JP2021128462A - Server device and printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a server device and a printing system which can reduce a deviation between a calculated residual amount of a printing material and an actual residual amount of the printing material with reduced load on a printer.SOLUTION: A server device 14 is capable of communicating with a printer 13 for printing with a printing material supplied from a printing material storage 12 storing therein the printing material and acquires consumption information about consumption of the printing material consumed by the printer 13 from the printer 13 and uses corrective information and the consumption information acquired from the printer 13 to calculate corrective amount information about corrective consumption and transmits the corrective amount information to the printer 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a server device capable of communicating with a printing device, and a printing system including the printing device and the server device.

For example, as in Patent Document 1, there is a recording device which is an example of a printing device which prints by ejecting ink which is an example of a printing material supplied from an ink cartridge which is an example of a printing material container from a recording head. The recording device calculates the amount of ink consumed based on the number of times ink droplets are ejected during printing and the number of times the suction operation is executed, and calculates the remaining amount of ink by subtracting the calculated consumption amount from the total amount of liquid. ..

The calculated ink consumption may deviate from the actual consumption depending on the height of the atmospheric pressure in the environment in which the recording device is used. Therefore, the recording device detects the atmospheric pressure at the place of use, and when the detected atmospheric pressure is low, the calculated consumption amount is corrected to be smaller than when the atmospheric pressure is high, so that the calculated remaining amount of ink and the actual amount of ink are actually used. Reduce the difference from the remaining amount of ink.

JP-A-2007-301906

When the printing device calculates the consumption amount of the printing material consumed by the printing device, corrects the calculated consumption amount, and calculates the remaining amount of the printing material using the corrected consumption amount, the printing device is large. It will be overloaded.

The server device that solves the above problems is a server device that can communicate with a printing device that prints with the printing material supplied from the printing material container that houses the printing material, and the printing that is consumed by the printing device. The consumption amount information regarding the consumption amount of the material is acquired from the printing device, the correction amount information regarding the correction consumption amount is calculated using the correction information acquired from the printing device and the consumption amount information, and the correction amount information is printed. Send to the device.

The server device that solves the above problems is a server device that can communicate with a printing device that prints with the printing material supplied from the printing material container that houses the printing material, and acquires correction information from the printing device. A correction coefficient for correcting consumption information regarding the consumption amount of the printing material consumed by the printing apparatus is calculated using the correction information, and the correction coefficient is transmitted to the printing apparatus.

The server device that solves the above problems is a server device that can communicate with a printing device that prints with the printing material supplied from the printing material container that houses the printing material, and the printing that is consumed by the printing device. The consumption amount information regarding the consumption amount of the material is acquired from the printing device, the correction amount information regarding the correction consumption amount is calculated using the correction information acquired from the printing device and the consumption amount information, and the printing material container accommodates the correction amount information. Based on the accommodating amount information regarding the amount of the printing material and the correction amount information, the state information regarding the state of the printing material accommodating body is transmitted to the printing apparatus.

The block diagram which shows the printing system of 1st Embodiment. The flowchart which shows the mounting routine which the print control part of 1st Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the consumption routine which the print control part of 1st Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the correction routine which the server control part of 1st Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the mounting routine which the print control part of 2nd Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the consumption routine which the print control part of 2nd Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the consumption routine which the print control part of 2nd Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the correction routine which the server control part of 2nd Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the consumption routine which the print control part of 3rd Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the correction routine which the server control part of 3rd Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the consumption routine which the print control part of 4th Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the consumption routine which the print control part of 4th Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the correction routine which the server control part of 4th Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the consumption routine which the print control part of 5th Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the correction routine which the server control part of 5th Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the consumption routine which the print control part of 6th Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the consumption routine which the print control part of 6th Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the correction routine which the server control part of 6th Embodiment executes. The schematic diagram which shows the printing material accommodating body and the refilling bottle of 7th Embodiment. The flowchart which shows the replenishment routine which the print control part of 7th Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the consumption routine which the print control part of 7th Embodiment executes. The flowchart which shows the correction routine which the server control part of 7th Embodiment executes.

(First Embodiment)
Hereinafter, the server device and the printing system of the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The printing apparatus included in the printing system of the present embodiment is an inkjet printer that prints characters, images, and the like on a medium such as paper by ejecting ink, which is an example of a printing material.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 11 includes a printing device 13 that prints with the printing material supplied from the printing material accommodating body 12 that houses the printing material, and a server device 14 that can communicate with the printing device 13. Be prepared. The printing system 11 may include a delivery terminal 15 that allows an operator to arrange delivery of the printing material accommodating body 12. The server device 14 is communicably connected to the printing device 13 and the delivery terminal 15 via the network NT. The printing system 11 may include a plurality of printing devices 13 connected to one server device 14. The printing system 11 may include a plurality of delivery terminals 15 connected to one server device 14.

The server device 14 includes a server control unit 17 and a server communication unit 18. The server control unit 17 is composed of, for example, a computer and a processing circuit including a memory, and executes various processes according to a program stored in the memory.

The printing device 13 includes a print control unit 20 which is an example of a control unit, and a print communication unit 21. The print control unit 20 is composed of, for example, a computer and a processing circuit including a memory, and executes various processes executed by the printing device 13 according to a program stored in the memory.

The printing device 13 may include a mounting portion 23 on which the printing material accommodating body 12 is mounted, and an electrical connecting portion 24 that is electrically connected to the printing material accommodating body 12 mounted on the mounting unit 23. The printing device 13 may include a plurality of mounting portions 23. The printing device 13 may be capable of mounting a plurality of printing material accommodating bodies 12 on one mounting portion 23. One printing material accommodating body 12 may accommodate one kind of printing material, or may accommodate a plurality of kinds of printing materials. The printing apparatus 13 may perform color printing with one printing material accommodating body 12 or a plurality of color printing materials supplied from the plurality of printing material accommodating bodies 12. The printing apparatus 13 of the present embodiment includes one mounting portion 23, and performs single-color printing by adhering a one-color printing material supplied from one printing material container 12 to a medium.

