JP2020181239A - Electronic apparatus, attachment unit and communication method - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve the reliability of an electronic apparatus.SOLUTION: An ink cartridge 21 having an RFID tag 22 capable of communicating with externals is attached to a printer 1. A tag communication unit 4 communicates with the RFID tag 22. A control unit 6 is configured to: transmit a command which makes the RFID tag 22 transfer to a specific state responding only to a specific command from the tag communication unit 4 to the RFID tag 22 to set the RFID tag 22 to the specific state; transmit the specific command from the tag communication unit 4 to the RFID tag 22; and check the communication property between the RFID tag 22 and the tag communication unit 4 on the basis of responsiveness of the RFID tag 22 to the specific command.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to electronic devices, mounting units and communication methods.

Some electronic devices such as printing devices are used by mounting a mounting unit that holds consumables such as ink.

As a mounting unit used in such an electronic device, there is a mounting unit equipped with a tag such as an RFID tag that stores information about consumables and the like. An electronic device using this mounting unit is provided with a tag communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from a tag. In this electronic device, when the mounting unit is mounted, communication is performed between the tag of the mounting unit and the tag communication unit, and information can be read from the tag (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-53742

Various commands and response signals are exchanged between the tag communication unit of the electronic device and the tag of the mounting unit as described above.

On the other hand, there is a state in which the tag of the mounting unit responds only to a specific command that is a part of all commands.

For example, even if the power supplied to the tag from the electronic device is limited for some reason, the tag responds only to a specific command that is an important command so that important commands can communicate. Sometimes.

In such a state, since communication of a specific command, which is an important command, is performed, stabilization of communication between the tag and the tag communication unit is desired. If this communication is unstable, the reliability of the electronic device will be reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device, a mounting unit, and a communication method capable of improving reliability.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an electronic device to which a mounting unit having a tag capable of communicating with the outside is mounted, a tag communication unit that communicates with the tag and a control unit that controls the tag communication unit. The control unit transmits a command for transitioning the tag to a specific state that responds only to a specific command from the tag communication unit to the tag to bring the tag into the specific state, and the tag communication unit sends the tag to the tag. Provided is an electronic device characterized in that the specific command is transmitted and the communicability between the tag and the tag communication unit is confirmed based on the responsiveness of the tag to the specific command.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a mounting unit mounted on an electronic device, comprising a tag that communicates with the electronic device, the tag responds only to a specific command according to a command from the electronic device. A mounting unit is provided that is in a state and responds to the particular command transmitted from the electronic device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the tag of the mounting unit mounted on the electronic device is transitioned to a specific state that responds only to a specific command, and the tag communication unit of the electronic device is identified to the tag in the specific state. A communication method is provided, which comprises transmitting a command and confirming the communicability between the tag and the tag communication unit based on the responsiveness of the tag to the specific command.

According to another aspect of the present invention, it is a communication method in a mounting unit equipped with a tag for communicating with an electronic device, and the tag is only a specific command according to a command from the electronic device. Provided is a communication method characterized in that it is in a responsive state and responds to the specific command transmitted from the electronic device.

According to the present invention, the reliability of electronic devices can be improved.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the printing apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the state transition of the RFID tag. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating communication confirmation processing.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printing device (corresponding to an electronic device) 1 according to the present embodiment controls a printing unit 2, an operation panel 3, four tag communication units 4, four mounting units 5, and controls. A unit 6 is provided.

The printing unit 2 prints on the paper conveyed by the conveying unit (not shown). The printing unit 2 includes four inkjet heads 11.

The inkjet head 11 ejects ink onto paper to form an image. The four inkjet heads 11 eject inks of different colors (for example, black, cyan, magenta, and yellow).

The operation panel 3 displays various input screens and the like, and accepts input operations by the user. The operation panel 3 includes an input unit having various operation keys, a touch panel, and the like, and a display unit having a liquid crystal display panel and the like (neither of them is shown).

The tag communication unit 4 communicates with the RFID tag (corresponding to the tag) 22 of the ink cartridge (corresponding to the mounting unit) 21 described later. The tag communication unit 4 is a reader / writer device that reads information from the RFID tag 22 of the ink cartridge 21 mounted on the mounting unit 5 and writes information to the RFID tag 22 by wireless communication. The tag communication unit 4 is provided corresponding to each of the four mounting units 5, and is arranged close to the corresponding mounting unit 5.

