JP2008062582A - Printer, control method, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer which reduces a print waiting time due to update processing of an optional apparatus, and executes a print job which does not use the optional apparatus under updating, even during the update processing. <P>SOLUTION: The printer includes: an acquiring section for acquiring a computer program to be used for the update processing so as to execute the update processing in the optional apparatus freely detachable to the printer; and an update processing section for executing the update processing by writing the acquired computer program in the nonvolatile memory of the optional apparatus; and a judging section for judging whether to use the optional apparatus so as to execute a print job for a printing instruction when the printing instruction is received while the update processing is being executed. The printer is also includes a printing section which suspends the print job until the update processing is finished when the optional apparatus is used, and executes the print job in parallel with the update processing when the optional apparatus is not used. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a printing apparatus, a control method, and a computer program that can rewrite a control program for a detachable option device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an option device controlled by an engine control unit of a printer main body is known in a printing apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine. Here, the option devices include a paper feed option device, a paper discharge option device, a transport option device (such as a duplex unit), and the like.

  Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are considered to indicate a paper feed option device and a paper discharge option device controlled by the engine control unit of the printer main body. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-259542 seems to show an image forming apparatus that can easily update a control program in a paper supply / discharge option that is detachable from an electrophotographic printer.

Conventionally, in a printing apparatus such as a printer or a copier, various calibration processes have been executed at power-on or after resetting in order to adjust image forming conditions of the printing apparatus. Patent Document 4 shows an image forming apparatus that performs a calibration process for detecting the remaining amount of toner. Patent Document 5 shows an image forming apparatus that performs a calibration process for cleaning an intermediate transfer member in the apparatus. Patent Document 6 shows an image forming apparatus that performs a calibration process for adjusting image forming conditions such as a transfer bias.
JP 2000-159390 A JP 2002-72754 A JP 2004-114494 A JP-A-5-72900 JP 2004-117597 A JP 2000-75694 A

  However, the conventional printing apparatus has the following problems. For example, the conventional printing apparatus cannot not use the optional apparatus during the update process of the optional apparatus, and the printing apparatus main body cannot execute printing. Therefore, in such a printing apparatus, even if the print job can be executed without using the optional apparatus, the control unit of the printing apparatus main body cannot execute the print job, and printing is performed until the update of the optional apparatus is completed. I had to hold the job.

  Further, in the conventional printing apparatus, after the update process of the option apparatus is completed, not only the option apparatus but also the control unit of the printing apparatus main body is reset once. Therefore, the control unit of the printing apparatus main body cannot perform printing until the calibration process for maintaining the image quality of the printing apparatus is completed, similarly to when the power is turned on.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and reduces a print waiting time associated with an update process of an optional device, and a print job that does not use an updated optional device even during the update process. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus that executes the above.

  The present invention can be realized as, for example, a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires the computer program in order to execute update processing of the computer program of the control unit in the optional device that is detachable from the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes an update processing unit that executes the update process by writing the acquired computer program into a nonvolatile memory of the option device. In addition, the printing apparatus includes a determination unit that determines whether an optional apparatus is used when a print job is executed according to the print instruction when a print instruction is received during the execution of the update process. In addition, when the optional device is used, the printing apparatus holds the print job until the update process is completed. Further, the printing apparatus includes a printing unit that executes a print job in parallel with the update process being executed when the optional device is not used.

  The present invention can provide a printing apparatus that reduces a printing waiting time associated with an update process of an optional apparatus and that executes a print job that does not use the optional apparatus that is being updated even during the update process.

  Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments do not limit the invention described in the claims, and all the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the solution means of the present invention. Not exclusively.

[First Embodiment]
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The printing apparatus according to the present exemplary embodiment executes printing in a part of the received print job during the update process for writing the computer program to the nonvolatile memory of the optional apparatus. Some print jobs are print processes that can be executed in parallel with the update process. An example of such a print job is a print job that does not use an optional device that is being updated. Therefore, a print job that uses an optional device that is being updated is usually excluded because it cannot be executed in parallel with the update process.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus corresponding to the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, a paper discharge option device will be described as an application example as an optional device. However, the option device is not limited to the paper discharge option device, and may be a paper feed option device, a transport option device such as a duplex unit, or the like.

