JP2008273213A - Printing apparatus and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the holding of an excessive substitute prepared for stopping of an operation of a store by the occurrence of a sudden fault and the fault. <P>SOLUTION: A printing apparatus includes a storing means capable of holding storing contents in the state that a power is not supplied, an operating times counting means for counting the number of operating times of a printing device, and an operating times storing means for storing the operating times of historical operating times of the printing device in the storing mean based on the number of operating times by the operation times counting means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a control method therefor, and more particularly to a maintenance information handling technique suitable for use in a printing apparatus used in a money handling system such as a POS system.

In the conventional printing apparatus, there is no one that counts and stores the operation history of the printing apparatus represented by the number of printed characters and transmits the count value to the host apparatus in response to an inquiry from the host apparatus. Therefore, it is difficult to confirm the operation history of the printing apparatus from the host apparatus to know the content and timing of the maintenance of the printing apparatus and to perform appropriate maintenance of the printing apparatus.

In the above prior art, since the printing device cannot store the operation history and notify the host device, the user cannot know the operation history of the printing device away from the printing device via the host device. It was. For this reason, it is difficult to predict the occurrence of a failure due to wear of parts that occurs as the printing operation progresses. In particular, the POS system has a problem that the operation at the store stops due to an unexpected failure. Or, in order not to stop the operation of the store due to the unexpected failure, there is a problem that an excessive spare printing device must be prepared for the failure, resulting in a high inventory cost. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to realize a printing apparatus that is free from the above-described problems in the prior art.

In order to solve the above-described problems, a printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a storage unit that can retain stored contents even when power is not supplied to the printing apparatus, an operation number counting unit that counts the number of operations of the printing apparatus, and an operation Based on the count value by the number counting means, the operation number storage means for storing the history operation count of the printing apparatus in the storage means, and the history operation count stored in the storage means in response to a predetermined command received from the host device It is characterized by having an operation frequency transmission means for reading out and transmitting to the host device. As a result, the host device can know the number of printing device operations, for example, the number of print characters, the transport distance of the recording medium, the number of auto cutter operations, etc., and the maintenance operator can be located away from the printing device. This information can be obtained and used for maintenance work. Here, the number of history operations refers to the total number of operations since the printing apparatus has started to be used, and may be the total number of operations after the replacement when a member related to the operation is exchanged.

In this case, it has an operation time measuring means for measuring the operation time of the printing apparatus, and the operation count storage means stores the history operation count for each predetermined time in the storage means corresponding to the operation time measurement means. It may be. Thereby, even when the power supply is cut off, it is possible to reduce the count of the number of operations lost due to this.

In this case, it is desirable to further include an operation number changing means for changing the history operation number stored in the storage means in accordance with a predetermined command received from the host device. Thus, for example, when the blade of the auto cutter is replaced, the number of history operations can be set to 0 or a predetermined initial value, and accurate maintenance information that matches the actual situation can be obtained.

In the above case, the storage means has a plurality of areas for storing the history operation count,
The operation count storage means stores the history operation count based on the history operation count stored in each of the plurality of areas, and the operation count change means stores the history count stored in one area of the plurality of areas. Changing the number of operations may be prohibited. This makes it possible to obtain accurate history information even when the parts to be replaced differ depending on the number of operations of the printing apparatus, for example, by properly using areas that are reset by parts replacement and areas that are not. .

In addition, it has an operation number conversion means for converting the history operation number into a life determination index value, and the operation number transmission means obtains the life determination index value obtained by the operation number conversion means when transmitting the history operation number to the host device. May be transmitted. This makes it possible for the host device to obtain the number of operations in the form of an index for determining the life. For example, a greater effect can be obtained when the life is determined by the number of operations and the operation frequency.

In this case, there is provided data conversion means for encoding the life operation index value converted by the history operation frequency or the operation frequency conversion means, and the operation frequency transmission means transmits the encoded data to the host device. Good. As a result, even when specific data cannot be transmitted due to interface restrictions, for example, the data can be transmitted to the host device without fail.

