JP2011164874A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing system which automatically changes printing processing to ecological settings so as to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and enables a user of a printing device to be fully aware that the user contributes to the reduction of the emission of the greenhouse gases. <P>SOLUTION: In the printing system, a printing device is connected, via a network, to a host device which transmits printing data to the printing device. The printing device has a detection means which detects the mounting of carbon offset consumption articles, and a transmission means which transmits, to the host device, the information on the mounting of the carbon offset consumption articles on the basis of the result of the detection. The host device has a monitoring means which monitors the information on the mounting which is transmitted from the transmission means and a setting changing means which changes the printing settings of the printing device to the ecological state when the monitoring means confirms the mounting of the carbon offset consumption articles. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system including a printing device to which a consumable item or replacement part to which a greenhouse gas emission right is given can be attached.

  Today, the preservation of the global environment is screamed worldwide, and emission regulations for greenhouse gases such as CO2 (carbon dioxide) are being realized, centered on the Global Warming Prevention Conference. Under such circumstances, efforts have been made to reduce CO2 for printing apparatuses such as printers and copiers, and related patent applications have been filed.

  For example, Patent Document 1 sets a target value when using resources such as paper in an information processing apparatus including a printing apparatus, predicts the amount of future resource usage from the current resource usage state, and achieves the target. If this is not possible, discontinue use and disclose a report to achieve the goal.

JP 2007-249563 A

  However, the above-mentioned conventional example outputs a report to reduce resource consumption, and automatically sets the ecology by recognizing that a consumable cartridge with a greenhouse gas emission right or a replacement part is attached to the device. There is no proposal for a printing apparatus that changes the system to be ecologically friendly and makes the user aware of cooperating with the reduction of greenhouse gases by displaying the degree of achievement of ecology.

  Accordingly, the present invention aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by automatically switching the printing process to ecology settings when a consumable cartridge with a greenhouse gas emission right or a replacement part is mounted on the printing apparatus. It is intended to provide a printing system that can increase the awareness of users of printing devices in cooperation with reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing system in which a printing apparatus and a host device that transmits print data to the printing apparatus are connected via a network. Detection means for detecting the attachment of the product cartridge, and transmission means for transmitting, based on the detection result, information on the attachment of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right to the host device, the host device comprising: Monitoring means for monitoring the mounting information transmitted from the transmitting means, and when the monitoring means confirms the mounting of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right, the print setting of the printing apparatus is set to an ecological state. This can be achieved by providing a printing system having setting changing means for changing.

In addition, according to the second invention, the above-described problem can be achieved by providing a printing system in which the setting change of the ecology state is a setting change to the toner save mode, the duplex printing mode, and the multi-page printing mode.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the ecological state setting change can be achieved by providing a printing system that is a power saving mode setting change.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing system in which a printing apparatus and a host device that transmits print data to the printing apparatus are connected via a network, wherein the printing apparatus includes a greenhouse gas emission right. Detection means for detecting attachment of the attached consumable cartridge, and transmission means for transmitting the attachment information to the host device based on the detection result, wherein the host device is transmitted from the transmission means. A printing system comprising: monitoring means for monitoring mounting information; and aggregate display means for performing aggregate display of ecological effects of the printing apparatus when the monitoring means confirms the mounting of the consumable cartridge with greenhouse gas emission rights. Can be achieved by providing.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a printing system in which a printing apparatus and a host device that transmits print data to the printing apparatus are connected via a network. The process of detecting the mounting of the consumable cartridge with the right to discharge, and the process of transmitting the mounting information to the host device based on the detection result, the host device is transmitted from the printing device Control of a printing system that performs processing for monitoring mounting information, and processing for changing the print setting of the printing apparatus to an ecological state when the mounting of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right is confirmed by the processing This can be achieved by providing a method.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling a printing system in which a printing apparatus and a host device that transmits print data to the printing apparatus are connected via a network. The process of detecting the mounting of the consumable cartridge with the right to discharge, and the process of transmitting the mounting information to the host device based on the detection result, the host device is transmitted from the printing device Control of a printing system that performs processing for monitoring mounting information, and processing for counting and displaying the ecological effects of the printing device when the processing confirms the mounting of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right This can be achieved by providing a method.