The printing device 13 has a discharge unit 26 that ejects the liquid printing material supplied from the printing material housing 12 to print on the medium, and a cleaning unit that discharges the printing material from the ejection unit 26 to clean the ejection unit 26. 27 and may be provided. The printing device 13 may include a display unit 28 for displaying information about the printing device 13 and the printing material accommodating body 12, and an operation unit 29 for operating the printing device 13. The printing device 13 includes a reading unit 30 that reads an image printed on a medium, a pressure sensor 31 that measures the pressure at a place where the printing device 13 is installed, and a weight sensor 32 that measures the weight of the printing material container 12. And a detection unit 33 for detecting the state of the printing material accommodating body 12. When a plurality of printing material accommodating bodies 12 can be attached to the printing device 13, a plurality of weight sensors 32, detection units 33, and electrical connection units 24 are provided for each printing material accommodating body 12.

The display unit 28 of this embodiment is a screen. The print control unit 20 may display the remaining amount of the printing material accommodated in the printing material accommodating body 12 on the display unit 28. For example, the print control unit 20 may display the ratio of the remaining amount to the initial amount, which is the amount of the printing material accommodated by the unused printing material accommodating body 12, by the data marker 35. The print control unit 20 displays on the display unit 28 a notice mark 36 indicating that the printing material accommodating body 12 is about to be replaced and a replacement mark 37 indicating that the printing material accommodating body 12 needs to be replaced. You may. The display unit 28 may be a lamp that lights up, blinks, or changes color depending on the state of the printing device 13. The operation unit 29 may be a button or a touch pad. The display unit 28 and the operation unit 29 may be a touch panel integrally configured.

The detection unit 33 indicates that the amount of the printing material accommodated by the printing material accommodating body 12 becomes a warning threshold value higher than the required threshold value at which the printing material accommodating body 12 needs to be replaced, and the printing material accommodating body 12 is in a small state. It is detectable. The near-end state is also called the near-end state. The notice threshold value is a value that serves as a guide for indicating to the user that the number of printing materials to be accommodated has decreased and the time to replace the printing material accommodating body 12 is near. The print control unit 20 may display the notice mark 36 on the display unit 28 when the detection unit 33 detects a minute state. After the detection unit 33 detects the minute state, the print control unit 20 causes the display unit 28 to display the replacement mark 37 when it is determined that a predetermined amount of printing material has been consumed and the remaining amount has reached the required threshold value. You may. The detection unit 33 may use, for example, a reflection type optical sensor, a transmission type optical sensor, an electrode pin, a capacitance sensor, or the like.

The printing material accommodating body 12 may include a storage medium 39 for storing information about the printing material accommodating body 12. The storage medium 39 is, for example, an IC chip. The storage medium 39 can communicate with the print control unit 20 via the electrical connection unit 24 by mounting the printing material accommodating body 12 on the mounting unit 23. By connecting the electrical connection unit 24 to the storage medium 39, the print control unit 20 can read the information stored in the storage medium 39 and write the information to the storage medium 39. The electrical connection unit 24 may be a connector that enables communication by contacting the storage medium 39, or may be a radio that wirelessly reads and writes information to and from the storage medium 39.

The storage medium 39 stores the initial amount information regarding the initial amount of the printing material accommodating body 12 and the remaining amount information regarding the remaining amount. The storage medium 39 of the present embodiment stores the mass of the initial amount of the printing material accommodating body 12 as the initial amount information, and stores the mass of the remaining amount of the printing material accommodating body 12 as the remaining amount information. In the case of the unused printing material container 12, the initial amount information and the remaining amount information match. The initial amount information and the remaining amount information may be, for example, the number of droplets that can be ejected by the ejection unit 26 with the printing material of the initial amount or the remaining amount, and the number of times that the cleaning unit 27 can perform cleaning.

Next, the mounting routine executed by the print control unit 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The print control unit 20 executes a mounting routine at the timing when the printing material accommodating body 12 is mounted on the mounting unit 23.

As shown in FIG. 2, in step S101, the print control unit 20 acquires the remaining amount information from the storage medium 39. In step S102, the print control unit 20 acquires the initial amount information from the storage medium 39. In step S103, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the remaining amount information and the initial amount information match.

When the printing material accommodating body 12 is unused, the remaining amount information and the initial amount information match, and step S103 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S104. In step S104, the print control unit 20 transmits the initial amount information to the server device 14. In step S105, the print control unit 20 transmits the initial weight information, which is an example of the weight information regarding the weight of the printing material accommodating body 12 measured by the weight sensor 32, to the server device 14.

If the remaining amount information and the initial amount information do not match, step S103 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S106. In step S106, the print control unit 20 transmits the remaining amount information to the server device 14.

In step S107, the print control unit 20 calculates the display remaining amount from the remaining amount information and the initial amount information. The displayed remaining amount is the ratio of the remaining amount to the initial amount (displayed remaining amount = remaining amount / initial amount × 100 [%]). In step S108, the print control unit 20 displays the remaining amount of display on the display unit 28.

In step S109, the print control unit 20 initializes the cumulative consumption amount (cumulative consumption amount = 0). In step S110, the print control unit 20 turns off the replacement flag. In step S111, the print control unit 20 transmits the atmospheric pressure information regarding the atmospheric pressure detected by the atmospheric pressure sensor 31 to the server device 14.

In step S112, the print control unit 20 prints a print pattern on the medium. The printing pattern includes dots printed by the ejection unit 26 ejecting one drop or a plurality of drops of a printing material onto a single point on the medium. The number of dots included in the print pattern may be one or plural. When the print pattern contains a plurality of dots, the amount of printing material per drop may be changed for each dot, or the number of drops ejected to one point on the medium may be changed.

In step S113, the print control unit 20 causes the reading unit 30 to read the print pattern printed on the medium. In step S114, the print control unit 20 transmits the image information including the image data obtained by reading the print pattern to the server device 14, and ends the mounting routine.

Next, the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The print control unit 20 executes a consumption routine when the printing device 13 executes an operation including consumption of printing materials.

For example, the print control unit 20 may execute the consumption routine after the printing operation in which the ejection unit 26 ejects the printing material from the nozzles and attaches the printing material to the medium. The print control unit 20 may execute the consumption routine after the flushing operation in which the discharge unit 26 discharges the printed material from the nozzle as waste material. The print control unit 20 may execute the consumption routine after the cleaning operation in which the cleaning unit 27 applies a negative pressure to the printing material in the ejection unit 26 to discharge the printing material from the nozzles. The print control unit 20 may execute the consumption routine after performing the same operation or a different operation a plurality of times among the print operation, the flushing operation, and the cleaning operation.

As shown in FIG. 3, in step S131, the print control unit 20 transmits the consumption amount information regarding the consumption amount of the printing material consumed by the printing device 13 to the server device 14. For example, the consumption amount information is the number of droplets ejected by the ejection unit 26 and the number of cleaning operations.