The mounting portion 5 is a portion where the ink cartridge 21 is replaceably mounted. One ink cartridge 21 can be mounted on each mounting portion 5. The mounting portion 5 is provided corresponding to each of the four inkjet heads 11, and an ink cartridge 21 that holds ink of a color ejected by the corresponding inkjet head 11 is mounted. The four mounting portions 5 are arranged in parallel in the printing apparatus 1.

The ink cartridge 21 holds the ink used for printing in the printing apparatus 1. Further, the ink cartridge 21 has an RFID tag 22 capable of communicating with the outside. When the ink cartridge 21 is mounted on the mounting unit 5, the tag communication unit 4 corresponding to the mounting unit 5 and the RFID tag 22 of the ink cartridge 21 mounted on the mounting unit 5 can communicate with each other.

The RFID tag 22 is a memory (FIG.) that stores various information such as a UID (identifier) unique to the ink cartridge 21, ink physical property information indicating the viscosity and surface tension of the ink held by the ink cartridge 21, and ink remaining amount information. Not shown). The RFID tag 22 reads information from the memory according to various commands transmitted from the tag communication unit 4, and transmits a response signal to the tag communication unit 4.

Power is supplied to the RFID tag 22 from the printing device 1. The RFID tag 22 operates by the electric power supplied from the printing device 1 in a normal state in which sufficient electric power for communicating with the tag communication unit 4 is supplied from the printing device 1. Under normal conditions, RFID tag 22 responds to all commands.

The RFID tag 22 may be in a power limiting state (corresponding to a specific state) in which the power supplied from the printing device 1 is limited. For example, the RFID tag 22 may be in a power limited state when the power supplied from the printing device 1 becomes smaller than the normal state due to some trouble or the like. Further, the RFID tag 22 may go into a sleep state, which is one of the power limiting states, due to the printing device 1 going into a sleep state or a command from the printing device 1. Here, the power limiting state includes a state in which there is no power supplied from the printing device 1.

The RFID tag 22 responds only to a specific command in the power limited state. The specific command is an important command that wants to communicate even when the power supplied from the printing device 1 to the RFID tag 22 is limited to be less than the normal state. Specific commands include a UID acquisition command for the printing device 1 to acquire the UID of the ink cartridge 21.

In the power limited state, the RFID tag 22 responds to a specific command by operating on its own power. Here, the RFID tag 22 has a mechanism for storing electricity, and stores electricity in a normal state. In the power limited state, the RFID tag 22 can operate by its own power by using the stored electricity.

As shown in FIG. 2, the RFID tag 22 is capable of state transition between the normal state and the sleep state according to a command from the tag communication unit 4. The state transition by this command is performed in the communication confirmation process described later.

When the RFID tag 22 receives a sleep state transition command for transitioning the RFID tag 22 from the normal state to the sleep state in the communication confirmation process, the RFID tag 22 transitions from the normal state to the sleep state. The sleeping RFID tag 22 responds to a specific command. Here, the RFID tag 22 in the sleep state does not respond to a command other than the specific command even if the command is transmitted. Upon receiving the normal state transition command for transitioning the RFID tag 22 from the sleep state to the normal state, the RFID tag 22 returns from the sleep state to the normal state and makes a response to that effect.

When the RFID tag 22 goes to sleep as the printing device 1 goes to sleep, the RFID tag 22 receives the command because the command is not transmitted from the sleeping printing device 1. And do not respond to it.

The control unit 6 controls the operation of the entire printing device 1. The control unit 6 includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, a hard disk, and the like.

The control unit 6 executes the communication confirmation process at a predetermined timing. The communication confirmation process is a process for confirming the communicability (whether or not communication is normally performed) between the RFID tag 22 and the tag communication unit 4 when the RFID tag 22 is in the power limited state.

In the communication confirmation process, the control unit 6 transmits a sleep state transition command from the tag communication unit 4 to the RFID tag 22 to put the RFID tag 22 into the sleep state. Then, the control unit 6 causes the RFID tag 22 in the sleep state to transmit a specific command from the tag communication unit 4, and based on the responsiveness of the RFID tag 22 to the specific command, between the RFID tag 22 and the tag communication unit 4. Check communication.

