JP2004348457A - Exchangeably mounted component and product - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flexible adaptation function coping with the future modification of specifications and performance regarding a printer and a cartridge by operating the memory map of a storage medium, where a component that can be mounted exchangeably or detachably is fitted, and to extend the lifetime of the storage medium under the number of rewriting cycles that the storage medium has. <P>SOLUTION: A region for storing a mapping identification number for identifying a memory mapping form is provided at a predetermined address in the storage medium fitted to a component that is mounted exchangeably or detachably. A product stores memory mapping data corresponding to the mapping identification number. The compatibility between components and products is verified from the mapping identification number of the corresponding mapping identification number list of the products and that of the components. The mapping form of the components and the memory map data stored in the products can be changed to solve the problems. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to components (including not only narrowly defined components but also peripheral devices, accessories, consumables, extended products, etc. used in connection with products) which are replaceably or detachably attached to products. The present invention relates to memory mapping of a storage medium mounted on a storage medium.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Certain products, such as printers, include replaceable or removable parts, such as ink cartridges (hereinafter simply referred to as "cartridges"). There is known a printer in which a rewritable nonvolatile storage medium, for example, an EEPROM is mounted on the cartridge, and which manages data relating to the cartridge and data useful for the printer using the EEPROM. Conventionally, one fixed memory mapping format is applied to the EEPROM of one type of cartridge. The printer accesses the memory of the cartridge according to the one fixed memory mapping format (Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2001-199081.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional method using only one fixed memory mapping format is expected to limit the ability to flexibly adapt to future changes in specifications or performance of the printer or cartridge. Further, since the number of rewrites is limited in the EEPROM mounted on the cartridge, the life of the EEPROM is not sufficiently long as compared with the life of the cartridge body.
[0005]
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage medium mounted on a replaceable or removable part of a product with a flexible adaptability to future modifications.
[0006]
It is another object of the present invention to extend the life of a storage medium as much as possible under the limitation of the number of rewritable times of a storage medium mounted on a component.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A component according to one aspect of the present invention is a component that can be exchangeably or detachably attached, and stores a memory mapping type for identifying a memory mapping format at a predetermined address of an attached storage medium. have.
[0008]
Further, the product according to the present invention includes a component described above, a mapping format storage unit that stores a mapping format related to at least one mapping type, an access unit that accesses a storage medium of the component, and a component The mapping type is read from a predetermined address of the storage medium of the storage medium, and when the read mapping type matches the mapping type of the mapping format stored in the mapping format storage unit, the matched mapping format is read from the mapping format storage unit. The information processing apparatus includes a mapping format acquisition unit for acquiring the mapping format, and a control unit for controlling the access unit using the mapping format acquired by the mapping format acquisition unit.
Further, in the above-mentioned product, the component and a mapping type changing unit for changing a mapping type stored in a storage medium of the component to a mapping type corresponding to another mapping format stored in the mapping format storage unit. It is also possible to provide a mapping format changing means for changing the mapping format of the storage medium of the component in accordance with the change of the mapping type by the mapping type changing means.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, taking an ink jet printer as an example.
[0010]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the printer system includes a host device 1 as a print control device and a printer 11.
[0011]
The host device 1 is typically a general-purpose computer such as a personal computer, and although not shown, an application program runs under a predetermined operating system. The application program generates character data, graphic data, or image data. A printer driver 3 is incorporated in the operating system. The host device 1 is connected to an external network 40 via the network interface 7 and can communicate with the outside. The printer driver 3 receives character data, graphic data, or image data from an application program, and generates print data to be supplied to the printer 11. The program of the printer driver 3 may be supplied to the host device 1 in a form recorded on a recording medium locally connected to the host device 1, for example, a CD-ROM, a magneto-optical disk, or the like. It may be downloaded to the host device 1 from the network 40 connected to the device 1. When the printer driver 3 program is upgraded, it is possible to load the upgraded printer driver program as a whole, or to load some of the modified functions as a module. The printer driver 3 is provided with printer driver information including version information.
[0012]
The printer 11 is connected to the host device 1 via the host interface circuit 13. The host device 1 and the printer 11 can be connected via a serial interface such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) or IEEE 1394, or a parallel interface such as Centronics. The printer 11 includes a print processing circuit 15 and a printing mechanism 17. The print processing circuit 15 creates a print image based on print data transferred from the host device 1 via the host interface circuit 13 and transfers the print image to the print mechanism 17 or controls the operation of the print mechanism 17. It is. The printing mechanism 17 prints a print image created by the print processing circuit 15 on a sheet under the control of the print processing circuit 15. The printer 11 may include an input unit that receives a user's operation input and a display unit that notifies the user of the operation.