  The present invention reduces greenhouse gas emissions by automatically switching the printing process to ecology settings when consumables or replacement parts that have been granted greenhouse gas emission rights are installed in the printing device. As well as to increase the awareness of users of printing devices that they are cooperating in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

It is a block diagram of the printing system of this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a toner cartridge and a drum set, and shows a configuration for attaching to and detaching from a printer device. 5 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the present embodiment, and is a flowchart for explaining processing on the printer apparatus side. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing performed by a printer monitoring tool. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a printer driver. It is a flowchart explaining the process of an eco-related tabulation tool. It is a schematic diagram explaining the process of an eco-related tabulation tool.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a printing system according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, a printer device 1 is connected to a host computer 2 or a host device (not shown) via a USB (universal serial bus) or a LAN (local area network).

  The host computer 2 includes a printer monitoring tool 3, a printer driver 4, an eco-related tabulation tool 5, a LAN communication control unit 6, and a USB communication control unit 7. The printer monitoring tool 3 includes a monitoring control unit 8 and a one-shot eco setting unit 9, and the monitoring control unit 8 monitors input of an eco-related setting change notification described later transmitted from the printer device 1. The one-shot eco setting unit 9 has a function of automatically setting double-sided printing setting, multi-page printing setting, and toner save printing setting, which will be described later, without pressing a power saving button (not shown).

  The printer driver 4 includes an application (API) setting unit 10, a print execution unit 11, and a UI unit 12, and creates print data according to an application program set in the API setting unit 10. The print execution unit 11 converts the print data created by the API setting unit 10 into an intermediate code corresponding to the printer device 1 and transmits it to the printer device 1 via the LAN communication control unit 6 or the USB communication control unit 7. .

  The eco-related totaling tool 5 includes a data totaling unit 13, a data processing unit 14, and a display unit 15. The data totaling unit 13 totals log data related to ecology transmitted from the printer device 1 and transmits the log data to the data processing unit 14. To do. Note that the log data related to ecology is data such as the number of sheets printed by the above-described double-sided printing, multi-page printing, toner save printing, and the like, and a sleep mode time, which will be described later.

  The data processing unit 14 processes the data and displays ecology-related aggregate data on the display unit 15. The total data related to ecology is data such as the utilization rate of the double-sided printing, multi-page printing, and toner save printing, and the CO2 equivalent value of power reduced by setting the sleep mode.

The display unit 15 is a display of the host computer 2 as well as the ecology-related aggregated data, and displays setting screens such as double-sided print settings, multi-page print settings, and toner save print settings, which will be described later.
On the other hand, the printer apparatus 1 includes a control unit 17 and a printer unit 18. The control unit 17 includes a CPU 19, a LAN communication control unit 20, a USB communication control unit 21, a card reader control unit 22, a communication control unit 23, a storage device control unit 24, and a storage device (hard disk (HDD)) 25. . The CPU 19 receives the print data transmitted from the host computer 2, performs command analysis, creates image data, and sends it to the printer unit 18. The recording device 25 stores a system program for the printer device 1, and the CPU 19 performs processing according to this program. The card reader control unit 22 is connected to a card reader / writer (not shown), reads data recorded on the IC card, and uses it for user authentication, for example.

In the above configuration, the communication control unit 23 is provided with the sensor 16 to detect the mounting of the toner cartridge or drum set to which the discharge right is given.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional configuration of the printer apparatus 1 having the above-described configuration and an example in which the toner cartridge 26a and the drum set 26b are mounted on the printer apparatus 1. The toner cartridge 26 a is a toner replacement cartridge that includes a developing unit in which toner is stored and is configured to be detachable from the printer apparatus 1. The drum set 26 b is a cartridge that includes a photosensitive drum and is configured to be detachable from the printer apparatus 1.

  In a state where the toner cartridge 26a and the drum set 26b are mounted on the printer apparatus 1, the sensor 16 is positioned in the vicinity of the toner cartridge 26a and the drum set 26b to detect the mounting of the toner cartridge 26a and the drum set 26b. Then, identification information relating to the greenhouse gas emission rights to be described later is read out.

  The position of the printer 1 to which the toner cartridge 26a and the drum set 26b are mounted is the image forming unit 1a. In the printer 1 of this example, magenta (M), cyan (C), yellow (Y) The four toner cartridges 26a and the drum set 26b of black (K) are mounted on the image forming unit 1a. The transfer belt 1b shown in FIG. 1 is an intermediate transfer medium on which four color toner images are transferred by the image forming unit 1a. Paper is stored in the paper feed cassette 1c, and the paper is transferred from the paper feed cassette 1c to the transfer unit 1d. The toner image on the transfer belt 1b is transferred to a sheet, thermally fixed by a thermal fixing device 1f, and then discharged outside the apparatus.

