JP2007283589A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing device enabling it to perform the reading and writing of information in an IC tag stably and certainly regardless of the IC tag position of a printing paper with the IC tag. <P>SOLUTION: An IC tag leader movement mechanism for making an IC tag leader 1 moved along with the printing device in the horizontal direction crossing at right angles against the conveyance direction of the printing paper of the IC tag leader 1 is installed in the discharging portion where the printing paper provided with the IC tag 3 of the printing device or in a paper tray for holding the printing paper. According to the kind of the printing paper, the position of the IC tag leader 1 is controlled so as to be located at the position where the communication condition with the IC tag 3 becomes excellent. The movement position of the IC tag leader 1 is established by a host 10 or an operation section 7. A motor 5 is driven through a control section 6, and the IC tag leader 1 is controlled so as to be moved to a desired position using the IC tag leader movement mechanism. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that performs printing using a printing medium provided with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification: hereinafter referred to as an IC tag), and more particularly, printing capable of reliably performing communication with an IC tag. Relates to the device.

  In general, when printing is performed, information to be printed and information on the size and quality of the printing paper are notified to the printing apparatus for printing. Here, the size information of the printing paper is detected by a sensor incorporated in a cassette tray or the like attached to the printing apparatus, and the paper quality information of the printing paper is set by the user in advance for the printing apparatus. Then, when the user notifies the printing apparatus of information to be printed and information about the printing paper, based on the notification, the presence or absence of the printing paper and the selection of the printing paper are made by the printing apparatus, and printing is actually performed. Done. That is, the information regarding the printing paper is performed by the printing apparatus.

  By the way, in recent years, the technology related to IC tags has progressed, and since the IC tag can store a certain amount of information and can read and write the information in a non-contact manner, it has an excellent convenience. It is starting to be used around. Today, it is being widely used in other industries, focusing on such convenience.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-151867 describes an application to general printing paper taking advantage of the convenience of such an IC tag. Patent Document 1 proposes an IC tag embedded in printing paper and paper quality information stored in the IC tag. By using such IC tag-attached printing paper, there is an advantage that the type of printing paper can be determined from the outside without contact.

Also, as described in Patent Document 2, a printing apparatus has been proposed that can automatically set the print setting contents using such IC tag-attached printing paper. Such a printing apparatus has an IC tag reading unit, and by reading the information stored in the IC tag by the reading unit, it is possible to make settings related to the paper on the printing apparatus side, and each printing operation is complicated. This has the advantage that a simple setting operation can be automated.
JP 2003-64598 A JP 2003-54075 A

  However, since ordinary printing paper is defined by a certain standard, there is no particular problem in normal printing, but the printing paper with an IC tag described in Patent Document 1 is used in an actual printing apparatus. In this case, since the printing paper itself is a general printing paper, the information to be printed can be recorded on the printing paper, but the position of the IC tag is about the information to be recorded on the IC tag. Since it is unknown where on the printing paper, it is difficult to reliably communicate with the IC tag and read / write information. In particular, IC tags have been further reduced in size with the advance of technology, and reading and writing of information has become more difficult due to the directivity and the position of the IC tag on printing paper.

  In addition, the printing apparatus described in Patent Document 2 includes a reading unit that reads information on an IC tag, but cannot support a wide variety of IC tag-attached printing paper. The same applies to writing information on a printing paper with an IC tag.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a printing apparatus capable of reading and writing information to and from an IC tag stably and reliably regardless of the position of the IC tag on a printing paper with an IC tag.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, in a printing apparatus that performs printing using a print medium provided with an RFID, a communication unit that communicates with the RFID, and the communication unit along the print medium. And a control means for controlling the movement position of the communication means by the movement means to a position where the communication state with the RFID is good.

  The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention of claim 1, the communication means writes or reads information to or from the RFID by communication with the RFID.

