JP2009076131A - Media processing system and method for controlling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of collision of a drive tray with the conveying part of a media conveying mechanism when the media conveying mechanism does not operated according to a command from a host computer but the firmware of the media conveying mechanism singly moves the conveying part. <P>SOLUTION: The media conveying mechanism control part 190 of a media conveying mechanism 131 determines whether a convey arm 136 traverses a media transfer position A not based on a command from a host computer 100 but in processing on firmware (steps S112 to S114). When the convey arm 136 traverses the media transfer position, the media conveying mechanism 190 issues a control request to a host computer beforehand to close a drive tray 141a (steps S115 to S117), and the host computer 100 closes the drive tray 141a (steps S201 and S301). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a media processing system that reads / writes data from / to a disc-shaped medium such as a CD or a DVD and prints on a label surface of the medium, and a control method for the media processing system.

  2. Description of the Related Art Some media processing systems that read and write data from and to disk-shaped media such as CDs and DVDs and print on the label side of media include a media processing device and a host computer.

  The media processing device includes a media storage unit for storing disk-shaped media, a media drive for writing data on the media, a label printer for printing on the label side of the media, and a media storage unit for gripping the media. In addition, a media delivery position of a drive tray provided in the media drive and a media transport mechanism capable of transporting to a media delivery position of a label printer are provided. Patent Document 1 describes a specific configuration.

  In addition, in order to process a large number of media continuously, the media processing device has a media storage unit as a media storage unit, a supply stacker capable of storing a plurality of blank media in a stacked state, and a data writing process or label. A device having a discharge destination stacker capable of storing a plurality of processed media that have undergone printing processing in a stacked state has been developed (see Patent Documents 2 and 3 below).

  In such a media processing device, for example, the blank media stored in the supply source stacker is transported to the media delivery position of the built-in media drive, or the processed media after the data writing process in the media drive is transferred to the media drive media. Transport the media from the delivery position to the output stacker, transport the media after the data writing process to the media delivery position of the built-in label printer, or process the media after label printing by the label printer from the media delivery position of the label printer. Various media conveyance processes such as conveyance to a discharge destination stacker are performed according to firmware. In this case, since each control program is incorporated in the firmware, the media processing apparatus can operate independently.

  On the other hand, when controlling a media processing apparatus that is communicably connected by the host computer, the media transport mechanism, the media drive, and the label printer perform each operation according to a command transmitted by the host computer. When the host computer controls the operation of the media processing apparatus, since the host computer manages the state of each device, operations that interfere with each other usually do not occur.

  Specifically, even when the transport unit of the media transport mechanism passes through the media delivery position of the drive tray, the host computer knows the open / closed state of the drive tray, so the drive tray cannot be opened. For example, a control signal for closing the drive tray from the host computer to the media drive can be issued in advance. For this reason, it is possible to prevent a disadvantage that the transport unit of the media transport mechanism collides with the drive tray during the movement.

JP 2005-528729 A JP 2000-260172 A JP 2002-056584 A

  However, in addition to commands from the host computer, there are cases where the media transport mechanism moves the transport unit independently. For example, when the media processing apparatus is turned on, an initialization process is performed in which a transport unit having a height detection function circulates each media stacker in order to check the accumulated height of media in each media stacker. .

Since the above-described initialization processing and the like in the media transport mechanism are managed by an initialization processing program in firmware, the host computer is not involved. That is, even if an operation of passing the media delivery position of the drive tray occurs in the transport unit of the media transport mechanism during the initialization process, the host computer does not issue an instruction to close the drive tray to the media drive.
If the drive tray protrudes to the media delivery position during the initialization process, there may be a problem that the drive tray collides with the moving transport unit.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and the media transport mechanism does not operate in response to a command from the host computer, but the firmware of the media transport mechanism moves the transport unit independently. In this case, the object is to eliminate the inconvenience that the drive tray collides with the transport unit of the media transport mechanism.

