JP2007237472A - Printing apparatus and printing program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely acquire accurate maintenance information by a cost-reduced constitution and enhance efficiency of a maintenance work when a failure occurs. <P>SOLUTION: When the obstacle is generated, the maintenance information is collected (100), and whether it is possible to start a printing part is judged (102). When it is under a condition that printing processing is impossible, a screen confirming a printing by a substituting printer is displayed on an operating panel part (104). When it is selected that substitutional printing is performed, the maintenance information is transferred as printing data to the substituting printer to print the maintenance information. It is possible thereby to acquire surely the accurate maintenance information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing program, and more particularly to a printing apparatus and a printing program for printing information related to a failure that has occurred in the apparatus.

  Conventionally, when a failure occurs in a printing device, a maintenance worker goes to the site (device installation location) and starts printing in an area that cannot be operated by the user, such as the service mode provided in the device before starting the maintenance work. To obtain maintenance information by printing maintenance information such as consumables counters and periodic replacement parts counters.

  However, when there is a failure that cannot start printing, these maintenance information cannot be obtained, and the cause is often inferred from the phenomenon occurring in the device, and the failure recovery work is often performed. Therefore, there are many cases where it takes time to recover from a failure. In addition, when accurate maintenance information cannot be obtained from the printing apparatus, failure recovery is achieved by the experience and skills of maintenance workers.

  As a method of acquiring maintenance information when printing cannot be started, there is a method of displaying a part of the maintenance information on an operator panel provided in the printing apparatus and confirming it.

  In addition, there are a method for collecting information by writing maintenance information held in the memory and hard disk of the apparatus as electronic data to an external medium (such as a floppy disk), and a method for collecting data with a personal computer connected to a printer. is there.

  However, with the above method of displaying maintenance information on the operator panel, it is almost impossible to analyze the cause of the failure when displaying a large amount of logging information recording the process leading to the failure on the operator panel. There's a problem.

  In addition, in the method of writing maintenance information to an external medium or the method of collecting data on a personal computer, it is necessary to install a function for performing these methods in the printing apparatus, which increases the cost. is there.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and in the event of a failure, accurate maintenance information can be reliably acquired with a configuration with reduced costs, and the efficiency of maintenance work can be improved. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a printing program that can perform printing.

  In order to achieve the above object, the printing apparatus according to the present invention includes information relating to printing means for performing printing processing on a recording medium based on inputted print data and information relating to other printing apparatuses connected by a network. Registered registration means, detection means for detecting a failure occurring in the apparatus itself, and determination means for determining whether or not printing processing by the printing means cannot be performed due to the failure detected by the detection means When the determination unit determines that the printing process cannot be performed, the detection unit detects the print data so that the print data is input to another printing apparatus registered in the registration unit. And transfer means for transferring maintenance information including failure information related to the failure.

  In addition, a printing program according to the present invention includes a printing apparatus that includes a printing unit that performs printing processing on a recording medium based on input print data, and a detection unit that detects a failure that has occurred in the apparatus. Registration means for registering information relating to other printing apparatuses connected by a network; determination means for determining whether or not printing processing by the printing means cannot be performed due to a failure detected by the detection means; and When the determination unit determines that the printing process cannot be performed, the failure detected by the detection unit is input to the other printing apparatus registered in the registration unit as the print data. It is characterized by functioning as transfer means for transferring maintenance information including failure information.

  According to the present invention, information relating to another printing apparatus connected by a network is registered in the registration unit. When the detection unit detects a failure that has occurred in the apparatus, the determination unit determines whether the printing unit cannot perform the printing process due to the failure detected by the detection unit.

  A failure related to a failure detected by the detection unit so that the transfer unit inputs the print data to another printing apparatus registered in the registration unit when the determination unit determines that the printing process cannot be performed. Transfer maintenance information including information.

  Therefore, when printing cannot be performed due to a failure that has occurred, maintenance information is transferred as print data to other printing devices connected via the network, so that the cost can be reduced in the event of a failure. Thus, accurate maintenance information can be acquired with certainty, and maintenance work can be made more efficient by the printed maintenance information.

  In addition, the printing apparatus according to the present invention further includes a selection unit that selects whether to transfer the maintenance information to another printing apparatus when the determination unit determines that the printing process cannot be performed. The transfer unit can transfer the maintenance information to be input as print data to another printing apparatus registered in the registration unit when the selection unit selects to transfer to another printing apparatus. Thereby, since the user can select whether or not to transfer the maintenance information, the convenience can be improved.