[0013]
Although not shown, the printing mechanism 17 includes, for example, a print head, a carriage, a paper feeding device, a head maintenance device and a control circuit therefor, and a replaceable ink cartridge (hereinafter, referred to as “ink cartridge”) for supplying ink to the print head. And a cartridge mounting device in which the cartridges 23a and 23b are detachably set. Connection terminals 31a and 31b are attached to the cartridge attachment device. The connection terminals 31a and 31b provide the print processing circuit 15 with access to the EEPROMs 25a and 25b mounted on the cartridges 23a and 23b, respectively. The one cartridge 23a contains, for example, black ink. Since the black ink has a particularly large usage, it is formed separately from the inks of other colors. The other cartridge 23b contains color ink. Typical printing color inks include Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan), but are not limited thereto. For example, color inks such as light cyan and light magenta may be used. Can also be used. In general, inks are classified into pigment inks and dye inks according to colorants, and further into water-based inks and oil-based inks according to solvents, and the printer 11 is a single type such as a black cartridge 23a or a color cartridge 23b. May be attachable, or a plurality of types of cartridges may be attachable. In general, there are two types of cartridge mounting, an on-carriage type mounted on a carriage together with a print head, and an off-carriage type set at an immovable place away from the carriage. May be of either type.
[0014]
Each of the cartridges 23a and 23b has a nonvolatile rewritable storage medium, for example, EEPROMs 25a and 25b, and access terminals 29a and 29b of the EEPROMs 25a and 25b are provided to be exposed on the outer surface of each cartridge. ing. When the cartridge 23a is set in the cartridge mounting device described above, the print processing circuit 15 can access the EEPROM 25a by electrically connecting the access terminal 29a of the EEPROM 25a to the connection terminal 31a of the cartridge mounting device. become. Similarly, when the other cartridge 23b is set in the cartridge mounting device, the print processing circuit 15 can access the EEPROM 25b by being electrically connected to the connection terminal 31b of the cartridge mounting device. Will be possible. Instead of the electrical connection between the terminals, the print processing circuit 15 may access the EEPROMs 25a and 25b of the cartridges 23a and 23b by wireless communication.
[0015]
Although not shown, the print processing circuit 15 performs, for example, processing for controlling the print image and controlling the printing mechanism 17 described above. The print processing circuit 15 is a non-volatile rewritable storage medium for storing specific data that needs to be rewritten, such as the status and parameters of the printer, for example, an EEPROM 19 and a program for the CPU described above. And a ROM 21 storing fixed data such as a predetermined lookup table. Further, the print processing circuit 15 accesses the EEPROMs 25a and 25b of the cartridges 23a and 23b as necessary to read or write predetermined data in connection with the above-described print image creation and print control processing. . Hereinafter, an access operation of the EEPROMs 25a and 25b of the cartridges 23a and 23b performed by the print processing circuit 15 will be described. In the following description, the operation related to the cartridge 23a will be mainly described, but the description is similarly applied to the other cartridge 23b.
[0016]
When accessing the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a, the print processing circuit 15 can selectively use a plurality of memory mapping formats prepared in advance instead of using only one fixed memory mapping format as in the related art. It has become. That is, a plurality of memory map data each defining a plurality of memory mapping formats is stored in the ROM 21 of the printer 11 from the beginning, and the print processing circuit 15 selects one memory map data from the plurality of memory map data in the ROM 21. Map data can be selected and used. Alternatively, one or more standard memory map data is initially stored in the ROM 21, and additional memory map data defining another memory map format can be written to the EEPROM 19 later. The print processing circuit 15 can select and use one memory map data from a plurality of memory map data in the ROM 21 and the EEPROM 19. The additional memory map data may be created by the print processing circuit 15 by itself, or may be generated by an external device (for example, the host device 1, an external storage device attached to the printer, or a network 40 connectable to the printer 11). Etc.) may be loaded. In any case, by selectively using the plurality of memory mapping formats, the print processing circuit 15 can correctly access the EEPROM 25a regardless of the memory mapping format of the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a. become.
[0017]
Further, the print processing circuit 15 may be configured to be able to change the memory mapping format of the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a automatically or by a request from the user or the printer driver 3. The reason for changing the memory mapping format is to rewrite to a specific address in the EEPROM, whether it is to respond to the upgrade of the printer or printer driver or cartridge, or to respond to the user's request. It may be for preventing concentration or for other non-illustrated reasons.