The present invention that can solve the above-described problems is a media storage unit that stores media, a media drive that writes data to the media, and the media storage unit and the media to the drive tray of the media drive A media processing system comprising: a media transport mechanism; and a host computer that controls the operation of the media processing device,
The control unit of the media transport mechanism monitors whether or not the operation of the transport unit of the media transport mechanism passes through the media delivery position of the drive tray. If the operation of passing occurs, the control unit of the media transport mechanism notifies the host computer in advance. A drive control request for closing the drive tray is transmitted.

In addition, the present invention that can solve the above-described problems includes a media storage unit that stores media, a media drive that writes data to the media, and the media storage unit and the media to a drive tray of the media drive. A media processing system comprising: a media processing mechanism that transports; and a host computer that controls an operation of the media processing apparatus, comprising:
Drive control for monitoring whether or not the operation of the transport unit of the media transport mechanism passing through the media delivery position of the drive tray occurs, and closing the drive tray to the host computer in advance when the passing operation occurs It is characterized by transmitting a request.

  According to the above configuration, for example, an initialization process when the media processing apparatus is turned on, the operation of the media transport mechanism transport unit passing through the media delivery position of the drive tray in the processing on the firmware of the media processing apparatus. If it occurs, the firmware sends a control request to close the drive tray to the host computer before executing the passing operation. Therefore, the media transport mechanism does not operate in response to a command from the host computer, but the firmware of the media transport mechanism moves the transport unit independently, so that the open / close state of the drive tray of the media drive cannot be grasped. However, it is possible to request that the media tray be closed before the drive tray collides with the transport unit of the media transport mechanism.

The host computer in the media processing system of the present invention is
When the drive control request is received, the media drive is instructed to close the drive tray, and when the notification that the drive tray is closed is received from the media drive, a drive control completion notification is transmitted to the media processing device,
The media processing device includes:
When the drive control completion notification is received, the passing operation is executed.

In the control method of the media processing system of the present invention,
The host computer
When the drive control request is received, the media drive is instructed to close the drive tray, and when the notification that the drive tray is closed is received from the media drive, a drive control completion notification is transmitted to the media processing device,
The media processing device includes:
When the drive control completion notification is received, the passing operation is executed.

  According to the above configuration, the media drive closes the drive tray in response to an operation control command from the host computer, and the media transport mechanism performs an operation of passing through the media delivery position after receiving a control completion notification from the host computer. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a collision between the transport unit of the media transport mechanism and the drive tray.

Further, in order for the host computer to close the media tray in the media drive, for example, it is only necessary to output a corresponding command of ATAPI standard supported by a commercially available media drive. For this reason, when the host computer is requested to close the tray to the media drive for avoiding a collision with the drive tray, customization of the media drive and handling of the media drive by the firmware alone become unnecessary. Therefore, the cost can be reduced by adopting a commercially available general-purpose media drive or simplifying the firmware.
In addition, it becomes easy to develop and upgrade firmware by simplifying the firmware, and it becomes possible to develop a media processing device having a better function earlier.

  In the present invention, the control unit of the media transport mechanism may at least one of a case where the power of the media processing device is turned on, a case where a cover of the media processing device is closed, and a case where the power of the media processing device is turned off. When such a case is detected, it is monitored whether the passing operation occurs.

  In the present invention, when the media processing device is turned on, when the cover of the media processing device is closed, or when at least one of the media processing device is turned off is detected. In addition, it is characterized by monitoring whether or not the passing operation occurs.

  When the power of the media processing device is turned on or when the cover is closed, initialization processing is performed. When the initialization process is managed by an initialization process program in firmware, the host computer is not involved. However, according to the present invention, if the operation of the transport unit of the media transport mechanism passing through the media delivery position of the drive tray occurs during the initialization process, it is possible to instruct the host computer to close the drive tray in advance. . Further, when the power of the media processing apparatus is turned off, it is possible to instruct to close the media tray in the same manner. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the drive tray and the moving transport unit from colliding with each other even when the transport unit passes the media transfer position during the initialization process and the end process performed by the firmware of the media transport mechanism. be able to.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a media processing system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a media processing system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an internal structure of the media processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation control of the transport unit of the media transport mechanism in the media processing system shown in FIG. 1.