  Further, there are a plurality of other printing apparatuses connected by the network in the present invention, information relating to a plurality of other printing apparatuses is registered in the registration unit, and a transfer unit is registered in the plurality of registration units registered in the registration unit. Maintenance information can be transferred to be input as print data to any one of the other printing apparatuses. As a result, by registering multiple printing devices as transfer destinations, even if there are other printing devices that cannot perform printing processing, the maintenance information can be transferred reliably to printing devices that can perform printing processing. Maintenance information can be acquired.

  In addition, when the determination unit determines that the printing process cannot be performed, the printing apparatus having the above configuration is one of a plurality of other printing apparatuses registered in the registration unit as a transfer destination of maintenance information. A transfer destination selection unit that selects one of them, and the transfer unit can transfer the maintenance information so as to be input as print data to another printing apparatus selected by the transfer destination selection unit. Thereby, since the user can select the printing apparatus to which the maintenance information is transferred, the convenience can be improved.

  In addition, the printing apparatus configured as described above determines whether printing processing has been performed by any of a plurality of other printing apparatuses registered in the registration unit based on the display unit that displays a message and maintenance information. And a display control unit that displays an error message on the display unit when the print determination unit determines that the printing process has not been performed in any other printing apparatus. . Thus, it is possible to notify the user that maintenance information has not been printed in any other printing apparatus.

  Further, the printing apparatus having the above configuration determines whether or not the printing process has been completed in another printing apparatus that is a transfer destination of the transfer unit based on the display unit that displays the message and the maintenance information. And a display control means for causing the display means to display a message indicating that the printing process has been completed in the other printing apparatus as the transfer destination based on the determination result of the print completion determination means. Thereby, it is possible to inform the user which printing apparatus has printed the maintenance information.

  The printing apparatus having the above-described configuration may further include a designation unit that designates the transfer source of the maintenance information for the printing process based on the maintenance information performed by the printing unit from a plurality of other printing apparatuses connected to the network. it can. Thus, when maintenance information is transferred from the designated printing apparatus, printing processing can be performed based on the maintenance information.

  Further, a plurality of designations can be made from a plurality of other printing apparatuses by the designation means.

  The printing apparatus configured as described above may further include a rejection unit that rejects the printing process based on the maintenance information when the maintenance information is input as print data from other than the other printing apparatus specified by the specifying unit. . Accordingly, when maintenance information is transferred and input from a printing apparatus not designated by the designation unit, it can be set not to perform the printing process, so that convenience can be improved.

  As described above, according to the printing apparatus and the printing program of the present invention, when printing processing cannot be performed due to a failure that has occurred, maintenance information is transferred as print data to another printing apparatus connected via a network. Therefore, when a failure occurs, accurate maintenance information can be reliably acquired with a cost-saving configuration, and maintenance work can be made more efficient with printed maintenance information. Is obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment of the present invention, a case where the present invention is applied to a printing system including a client PC and a printing apparatus will be described as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 10 includes a plurality of printing apparatuses 12A to 12D that perform printing processing and a client PC 14 that generates and edits print data, and the printing apparatuses 12A to 12D. And the client PC 14 are connected to each other via a network 16 such as a LAN (local area network). In the present embodiment, a case where four printing apparatuses 12 are provided will be described as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printing apparatuses 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> D display a printing unit 22 that performs printing processing on recording paper based on print data, and an operation panel that displays various messages and instructs various processing. And a control unit 26 for controlling the entire apparatus.

  The printing unit 22 includes a print engine unit 30 that performs a printing operation in the printing process, and a print control unit 32 that controls the printing operation in the print engine unit 30. A sensor 34 is provided for detecting a failure in the print engine unit 30 (for example, overheating of the heater or inability to operate the main motor).

  The print control unit 32 detects a failure that has occurred in the print engine unit 30 based on the signal from the sensor 34, and can specify the content of the failure based on the signal from the sensor 34. ing. The print control unit 32 notifies the input / output control unit 44 of the specified failure information.

  Further, the control unit 26 includes a ROM 36 in which various programs and parameters are stored, a CPU 38 that executes the various programs, a RAM 40 that is used as a work area when the CPU 38 executes the various programs, a maintenance information print processing routine that will be described later, and the like. Are connected to the HDD 42 for storing various programs such as various programs and various data such as image data, the input / output control unit 44 for controlling the printing unit 22 and the operation panel unit 24, and the network 16 to transmit and receive data. There are provided a communication interface 46 and a bus 48 for connecting them.