  The toner cartridge 26a and the drum set 26b are sold in a form to which an emission right for greenhouse gases is given. In this emission right, the manufacturer / seller of the toner cartridge 26a, etc., purchases the right corresponding to the greenhouse gas generated when generating power consumed during the operation period using the mounted cartridge as the CER on behalf of the user. The sensor 16 detects the toner cartridge 26a with the discharge right and the drum set 26b, and reads identification information regarding the discharge right.

  The above-mentioned CER (Certified Emission Reduction) means the emission allowance (credit) acquired by CDM (Clean Development Mechanism). Is approved and issued by the CDM Executive Board.

With the above configuration, the processing operation of the present embodiment will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the processing of this embodiment, and explains the processing on the printer device 1 side. This process is executed, for example, when the printer apparatus 1 is initially set or when the toner cartridge 26a or the drum set 26b is replaced.

  First, the mounting of the toner cartridge 26a is detected (step (hereinafter referred to as S) 1). This process is a process in which the communication control unit 23 determines whether the toner cartridge 26a is attached to the printer apparatus 1 according to the control of the CPU 19. If the toner cartridge 26a is not attached to the printer apparatus 1 (S1 is NO), the process of this example is terminated. On the other hand, if the toner cartridge is attached to the printer apparatus 1 (YES in S1), it is further determined whether the toner cartridge 26a attached to the printer apparatus 1 is a cartridge with a discharge right (carbon offset cartridge) (S2). ).

  The toner cartridge 26a used in this example is a toner cartridge (carbon offset cartridge) to which a discharge right is given as described above (S2 is YES), and the sensor 16 notifies the CPU 19 via the communication control unit 23. When the CPU 19 determines that the toner cartridge 26a attached to the printer device 1 is a cartridge with a discharge right, the CPU 19 sets the operation mode when the carbon offset cartridge is attached (S3), and turns on the eco-related log carbon offset operation mode. (S4).

  Next, according to the mode, “one-shot eco setting” is turned on (S5), and an eco-related setting change notification is made (S6). This notification is transmitted from the printer device 1 to the host computer 2 via the LAN communication control unit 20 or the USB communication control unit 21 described above, and the eco-related setting change notification is transmitted to the LAN communication control unit 6 of the host computer 2 or the USB communication. The monitoring control unit 8 is notified via the control unit 7.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining processing performed by the printer monitoring tool 3. When the monitoring control unit 8 receives the eco-related setting change notification from the printer device 1 (step (hereinafter referred to as ST) 1), the monitoring control unit 8 determines that the setting is on (YES in ST2), and the one-shot eco setting unit. 9 performs eco-related setting on processing (ST3). If the eco setting is off (ST2 is NO), an eco related setting off process is performed (ST4).

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining specific processes of the eco-related setting on process and the eco-related setting off process. First, it is determined whether there is an instruction to change the eco-related setting (ST5). If there is no instruction to change the eco-related setting (NO in ST5), it is determined that the eco-related setting is off, and the process is terminated.

  On the other hand, if there is an instruction to change the eco-related setting (YES in ST5), an eco-related setting changing process is performed (ST6). Specifically, it is a print setting change process to double-sided printing, multi-page printing, and toner save printing. Note that double-sided printing is a setting that reduces the consumption of paper by printing on the front and back sides of the paper under the control of the print control unit 27. In addition, multi-page printing is a setting for reducing toner consumption and paper consumption by reducing two pages, four pages,... Further, toner save printing is a setting for controlling the voltage applied to the developing device or the like constituting the printing mechanism unit 28 to reduce toner consumption.

  In this example, the print setting change process is automatically performed. If there is no instruction for changing the eco-related setting in the determination (ST5) (NO in ST5), the existing print setting state is maintained without changing the setting.

  By controlling in this way, in the printing system according to the present embodiment, when it is detected that the toner cartridge 26a or the drum set 26b to which the discharge right is given is attached to the printer apparatus 1, the above-described attachment to the monitoring control unit 8 is performed. The information is notified, and the above-described setting change is automatically performed by the one-shot eco setting unit 9, so that the printing process can be performed while suppressing paper consumption and toner consumption.

  If the setting change to the eco mode is not automatically performed, the user needs to perform “one-shot eco setting” by operating a power saving button or the like. Alternatively, it is necessary to display each item of double-sided printing, multi-page printing, and toner save printing on the display unit 15 of the host computer 2 and to perform each setting by manual operation.