Here, if the communication between the printing device 1 and the ink cartridge 21 in the sleep state in which the RFID tag 22 is one of the power limited states is normal, the communication in the power limited state other than the sleep state is also normal. You can say that. Therefore, in the communication system confirmation process, the RFID tag 22 is put into a sleep state, and the communication property is confirmed in the power limited state.

Next, the communication confirmation process will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of FIG.

The communication confirmation process is performed, for example, when the ink cartridge 21 is attached, when the power of the printing device 1 is turned on, when the power of the printing device 1 is cut off, and at regular timings at regular time intervals. When performing the communication confirmation process, the communication confirmation process may be performed between the RFID tags 22 of all the ink cartridges 21 and the corresponding tag communication units 4, or the RFID tags 22 of some ink cartridges 21 may be performed. Only the communication confirmation process between and the corresponding tag communication unit 4 may be performed.

Here, the communication confirmation process between the RFID tag 22 of one ink cartridge 21 and the corresponding tag communication unit 4 will be described.

In step S1 of FIG. 3, the control unit 6 transmits the sleep state transition request to the tag communication unit 4.

Upon receiving the sleep state transition request, the tag communication unit 4 transmits the sleep state transition command to the RFID tag 22 in step S2.

The RFID tag 22 that has received the sleep state transition command transitions from the normal state to the sleep state. Here, as described above, in the sleep state, the RFID tag 22 operates by its own power.

When the tag communication unit 4 transmits the sleep state transition command to the RFID tag 22, the tag communication unit 4 responds to the sleep state transition request in step S3. Specifically, the tag communication unit 4 transmits a response signal for notifying that the sleep state transition command has been transmitted to the RFID tag 22 to the control unit 6.

When the control unit 6 receives the response signal, the control unit 6 transmits a specific command transmission request to the tag communication unit 4 in step S4.

Upon receiving the specific command transmission request, the tag communication unit 4 transmits the specific command to the RFID tag 22 in step S5.

Upon receiving the specific command, the RFID tag 22 responds to the specific command in step S6. Specifically, the RFID tag 22 transmits a response signal corresponding to the content of the specific command to the tag communication unit 4.

When the tag communication unit 4 receives the response signal from the RFID tag 22, in step S7, the tag communication unit 4 transmits the response signal from the RFID tag 22 to the control unit 6 as a response to the specific command transmission request.

Upon receiving the response signal, the control unit 6 confirms the responsiveness of the RFID tag 22 to the specific command in step S8. Specifically, the control unit 6 confirms whether or not the response time, which is the time from the transmission of the specific command transmission request to the reception of the response signal, is within the reference time, and determines the content of the response signal. Based on this, check whether the processing as instructed by the specific command was performed.

When the response time is within the reference time and the processing as instructed by the specific command is performed, the control unit 6 determines that the responsiveness of the RFID tag 22 to the specific command is normal. In other cases, the control unit 6 determines that the responsiveness of the RFID tag 22 to the specific command is abnormal.

When it is determined that the responsiveness of the RFID tag 22 to the specific command is normal, the control unit 6 determines that the communication between the RFID tag 22 in the power limited state and the tag communication unit 4 is normal. When it is determined that the responsiveness of the RFID tag 22 to the specific command is abnormal, the control unit 6 determines that the communication between the RFID tag 22 in the power limited state and the tag communication unit 4 is abnormal.

Next, in step S9, the control unit 6 transmits the normal state transition request to the tag communication unit 4.

Upon receiving the normal state transition request, the tag communication unit 4 transmits a normal state transition command to the RFID tag 22 in step S10.

The RFID tag 22 that has received the normal state transition command transitions from the sleep state to the normal state.

Further, the RFID tag 22 responds to the normal state transition command in step S11. Specifically, the RFID tag 22 transmits a response signal for notifying the transition to the normal state to the tag communication unit 4.

When the tag communication unit 4 receives the response signal from the RFID tag 22, in step S12, the tag communication unit 4 transmits the response signal from the RFID tag 22 to the control unit 6 as a response to the specific command transmission request. As a result, the communication confirmation process is completed.