  The client PC 14 only needs to have a configuration of a general personal computer such as a CPU, ROM, RAM, HDD, keyboard, mouse, display, etc., and the description of the configuration of the client PC 14 is omitted.

  In addition, about the other structure of printing apparatus 12A-12D, the structure of a general printing apparatus can be applied, and description is abbreviate | omitted about another structure.

  Next, the operation according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, when the user operates the keyboard and mouse of the client PC 14 to generate or edit image data and outputs a print instruction for the image data to the printing apparatus 12A, the printing unit 22 of the printing apparatus 12A converts the image data into image data. Based on this, a printing process is performed, and an image is printed on the storage sheet.

  Then, for example, when a failure occurs in the printing apparatus 12A, the failure is detected based on the signal from the sensor 34, and the failure information is notified from the input / output control unit 44, the maintenance information print processing routine shown in FIG. Is executed by the CPU 38.

  First, in step 100, maintenance information (setting information of the printing apparatus 12A, consumables counter information, failure information about a failure that has occurred, log information up to the occurrence of a failure, etc.) is collected. The failure information is specified based on a signal from the sensor 34.

  In step 102, it is determined whether or not the printing unit 22 can be activated. Based on the failure information, an error that has occurred in the control unit 26 or a failure that has occurred in the printing unit 22 is detected. If there is a minor failure, the process proceeds to step 104, where the maintenance information is output as print data to the printing unit 22. In step 106, the printing unit 22 is caused to perform a printing process based on the maintenance information. As shown in FIG. 4, the maintenance information is printed on the recording paper, and the maintenance information printing process routine is completed.

  If the failure that has occurred in step 102 is a failure in the print engine unit 30 and printing processing cannot be performed, the process proceeds to step 108 and is displayed on the operation panel unit 24 as shown in FIG. A screen for confirming printing by the alternative printer is displayed, and the user is allowed to select whether or not to perform alternative printing for performing printing processing in another printing apparatus.

  In step 110, it is determined whether or not the alternative printer is selected to perform printing. If it is selected in step 108 not to perform the alternative printing, the maintenance information printing processing routine is terminated. On the other hand, if it is selected to perform alternative printing, an alternative printer printing processing routine, which will be described later, is executed in step 112, and the maintenance information printing processing routine is terminated.

  Next, an alternative printer print processing routine for realizing step 112 will be described with reference to FIG. In the following, a case will be described in which priorities are registered as alternative printers, and the priorities are in ascending order of the printing apparatuses 12B, 12C, and 12D.

  First, in step 120, connection confirmation is performed to the printing apparatus 12B as the alternative priority printer 1. Here, a case will be described in which the IP addresses of the printing apparatuses 12B to 12D are registered in advance as alternative priority printers as alternative priority printers in order from priority 1, as shown in FIG.

  In step 122, it is determined whether or not there is a response message from the printing apparatus 12B which is the alternative priority printer 1. In each of the printing apparatuses 12B to 12D as the alternative printers, a printing apparatus as a client printer that is a request source of the alternative printing can be designated. For example, as shown in FIG. The IP address of is registered. Further, it is possible to set so that the alternative printing is performed regardless of the request from any printing apparatus without specifying the client printer.

  In the above-described step 122, if the printing device 12B is designated as the client printer in the printing device 12B, or if it is set to perform alternative printing in response to a request from any printing device, the printing device 12B. In step 124, the maintenance information collected in step 100 is transferred to the printing apparatus 12B of the alternative priority printer 1 as print data.

  When the transferred maintenance information is input as print data, the printing apparatus 12B outputs the maintenance information as print data to the printing unit 22 of the printing apparatus 12B. Maintenance information as shown is printed on the recording paper.

  In step 126, it is determined whether a maintenance information print message has been received from the printing device 12B of the alternative priority printer 1. Here, when the printing process is executed in the printing apparatus 12B based on the transferred maintenance information, the printing apparatus 12B transmits a maintenance information print message indicating that the maintenance information printing process has been completed. When the maintenance information print message is received by the printing apparatus 12A, the process proceeds from step 126 to step 128, and a message indicating that maintenance information has been printed by the printing apparatus 12B of the alternative priority printer 1 is operated as shown in FIG. Displayed on the panel unit 24, and the alternative printer print processing routine is completed.

