer control method according to claim 1, wherein the serial processing to be executed is processing that does not simultaneously operate two or more devices having large power consumption. 3. The printer control method according to claim 2, wherein when it is detected in the detection step that the capacity of the battery has decreased, control is performed to reduce the print size of the output image. 3. The printer control method according to claim 2, wherein when it is detected in the detection step that the capacity of the battery has been reduced, a printing operation is not performed on the entire surface of the recording medium. When the printing mode is changed based on the result of detecting that the battery capacity has been reduced in the detecting step, the user is notified and the user can select whether or not to continue printing. A method for controlling a printer according to claim 2. 3. The printer control method according to claim 2, wherein the printing mode is changed according to the printing amount. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the print mode to be changed is changed according to the selected print mode.

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