  The media processing system according to this embodiment reads and writes data from and to a disk-shaped medium such as a CD or DVD and prints on the label surface of the medium. As shown in FIG. The processing apparatus 200 and the host computer 100 are comprised.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the media processing apparatus 200 includes four media storage units 121, 122, 171, and 172 that store disk-shaped media such as CDs and DVDs, Two media drives 141 and 141 for writing data to the label, a label printer 111 for printing on the label surface of the media, the media storage units 121, 122, 171, and 172, and the media drive 141 holding the media. And a media transport mechanism 131 capable of transporting to the media delivery position of the drive tray 141a and the media delivery position of the label printer 111.

  The operations of the media drive 141, the label printer 111, and the media transport mechanism 131 provided in the media processing apparatus 200 can be controlled by the host computer 100.

  In FIG. 2, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped case 102, which is an outer wall of the media processing apparatus 200, is omitted, and the device arrangement inside is shown. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, an operation surface 105 on which display lamps, operation buttons, and the like are arranged is provided at the upper left end of the case 102.

  When the opening / closing door (not shown) provided on the front surface of the case 102 is opened, the media storage units 121, 122, 171, 172 and the label printer 111 shown in FIG. 2 are exposed on the front surface of the apparatus. Media can be loaded into and removed from the media storage units 121, 122, 171, and 172, or the ink cartridge of the label printer 111 can be replaced.

  The above-described first to fourth media storage units 121, 122, 171, and 172 have basic uses. The first media storage unit 121 located at the upper right in FIG. 2 basically has a plurality of (for example, 50) blank media (unused media that have not been subjected to data writing processing) stacked one above the other. However, it can also be used to store processed media that have been subjected to data writing processing or label printing processing.

  The second media storage unit 122 positioned immediately below the first media storage unit 121 and the fourth media storage unit 172 positioned on the left side of the second media storage unit 122 basically include Is used as an output stacker that stores a plurality of (for example, 50) processed media that have been subjected to data writing processing or label printing processing in a stacked state vertically, but can also be used to store blank media It has become.

The fourth media storage unit 172 is detachably set in the third media storage unit 171.
The third media storage unit 171 is a recess formed in a drawer tray 170 attached to the front of the apparatus so as to be able to enter and exit, and is used for storing a small number of media.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the media transport mechanism 131 includes a vertical guide shaft 135 provided substantially vertically in the case 102, and a transport arm 136 that can move up and down and turn on the vertical guide shaft 135. A gripping claw for gripping the media is provided at the center of the front end of the transfer arm 136.

The transfer arm 136 is combined with the swiveling operation indicated by arrows A to H in FIG. 3 and the lifting operation indicated by arrows I and J, so that the transfer arm 136 is moved from the point [1] to the point [6] in the drawing. The medium is transferred between the media storage units 121, 122, 171, 172, the media delivery position of the drive tray 141 a installed in the media drive 141, and the media delivery position of the label printer 111. I do.
FIG. 2 shows a state in which the media tray 141a of the upper media drive 141 is pulled out to the front. In the following description, the pulled-out position is described as a state where the media tray 141a is at the media delivery position A.

  Note that the points [1] to [6] shown in FIG. 3 will be supplementarily described. [1] is the HP (home position) position (standby position) of the transfer arm 136, and [2] is the first media storage. [3] is an arbitrary position between the HP and the first media storage unit 121, [4] is an intermediate point, [5] is the position of the second media storage unit 122, and [6] is It means an arbitrary position between the intermediate point and the second media storage unit 122.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the media processing apparatus 200 includes a media transport mechanism control unit 190 that controls the drive of the media transport mechanism 131. The media transport mechanism control unit 190 is capable of communicating with the host computer 100 and is equipped with firmware that performs movement control of the transport arm 136 in accordance with a transport command of the transport arm 136 transmitted from the host computer 100. The medium can be transported according to the movement command of the transport arm 136 transmitted from the host computer 100.