[0018]
A unique identification number (hereinafter, referred to as a mapping identification number) is assigned to each of the plurality of memory mapping formats (memory map data) described above, and the memory mapping format (memory map data) can be obtained from the mapping identification number. , The mapping identification number and the memory mapping format are stored in the ROM 21 or the EEPROM 19 in association with each other. At a predetermined address of the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a, a mapping identification number assigned to a memory mapping format currently applied to the EEPROM 25a is stored. The print processing circuit 15 compares the mapping identification number stored in the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a with the mapping identification number of the memory map data in the ROM 21 or the EEPROM 19, and if they match, the mapping identification number is stored in the matched memory map data. The EEPROM 25a is accessed according to the memory mapping format.
[0019]
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram up to the determination of compatibility between the printer and the cartridge based on data in the EEPROM 19 of the printer 11 and the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a.
[0020]
The memory map information is stored in the EEPROM 19 of the printer 11 when the printer driver 3 is started up for the first time. The memory map information stores a list of corresponding mapping identification numbers (T1), memory map data for each mapping identification number (T2), and a compatibility determination table (T3) based on cartridge type numbers and ink type numbers. I have. At the time of startup, the printer 11 acquires a mapping identification number from a predetermined address of the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a. The printer 11 checks whether or not there is data matching the acquired mapping identification number in the corresponding mapping identification number list (T1) stored in the EEPROM 19. If there is matching data, the printer 11 can read predetermined data from the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a based on the memory map data (T2) of the EEPROM 19 (T4). Further, for example, based on the ink type number (D1) and the cartridge type number (D2) read from the cartridge 23a, based on the compatibility judgment table (T3) stored in the EEPROM 19 of the printer 11, the cartridge 23a 11 (e.g., optimal, appropriate, acceptable, or not). The determination of the compatibility may be made only at the time of the first activation of the printer driver 3 and the first activation after the replacement of the cartridge 23a, or at each time of the normal activation. Further, data relating to the mapping of the printer (that is, the corresponding mapping identification number list, the memory map data, the compatibility determination table, and the like) may be stored in the ROM 21 of the printer 11 or may be newly downloaded from the network 40. .
[0021]
Next, the process at the time of cartridge replacement will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0022]
When a cartridge replacement completion event occurs, a mapping identification number is read from the cartridge 23a (S1). Next, it is confirmed whether or not there is data corresponding to the mapping identification number of the cartridge 23a in the corresponding mapping identification number list stored in the EEPROM 19 of the printer 11 (S2). If there is a matching mapping identification number, predetermined data such as cartridge information is read from the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a based on the memory map data corresponding to the mapping identification number (S3). The mapping identification number can be changed depending on the version of the driver, the function used by the same driver and the same version, the status, the printer model, or a combination of these. May be changed. Next, it is verified whether the data acquired based on the memory map data is data having an appropriate value (S4). If it is confirmed that the data is correct, the compatibility between the cartridge 23a and the printer 11 is determined (S5). If it is available, the print head sucks ink and overwrites the data on the amount of consumed ink and the like in the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a based on the memory map data (S6).
[0023]
If there is no data matching the mapping identification number of the cartridge 23a in the corresponding mapping identification number list of the printer, an inquiry is made as to whether memory map data corresponding to the mapping identification number exists on the network 40 (S7). It is confirmed whether the user downloads the memory map data corresponding to the mapping identification number from the network 40 (S8). The memory map data corresponding to the mapping identification number is downloaded from the network 40 (S9). Thereafter, the same processing as that performed when the printer corresponds to the mapping identification number of the cartridge (S3) is performed. If there is no corresponding memory map data on the network 40 (S7), or if the user does not download the corresponding memory map data from the network 40 (S8), or if the data read based on the memory map data is If the data is not correct (S4) or if it is determined that the cartridge 23a cannot be used by the printer 11 (S5), the printer 11 displays a message indicating that the currently mounted cartridge 23a cannot be used, The error information is stored in the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a (S10). The above-described embodiment is effective for providing, for example, a function expandability and an adaptability between the ink cartridge, the printer, and the ink with the development of the printer, the ink cartridge, and the ink type.
[0024]
In the second embodiment, an embodiment at the time of function expansion by changing a color conversion algorithm will be described with reference to FIGS. Now, as shown in FIG. 5, the EEPROM 19 of the printer 11 corresponds to the mapping identification numbers 1, 2, 3, and 5 (FIG. 5: T21), and the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a has the mapping identification number 2 in the format. Data is stored (FIG. 5: T22). The user acquires information indicating that the function can be extended, and downloads the function extension module and the new memory map data from a specific server on the network 40 (FIG. 4: S21). When the user starts the printer driver 3, the printer driver 3 stores the driver information, the function expansion module, and the new memory map data in the EEPROM 19 of the printer 11 (S22 in FIG. 4: T23 in FIG. 5). The mapping identification number is added to the corresponding mapping identification number list of the EEPROM 19. Next, the mapping identification number of the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a is changed, and the storage contents of the memory are changed according to the function expansion module (FIG. 4: S23, FIG. 5: T24). When the print execution processing and the printer maintenance processing are performed, the processing is performed using the extended functions. The example of the change of the memory map due to the function extension or the like (that is, the example in which the memory map of the component is dynamically changed by the function extension) has been described above.