  The printing apparatus 100 includes a standard cassette 101, a paper feed roller 102, a paper detection sensor 103, an image forming unit 104, a paper discharge tray 105, a paper discharge roller 106, and an optional device detection sensor 107. The standard cassette 101 is loaded with paper (recording material) to be printed, and the paper is picked up by the paper feed roller 102. The fed paper is conveyed to the image forming unit 104 to form an image. The image forming unit 104 forms an electrostatic latent image, and transfers the developer image developed with the developer onto a sheet. The paper discharge roller 106 discharges the paper on which the image is formed to the paper discharge tray 105 outside the apparatus, for example. The paper detection sensor 103 is a sensor that detects the presence or absence of paper in the standard cassette 101. The option device detection sensor 107 detects whether or not the paper discharge option device 110 is installed. Each of the above components constitutes a printer engine that is an image forming unit of the printer.

  The paper discharge option device 110 is an optional paper discharge device that can be attached to and detached from the printer, and includes a paper discharge tray 111, a paper transport roller 113, a solenoid 114, and a paper discharge flapper 115. The paper transport roller 113 transports the paper in the paper discharge option device 110 and discharges the paper to the paper discharge tray 111. The solenoid 114 is a solenoid for the discharge flapper 115 that switches between discharging to the discharge tray 105 of the printing apparatus 100 main body and discharging to the discharge tray 111 of the discharge option device 110. The solenoid 114 is controlled by a CPU (control unit) that controls the paper discharge option device 110.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a printing apparatus corresponding to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, 201 denotes a host computer, 202 denotes a printer controller, and 203 denotes an engine control unit. The host computer 201 transmits a computer program to the printer controller 202. The engine control unit 203 acquires a computer program from the printer controller 202 and writes it in the control unit 207 of the paper discharge option device 110. The engine control unit 203 includes an acquisition unit 216, an update processing unit 210, a calibration unit 211, a determination unit 212, a printing unit 213, a determination unit 214, a reset unit 215, and a setting unit 217. The paper discharge option device 110 includes a control unit 207 and a nonvolatile memory 208.

  The acquisition unit 216 acquires a computer program from the host computer 201 in order to execute a computer program update process of the control unit 207 in the paper discharge option device 110. Further, the update processing unit 210 executes a computer program writing process to the nonvolatile memory 208 of the paper discharge option device 110 as a part of the update process. Further, when receiving a print instruction during execution of the update process, the determination unit 212 determines whether or not the paper discharge option device 110 is used when executing a print job according to the print instruction. In addition, when the paper discharge option device 110 is used, the printing unit 213 holds the print job until the update process is completed. On the other hand, when the paper discharge option device 110 is not used, the printing unit 213 executes a print job in parallel with the update process. In addition, the calibration unit 211 performs a calibration process for maintaining the image quality of the printing apparatus 100. The determination unit 214 determines whether to execute calibration processing such as detection of the remaining amount of toner, cleaning of the intermediate transfer member, and adjustment of image forming conditions. In addition, the determination unit 214 determines whether or not the execution can be performed depending on whether or not the printing-related parameter changed from the previous execution of the calibration process has exceeded a threshold that is a condition for executing the calibration process. To do. The setting unit 217 sets a threshold value. The reset unit 215 resets only the control unit 207 of the engine control unit 203 of the printing apparatus 100 and the control unit 207 of the paper discharge option apparatus 110 when the update process is completed. In this embodiment, the determination unit 214, the setting unit 217, the reset unit 215, and the calibration unit 211 are not used.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of update processing corresponding to the first embodiment. Here, the process of the engine control unit 203 that executes the update process will be described.

  First, when the update process starts, the host computer 201 transmits the computer program of the paper discharge option device 110 to the printer controller 202. The printer controller 202 receives the computer program of the paper discharge option device 110 from the host computer 201 and transmits the computer program of the paper discharge option device 110 to the engine control unit 203.

  In step S <b> 301, the engine control unit 203 determines whether the acquisition unit 216 has acquired the computer program for the paper discharge option device 110 from the printer controller 202. When the computer program is received, in step S302, the update processing unit 210 transmits the received computer program to the control unit 207 of the paper discharge option device 110, executes the update process, and shifts the process to S303. Here, the control unit 207 receives the computer program from the engine control unit 203 and rewrites the nonvolatile memory 208. In addition, the control unit 207 cannot receive all of the data for rewriting the nonvolatile memory 208 at a time, and therefore receives, for example, 16 bytes at a time and performs writing. In this way, when the portion of the entire nonvolatile memory 208 necessary for the operation of the paper discharge option device 110 is rewritten, the update processing of the paper discharge option device 110 is completed. On the other hand, when the computer program is not received, the engine control unit 203 shifts the process to S303.

  In step S <b> 303, the engine control unit 203 determines whether a print instruction is received from the printer controller 202. If a print instruction has been received, in step S <b> 304, the determination unit 212 determines whether the received print instruction is a print instruction for using the paper discharge option device 110. On the other hand, when the print instruction has not been received, the engine control unit 203 shifts the process to S306.