  In the media processing device 200, the transport arm 136, which is the transport unit of the media transport mechanism 131, does not receive a command from the host computer 100 but performs processing on firmware installed in the media transport mechanism control unit 190. In some cases, the drive tray 141a may pass through the media delivery position A. The operation of passing through the media delivery position A refers to the lifting operation indicated by the arrows I and J shown in FIG.

Further, there are three cases where the transport arm 136 specifically passes the media delivery position A as follows.
The first is when the power of the media processing device 200 is turned on, and in order to confirm the accumulated height of the media in each media storage unit, the transport arm 136 having a height detection function sets each media storage unit. This is a case where a cyclic initialization process is executed.

  The second case is a case where the initialization process is executed when the front door of the media processing device 200 is closed. There is a possibility that the storage height of the media in each media storage unit has been changed by the operator putting the media in and out of each media storage unit 121, 122, 171, 172 when the open / close door is open. It is necessary to remeasure the accumulated height of the media. For this reason, it is necessary to perform initialization processing when the door is closed.

  The third case is when the power of the media processing device 200 is turned off and the transport arm 136 of the media transport mechanism 131 returns to the standby position HP for the end process.

  As described above, when the transport arm 136 passes the media delivery position A of the drive tray 141a by the firmware of the media transport mechanism control unit 190, the control as shown in FIG. I do.

  That is, when the media transport mechanism control unit 190 moves the transport arm 136 not by a command from the host computer 100 but by processing on firmware installed in the media transport mechanism control unit 190, the above three processes are performed. Which process is instructed to be executed is determined (step S111). In each corresponding process, it is determined whether or not an operation in which the transport arm 136 passes the media delivery position A of the drive tray 141a occurs.

  When an instruction for initialization processing accompanying a power switch-on operation is given, the transport arm 136 circulates each media storage unit in order to check the accumulated height of media in each media storage unit. When traveling around each media storage unit, it is determined whether or not the transport arm 136 passes the media delivery position A. When the transport arm 136 passes the media delivery position A, that is, when the lifting / lowering operation indicated by the arrows I and J is involved (step S112: Yes), the drive tray 141a of each media drive 141 is attached to the host computer 100 in advance. A control request for closing is issued (step S115).

  Upon receiving the control request, the host computer 100 outputs a control command for closing the drive tray 141a to each media drive 141 (step S201). Then, according to the command from the host computer 100, the media drive 141 closes the drive tray 141a and returns the completion of processing to the host computer 100 (steps S301 and S302).

  Receiving the processing completion notification from the media drive 141, the host computer 100 sends a notification that the drive control for closing the drive tray 141a is completed to the media transport mechanism control unit 190 (step S202). After receiving the control completion notification from the host computer 100, the media transport mechanism control unit 190 performs initialization processing associated with the power switch on operation (step S118).

  On the other hand, if the transport arm 136 does not pass through the media delivery position A in step S112 (step S112: No), there is no possibility that the transport arm 136 and the drive tray 141a come into contact with each other, so the initialization process is executed as it is ( Step S118).

In step S111, if an instruction for the media height measurement process accompanying the opening / closing operation of the door is given, the transfer arm is measured in the same manner as the initialization process in order to remeasure the accumulated height of the media in the media storage unit. 136 circulates through each media storage unit.
In step S111, when an instruction for termination processing is given in response to the power switch off operation, the transport arm 136 of the media transport mechanism 131 returns to HP for termination processing.
When visiting each media storage unit, it is determined whether or not the transport arm 136 passes the media delivery position A even when the transport arm 136 returns to HP (steps S113 and S114).

  When the transport arm 136 passes the media delivery position A (step S113: Yes, step S114: Yes), a control request for closing the drive tray 141a of each media drive 141 is issued to the host computer 100 in advance ( Step S116, Step S117). Upon receiving the control request, the host computer 100 outputs a control command for closing the drive tray 141a to each media drive 141 (step S201). Then, according to the command from the host computer 100, the media drive 141 closes the drive tray 141a and returns the completion of processing to the host computer 100 (steps S301 and S302).