[0025]
As a third embodiment, a case where the mapping identification number is changed in accordance with the state of the cartridge 23a will be described with reference to FIGS. The data stored in the cartridge 23a includes data that is updated relatively frequently depending on the content, such as the remaining ink amount, cartridge ID, cartridge type, and memory mapping type, and data that is not updated relatively. FIG. 6 shows a specific example of data content change in which an area with a high rewrite frequency and an area with a low rewrite frequency are changed in order to extend the life of a storage medium having a limited number of rewrites. Further, a flow when the mapping identification number is changed in accordance with the number of times of use of the cartridge 23a in order to extend the life of a storage medium having a limited number of rewrites will be described with reference to FIG. When a printing end event or a head cleaning process end event occurs, the counter of the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a is incremented by one (S31 in FIG. 7), and the counter is compared with a threshold (S32 in FIG. 7). If the counter is not equal to the memory map change threshold, predetermined data such as the remaining ink amount is overwritten based on the current memory map data (FIG. 6: T31) (FIG. 7: S35). When the counter becomes equal to the memory map change threshold, the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a is updated based on the memory map data (FIG. 6: T32) corresponding to the mapping identification number to be used next (FIG. 7: S33). The counter is initialized (S34 in FIG. 7), and predetermined data such as the remaining ink amount and the counter are overwritten based on the currently used memory map data (T32 in FIG. 6) (S35 in FIG. 7). The rewriting process of the cartridge 23a into the EEPROM 25a can be performed on a volatile memory at the time of calculation, and can be rewritten at the end process when the power is turned off. Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the memory map is changed according to the state of the cartridge (for example, the number of times the cartridge has been used) has been described. However, an example in which the memory map is changed to recycle the EEPROM after recycling is also available. Conceivable.
[0026]
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these are merely examples for describing the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to only the embodiments. Therefore, the present invention can be implemented in other various forms. For example, as the parts, not only the cartridge described above, but also peripheral devices used in connection with the product, accessories, consumables, extended peripheral devices, and the like can be applied. For example, for an IC card that is used for a long period of time and is frequently rewritten by a product, the above-described rewriting of the memory mapping is useful.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a printer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of determining compatibility between a printer and a cartridge.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when replacing a cartridge.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing during function expansion processing.
FIG. 5 is a transition diagram of data in the EEPROM 19 of the printer 11 and the EEPROM 25a of the cartridge 23a during a function expansion process.
FIG. 6 shows an example of changing memory map data.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a flow of a memory map changing process according to the number of times of use of the cartridge.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host device 3 Printer driver 5 Printer interface circuit 7 Network interface circuit 11 Inkjet printer 13 Host interface circuit 15 Print processing circuit 17 Printing mechanism 19, 25a, 25b EEPROM
21 ROM
23a, 23b Ink cartridges 29a, 29b Access terminals 31a, 31b Connection terminals 40 Network

Claims (3)

For parts that are replaceable or detachable attached to the product,
The component comprises a storage medium accessed by the product;
A component characterized in that a mapping type for identifying a mapping format of the storage medium is stored at a predetermined address in the storage medium. In products where parts are replaceably or detachably attached,
The component includes a storage medium in which a mapping type is stored at a predetermined address for identifying the mapping format of the product,
Mapping format storage means for storing a mapping format related to at least one mapping type on the product side,
Access means for accessing the storage medium;
Through the access means, read the mapping type from a predetermined address of the storage medium, if the read mapping type matches the mapping type of the mapping format stored in the mapping format storage means, the matching Mapping format acquisition means for acquiring a mapping format from the storage means,
Control means for controlling the access means using the obtained mapping format,
A product characterized by comprising: The product of claim 2,
The mapping format storage means stores a plurality of mapping formats related to different mapping types,
A mapping type change unit that changes a mapping type stored in the storage medium of the component to a mapping type corresponding to another mapping format stored in the mapping format storage unit;
With the change of the mapping type by the mapping type changing means, a mapping format changing means for changing the mapping format of the storage medium,
A product characterized by comprising:

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