  If it is determined in S304 that the print instruction is not to use the paper discharge option device 110, the printing unit 213 executes printing in step S305. On the other hand, if the print instruction is to use the paper discharge option device 110, the printing unit 213 shifts the processing to S306.

  Finally, in step S306, the engine control unit 203 determines whether or not the computer program update process in the paper discharge option device 110 has been completed. When the update process ends, the control unit 207 of the paper discharge option device 110 desirably notifies the engine control unit 203 that the update process has ended, for example. Accordingly, the engine control unit 203 can determine whether or not the update process has ended by determining whether or not the notification indicating the end of the update process has been received from the control unit 207. If it is determined that the update process has ended, the engine control unit 203 ends the control of the update process. On the other hand, if it is determined that the update process has not ended, the engine control unit 203 shifts the process to S301 and continues the control of the update process.

  In this way, the engine control unit 203 in the present embodiment periodically checks whether a print instruction has been received from the printer controller 202 even during the computer program update process in the paper discharge option device 110. When a print instruction is received from the printer controller 202, if the print instruction can be executed without using the paper discharge option device 110, printing is immediately executed. On the other hand, if it is a print instruction that cannot be executed unless the paper discharge option device 110 is used, the print job is temporarily suspended, and printing is executed after the update process is completed.

  In the conventional printing apparatus, since communication between the printer controller 202 and the engine control unit 203 has not been established, the engine control unit 203 has not received a print instruction. This is because the purpose was to make the update process as simple as possible. However, an object of the present invention is to execute a print instruction that does not use the optional device even during update processing. Accordingly, the printing apparatus 100 establishes communication between the printer controller 202 and the engine control unit 203 and receives a print instruction even during the update process.

  As described above, the present embodiment relates to a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus performs update processing of a control unit in an optional apparatus that can be attached to and detached from the printing apparatus. Further, when the printing apparatus receives a print instruction during the execution of the update process, the printing apparatus executes printing if the print instruction is a print job that does not use the optional apparatus. Thus, the printing apparatus can execute a print instruction not to use the optional device even when the computer program of the optional device is being updated. Therefore, the printing apparatus can execute printing without waiting for the user regarding the print instruction.

[Second Embodiment]
The printing apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment uses a reset unit 215 that resets only the control unit 207 of the engine control unit 203 of the printing apparatus 100 and the control unit 207 of the paper discharge option device 110 after the update process is completed. .

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of update processing corresponding to the second embodiment. Note that processing whose description overlaps with FIG. 3 is omitted. That is, S401 and S402 are the same as S301 and S302, respectively, and thus the description thereof is omitted. Although omitted in FIG. 4, as in the first embodiment, the engine control unit 203 may accept a print instruction while updating the computer program.

  In step S403, the engine control unit 203 determines whether or not the computer program update processing has ended. The determination method is the same as that in S306. If the update process has not ended, the engine control unit 203 shifts the process to step S401. If the update process has ended, the engine control unit 203 shifts the process to S404.

  In step S <b> 404, the reset unit 215 resets the control unit 207 of the paper discharge option device 110. Here, the reset unit 215 resets only the control unit 207 of the paper discharge option device 110 and does not reset the engine control unit 203. Next, in step S405, the engine control unit 203 repeatedly determines whether or not the reset in the control unit 207 of the paper discharge option device 110 has been completed until the reset is completed, and controls the update process when the reset is completed. finish. Here, the control unit 207 desirably notifies the engine control unit 203 that the reset has been completed. As a result, the engine control unit 203 can determine whether or not the reset has been completed by a notification from the control unit 207.

  In this way, by resetting only the control unit 207 after the update process is completed, the engine control unit 203 can immediately execute printing using the paper discharge option device 110 after returning from the reset. This is because the waiting time required for resetting the paper discharge option device is generally shorter than the waiting time required for resetting on the main body side.

  In the conventional printing apparatus, the engine control unit 203 is also reset. This is because in the reset sequence of the engine control unit 203, the engine control unit 203 determines whether or not each option device is mounted, and resets the control unit of the installed option device. However, such a printing apparatus also executes a calibration process that is performed when the engine control unit 203 is reset and when the engine is first started or restarted. Therefore, the calibration process has been a cause of prolonged computer program update processing. Examples of the calibration process include a process for detecting the remaining amount of toner, a process for cleaning the intermediate transfer member, and a process for adjusting image forming conditions.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the printing apparatus resets only the control unit of the optional device among the control unit of the printing device and the control unit of the optional device when the update process is completed. It further includes a part. Thus, the printing apparatus can be controlled to reset only the option device and not to reset the engine control unit after the update process of the option device is completed. Therefore, the printing apparatus can execute printing without executing the calibration process of the printing apparatus after the update process is completed. Therefore, since the printing is executed after the start-up process (reset) of the optional device is completed, the waiting time of the user can be shortened and usability can be improved.