In step S132, the print control unit 20 calculates the consumption amount. The consumption amount is the sum of the ejection consumption amount, which is the amount of printing material ejected by the ejection unit 26, and the cleaning consumption amount, which is the amount of printing material discharged from the ejection unit 26 by the cleaning unit 27 (consumption amount). = Discharge consumption + Cleaning consumption). The print control unit 20 of the present embodiment stores the amount of printing material per drop ejected by the ejection unit 26 and the amount of printing material consumed in one cleaning operation. The print control unit 20 integrates the amount per drop with the number of droplets ejected by the ejection unit 26, and calculates the ejection consumption consumed in the printing operation and the flushing operation (ejection consumption = number of droplets × per drop). Amount of). The print control unit 20 integrates the amount of printing material consumed in one cleaning operation with the number of times the cleaning operation is performed, and calculates the cleaning consumption amount consumed in the cleaning operation (cleaning consumption amount = number of cleaning operations ×). Amount per serving).

In step S133, the print control unit 20 adds the calculated consumption amount to the stored cumulative consumption amount and updates the cumulative consumption amount (cumulative consumption amount = cumulative consumption amount + consumption amount). In step S134, the print control unit 20 rewrites the remaining amount information stored in the storage medium 39. That is, the print control unit 20 updates the remaining amount by subtracting the consumption amount from the stored remaining amount (remaining amount = remaining amount-consumption amount), and updates the remaining amount information stored in the storage medium 39. Rewrite with the remaining amount information about the remaining amount.

In step S135, the print control unit 20 updates the display remaining amount. Specifically, the print control unit 20 calculates the display remaining amount, which is the ratio of the updated remaining amount to the initial amount, and displays the calculated display remaining amount on the display unit 28.

In step S136, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the detection unit 33 has detected the minute state. If the detection unit 33 has not detected the minute state, step S136 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 ends the consumption routine. When the detection unit 33 detects the minute state, step S136 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S137.

In step S137, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the exchange flag is off. When the exchange flag is off, step S137 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S138.

In step S138, the print control unit 20 turns on the replacement flag. In step S139, the print control unit 20 initializes the replacement remaining amount with the notice threshold value (replacement remaining amount = notice threshold value). In step S140, the print control unit 20 displays the notice mark 36 on the display unit 28. In step S141, the print control unit 20 transmits the cumulative information regarding the cumulative consumption amount to the server device 14, and ends the consumption routine.

If the exchange flag is on in step S137, step S137 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S142. In step S142, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the correction amount information transmitted from the server device 14 has been acquired. If the correction amount information has not been acquired, step S142 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 waits until the correction amount information is acquired. When the correction amount information is acquired, step S142 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S143. At this time, the correction amount information received by the print control unit 20 is transmitted by the server control unit 17 in step S170 shown in FIG.

In step S143, the print control unit 20 subtracts the correction consumption amount indicated by the acquired correction amount information from the stored replacement amount and updates the replacement amount (replacement amount = replacement amount-correction consumption). amount). In step S144, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the replacement remaining amount is equal to or less than the required threshold value. If the remaining amount of replacement is larger than the required threshold value, step S144 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 ends the consumption routine. If the remaining amount of replacement is equal to or less than the required threshold value, step S144 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S145.

In step S145, the print control unit 20 displays the replacement mark 37 on the display unit 28. In step S146, the print control unit 20 causes the weight sensor 32 to measure the weight of the printing material accommodating body 12, transmits the post-weight information which is an example of the weight information regarding the measured weight to the server device 14, and performs the consumption routine. finish.

Next, the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The server control unit 17 starts executing the correction routine when the power of the server device 14 is turned on. In the initial state, the delivery flag is on.

In step S161, the server control unit 17 determines whether or not the initial amount information transmitted from the printing device 13 has been acquired. When the server control unit 17 acquires the initial amount information, step S161 becomes YES, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S162. At this time, the initial amount information received by the server control unit 17 is transmitted by the print control unit 20 in step S104 shown in FIG.

In step S162, the server control unit 17 rewrites the remaining amount of delivery to the initial amount indicated by the initial amount information (remaining amount of delivery = initial amount). In step S163, the server control unit 17 turns on the unused flag. In step S164, the server control unit 17 turns off the delivery flag.

If the initial amount information has not been acquired in step S161, step S161 becomes NO, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S165. In step S165, the server control unit 17 determines whether or not the remaining amount information transmitted from the printing device 13 has been acquired. When the server control unit 17 acquires the remaining amount information, step S165 becomes YES, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S166. At this time, the remaining amount information received by the server control unit 17 is transmitted by the print control unit 20 in step S106 shown in FIG.

In step S166, the server control unit 17 rewrites the remaining amount of delivery to the remaining amount indicated by the remaining amount information (remaining amount of delivery = remaining amount). In step S167, the server control unit 17 turns off the unused flag and shifts the process to step S164. If the remaining amount information has not been acquired in step S165, step S165 becomes NO, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S168.

In step S168, the server control unit 17 determines whether or not the consumption amount information transmitted from the printing device 13 has been acquired. If the consumption amount information has not been acquired, step S168 becomes NO, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S176. When the server control unit 17 acquires the consumption amount information, step S168 becomes YES, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S169. At this time, the consumption amount information received by the server control unit 17 is transmitted by the print control unit 20 in step S131 shown in FIG.

In step S169, the server control unit 17 calculates the corrected consumption amount. In step S170, the server control unit 17 transmits the correction amount information regarding the correction consumption amount to the printing device 13.

In step S171, the server control unit 17 determines whether or not the delivery flag is on. When the delivery flag is on, step S171 becomes YES, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S176. When the delivery flag is off, step S171 becomes NO, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S172.

In step S172, the server control unit 17 subtracts the calculated corrected consumption amount from the stored remaining amount of delivery and updates the remaining amount of delivery (remaining amount of delivery = remaining amount of delivery-corrected consumption amount). In step S173, the server control unit 17 determines whether or not the remaining delivery amount is equal to or less than the delivery threshold value. If the remaining amount of delivery is larger than the delivery threshold value, step S173 becomes NO, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S176. If the remaining amount of delivery is equal to or less than the delivery threshold value, step S173 becomes YES, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S174.