  In the invention of claim 3, in the invention of claim 1 or 2, the control means controls the movement position of the communication means by the movement means to a position where the reception intensity of the communication means becomes the highest. Features.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the control unit controls a movement position of the communication unit by the moving unit when the communication unit communicates with the RFID. It is characterized by doing.

  The invention of claim 5 further comprises operation input means for inputting information for controlling the position of the communication means in any of the inventions of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control means The moving position of the communication means by the moving means is controlled based on the input information input by the means.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the control means accepts input information from an external device, and the moving means moves the communication means based on the input information. It is characterized by controlling.

  The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the input information is movement instruction information of the communication means.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the invention according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the information is information relating to a paper type or a direction of the printing paper of the printing medium.

  According to the present invention, when printing is performed on a printing paper with an IC tag, reading and writing of information with respect to the IC tag can be stably and reliably performed regardless of the position of the IC tag of various types of printing paper with an IC tag. That is, by moving the IC tag reader (IC tag reader / writer) to an arbitrary position by the moving means, it is possible to cope with the position regardless of the position of the IC tag. Further, even a proximity IC tag having a small directional IC tag antenna and a very short distance from the IC tag reader (IC tag reader / writer) can be reliably read (written).

  Further, since the IC tag reader (IC tag reader / writer) can be moved by an instruction from the operation panel or the host, positioning with a high degree of freedom is possible.

  Embodiments of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows an outline of an IC tag reader moving mechanism portion of a printing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the first embodiment, the IC tag reader 1 is supported by a screw shaft 4, and the IC tag reader 1 is moved in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the paper conveyance direction by rotating the screw shaft 4 by a motor drive described later. It is configured to be possible.

  An IC tag 3 is provided on the printing paper 2, and the IC tag reader 1 is moved to the position of the IC tag 3 by the rotation of the screw shaft 4 and reads information from the IC tag 3.

  Here, the IC tag reader 1 may be a readable / writable IC tag reader / writer. In this case, information is written on the IC tag 3 of the printing paper 2 and at the same time a predetermined value is also applied to the IC tag 3. It becomes possible to write information.

  The IC tag reader moving mechanism unit may be provided in a discharge unit (not shown) from which printing paper of the printing apparatus is discharged, or may be provided in a paper tray (not shown) for storing printing paper. In particular, when writing information to the IC tag 3 on the printing paper as an IC tag reader / writer, it is effective to provide the latter.

  Communication with the IC tag 3 by the IC tag reader 1 is performed without contact with the IC tag 3, but the distance between the IC tag reader 1 and the IC tag 3 becomes a problem. Therefore, in order to obtain the information from the IC tag 3 reliably, the IC tag reader 1 is moved to a position where it can be reliably communicated with the IC tag 3 using this IC tag reader moving mechanism.

  The IC tag 3 is generally the one in which the IC chip portion and the antenna portion are integrated (not shown), but the IC tag reader is used when the IC chip portion and the antenna portion are separable. 1 may be moved to a position where it can communicate with the antenna portion of the IC tag 3.

  An example of moving the IC tag reader 1 is shown using a screw shaft 4. However, the IC tag reader 1 is not limited to this and can be moved by a guide rail, a belt, a wire, or the like as long as the IC tag reader 1 can be moved. There may be.

  In FIG. 1, a continuous paper is used as the printing paper. However, as will be described later, cut paper (A4, A3, B5, B4) cut according to a predetermined rule may be used.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a main part of the printing apparatus according to the present invention, and shows an outline of an IC tag reader (reader / writer) moving mechanism part and a control part.

  The motor 5 is a motor 5 that drives the screw shaft 4. By rotating the motor 5, the IC tag reader 1 is moved in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the printing paper 2. The motor 5 is connected to a control unit 6, and the control unit 6 controls the rotation of the motor 5 and controls the movement position of the IC tag reader 1.

  Information communicated between the IC tag 3 and the IC tag reader 1 is input / output between the IC tag reader 1 and the control unit 6, and input / output by the storage unit 9, the operation unit 7, the display unit 8, or the host 10. The

  The storage unit 9 stores information about the printing apparatus or information about information to be actually printed, and writes the information to the IC tag 3.