  In addition to the duplex printing, multi-page printing, and toner save printing, the setting changing process may be configured to perform sleep setting. In this sleep setting, the time during which no print instruction is input from the host computer 2 is measured, a preset time is determined in advance, and when the preset time elapses, the power of the printer apparatus 1 is lowered or shut down to reduce power consumption. This control reduces the preset time in the print setting change process of this example. By setting in this way, even when a print instruction from the host computer 2 is not transmitted for a short time, the power supply of the printer apparatus 1 is set low or shut off, and power consumption can be reduced.

  Next, FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the eco-related data aggregation process performed by the eco-related aggregation tool 5. It is determined whether this processing is also in the above-mentioned consumable cartridge with carbon dioxide emission right (carbon offset cartridge) operation mode (step (hereinafter referred to as STP) 1). Perform (STP2).

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the above totaling process. The host computer 2 reads the eco use state log of the printer apparatus 1 and displays it on the display unit 15. For example, in the example shown in the figure, an eco status tab is displayed, and the current year's eco performance is displayed for each printer device, such as integrated power consumption, CO2 conversion value, number of prints, duplex printing usage rate, and multi-page printing usage rate. And displayed as the toner save usage rate.

  By processing in this way, the degree of ecology achievement is displayed on the display of the host computer 2, and it is possible to give the user the awareness of cooperating with the reduction of greenhouse gases.

  In the description of the above embodiment, the example of duplex setting, multi-page printing, toner save printing, and sleep setting has been described as the print setting change processing. However, for example, consumption of consumables such as changing color printing to monochrome printing is described. If the process reduces the power consumption and reduces the power consumption, the setting can be changed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer apparatus 2 ... Host computer 3 ... Printer monitoring tool 4 ... Printer driver 5 ... Eco-related totaling tool 6 ... LAN communication control part 7 ... USB communication control part 8・ ・ ・ Monitoring control unit 9 ・ ・ ・ One-shot eco setting unit 10 ..API setting unit 11 ..print execution unit 12 ..UI unit 13 ..data totaling unit 14 ..data processing unit 15. ..Sensor 17 ..Control unit 18 ..Printer unit 19 ..CPU
20, LAN communication control unit 21, USB communication control unit 22, card reader control unit 23, communication control unit 24, storage device control unit 25, storage device 26a, toner cartridge 26b, drum set 27 ..Print control unit 28.Print mechanism unit 29.Paper feeding device control unit

Claims (6)

In a printing system in which a printing apparatus and a host device that transmits print data to the printing apparatus are connected via a network,
The printing apparatus includes:
Detection means for detecting the installation of a consumable cartridge with a greenhouse gas emission right;
Based on the detection result, and having transmitting means for transmitting the mounting information of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right to the host device,
The host device is
Monitoring means for monitoring the mounting information transmitted from the transmitting means;
When the monitoring means confirms the installation of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right, setting change means for changing the print setting of the printing apparatus to an ecological state;
A printing system comprising:   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the setting change of the ecology state is a setting change to a toner save mode, a duplex printing mode, and a multi-page printing mode.   The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the setting change of the ecology state is a change of a power saving mode setting. In a printing system in which a printing apparatus and a host device that transmits print data to the printing apparatus are connected via a network,
The printing apparatus includes:
Detection means for detecting the installation of a consumable cartridge with a greenhouse gas emission right;
Based on the detection result, and having transmitting means for transmitting the mounting information of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right to the host device,
The host device is
Monitoring means for monitoring the mounting information transmitted from the transmitting means;
When the monitoring means confirms the mounting of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right, the total display means for performing the total display of the ecological effect of the printing device;
A printing system comprising: In a control method of a printing system in which a printing apparatus and a host device that transmits print data to the printing apparatus are connected via a network,
The printing apparatus includes:
A process for detecting the installation of consumable cartridges with greenhouse gas emission rights;
Based on the detection result, performing a process of transmitting the mounting information of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right to the host device,
The host device is
Processing for monitoring the mounting information transmitted from the printing apparatus;
When the process confirms the installation of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right, a process of changing the print setting of the printing apparatus to an ecological state;
A control method for a printing system. In a control method of a printing system in which a printing apparatus and a host device that transmits print data to the printing apparatus are connected via a network,
The printing apparatus includes:
A process for detecting the installation of consumable cartridges with greenhouse gas emission rights;
Based on the detection result, performing a process of transmitting the mounting information of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right to the host device,
The host device is
Processing for monitoring the mounting information transmitted from the printing apparatus;
By confirming the mounting of the consumable cartridge with the greenhouse gas emission right by the process, the process of counting and displaying the ecological effect of the printing apparatus;
A control method for a printing system.