In step S174, the server control unit 17 orders the delivery terminal 15 to deliver the printing material container 12. That is, the server control unit 17 orders the user of the printing apparatus 13 to deliver the replacement printing material accommodating body 12 instead of the printing material accommodating body 12 mounted on the printing apparatus 13. In step S175, the server control unit 17 turns on the delivery flag and shifts the process to step S176.

In step S176, the server control unit 17 determines whether or not the cumulative information transmitted from the printing device 13 has been acquired. If the cumulative information has not been acquired, step S176 becomes NO, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S161. When the server control unit 17 acquires the cumulative information, step S176 becomes YES, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S177. At this time, the cumulative information received by the server control unit 17 is transmitted by the print control unit 20 in step S141 shown in FIG.

In step S177, the server control unit 17 determines whether or not the unused flag is on. If the unused flag is off, step S177 becomes NO, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S161. If the unused flag is on, step S177 becomes YES, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S178.

In step S178, the server control unit 17 calculates the actual consumption amount from the time when the unused printing material container 12 is attached to the printing device 13 to the time when it becomes a small amount (actual consumption amount = initial amount-notice threshold value). .. In step S179, the server control unit 17 calculates the usage period from when the printing material accommodating body 12 is attached to the printing device 13 to when the printing material accommodating body 12 is in a very small state. In step S180, the server control unit 17 calculates the unit consumption amount, which is the amount of printing material actually consumed per unit period (unit consumption amount = actual consumption amount / usage period). In step S181, the server control unit 17 calculates and stores the delivery threshold value, and shifts the process to step S161.

The delivery threshold is a value obtained by integrating the delivery period, which is the period required for delivery of the printing material container 12, and the unit consumption (delivery threshold = delivery period × unit consumption). The delivery period is set from the delivery base of the printing material accommodating body 12 and the installation location of the printing device 13, and is stored in the server control unit 17.

The operation of this embodiment will be described.
The server control unit 17 acquires consumption information regarding the consumption amount of the printing material consumed by the printing device 13 from the printing device 13. The server control unit 17 acquires initial amount information, initial weight information, barometric pressure information, image information, cumulative information, and rear weight information from the printing device 13 as correction information for correcting the consumption amount information. The server control unit 17 calculates the correction amount information regarding the correction consumption amount using the correction amount information and the consumption amount information, and transmits the correction amount information to the printing device 13. The server control unit 17 may store the advance notice threshold value and the required threshold value in advance, or may acquire the notice threshold value and the required threshold value from the printing device 13.

The initial amount information may include an initial amount which is the amount of the printing material accommodated in the unused printing material container 12. The server control unit 17 is the actual amount of the printing material actually consumed from the initial amount and the advance notice threshold value until the detection unit 33 detects the minute state after the start of use of the printing material accommodating body 12. Calculate the consumption amount (actual consumption amount = initial amount-notice threshold value).

The server control unit 17 may calculate the amount of the printing material actually consumed from the weight information regarding the weight of the printing material accommodating body 12. The correction information of the present embodiment may include initial weight information and rear weight information which are examples of the weight information of the printing material accommodating body 12. The initial weight information indicates the initial weight which is the weight when the unused printing material accommodating body 12 is mounted on the mounting portion 23, and the rear weight information indicates that the replacement remaining amount of the printing material accommodating body 12 is equal to or less than the required threshold value. Indicates the weight after printing, which is the weight at the time of printing. Therefore, the difference between the initial weight and the rear weight is the amount of the printing material actually consumed from the start of use of the printing material housing 12 to the necessary state in which the printing material housing 12 needs to be replaced. It becomes the actual consumption amount (actual consumption amount = initial weight-after weight).

The correction information of the present embodiment may include cumulative information regarding the cumulative consumption amount from the start of use of the printing material accommodating body 12 to the detection of the minute state by the detection unit 33. Cumulative information is, for example, the mass of cumulative consumption. The cumulative information may be information that can calculate the mass of the cumulative consumption. For example, when the cumulative information includes the cumulative discharge amount obtained by accumulating the discharge consumption amount and the cumulative cleaning amount obtained by accumulating the cleaning consumption amount, the server control unit 17 totals the cumulative discharge amount and the cumulative cleaning amount. Then, the cumulative consumption amount is calculated (cumulative consumption amount = cumulative discharge amount + cumulative cleaning amount). When the cumulative information includes the total number of droplets which is the total number of droplets ejected by the ejection unit 26, the server control unit 17 calculates the cumulative ejection amount by integrating the amount per droplet with the total number of droplets. It may be (cumulative discharge amount = total number of droplets x amount per drop). When the cumulative information includes the total number of cleaning operations, the server control unit 17 may calculate the cumulative cleaning amount by integrating the amount of printing material consumed in one cleaning operation in the total number of times (the cumulative cleaning amount). Cumulative cleaning amount = total number of times x amount per cleaning). Cumulative information may include the amount per drop and the amount per dose.

The server control unit 17 calculates the correction amount information using the result of comparing the actual consumption amount and the cumulative consumption amount from the start of use of the printing material accommodating body 12 to the detection of the minute state by the detection unit 33. You may. For example, when the actual consumption amount is larger than the cumulative consumption amount, the corrected consumption amount after the correction is made larger than the consumption amount before the correction. If the actual consumption is smaller than the cumulative consumption, the corrected consumption after correction is made smaller than the consumption before correction.

The correction information of the present embodiment may include image information obtained by reading a print pattern printed by the printing device 13. The image information may include information such as the type of medium on which the print pattern is printed, humidity, and the like, in addition to the image data obtained by reading the print pattern. When the diameter of the dots forming the print pattern is larger than expected, the server control unit 17 increases the amount of droplets ejected by the ejection unit 26 per droplet. When the diameter of the dots forming the print pattern is smaller than expected, the server control unit 17 reduces the amount of droplets ejected by the ejection unit 26 per droplet.

The correction information of the present embodiment may include the atmospheric pressure information of the place where the printing device 13 is installed. The amount of printing material consumed in the cleaning operation tends to decrease as the atmospheric pressure decreases. When the atmospheric pressure is lower than the low pressure threshold value, the server control unit 17 reduces the amount consumed in one cleaning operation.

The server control unit 17 is prior to the time when the printing material accommodating body 12 needs to be replaced by the delivery period required for delivery of the replacement printing material accommodating body mounted on the printing apparatus 13 instead of the printing material accommodating body 12. Is ordered to deliver the replacement printing material container. That is, the server control unit 17 calculates the delivery threshold value, which is the amount of printing material required during the delivery period. The server control unit 17 orders the delivery of the printing material accommodating body 12 when the remaining amount of delivery calculated by using the corrected consumption reaches the delivery threshold value. Therefore, the remaining amount of the printing material accommodating body 12 reaches the required threshold value, and the replacement printing material accommodating body 12 can be delivered to the user at the required time when the printing material accommodating body 12 needs to be replaced.