When it is determined in the above-mentioned communication system confirmation process that there is an abnormality in the communicability between the RFID tag 22 in the power limited state and the tag communication unit 4, the control unit 6 notifies the user to that effect. The screen is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel 3. At this time, the control unit 6 also displays a display prompting measures for stabilizing communication, such as replacement of the RFID tag 22.

As described above, in the communication confirmation process in the printing device 1, the control unit 6 causes the tag communication unit 4 to transmit the sleep state transition command to the RFID tag 22. The RFID tag 22 goes into a sleep state, which is one of the power limiting states, according to the sleep state transition command. The control unit 6 causes the RFID tag 22 in the sleep state to transmit a specific command from the tag communication unit 4. The RFID tag 22 responds to a specific command transmitted from the tag communication unit 4. The control unit 6 confirms the communicability between the RFID tag 22 and the tag communication unit 4 in the power limited state based on the responsiveness of the RFID tag 22 to this specific command.

In this way, by confirming the communicability between the RFID tag 22 and the tag communication unit 4 in the power limited state, if there is an abnormality in the communicability, it is detected and measures are taken to stabilize the communication. This makes it possible to improve the reliability of the printing apparatus 1.

In addition, since the power limit state is a state in which only a specific command is responded to, it is possible to respond to a request for communication of an important command even in the power limit state.

Further, since the RFID tag 22 in the power-limited state operates by its own power, it is possible to prevent communication from becoming impossible due to insufficient power supply to the RFID tag 22.

In the above-described embodiment, the specific command is transmitted only once in the communication confirmation process, but the specific command may be transmitted a plurality of times. In this case, if the responsiveness to the specific command is abnormal even once, it may be determined that the communication between the RFID tag 22 and the tag communication unit 4 is abnormal.

Further, when the specific command is transmitted a plurality of times as described above, whether or not the RFID tag 22 is a normal product depends on whether or not the specific command is transmitted a predetermined number of times at a predetermined interval and the responsiveness is normal. May be determined. At this time, the interval for transmitting the specific command and the number of transmissions may be set according to the responsive range in the specifications of the RFID tag 22.

The process of determining whether or not the RFID tag 22 is a normal product may be performed at an arbitrary timing as a process different from the communication confirmation process. In this case, the command transmitted to the RFID tag 22 may be a command other than the specific command.

Further, in the communication confirmation process, when a command other than a specific command is transmitted from the tag communication unit 4 to the RFID tag 22 which has transitioned to the sleep state and the tag communication unit 4 receives a response signal to the command, interference occurs. May be determined to have occurred.

Here, as described above, the RFID tag 22 in the sleep state does not respond to commands other than the specific command. Therefore, when the tag communication unit 4 that has transmitted a command other than the specific command to the RFID tag 22 in the sleep state receives a response signal to the command, the RFID tag 22 other than the RFID tag 22 corresponding to the tag communication unit 4 Some of them are in a normal state, and it can be considered that the RFID tag 22 has received and responded to the command. Therefore, in this case, it can be determined that interference occurs in which communication is performed between the tag communication unit 4 and the RFID tag 22 other than the RFID tag 22 corresponding to the tag communication unit 4.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the RFID tag 22 in the power-limited state is assumed to operate by its own power, but when the printing device 1 supplies enough power to communicate even in the power-limited state, The RFID tag 22 may be operated by the power supplied from the printing device 1.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the RFID tag 22 is in a state in which the power limiting state responds only to a specific command (specific state) has been described, but the state in which the RFID tag 22 responds only to a specific command is limited to the power limiting state. Absent. For example, in a configuration in which the FM modulation method and the AM modulation method can be switched as the communication method between the RFID tag 22 and the tag communication unit 4, the RFID tag 22 communicates with the tag communication unit 4 by one communication method. May be in a state of responding only to a specific command.

Further, there may be a plurality of types of states in which the RFID tag 22 responds only to a specific command (specific state).