Further, it is desirable to further include an operation number display means for displaying the history operation number stored in the storage means and / or the life determination index value obtained by the operation number conversion means. The operation number display means preferably includes operation number printing means for printing and displaying the history operation number stored in the storage means and / or the life determination index value obtained by the operation number conversion means. As a result, the operator can also know the data on the printing apparatus side and perform appropriate maintenance work using the data.

Further, the operation count storage means may store the history operation count in the storage means regardless of the operation time measurement means in accordance with a predetermined command received from the host device. As a result, it is possible to perform the storing operation at an appropriate timing, and it is possible to reduce the number of operation times lost due to the power-off.

The present invention can also be grasped as a control method of the above-described printing apparatus, and has the same operations and effects.

According to the present invention, the history of the number of operations of the printing apparatus is stored in the printing apparatus, so that it is possible to easily check the degree of wear of consumables of the printing apparatus and the degree of wear with respect to the life of the parts. By confirming the number of history operations, and preparing an alternative in advance when a failure is approaching, it is possible to minimize the stoppage of store operations. It is no longer necessary to prepare substitutes at all times, and inventory costs can be reduced.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus according to the present invention. 10 is a processing control unit, 11 is a communication control unit, 12 is a ROM, and 13 is a flash ROM.
, 14 is a RAM, 15 is a mechanism control unit, and 16 is a mechanism.

The processing control unit 10 operates according to the processing procedure stored in the ROM 12. Communication control unit 11
Is connected to a host device (not shown). Reception of print data and control commands from the host device and transmission of the number of operations of the printing device to the host device are performed through the communication control unit 11.
The communication control unit 11 also has a function of resetting the processing control unit 10 using a signal line connected to the host device.

The processing control unit 10 is based on the data received through the communication control unit 11, and the mechanism control unit 1
The mechanism 16 is operated through 5. The mechanism 16 includes a roll paper feeding unit 17, a roll paper printing head 18, a roll paper cutter 19, a cut sheet feeding unit 20, a cut sheet printing head 21, and a magnetic ink character reading head 22.

The processing control unit 10 has a timer inside, and generates a timer interrupt at regular intervals. R
The time is measured by the timer interruption process stored in the OM 12, and the operating time of the printing apparatus is measured.

When the process control unit 10 performs the control process of the mechanism 16 to the mechanism control unit 15, the process control unit 10 stores the number of operations in the RAM 14. The number of operations of the mechanism 16 stored in the RAM 14 is stored in the flash ROM 13 at a predetermined timing. At this time, the processing control unit 10
The operating time of the printing apparatus measured by the timer is also stored.

The flash ROM 13 can be read and written by the control processing unit 10 and can retain its contents even when power is not supplied. In the processing procedure stored in the ROM 12, first, the operation count of the printing device stored in the flash ROM 13 is copied to the RAM 14,
Subsequent counting of the number of operations updates the contents of the RAM 14. With such a configuration, it is possible to continuously count the number of operations of the printing apparatus regardless of whether the power is on or off.

In the time measurement by the timer interruption described above, the operating time of the printing apparatus is measured and the RA is measured.
Measurement of the time for which the count content of the number of operations stored in M14 is stored in the flash ROM 13 is also performed. In this embodiment, time measurement by timer interrupt processing is 2
Each time it is detected that minutes have passed, the data is stored in the flash ROM 13.

There are the following operations for counting, and a counter number is assigned to each. This counter number is used in a control command described later. Two counter numbers are assigned to one operation.

Number of cut sheet paper feed lines Counter number a = 10 Counter number b = 138 Number of cut sheet paper printing characters Counter number a = 11 Counter number b = 139 Count of roll paper feed lines Counter number a = 20 Counter number b = 148-Roll paper head energization count Counter number a = 21
Counter number b = 149. Roll paper cutter drive count. Counter number a = 50. Counter number b = 178. Magnetic ink character reading count. Counter number a = 60. Counter number b = 1.
88. Product operation time Counter number a = 70 Counter number b = 198 Counter number a and counter number b are independent counters, and each counter is updated for one operation.