[Third Embodiment]
The printing apparatus according to the third embodiment uses a calibration unit 211 that executes a calibration process of the printing apparatus in parallel with the update process. As a result, the print waiting time of the user is reduced as compared with a printing apparatus that sequentially executes the update process and the calibration process. Further, during the update process, the printing apparatus sets a condition for the engine control unit 203 to execute the calibration process to a condition that is easier to execute than the normal state. Thereby, the printing apparatus can execute the calibration process by using the period during the update process.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of update processing corresponding to the third embodiment. Note that processing whose description overlaps with FIG. 4 is omitted. Therefore, S503 and S504 will be described below. Although omitted in FIG. 5, as in the first embodiment, the engine control unit 203 may accept a print instruction while updating the computer program. Further, according to the present embodiment, the printing apparatus 100 determines whether or not to execute the calibration process during the update process. Here, when the threshold determination is not performed for the execution of the calibration process, that is, when the calibration process is executed every time during the update process, useless calibration processes increase. For example, there is a possibility that the calibration process is executed even though the period has not passed so much since the previous calibration process.

  In step S503, the determination unit 214 determines whether or not the execution condition of the calibration process is met. Specifically, the determination unit 214 determines whether or not the parameter changed from the previously executed calibration process exceeds a predetermined threshold value. That is, the changed parameter and the threshold value are compared as the calibration process execution condition. Here, printing-related parameters include, for example, environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, absolute water content, etc.) around the printing device, printing from the previous calibration process to the current calibration process And the number of elapsed times. When the number of printed sheets is used as a parameter, the calibration process is executed by increasing the number of printed sheets to a predetermined threshold value (number of printed sheets) or more.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the printing apparatus 100 may include the setting unit 217 that sets the threshold value at the time of executing the update process to be relatively lower than the threshold value at the time of normal activation. . Thus, by increasing the probability that the calibration process can be executed in parallel with the computer program update process in the paper discharge option device 110, the number of calibration processes that are normally performed can be reduced. For example, when the number of printed sheets is used as a threshold value, the calibration process can be easily performed by setting the threshold value to 100 sheets during normal update processing.

  If it is determined in S503 that the calibration process is to be executed, in step S504, the calibration unit 211 executes the calibration process and shifts the process to S505. If it is determined in S503 that the calibration process is not executed, the engine control unit 203 shifts the process to S505.

  In the conventional printing apparatus, the engine control unit of the printing apparatus main body is reset after the computer program update process is completed. Along with this, the engine control unit after restarting executes calibration processing. In other words, the conventional printing apparatus sequentially executes update processing, reset, and calibration processing. However, in the printing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the calibration process can be executed in parallel with the update process, and the printing waiting time of the user can be shortened as compared with the conventional printing apparatus.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the printing apparatus further includes a calibration unit that performs a calibration process for maintaining the image quality of the printing apparatus. Accordingly, in the printing apparatus, the calibration process is performed by the calibration unit in parallel with the update process performed by the update processing unit. Therefore, the printing apparatus does not wait for printing by executing a calibration process or the like immediately after the start of printing after completion of the update process. Therefore, this printing apparatus can shorten the printing waiting time of the user accompanying the update process, and can provide a printing apparatus with high usability.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. The printing apparatus determines whether to execute the calibration process based on whether the parameter that has changed since the previous calibration process is executed and the parameter that has changed the threshold value that is a condition for executing the calibration process has been exceeded. A determination unit may be included. Thereby, this printing apparatus can reduce the calibration process performed at the normal time, and can shorten the printing waiting time of the user. In addition, regarding the execution of the calibration process, the printing apparatus can suppress the extra calibration process by performing threshold determination during the update of the computer program.

[Other Embodiments]
Although various embodiments have been described in detail above, the present invention may be applied to a system constituted by a plurality of devices, or may be applied to an apparatus constituted by one device. For example, a computer system including a printer, a facsimile, a PC, a server, and a client.

  The present invention supplies a software program that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments directly or remotely to a system or apparatus, and a computer included in the system reads and executes the supplied program code. Can also be achieved.