  When the IC tag reader 1 is an IC tag reader / writer, information stored in the IC tag 3 (for example, tag code, paper type, IC tag position information, and other information related to the IC tag) is read. And stored in the storage unit 9.

  Next, the IC tag reader 1 is actually moved by accepting an instruction input from the host 10 or accepting an instruction input from the operation unit 7. The received information is input to the control unit 6, and the control unit 6 drives and controls the motor 5.

  In particular, in the input from the operation unit 7, the position information of the IC tag 3 is displayed by the display unit 8 as control information. The same applies to the input from the host 10, and the control information is displayed on a display means (for example, a display) of the host 10 (not shown).

  As described above, the IC tag reader 1 is moved by controlling the control unit 6 based on the input instruction information, and information read by the IC tag reader 1 is transferred to the display unit 8, the storage unit 9, and the host 10 via the control unit 6. Is output. Details of the input from the host 10 and the input from the operation unit 8 will be described later.

  FIG. 3 shows a mechanism for detecting the position of the IC tag 3 when the IC tag reader 1 is moved. Here, the IC tag 3 is present on the left side of the printing paper as shown in FIG. The IC tag reader 1 transmits a predetermined radio wave (for example, 13.56 MHz electromagnetic wave), and the IC tag 3 side receives the radio wave using this radio wave band. The radio wave intensity in communication at this time is usually set to be about the intensity at which communication with the IC tag 3 is performed.

  When a radio wave is transmitted from the IC tag reader 1, normally, negotiation with the IC tag 3 is performed using a predetermined protocol. In this negotiation stage, if the IC tag 3 is present, negotiation is performed, and after performing code authentication of the IC tag, data communication is performed. However, if the IC tag does not exist, communication cannot be performed. Can not do it.

  Here, if there is a distance between the IC tag reader 1 and the IC tag 3, radio waves from the IC tag reader 1 do not reach the IC tag 3, and communication cannot be performed. In such a case, the motor 5 is driven by the control from the control unit 6 and the IC tag reader 1 moves to the left side to a position where communication between the IC tag reader 1 and the IC tag 3 is possible.

  When the IC tag reader 1 moves to a position where communication is possible, a predetermined negotiation operation is performed. If negotiation cannot be performed even if the IC tag reader 1 moves within the moving range, the control unit 6 determines that the IC tag 3 is broken or is not a printing certificate with an IC tag.

  Although the IC tag reader 1 moves depending on whether communication is possible or not, even if the IC tag reader 1 and the IC tag 3 are in a communicable state, they are stable if the radio wave strength during mutual communication is weak. Communication is not possible. Therefore, the IC tag reader 1 detects the reception intensity of the signal from the IC tag 3, and further moves according to the detected reception intensity, thereby realizing stable communication.

  Further, paying attention to the reception intensity from the beginning, the reception intensity may be detected while moving the IC tag reader 1, and the position may be determined based on the strength of the reception intensity. In this case, a part of the negotiation sequence may be used.

  Next, a case where the movement of the IC tag reader 1 is instructed from the host 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a screen of a printer driver installed in the host 10 and is a screen for setting the position of the IC tag reader 1. Here, the IC tag reader position display window 20 displays the position of the IC tag reader 1. The IC tag reader 1 is represented in the IC tag reader position display window 20 by an IC tag reader 20a. The moving range is expressed as a scale, and in the IC tag reader position display window 20, the range is from 20c to 20d, and the center of the range is 20b.

  When the IC tag reader 1 is actually moved, the IC tag reader 1 is moved left and right by pressing the arrow buttons 21a and 21b shown in the IC tag reader movement instruction window 20. A mode accompanying the movement is expressed in the IC tag reader position display window 20. Moreover, you may input the numerical value to move directly. In that case, it is performed by directly inputting into the numerical value input window 22. In this embodiment, a numerical value is input to the numerical value input window 22 as the distance from the scale center 20b. As long as the IC tag reader 1 is moved to a predetermined position, other modes may be used.