When the detection unit 33 detects the minute state, the print control unit 20 rewrites the replacement remaining amount to the advance threshold value, and then calculates the replacement remaining amount using the correction consumption amount. Therefore, even if there is a discrepancy between the calculated consumption amount and the actual consumption amount, the discrepancy between the timing when the replacement remaining amount reaches the required threshold value and the timing when the actual remaining amount reaches the required threshold value can be reduced. ..

The effect of this embodiment will be described.
(1) The server device 14 calculates the correction amount information using the consumption amount information and the correction amount information acquired from the printing device 13, and transmits the correction amount information to the printing device 13. Therefore, as compared with the case where the printing device 13 calculates the correction amount information, it is possible to reduce the deviation between the calculated remaining amount of the printing material and the actual remaining amount of the printing material while suppressing the load applied to the printing device 13.

(2) Some printing devices 13 print by adhering a droplet-shaped printing material to a medium. The droplet-shaped printing material forms dots when it adheres to the medium. The diameter of the dots formed on the medium varies depending on the amount of the printing material constituting the droplet. Therefore, the amount of printing material per drop can be obtained from the diameter of the dots. However, the process of analyzing the image to obtain the dot diameter and calculating the amount of the printing material from the dot diameter is a heavy load. In that respect, the correction information includes image information obtained by reading the print pattern. Therefore, the processing with a large load can be performed by the server device 14, and the load applied to the printing device 13 can be suppressed.

(3) The amount of printing material actually consumed from the start of use of the printing material accommodating body 12 to the minute state is the amount of printing material contained in the printing material accommodating body 12 at the start of use. And the notice threshold. The detection unit 33 detects that the printing material accommodating body 12 is in a minute state. The correction information includes cumulative information regarding the cumulative consumption amount from the start of use of the printing material accommodating body 12 to the detection of the minute state by the detection unit 33. Therefore, the server device 14 can compare the amount of the printing material actually consumed with the calculated cumulative consumption, and can improve the correction accuracy.

(4) The correction information includes the weight information of the printing material accommodating body 12. The weight of the printing material accommodating body 12 is reduced by the amount of the printing material supplied from the printing material accommodating body 12 and consumed by the printing apparatus 13. Therefore, the amount of printing material actually consumed can be obtained from the weight information. Therefore, the server device 14 can compare the amount of the printing material actually consumed with the calculated consumption amount, and can improve the correction accuracy.

(5) For example, in the printing apparatus 13 that ejects a liquid printing material from the ejection unit 26 to print, the amount of the printing material consumed by cleaning the ejection unit 26 may change depending on the atmospheric pressure. In that respect, since the correction information includes the atmospheric pressure information, the correction accuracy can be improved.

(6) The delivery of the replacement printing material accommodating body is ordered only before the delivery period required for the delivery of the replacement printing material accommodating body from the time when the printing material accommodating body 12 needs to be replaced. Therefore, the replacement printing material accommodating body can be delivered to the user of the printing apparatus 13 at the time when the remaining amount of the printing material accommodated by the printing material accommodating body 12 reaches the required threshold value. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time and effort of the user to arrange the delivery of the replacement printing material container and the time and effort to manage the inventory.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the server device and the printing system will be described with reference to the drawings. In this second embodiment, the mounting routine and the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 and the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 are different from the case of the first embodiment. Since it is almost the same as the first embodiment in other respects, the same configuration and the same processing are designated by the same reference numerals, so that duplicate description will be omitted.

The mounting routine executed by the print control unit 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The mounting routine of the second embodiment is different from the mounting routine shown in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment in the portion surrounded by the alternate long and short dash line.

The print control unit 20 executes steps S101 to S106 in the same manner as in the first embodiment, executes steps S221 to S223 surrounded by the alternate long and short dash line, and then executes steps S107 to S114 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. do.

Specifically, after executing step S105, the print control unit 20 rewrites the remaining amount of delivery to the initial amount indicated by the initial amount information in step S221 (remaining amount of delivery = initial amount). In step S222, the print control unit 20 turns off the delivery flag and shifts the process to step S107.

After executing step S106, the print control unit 20 rewrites the remaining amount of delivery to the remaining amount indicated by the remaining amount information (remaining amount of delivery = remaining amount) in step S223, and shifts the process to step S222.

Next, the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
The consumption routine of the second embodiment executes steps S131 to S146 in the same manner as the consumption routine shown in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, and then executes steps S251 to S256 shown in FIG. 7.

As shown in FIG. 7, in step S251, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the delivery flag is on. When the delivery flag is on, step S251 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 ends the process. When the delivery flag is off, step S251 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S252.

In step S252, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the correction amount information transmitted from the server device 14 has been acquired. If the correction amount information has not been acquired, step S252 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 waits until the correction amount information is acquired. When the correction amount information is acquired, step S252 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S253. At this time, the correction amount information received by the print control unit 20 is transmitted by the server control unit 17 in step S170 shown in FIG.

In step S253, the print control unit 20 subtracts the correction consumption amount based on the correction amount information from the stored delivery amount amount and updates the delivery amount amount (delivery amount amount = delivery amount amount-correction consumption amount). .. In step S254, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the remaining amount of delivery is equal to or less than the delivery threshold value. If the remaining amount of delivery is larger than the delivery threshold value, step S254 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 ends the process. When the remaining amount of delivery is equal to or less than the delivery threshold value, step S254 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S255.

In step S255, the print control unit 20 orders the delivery terminal 15 to deliver the printing material accommodating body 12. That is, the print control unit 20 orders the user of the printing apparatus 13 to deliver the replacement printing material accommodating body 12 instead of the printing material accommodating body 12 mounted on the printing apparatus 13. In step S256, the print control unit 20 turns on the delivery flag and ends the process.

Next, the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
The correction routine of the second embodiment partially omits the correction routine shown in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment, and executes step S291 after step S181. In step S291, the server control unit 17 calculates in step S181 and transmits the delivery threshold value to the printing device 13.