Here, the counter number a is a counter that can be changed by a control command, and the counter number b is a counter that cannot be changed by a control command.

Next, a control command for changing the count content of the counter number a will be described. FIG. 2 shows an example of the counter change command. The change command includes a command code part 30 and a parameter part 31. Further, the command code section 30 is composed of an extension 32 and a function code 33, and the parameter section 31 is composed of a function expansion parameter 34 and a counter number designation section 35. The extension 32 is ASCII notation of the character code table <1DH>. The function code 33 is a code string for designating a counter changing function, and in this embodiment, the changing function is designated by combining two character codes. The function expansion parameter 34 of the change command in this embodiment designates a key for changing the counter. The counter number designating unit 35 designates the counter number to be changed.

  In the counter change command processing, the following processing is performed.

The function extension parameter 34 of the counter change command is compared with a predetermined key, and if the function extension parameter 34 does not match the key, the counter change process is not executed. This makes it possible to prohibit the counter from being changed when the predetermined key does not match.

The counter number specified by the counter number specifying unit 35 is compared with a counter number a that can be changed. If the counter number specified by the counter number specifying unit 35 corresponds to the counter number a, the counter number specified The contents are changed. At this time, the contents of the counter are initialized to 0 in this embodiment. If the counter number specified by the counter number specifying unit 35 does not correspond to the counter number a, the counter is not changed. Therefore, the counter of the counter number corresponding to the counter number b is not changed.

If the print mode in which print data transmitted from the host device is expanded and stored in the print buffer in units of lines and then printing is executed by the print command is selected and there is unprinted data in the print buffer, the counter Do not execute the change process. As a result, it is possible to prevent the disappearance of unprinted data due to the occurrence of an error during the counter changing process, and it is possible to protect the print data that has not been printed.

When the print mode for executing printing by the print command after the print data transmitted from the host device is expanded and stored in the print buffer corresponding to a plurality of lines is not executed, the counter changing process is not executed. Accordingly, it is possible to prohibit the counter change process in a state where a print mode that is not appropriate for the counter change process is selected.

When a “write error” occurs during writing, the error occurrence is displayed by an LED, a buzzer, or the like, or notified to the host device by sending an error status or changing a signal line. As a result, the operator or the host device can confirm that the counter changing process has not been completed normally due to an error occurring in the printing apparatus.

  This counter change command also has the following functions.

The contents of the counter stored in the RAM 14 are stored in the flash R even if the time for writing to the flash ROM 14 is not reached by the time measurement by the timer interruption described above.
Write to OM14. If this configuration is not adopted, the contents of the counter are changed by the change command, and the contents of the counter are changed when the host device resets the processing control section 10 by the signal line through the communication control section 11 before writing to the flash ROM 14. Will be lost. In order to prevent the occurrence of such a problem, writing to the flash ROM 14 is performed at the same time when a change command is processed. It should be noted that a similar effect can be obtained by providing a write-only command for the flash ROM 14.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a counter transmission command. The transmission command is composed of a command code part 40 and a parameter part 41. Further, the command code section 40 has an extension 42 and a function code 43.
The parameter part 41 is a function expansion parameter 44 and a counter number designation part 4
It is composed of five. The extension 42 is ASCII notation of the character code table <1DH>. The function code 43 is a code string that designates the transmission capability of the counter. In this embodiment, the change function is designated by combining two character codes. The function expansion parameter 44 of the transmission command in the present embodiment designates a key at the time of counter transmission. The counter number designating unit 45
Specify the counter number to send.

The following processing is performed in the counter transmission command processing.
The function expansion parameter 44 of the counter transmission command is compared with a predetermined key, and if the function expansion parameter 44 does not match the key, the counter transmission process is not executed. This makes it possible to prohibit transmission of the counter when the predetermined keys do not match.

When the counter number designated by the counter number designation unit 45 is a counted number, the contents of the counter stored in the flash ROM 14 are read and transmitted.
If the counter number specified by the counter number specifying unit 45 is an uncounted number, the transmission command is ignored and data transmission is not performed.