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an inkjet printing device using an ink cartridge has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any electronic device to which a mounting unit having a tag capable of communicating with the electronic device is mounted. The present invention is applicable. For example, the present invention can be applied to a stencil printing apparatus in which a master (stencil base paper) is wound around a paper tube to which a tag is attached as a mounting unit.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and at the implementation stage, the components can be modified and embodied without departing from the gist thereof. In addition, various inventions can be formed by an appropriate combination of the plurality of components disclosed in the above-described embodiment. For example, some components may be removed from all the components shown in the embodiments.

[Additional Notes]
This application discloses the following inventions.

(Appendix 1)
An electronic device to which a mounting unit having a tag that can communicate with the outside is mounted.
A tag communication unit that communicates with the tag,
A control unit that controls the tag communication unit is provided.
The control unit
A command for transitioning the tag to a specific state that responds only to a specific command is transmitted from the tag communication unit to the tag to put the tag in the specific state.
An electronic device characterized in that the tag communication unit transmits the specific command to the tag, and the communicability between the tag and the tag communication unit is confirmed based on the responsiveness of the tag to the specific command. ..

(Appendix 2)
The electronic device according to Appendix 1, wherein the specific state is a state in which the power supplied from the electronic device to the tag is limited.

(Appendix 3)
A mounting unit that is mounted on an electronic device.
Equipped with a tag that communicates with the electronic device
The tag is a mounting unit characterized in that it is in a specific state of responding only to a specific command according to a command from the electronic device and responds to the specific command transmitted from the electronic device.

(Appendix 4)
The mounting unit according to Appendix 3, wherein the specific state is a state in which the power supplied from the electronic device to the tag is limited.

(Appendix 5)
The mounting unit according to Appendix 4, wherein the tag operates on its own power in a state where the power supplied from the electronic device is limited.

(Appendix 6)
The tag of the mounting unit mounted on the electronic device is transitioned to a specific state that responds only to a specific command.
The specific command is transmitted from the tag communication unit of the electronic device to the tag in the specific state, and the communicability between the tag and the tag communication unit is confirmed based on the responsiveness of the tag to the specific command. A communication method characterized by that.

(Appendix 7)
The communication method according to Appendix 6, wherein the specific state is a state in which the power supplied from the electronic device to the tag is limited.

(Appendix 8)
A communication method in a mounting unit equipped with a tag for communicating with an electronic device and mounted on the electronic device.
A communication method characterized in that the tag is in a state of responding only to a specific command according to a command from the electronic device, and responds to the specific command transmitted from the electronic device.

1 Printing device 2 Printing unit 3 Operation panel 4 Tag communication unit 5 Mounting unit 6 Control unit 11 Ink cartridge head 21 Ink cartridge 22 RFID tag

Claims (8)

An electronic device to which a mounting unit having a tag that can communicate with the outside is mounted.
A tag communication unit that communicates with the tag,
A control unit that controls the tag communication unit is provided.
The control unit
A command for transitioning the tag to a specific state that responds only to a specific command is transmitted from the tag communication unit to the tag to put the tag in the specific state.
An electronic device characterized in that the tag communication unit transmits the specific command to the tag, and the communicability between the tag and the tag communication unit is confirmed based on the responsiveness of the tag to the specific command. .. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the specific state is a state in which the power supplied from the electronic device to the tag is limited. A mounting unit that is mounted on an electronic device.
Equipped with a tag that communicates with the electronic device
The tag is a mounting unit characterized in that it is in a specific state of responding only to a specific command according to a command from the electronic device and responds to the specific command transmitted from the electronic device. The mounting unit according to claim 3, wherein the specific state is a state in which the power supplied from the electronic device to the tag is limited. The mounting unit according to claim 4, wherein the tag operates by its own power in a state where the power supplied from the electronic device is limited. The tag of the mounting unit mounted on the electronic device is transitioned to a specific state that responds only to a specific command.
The specific command is transmitted from the tag communication unit of the electronic device to the tag in the specific state, and the communicability between the tag and the tag communication unit is confirmed based on the responsiveness of the tag to the specific command. A communication method characterized by that. The communication method according to claim 6, wherein the specific state is a state in which the power supplied from the electronic device to the tag is limited. A communication method in a mounting unit equipped with a tag for communicating with an electronic device and mounted on the electronic device.
A communication method characterized in that the tag is in a state of responding only to a specific command according to a command from the electronic device, and responds to the specific command transmitted from the electronic device.