The operation of this embodiment will be described.
The print control unit 20 instructs the delivery terminal 15 to deliver the replacement printing material accommodating body to be mounted on the printing device 13 instead of the printing material accommodating body 12 mounted on the mounting unit 23. The print control unit 20 orders the delivery of the replacement printing material container 12 before the delivery period required for the delivery of the replacement printing material storage body from the time when the printing material housing body 12 needs to be replaced.

(Third Embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment of the server device and the printing system will be described with reference to the drawings. In this third embodiment, the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 and the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 are different from those in the first embodiment. Since it is almost the same as the first embodiment in other respects, the same configuration and the same processing are designated by the same reference numerals, so that duplicate description will be omitted.

In the third embodiment, the mounting routine executed by the print control unit 20 is the same as the mounting routine shown in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment. Therefore, the illustration and description of the mounting routine of the third embodiment will be omitted.

Next, the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The consumption routine of the third embodiment executes steps S351 and S352 in place of step S142 shown in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment.

In step S351, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the correction coefficient transmitted from the server device 14 has been acquired. If the correction coefficient has not been acquired, step S351 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 waits until the correction coefficient is acquired. When the correction coefficient is acquired, step S351 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S352. At this time, the correction coefficient received by the print control unit 20 is transmitted by the server control unit 17 in step S392 shown in FIG. In step S352, the print control unit 20 calculates the correction consumption amount.

The print control unit 20 corrects the consumption amount information with the correction coefficient and calculates the corrected consumption amount. For example, the print control unit 20 may calculate the correction consumption amount by integrating the correction coefficient with the consumption amount (correction consumption amount = consumption amount × correction coefficient). The correction coefficient is a ejection correction coefficient for correcting the amount of printing material discharged by the ejection unit 26 per drop, and a cleaning correction coefficient for correcting the amount of printing material consumed in one cleaning operation. It may be included. The print control unit 20 integrates the amount per drop and the ejection correction coefficient with the number of droplets ejected by the ejection unit 26, and calculates the correction ejection amount consumed in the printing operation and the flushing operation (correction). Discharge amount = number of droplets x amount per drop x correction coefficient for discharge). The print control unit 20 integrates the amount of printing material consumed in one cleaning operation and the cleaning correction coefficient with the number of times the cleaning operation is performed, and calculates the correction cleaning amount consumed in the cleaning operation (cleaning consumption). Amount = number of cleaning operations x amount per cleaning x correction factor for cleaning). The print control unit 20 calculates the correction consumption amount by summing the correction discharge amount and the correction cleaning amount (correction consumption amount = correction discharge amount + correction cleaning amount).

Next, the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
The correction routine of the third embodiment partially omits the correction routine shown in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment, and executes steps S391 and S392 when step S168 is YES. In step S391, the server control unit 17 calculates a correction coefficient for correcting the consumption amount information regarding the consumption amount of the printing material consumed by the printing device 13. In step S392, the server control unit 17 transmits the calculated correction coefficient to the printing device 13.

The operation of this embodiment will be described.
The server control unit 17 transmits the calculated correction coefficient to the printing device 13. The print control unit 20 calculates the correction consumption amount using the correction coefficient. The server control unit 17 instructs the delivery terminal 15 to deliver the replacement printing material container mounted on the printing device 13 instead of the printing material housing 12 mounted on the mounting unit 23.

The server control unit 17 may calculate the correction coefficient using the result of comparing the actual consumption amount and the cumulative consumption amount. For example, when the actual consumption is larger than the cumulative consumption, the correction coefficient may be larger than 1. If the actual consumption is smaller than the cumulative consumption, the correction coefficient may be smaller than 1.

The server control unit 17 analyzes the image information, and when the diameter of the dots constituting the print pattern is larger than the assumption, the ejection correction coefficient may be larger than 1. When the diameter of the dots forming the print pattern is smaller than expected, the server control unit 17 may make the ejection correction coefficient smaller than 1.

When the atmospheric pressure is lower than the threshold value, the server control unit 17 may make the cleaning correction coefficient smaller than 1. If the air pressure is higher than the threshold value, the cleaning correction coefficient may be larger than 1.

The effect of this embodiment will be described.
(7) The server device 14 calculates a correction coefficient using the correction information acquired from the printing device 13, and transmits the calculated correction coefficient to the printing device 13. By calculating the correction consumption amount using the received correction coefficient, the printing device 13 can reduce the load of the processing performed by the printing device 13 as compared with the case where the printing device 13 calculates the correction coefficient. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the deviation between the calculated remaining amount of the printing material and the actual remaining amount of the printing material while suppressing the load applied to the printing device 13.

(Fourth Embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment of the server device and the printing system will be described with reference to the drawings. The fourth embodiment is different from the case of the first embodiment in that the mounting routine and the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 and the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 are different from the case of the first embodiment. Since it is almost the same as the first embodiment in other respects, the same configuration and the same processing are designated by the same reference numerals, so that duplicate description will be omitted.

In the fourth embodiment, the mounting routine executed by the print control unit 20 is the same as the mounting routine shown in FIG. 5 of the second embodiment. Therefore, the illustration and description of the mounting routine of the fourth embodiment will be omitted.

Next, the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.
The portion of the consumption routine of the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 11 is the same as the process shown in FIG. 9 of the third embodiment. Of the steps S251 to S256 shown in FIG. 7 of the second embodiment, the portion shown in FIG. 12 executes steps S451 and S452 in place of step S252.

In step S451, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the correction coefficient transmitted from the server device 14 has been acquired. If the correction coefficient has not been acquired, step S451 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 waits until the correction coefficient is acquired. When the correction coefficient is acquired, step S451 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S452. At this time, the correction coefficient received by the print control unit 20 is transmitted by the server control unit 17 in step S392 shown in FIG. In step S452, the print control unit 20 calculates the correction consumption amount.

Next, the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
The correction routine of the fourth embodiment partially omits the correction routine shown in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment, and executes steps S391 and S392 in the same manner as in the third embodiment when step S168 is YES. .. The correction routine of the fourth embodiment executes step S291 after step S181 in the same manner as in the second embodiment.

The operation of this embodiment will be described.
The server control unit 17 calculates a correction coefficient for correcting the consumption amount of the printing material consumed by the printing device 13 using the correction information, and transmits the calculated correction coefficient to the printing device 13. The print control unit 20 instructs the delivery terminal 15 to deliver the replacement printing material accommodating body to be mounted on the printing device 13 instead of the printing material accommodating body 12 mounted on the mounting unit 23.