  FIG. 5 shows the reception intensity of the IC tag reader 1 as a screen display of the printer driver so that the position of the IC tag reader 1 can be set to the optimum position.

  On the IC tag position setting screen shown in FIG. 5, the reception intensity of the IC tag reader 1 can be displayed as shown in the window 23. The reception strength is illustrated as a bar graph, and the longer the bar of the bar graph, the stronger the reception strength. In order to display the received intensity, the measurement button 24 is pressed. By measuring the reception intensity, the reception intensity at the current position of the IC tag reader 1 is displayed on the window 23. Then, by operating the arrow buttons 21a and 21b described above, the position of the IC tag reader 1 is moved and the measurement button 24 is pressed again, whereby the received intensity at the moved position is displayed on the window 23. If the reception intensity has reached the stable level 23a in the window 23, stable communication can be performed.

  Next, a method for setting the position of the IC tag reader 1 using the operation unit 7 of the printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. In the operation unit 7, the IC tag position setting menu (not shown) is shifted from a predetermined hierarchical menu.

  When the IC tag reader position movement mode is entered at that level, the display of FIG. 6A appears. Here, “+” indicates a position where the IC tab reader 1 is located. The position is changed by pressing the left / right button among the up / down / left / right arrow buttons (not shown) attached to the operation unit.

  In order to measure the reception intensity of the IC tag reader 1, similarly, the IC tag reader 1 reception intensity mode is entered from the IC tag position setting menu, and when the mode is entered, the display of FIG. 6B appears. Here, when a determination button (not shown) is pressed, the reception intensity of the IC tag reader 1 is measured. The measured received intensity is indicated by “|”.

  An appropriate position of the IC tag reader 1 can be determined by alternately repeating the position movement mode of the IC tag reader 1 and the reception intensity mode of the IC tag reader 1.

  Next, the operation of the IC tag reader 1 in the printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. First, printing paper is set in the printing apparatus (S100). When the printing paper is set, it is determined whether or not the printing paper is a printing paper with an IC tag (S101). If it is not the IC tag printing paper (S101 No), the process ends here (S102). If it is the IC tag printing paper (S101 YES), the process proceeds to the position setting of the IC tag reader 1 (S103). ).

  The position of the IC tag reader 1 is set by measuring the intensity at which the IC tag reader 1 receives the radio wave returned from the IC tag 3 in response to the radio wave output from the IC tag reader 1 (S104). Here, a stable radio wave intensity that ensures a stable reception strength and can perform a stable printing operation is input in advance as a specified value to the printing apparatus, and a determination is made based on whether or not the intensity is equal to or greater than the specified value (S105). ).

  If the received intensity of the IC tag reader 1 is not equal to or higher than the specified value (No in S105), the position of the IC tag reader 1 is moved (S106), and the received radio wave intensity is measured again (S104). If the reception intensity of the IC tag reader 1 is equal to or higher than the specified value (S105 YES), the position of the IC tag reader 1 is determined at that position (S107).

  By determining the position of the IC tag reader 1 in this way, the IC tag 3 and the IC tag reader 1 can reliably communicate with each other during printing.

  In the first embodiment, the continuous paper is described as an example of the printing paper. However, in the second embodiment, a cut paper is described as an example. Since the mechanism related to the movement of the IC tag reader 1 is the same as that of the first embodiment, the description here will be saved, and the position setting of the IC tag reader 1 in the case of a cut sheet will be described.

  FIG. 8 shows a setting screen in the printer driver. This setting screen has a “paper size” setting unit 25 as an item for designating the type of printing paper. By setting the paper in the setting unit 25, the moving range of the IC tag reader 1 conforming to the standard of the paper is limited.