When a “read error” of the flash ROM 14 occurs during transmission, the error occurrence is displayed by an LED, a buzzer, or the like, or notified to the host device by transmitting an error status or changing a signal line. Thus, the operator or the host device can confirm that data is not transmitted due to an error occurring in the printing device.

[Header code] or [Terminate code] can be added to the transmission data. As a result, the host device can easily recognize the start and end of the transmission data.

During the counter transmission command processing, the following processing is also executed. The count data is converted as the first step of the data transmission process to the host device. There are two types of contents that are counted, such as those that are easy to understand as numerical values for determining the lifespan, and those that are difficult to understand with the numerical values themselves. The easy-to-understand values may be left as they are, but for the numerical values that are difficult to understand, the contents of the count are converted to those that are easy to determine the lifespan. A description will be given by taking the number of sheet feed lines of a cut sheet as an example.

The drive source of the cut sheet feeding unit 20 is a stepping motor. Counting by the processing control unit 10 counts the number of steps of the stepping motor. On the user side, it is very difficult to understand how much paper feeding has been performed with this number of steps. The normal paper feed for one line is 1/6 inch, and the cut sheet feed unit 20 is configured to feed 1/6 inch cut sheet when the stepping motor is driven 24 steps. Therefore, the internal count value is 24
Prepare a value divided by and converted to the number of print lines.

Data conversion is performed as the second step. If the counted contents and converted numerical values are sent to the host device as they are, problems may occur such as that some numerical values match other control codes and normal operation cannot be performed, and that data cannot be transmitted by 7-bit data communication. . As an example, when the converted value of the number of paper feed lines of a cut sheet is 00001100H, the transmission data is 4 bytes of 00H, 00H, 11H, and 00H. May occur.

Therefore, data conversion is performed. In the data conversion, the count value or the converted value is converted into a decimal character code and transmitted from the upper digit to the host device. In the case of the above-mentioned value of 00001100H, the decimal value is 4864, and it is 34H, 38H, 36H, 3 to the host device.
4 bytes of 4H are transmitted.

In addition to printing data from the host device, the printing device of the present invention has a test print mode for testing the printing device. When the power is turned on while pressing a paper feed switch (not shown), the test print mode is entered.

In this test print mode, the same content as that transmitted by the counter transmission command to the host device is printed as shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, 50 indicates the item being counted, 51 indicates the count value of the changeable counter belonging to the counter number a, and 52 indicates the count value of the non-changeable counter belonging to the counter number b. With this configuration, the operation history of the printing apparatus can be confirmed in a state where the printing apparatus is not connected to the host apparatus.

The count is also advanced by the printing operation in the test printing mode. However, since the test print mode does not continue for 2 minutes, the power may be turned off before the timing for writing the contents of the RAM 14 to the flash ROM 13 comes. Even in this case, if the test print mode is completed even before the time measurement by the timer interrupt process of the process control unit 10 is determined to be the write timing so that the counted contents are not lost, the flash ROM 13 is returned to the flash ROM 13. To write.

The block diagram which shows one Example of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the counter change command which shows one Example of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the counter transmission command which shows one Example of this invention. The example of a printing in the test printing mode which shows one Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 ... Communication control unit 11 ... Processing control unit 12 ... ROM
13 ... Flash ROM
14 ... RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 ... Mechanism control part 16 ... Mechanism 30 ... Command code part of change command 31 ... Parameter part of change command 32 ... Extension of change command 33 ... Function code of change command 34・ ・ ・ Parameter for parameter expansion of change command 35 ・ ・ ・ Counter number specification parameter of change command 40 ・ ・ ・ Command code part of transmission command 41 ・ ・ ・ Parameter part of transmission command 42 ・ ・ ・ Extension of transmission command 43 ... Function code of transmission command 44 ... Parameter for parameter expansion of transmission command 45 ... Counter number specification parameter of transmission command

Claims (18)