(Fifth Embodiment)
Next, a fifth embodiment of the server device and the printing system will be described with reference to the drawings. In this fifth embodiment, the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 and the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 are different from those in the first embodiment. Since it is almost the same as the first embodiment in other respects, the same configuration and the same processing are designated by the same reference numerals, so that duplicate description will be omitted.

In the fifth embodiment, the mounting routine executed by the print control unit 20 is the same as the mounting routine shown in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment. Therefore, the illustration and description of the mounting routine of the fifth embodiment will be omitted.

The consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The consumption routine of the fifth embodiment partially omits the process of the first embodiment, and executes step S551 when step S137 is NO.

In step S551, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the state information has been acquired. When the state information is acquired, step S551 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S145. If the state information has not been acquired, step S551 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 ends the process.

Next, the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
The correction routine of the fifth embodiment partially omits the correction routine shown in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment, and steps S591 to S594 are executed in the middle of the process.

Specifically, after step S169, the server control unit 17 updates the replacement remaining amount in step S591 (replacement remaining amount = replacement remaining amount-correction consumption amount). In step S592, the server control unit 17 determines whether or not the remaining replacement amount is equal to or less than the required threshold value. If the remaining amount of replacement is larger than the required threshold value, step S592 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S171. If the remaining amount of replacement is equal to or less than the required threshold value, step S592 becomes YES, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S593. In step S593, the server control unit 17 transmits the state information to the printing device 13, and shifts the process to step S171.

Step S594 is executed when step S176 is YES. In step S594, the server control unit 17 initializes the exchange threshold value with the advance notice threshold value (exchange threshold value = advance notice threshold value).

The operation of this embodiment will be described.
The server control unit 17 instructs the delivery terminal 15 to deliver the replacement printing material container mounted on the printing device 13 instead of the printing material housing 12 mounted on the mounting unit 23.

The server control unit 17 transmits the state information regarding the state of the printing material accommodating body 12 to the printing device 13 based on the accommodating amount information regarding the amount of the printing material accommodated by the printing material accommodating body 12 and the correction amount information. Specifically, the server control unit 17 includes the accommodation amount information and the remaining amount information which are examples of the accommodation amount information regarding the amount of the printing material accommodated by the printing material accommodating body 12, and the initial weight information which is an example of the correction amount information. , Atmospheric pressure information, image information, cumulative information, and rear weight information are transmitted to the printing device 13.

The server control unit 17 of the present embodiment transmits status information when the remaining amount of replacement is equal to or less than the required threshold value. Therefore, the state information indicates that the printing material accommodating body 12 needs to be replaced. When the print control unit 20 acquires the state information, the print control unit 20 displays the exchange mark 37 on the display unit 28 to notify the user that the printing material accommodating body 12 needs to be exchanged.

The effect of this embodiment will be described.
(8) The server device 14 provides state information based on the consumption amount information and the correction information acquired from the printing device 13 and the initial amount information or the remaining amount information regarding the amount of the printing material accommodated by the printing material container 12. It is transmitted to the printing device 13. Therefore, as compared with the case where the printing device 13 calculates the state information, the state of the printed material accommodating body 12 in calculation and the actual state of the printing material accommodating body 12 can be determined while suppressing the load applied to the printing device 13. The deviation can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the deviation between the calculated remaining amount of the printing material and the actual remaining amount of the printing material.

(Sixth Embodiment)
Next, a sixth embodiment of the server device and the printing system will be described with reference to the drawings. The sixth embodiment is different from the case of the first embodiment in that the mounting routine and the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 and the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 are different from the case of the first embodiment. Since it is almost the same as the first embodiment in other respects, the same configuration and the same processing are designated by the same reference numerals, so that duplicate description will be omitted.

In the sixth embodiment, the mounting routine executed by the print control unit 20 is the same as the mounting routine shown in FIG. 5 of the second embodiment. Therefore, the illustration and description of the mounting routine of the sixth embodiment will be omitted.

Next, the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 16 and 17.
The consumption routine of the sixth embodiment executes the same processing as that of the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 14, and then omits a part of the processing of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7.

Next, the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
The correction routine of the sixth embodiment is executed by partially omitting the correction routine shown in FIG. 15 of the fifth embodiment.

The operation of this embodiment will be described.
The server control unit 17 transmits the state information regarding the state of the printing material accommodating body 12 to the printing device 13 based on the accommodating amount information regarding the amount of the printing material accommodated by the printing material accommodating body 12 and the correction amount information. When the print control unit 20 acquires the state information, the print control unit 20 displays the exchange mark 37 on the display unit 28 to notify the user that the printing material accommodating body 12 needs to be exchanged. The print control unit 20 instructs the delivery terminal 15 to deliver the replacement printing material accommodating body to be mounted on the printing device 13 instead of the printing material accommodating body 12 mounted on the mounting unit 23.

(7th Embodiment)
Next, a seventh embodiment of the server device and the printing system will be described with reference to the drawings. The seventh embodiment is different from the case of the first embodiment in that the printing material container 12 can be replenished with the printing material and the print control unit 20 executes the replenishment routine instead of the mounting routine. The replenishment routine is partially processed in the same manner as the mounting routine of the first embodiment. Therefore, duplicate description will be omitted by assigning the same reference numerals to the same configuration and the same processing.

As shown in FIG. 19, the printing material accommodating body 12 may be fixed to the printing device 13. The printing device 13 may have a window 41 in which the printing material accommodated in the printing material accommodating body 12 can be visually recognized from the outside.

The printing material accommodating body 12 may have an accommodating chamber 42 for accommodating the printing material, and a tubular portion 44 provided with a communication passage 43 for communicating the accommodating chamber 42 with the outside. The printing material accommodating body 12 may be replenished by inserting the replenishment bottle 45 accommodating the replenishing printing material into the cylinder portion 44.

The lower end of the communication passage 43 may be located below the ceiling of the accommodation chamber 42. The tubular portion 44 may be provided with a plurality of communication passages 43. For example, when two communication passages 43 are provided in the tubular portion 44, one communication passage 43 serves as a supply path for supplying a liquid printing material from the replenishment bottle 45 to the storage chamber 42. The other communication passage 43 serves as an exhaust passage for discharging the gas in the storage chamber 42 to the replenishment bottle 45. When the storage chamber 42 is replenished with the printing material and the liquid level 46 of the liquid printing material stored in the storage chamber 42 rises to the position of the alternate long and short dash line shown in FIG. 19, the exhaust passage is blocked by the printing material. As a result, the discharge of gas from the storage chamber 42 to the replenishment bottle 45 is stopped. When the negative pressure in the replenishment bottle 45 becomes large, the supply of the printing material from the replenishment bottle 45 to the storage chamber 42 is also stopped. Therefore, when the replenishment of the printing material from the replenishment bottle 45 to the printing material accommodating body 12 is completed, the variation in the amount of the printing material contained in the printing material accommodating body 12 can be reduced.