  The type of paper is determined by a pull-down menu provided in the setting unit 25. Although the paper type is simply specified here, it is also possible to specify standardly prepared printing paper with an IC tag. In this case, the position information of the IC tag is also determined by the specification. Since it is uniquely determined, the IC tag reader 1 can be moved automatically. In such a case, the position of the IC tag 3 with respect to some standard IC tag-attached printing papers may be held as a table in the printing apparatus or may be held by a printer driver.

  The movement of the IC tag reader 1 is performed by the left and right arrow buttons or numerical input as shown in the first embodiment, and the determination of the optimum position is performed by measuring the reception intensity as shown in the first embodiment. Is called.

  Next, as another setting screen, as shown in FIG. 9, in addition to specifying the paper size, the direction of the paper may be specified. The paper direction is designated by the setting unit 26, and the mode at that time is displayed on the display unit 27. Since the movement range of the IC tag reader 1 is further limited, the position setting of the IC tag reader 1 is facilitated.

  Here, the type and orientation of the paper are simply specified, but it is also possible to specify standardly prepared printing paper with an IC tag. When such a printing certificate is designated, the IC The position of the tag 3 is displayed on the display unit 27 together with the printing paper.

  Similarly, the position of the IC tag 3 with respect to some standard IC tag-attached printing papers may be held inside the printing apparatus as a table, or may be held by a printer driver. If held by the printer driver, the position of the IC tag 3 on a plurality of types of printing paper with IC tags is displayed on the display unit 27.

  In this way, it is possible to set the optimum position of the IC tag reader 1 not only for continuous paper but also for cut paper, and the IC tag 3 and the IC tag reader 1 can be reliably communicated during printing.

  The printing apparatus of the present invention can be applied to a printing apparatus that performs printing on a printing paper provided with an IC tag. In particular, even for various types of printing paper with an IC tag, an IC tag, an IC tag reader, Therefore, it can be effectively used in offices and departments that handle many types of printing paper and frequently perform printing output.

It is a figure which shows the mechanism outline of the IC tag reader of the printing apparatus concerning this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a printing apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the positional relationship of the IC tag reader and IC tag concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen in the printer driver regarding the setting of the IC tag reader concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen in the print driver regarding the setting of the IC tag reader concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen in the operation panel regarding the setting of the IC tag reader concerning this invention. It is a flowchart explaining operation | movement of the IC tag reader of the printing apparatus concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen in the printer driver regarding the setting of the IC tag reader concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the setting screen in the printer driver regarding the setting of the IC tag reader concerning this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 IC tag reader (IC tag reader / writer)
2 Printing paper 3 IC tag 4 Screw shaft 5 Motor 6 Control unit 7 Operation unit 8 Display unit 9 Storage unit 10 Host 20 IC tag reader position display window 20a IC tag reader 20b Scale center 20c Scale left 20d Scale right 21 IC tag reader movement instruction window 21a Right arrow button 21b Left arrow button 22 Numerical input window 23 Received intensity display window 23a Stability level 24 Measurement button 25 Paper size setting part 26 Paper direction setting part 27 Display part

Claims (8)

In a printing apparatus that performs printing using a print medium provided with an RFID,
Communication means for communicating with the RFID;
Moving means for moving the communication means along the print medium;
And a control unit configured to control a moving position of the communication unit by the moving unit to a position where a communication state with the RFID is good. The communication means includes
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein information is written to or read from the RFID through communication with the RFID. The control means includes
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving position of the communication unit by the moving unit is controlled to a position where the reception intensity of the communication unit is highest. The control means includes
The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a position of the communication unit moved by the moving unit is controlled when the communication unit communicates with the RFID. Further comprising operation input means for inputting information for controlling the position of the communication means,
The control means includes
The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the movement position of the communication unit by the movement unit is controlled based on input information re-input by the operation unit. The control means includes
5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein input information from an external device is received, and a movement position of the communication unit by the movement unit is controlled based on the input information. The input information is
The printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the printing apparatus is movement instruction information of the communication unit. The input information is
The printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the printing apparatus is information relating to a paper type or a printing paper direction of the printing medium.

Images