  In step 122, when the printing apparatus 12B does not specify the printing apparatus 12A as the client printer and there is a rejection message indicating that the printing apparatus 12A rejects the alternative printing, the printing apparatus 12B If there is a failure or the power is turned off and there is no response, the process proceeds to step 130 to check the connection to the printing device 12B as the alternative priority printer 2, and in step 132, the printing that is the alternative priority printer 2 It is determined whether or not there is a response message from the device 12C. If the printing device 12C is designated as the client printer in the printing device 12C, or if it is set to perform alternative printing in response to a request from any printing device, the alternative printing is performed from the printing device 12C. In step 134, the maintenance information is transferred to the printing apparatus 12C of the alternative priority printer 2 as print data.

  In step 136, it is determined whether a maintenance information print message has been received from the printing apparatus 12C of the alternative priority printer 2, and a maintenance information print message indicating that the maintenance information printing process has been completed is transmitted from the printing apparatus 12C. Then, the process proceeds from step 136 to step 138, a message indicating that the maintenance information has been printed by the printing device 12C of the alternative priority printer 2 is displayed on the operation panel unit 24, and the alternative printer print processing routine is ended.

  In step 132, when the printing apparatus 12C does not designate the printing apparatus 12A as a client printer and there is a rejection message indicating that the printing apparatus 12C rejects alternative printing, or when the printing apparatus 12C If there is a failure or the power is turned off and there is no response, the process proceeds to step 140 to check the connection to the printing device 12D as the alternative priority printer 3, and in step 142, the printing that is the alternative priority printer 3 It is determined whether or not there is a response message from the device 12D. If there is a response message indicating that the printing is performed from the printing device 12D, the maintenance information is transferred as print data to the printing device 12D of the substitution priority printer 3 in step 144.

  In step 146, it is determined whether or not a maintenance information print message has been received from the printing apparatus 12D of the alternative priority printer 3, and a maintenance information print message indicating that the maintenance information printing process has been completed is transmitted from the printing apparatus 12D. Then, the process proceeds from step 146 to step 148, a message indicating that maintenance information has been printed by the printing device 12D of the alternative priority printer 3 is displayed on the operation panel unit 24, and the alternative printer print processing routine is terminated.

  In step 142, if the printing device 12D does not specify the printing device 12A as a client printer, or if the printing device 12B is out of order or is turned off and there is no response, the network Since all of the printing apparatuses 12B to 12D on 16 cannot perform the alternative printing, as shown in FIG. 10, in step 150, maintenance information indicating that no printing apparatus could perform the alternative printing. A print error message is displayed on the operation panel 24, and the alternative printer print processing routine is terminated.

  When maintenance work is performed on the printing device in which the failure has occurred, the maintenance information printed on the other printing device is used to determine the setting information on the printing device in which the failure has occurred, consumables counter information, Information, log information up to the occurrence of a failure, etc. are acquired, and consumables are replaced and failure recovery is performed based on the obtained information. At this time, since the work content to be performed can be confirmed, more reliable maintenance work is realized. In addition, by obtaining information at the time of the occurrence of a failure, it is possible to confirm the contents of work to be carried out in order to recover the failure state, thereby improving the efficiency of maintenance work.

    As described above, according to the printing system according to the embodiment of the present invention, in the case where a printing process cannot be performed due to a failure occurring in the printing apparatus, the other connected by the network. By transferring maintenance information as print data to other printers and printing with other printers, in the event of a failure, accurate maintenance information can be reliably acquired with a reduced cost configuration. The efficiency of maintenance work can be realized by the printed maintenance information. In addition, the printed maintenance information can identify the cause of failure and perform smooth recovery without relying on the experience and skills of maintenance personnel.

  In addition, since a screen for selecting whether or not to transfer maintenance information is displayed on the operation panel and the user can select it, convenience can be improved.

  In addition, by registering multiple printing devices as alternative printers as transfer destinations, even if there are other printing devices that cannot perform printing due to a failure or power-off, maintenance is performed on the printing device that can perform printing processing. By transferring the information, the maintenance information can be acquired with certainty.

  In addition, it is possible to notify the user that maintenance information has not been printed in any printing apparatus on the network.

  In addition, it is possible to inform the user which printing apparatus has printed the maintenance information.