  Accordingly, since the functions and processes of the present invention are implemented by a computer, the program code installed in the computer also implements the present invention. That is, the computer program itself for realizing the functions and processes is also one aspect of the present invention.

  In this case, the program may be in any form as long as it has a program function, such as an object code, a program executed by an interpreter, or script data supplied to the OS.

  Examples of the recording medium for supplying the program include a flexible disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, MO, CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW. Examples of the recording medium include a magnetic tape, a non-volatile memory card, a ROM, a DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R), and the like.

  The program may be downloaded from a homepage on the Internet using a browser on a client computer. That is, the computer program itself of the present invention or a compressed file including an automatic installation function may be downloaded from the home page to a recording medium such as a hard disk. It can also be realized by dividing the program code constituting the program of the present invention into a plurality of files and downloading each file from a different homepage. That is, a WWW server that allows a plurality of users to download a program file for realizing the functional processing of the present invention on a computer may be a constituent requirement of the present invention.

  Further, the program of the present invention may be encrypted and stored in a storage medium such as a CD-ROM and distributed to users. In this case, only the user who cleared the predetermined condition is allowed to download the key information to be decrypted from the homepage via the Internet, decrypt the program encrypted with the key information, execute it, and install the program on the computer May be.

  Further, the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized by the computer executing the read program. Note that an OS or the like running on the computer may perform part or all of the actual processing based on the instructions of the program. Of course, also in this case, the functions of the above-described embodiments can be realized.

  Furthermore, the program read from the recording medium may be written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. Based on the instructions of the program, a CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit may perform part or all of the actual processing. In this way, the functions of the above-described embodiments may be realized.

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus corresponding to a first embodiment. 1 is a block diagram of a printing apparatus corresponding to a first embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure of the update process corresponding to 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure of the update process corresponding to 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure of the update process corresponding to 3rd Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

117: Discharge option device 201: Policy server 202: Information processing device 203: User 207: Control unit 208: Non-volatile memory 210: Update processing unit 211: Calibration unit 212: Determination unit 213: Printing unit 214: Determination unit 215 : Reset unit 216: Acquisition unit

Claims (8)

A printing device,
An acquisition unit for acquiring the computer program in order to execute update processing of the computer program of the control unit in the optional device detachable from the printing device;
An update processing unit that executes the update process by writing the acquired computer program in a nonvolatile memory of the optional device;
A determination unit that determines whether or not the optional device is used when executing a print job according to the print instruction when a print instruction is received during the execution of the update process;
Printing that holds the print job until the update process ends when the optional device is used, and executes the print job in parallel with the update process being executed when the optional device is not used A printing apparatus.   The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a reset unit that resets only the control unit of the optional device among the control unit of the printing device and the control unit of the optional device when the update process is completed. Printing device. A calibration unit for executing a calibration process for maintaining the image quality of the printing apparatus;
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calibration process is executed by the calibration unit in parallel with the execution of the update process by the update processing unit. Whether or not the calibration process can be executed is determined according to whether or not a printing-related parameter that has changed since the previous calibration process has exceeded a threshold that is a condition for executing the calibration process. A determination unit;
The setting unit further includes a setting unit configured to set the threshold value when the update process is performed to be relatively lower than the threshold value when the printing apparatus is normally started. The printing apparatus according to 2. The parameter is
Includes at least one of the number of recording materials printed from the time of the previous calibration process to the time of execution of the current calibration process, the elapsed time, the temperature, humidity and absolute water content around the printing apparatus The printing apparatus according to claim 4. The calibration process includes
6. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising at least one of detection of a remaining amount of toner, cleaning of an intermediate transfer member, and adjustment of image forming conditions. A control method for controlling a printing apparatus,
Obtaining the computer program for executing the update process of the computer program of the control unit in the optional device detachable from the printing device;
Executing the update process by writing the acquired computer program to a nonvolatile memory of the optional device;
Determining whether or not the optional device is used when executing a print job in accordance with the print instruction when a print instruction is received during the execution of the update process;
When the optional device is used, the print job is held until the update process is completed, and when the optional device is not used, the print job is executed in parallel with the update process being executed. The control method characterized by including these. A computer readable computer program for controlling a printing device,
Obtaining the computer program for executing the update process of the computer program of the control unit in the optional device detachable from the printing device;
Executing the update process by writing the acquired computer program to a nonvolatile memory of the optional device;
Determining whether or not the optional device is used when executing a print job in accordance with the print instruction when a print instruction is received during the execution of the update process;
When the optional device is used, the print job is held until the update process is completed, and when the optional device is not used, the print job is executed in parallel with the update process being executed. A computer program comprising:

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