  Receiving the processing completion notification from the media drive 141, the host computer 100 sends a notification that the drive control for closing the drive tray 141a is completed to the media transport mechanism control unit 190 (step S202). After receiving the control completion notification from the host computer 100, the media transport mechanism control unit 190 performs media height measurement processing accompanying opening / closing operation of the door (step S119), and termination processing accompanying power switch-off operation (step S120). I do.

  According to the media processing system of the above-described embodiment, for example, a transport that is a transport unit of the media transport mechanism 131 in a process on the firmware of the media processing device 200, such as an initialization process when the media processing device 200 is turned on. When the operation of the arm 136 passing through the media delivery position A of the drive tray 141a occurs, the firmware issues a control request to the host computer 100 to close the drive tray 141a before executing the operation. The drive tray 141a of the media drive 141 is closed by an operation control command from the host computer 100.

  Then, after receiving a control completion notification from the host computer 100, the transfer arm 136 is moved. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid a collision between the transport arm 136 serving as the transport unit of the media transport mechanism 131 and the drive tray 141a.

  In order for the host computer 100 to cause the media drive 141 to close the tray, for example, it is only necessary to output a command corresponding to the ATAPI standard supported by the commercially available media drive 141. In this way, when requesting the host computer 100 to issue a tray close command to the media drive 141 for avoiding a collision with the drive tray 141a, the media drive 141 can be customized or the firmware alone can handle the media drive 141. Is no longer necessary.

Therefore, the cost can be reduced by adopting a commercially available general-purpose media drive 141 and simplifying the firmware.
In addition, firmware development and version upgrade can be facilitated by simplifying the firmware, and the media processing device 200 having a better function can be developed earlier.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a media processing system according to the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the internal structure of the media processing apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating movement of a transport unit of a media transport mechanism in the media processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2. 3 is a flowchart illustrating operation control of a transport unit of a media transport mechanism in the media processing system illustrated in FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols

100: host computer, 111: label printer, 121, 122, 171, 172: media storage unit, 131: media transport mechanism, 141: media drive, 141a: drive tray, 200: media processing device

Claims (6)

A media processing unit comprising: a media storage unit that stores media; a media drive that writes data to the media; and a media transport mechanism that transports the media to a drive tray of the media storage unit and the media drive; A media processing system having a host computer for controlling the operation of the media processing device,
The control unit of the media transport mechanism monitors whether or not the operation of the transport unit of the media transport mechanism passes through the media delivery position of the drive tray. If the operation of passing occurs, the control unit of the media transport mechanism notifies the host computer in advance. A media processing system for transmitting a drive control request for closing the drive tray. The host computer
When the drive control request is received, the media drive is instructed to close the drive tray, and when the notification that the drive tray is closed is received from the media drive, a drive control completion notification is transmitted to the media processing device,
The media processing device includes:
The media processing system according to claim 1, wherein when the drive control completion notification is received, the passing operation is executed.   When the control unit detects at least one of a case where the power of the media processing device is turned on, a case where a cover of the media processing device is closed, and a case where the power of the media processing device is turned off. The media processing system according to claim 1, wherein whether or not the passing operation occurs is monitored. A media processing unit comprising: a media storage unit that stores media; a media drive that writes data to the media; and a media transport mechanism that transports the media to a drive tray of the media storage unit and the media drive; A control method of a media processing system having a host computer for controlling the operation of the media processing device,
Drive control for monitoring whether or not the operation of the transport unit of the media transport mechanism passing through the media delivery position of the drive tray occurs, and closing the drive tray to the host computer in advance when the passing operation occurs A method of controlling a media processing system, characterized by transmitting a request. The host computer
When the drive control request is received, the media drive is instructed to close the drive tray, and when the notification that the drive tray is closed is received from the media drive, a drive control completion notification is transmitted to the media processing device,
The media processing device includes:
5. The method of controlling a media processing system according to claim 4, wherein when the drive control completion notification is received, the passing operation is executed.   The operation that passes when the media processing device is turned on, the cover of the media processing device is closed, and / or when the media processing device is turned off. 6. The method of controlling a media processing system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein whether or not the occurrence of the media occurs is monitored.

Images