  In addition, by making it possible to designate a client printer that is a request source for alternative printing, when maintenance information is transferred from the designated printing apparatus, printing processing can be performed based on the maintenance information. In addition, when maintenance information is transferred and input from a printing apparatus not designated as a client printer, it can be set not to perform printing processing, so that convenience can be improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case has been described as an example in which a printing apparatus that is a transfer destination of maintenance information is selected based on the priority order of registered alternative printers. If the activation is impossible, a plurality of printing devices registered as alternative printers may be displayed on the operation panel unit, and the user may be allowed to select an alternative printer from the displayed printing devices. Accordingly, the user can select an alternative printer to which the maintenance information is transferred with reference to the operating state of the printing apparatus, and the convenience can be improved.

  Moreover, although the case where all the printing apparatuses have the same configuration has been described as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that the printing apparatuses are of the same system equipped with similar functions.

  In the maintenance information print processing routine, the case where it is determined whether or not it is possible to start the printing unit based on the failure that has occurred has been described as an example. Based on the response, it may be determined whether or not the printing unit can be activated.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the maintenance information printing processing routine of the printing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an image figure of the recording paper on which the maintenance information which concerns on embodiment of this invention was printed. It is an image figure of the screen for confirming whether alternative printing with the alternative printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention is performed. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the alternative printer printing processing routine of the printing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an image figure which shows a mode that the alternative printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention is registered. It is an image figure which shows a mode that the client printer concerning embodiment of this invention is registered. It is an image figure which shows the display screen of the message which shows having printed with the alternative printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an image figure which shows the display screen of the maintenance information printing error message which shows that it was not able to print with the alternative printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Printing System 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D Printing Device 14 Client PC
16 Network 22 Printing unit 24 Operation panel unit 26 Control unit 30 Print engine unit 32 Print control unit 34 Sensor 36 ROM
38 CPU
40 RAM
42 HDD

Claims (10)

Printing means for performing printing processing on the recording medium based on the input print data;
Registration means for registering information about other printing devices connected by a network;
A detecting means for detecting a failure occurring in the own device;
A determination unit that determines whether or not the printing process by the printing unit cannot be performed due to the failure detected by the detection unit;
When the determination unit determines that the printing process cannot be performed, the failure detected by the detection unit is input to the other printing apparatus registered in the registration unit as the print data. Transfer means for transferring maintenance information including fault information;
Including printing device. A selection unit that selects whether to transfer the maintenance information to another printing apparatus when the determination unit determines that the printing process cannot be performed;
The transfer means transfers the maintenance information so that the maintenance information is input as the print data to another printing apparatus registered in the registration means when the selection means selects transfer to the other printing apparatus. The printing apparatus according to claim 1. There are a plurality of other printing apparatuses connected by the network,
Information on the plurality of other printing apparatuses is registered in the registration unit,
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer unit transfers the maintenance information so that the print data is input to any one of a plurality of other printing apparatuses registered in the registration unit. A transfer destination for selecting any one of a plurality of other printing apparatuses registered in the registration unit as the transfer destination of the maintenance information when the determination unit determines that the printing process cannot be performed. Further comprising a selection means,
The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transfer unit transfers the maintenance information so as to be input as the print data to the other printing apparatus selected by the transfer destination selection unit. Display means for displaying a message;
A print determination unit that determines whether or not a printing process has been performed in any of a plurality of other printing apparatuses registered in the registration unit based on the maintenance information;
Display control means for displaying an error message on the display means when the print determination means determines that the print processing has not been performed in any other printing apparatus;
The printing apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising: Display means for displaying a message;
A print completion determination unit that determines whether print processing is completed in the other printing apparatus that is a transfer destination of the transfer unit, based on the maintenance information;
Display control means for causing the display means to display a message indicating that printing processing has been completed in the other printing apparatus based on the determination result of the print completion determination means;
The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, further comprising:   7. A designation unit that further designates a transfer source of the maintenance information of the printing process based on the maintenance information performed by the printing unit from the plurality of other printing apparatuses connected to the network. The printing apparatus according to any one of the above.   The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of designations are made from the plurality of other printing apparatuses by the designation unit.   9. The printing according to claim 7, further comprising: a rejection unit that rejects a printing process based on the maintenance information when the maintenance information is input as print data from a printer other than the other printing device specified by the specification unit. apparatus. A printing apparatus including a printing unit that performs a printing process on a recording medium based on input print data, and a detection unit that detects a failure that has occurred in the apparatus.
Registration means for registering information about other printing devices connected by the network;
When it is determined by the failure detected by the detection means whether or not the printing process cannot be performed by the printing means, and when the determination means determines that the printing process cannot be performed, A printing program for functioning as transfer means for transferring maintenance information including failure information related to a failure detected by the detection means so as to be input as the print data to another printing apparatus registered in the registration means.

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