In a printing apparatus that is connected to a host apparatus and performs printing based on commands and data from the host apparatus, storage means that can retain stored contents even when power is not supplied to the printing apparatus, and the number of operations of the printing apparatus Based on the count value by the operation count counting means, the operation count storage means for storing the history operation count of the printing apparatus in the storage means, and the predetermined command received from the host device. In response, the printing apparatus includes: an operation frequency transmission unit that reads out the history operation number stored in the storage unit and transmits the history operation number to the host device. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation time measurement unit that measures an operation time of the printing apparatus, wherein the operation count storage unit corresponds to the operation time measurement unit, and the history is stored every predetermined time. A printing apparatus, wherein the number of operations is stored in the storage means. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising operation number changing means for changing the number of history operations stored in the storage means in response to a predetermined command received from the host device. Printing device to do. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the storage unit has a plurality of areas for storing the history operation counts, and the operation count storage unit is stored in each of the plurality of areas. The history operation count is stored based on the history operation count, and the operation count changing means prohibits the change of the history operation count stored in one area of the plurality of areas. A printing device. 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an operation frequency conversion unit that converts the history operation frequency into a life determination index value, wherein the operation frequency transmission unit transmits the history operation frequency to the host device. The printing apparatus, wherein the life determination index value obtained by the operation frequency conversion means is transmitted. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a data conversion unit that encodes the lifetime determination index value converted by the history operation number or the operation number conversion unit, wherein the operation number transmission unit includes the code. A printing apparatus characterized by transmitting digitized data to the host apparatus. 7. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising operation number display means for displaying the history operation number stored in the storage means and / or the life determination index value obtained by the operation number conversion means. A printing apparatus characterized by the above. 8. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the operation number display unit prints and displays the history operation number stored in the storage unit and / or the life determination index value obtained by the operation number conversion unit. A printing apparatus comprising a number of times printing means. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the operation count storage unit stores the history operation count in the storage unit regardless of the operation time measurement unit in response to a predetermined command received from the host device. A printing apparatus characterized by the above. A printing apparatus that is connected to a host apparatus and performs printing based on commands and data from the host apparatus, the printing apparatus having storage means capable of holding stored contents even when power is not supplied to the printing apparatus. In the method of controlling, the step of counting the number of operations of the printing device, the step of storing the history operation number of the printing device in the storage means based on the count value in the number of operations counting step, and the reception from the host device And a step of reading the history operation count stored in the storage means and transmitting it to the host device in response to a predetermined command. 11. The method for controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a step of measuring an operation time of the printing apparatus, wherein the operation count storage step includes a predetermined time corresponding to the measurement time in the operation time measurement step. The control method characterized in that the history operation count is stored in the storage means every time. 12. The method for controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a step of changing a history operation count stored in the storage unit in accordance with a predetermined command received from the host apparatus. Control method. 13. The printing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the storage unit has a plurality of areas for storing the history operation count, and the operation count storage step stores each of the plurality of areas in the area. The history operation count is stored based on the history operation count being performed, and the change of the history operation count stored in one of the plurality of areas is prohibited in the operation count changing step. A control method characterized by the above. 14. The printing apparatus control method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of converting the history operation count into a life determination index value, wherein the operation count transmission step transmits the history operation count to the host device. In this case, the control method is characterized in that the lifetime determination index value obtained in the operation frequency conversion step is transmitted. 15. The method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: encoding the lifetime determination index value converted in the history operation count or the operation count conversion step, and in the operation count transmission step, A control method comprising transmitting the coded data to the host device. 16. The printing apparatus control method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of displaying the history operation count stored in the storage means and / or the life determination index value obtained in the operation count conversion step. A control method characterized by the above. 17. The method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the operation count display step includes the history operation count stored in the storage unit and / or the life determination index value obtained in the operation count conversion step. A control method comprising: 12. The method of controlling a printing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein, in the operation count storage step, the history operation count is stored in the storage unit according to a predetermined command received from the host device regardless of the operation time measurement step. The control method characterized by storing in.

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