The replenishment routine executed by the print control unit 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the printing material accommodating body 12 is replenished with the printing material, the print control unit 20 executes the replenishment routine. The replenishment routine of the seventh embodiment partially omits the processing of the mounting routine shown in FIG. 2 of the first embodiment, and executes step S721 after step S109. In step S721, the print control unit 20 turns off the replenishment flag.

Next, the consumption routine executed by the print control unit 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 21, the print control unit 20 executes the same processes as in steps S131 to S133 and step S136 shown in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment, and when step S136 becomes YES, the process shifts to step S751. Transition.

In step S751, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the replenishment flag is off. When the replenishment flag is off, step S751 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S752.

In step S752, the print control unit 20 turns on the replenishment flag. In step S753, the print control unit 20 initializes the replenishment remaining amount with the notice threshold value (replenishment remaining amount = notice threshold value). In step S141, the print control unit 20 transmits the cumulative information regarding the cumulative consumption amount to the server device 14. In step S754, the print control unit 20 notifies that the state of the printing material accommodating body 12 is in a small state and ends the consumption routine.

If the replenishment flag is on in step S751, step S751 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S142. In step S142, the print control unit 20 waits until the correction amount information is acquired. When the print control unit 20 acquires the correction amount information and the step S142 becomes YES, the print control unit 20 shifts the process to the step S755.

In step S755, the print control unit 20 subtracts the correction consumption amount indicated by the acquired correction amount information from the stored replenishment amount information and updates the replenishment amount amount (replenishment amount amount = replenishment amount amount-correction consumption amount). amount). In step S756, the print control unit 20 determines whether or not the replenishment remaining amount is equal to or less than the required threshold value. If the replenishment remaining amount is larger than the required threshold value, step S756 becomes NO, and the print control unit 20 ends the consumption routine. If the remaining amount of replenishment is equal to or less than the required threshold value, step S756 becomes YES, and the print control unit 20 shifts the process to step S757.

In step S757, the print control unit 20 causes the weight sensor 32 to measure the weight of the printing material accommodating body 12, and transmits post-weight information, which is an example of the weight information regarding the measured weight, to the server device 14. In step S758, the print control unit 20 notifies that the state of the printing material accommodating body 12 is a necessary state requiring replenishment of the printing material, and ends the consumption routine.

Next, the correction routine executed by the server control unit 17 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
In step S791, the server control unit 17 determines whether or not the initial weight information has been acquired. If the initial weight information has not been acquired, step S791 becomes NO, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S168. When the initial weight information is acquired, step S791 becomes YES, and the server control unit 17 shifts the process to step S792. At this time, the initial weight information received by the server control unit 17 is transmitted by the print control unit 20 in step S105 shown in FIG.

In step S792, the server control unit 17 calculates the remaining amount of the printing material contained in the printing material accommodating body 12 from the initial weight information. That is, the remaining amount of the printing material is a value obtained by subtracting the weight of the housing of the printing material accommodating body 12 from the initial amount indicated by the initial weight information. In step S793, the server control unit 17 rewrites the remaining amount of delivery to the calculated remaining amount (remaining amount of delivery = remaining amount), and shifts the process to step S164.

In step S174 of the present embodiment, the server control unit 17 orders the delivery terminal 15 to deliver the replenishment bottle 45 containing the printing material to be replenished to the printing material accommodating body 12. In step S178 of the present embodiment, the server control unit 17 calculates the actual consumption amount by subtracting the notice threshold value from the remaining amount calculated in step S792 (actual consumption amount = remaining amount-notice threshold value).

The operation of this embodiment will be described.
The server control unit 17 calculates the correction amount information using the correction information and the consumption amount information acquired from the printing device 13, and transmits the correction amount information to the printing device 13. The server control unit 17 instructs the delivery terminal 15 to deliver the replenishment bottle 45 to be replenished to the printing material accommodating body 12 mounted on the mounting unit 23.

The effect of this embodiment will be described.
(9) The delivery of the replenishment bottle 45 is ordered only before the delivery period required for the delivery of the replenishment bottle 45 from the time when the replenishment of the printing material is required. Therefore, the replenishment bottle 45 can be delivered to the user of the printing apparatus 13 at the time when the remaining amount of the printing material accommodated in the printing material accommodating body 12 reaches the required threshold value. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time and effort of the user to arrange the delivery of the replenishment bottle 45 and the time and effort to manage the inventory.

This embodiment can be modified and implemented as follows. The present embodiment and the following modified examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.
-The delivery terminal 15 may be connected to the server device 14 without going through the network NT.

The delivery terminal 15 may be connected to the printing device 13 without going through the network NT. The printing system 11 may make the printing device 13 function as the delivery terminal 15. The server control unit 17 may instruct the printing apparatus 13 to deliver the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle 45. The print control unit 20 may notify the user of the printing apparatus 13 of the necessity of delivering the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle 45.

The server control unit 17 or the print control unit 20 may display on the display unit 28 the time when the printing material accommodating body 12 needs to be replaced or the printing material needs to be replenished.
The server control unit 17 or the print control unit 20 may display the scheduled delivery date of the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle 45 on the display unit 28.

-The replacement printing material container and the replenishment bottle 45 may be prepared by the user of the printing apparatus 13 at any time. In this case, the printing system 11 may be configured not to include the delivery terminal 15.

-The delivery period may be a period in which the actual delivery period, which is the period required for delivery of the printing material accommodating body 12, has a margin of one day or more.
-The correction information may include at least one of atmospheric pressure information, weight information, cumulative information, and image information. The print control unit 20 may transmit the correction information together with the consumption amount information.

The print control unit 20 transmits the atmospheric pressure information by the user when the printing device 13 is installed, when the power of the printing device 13 is turned on, when the printing material is consumed, or when a predetermined time has elapsed. It may be performed at any time, such as when a command is given to transmit atmospheric pressure information.

-The printing device 13 may be configured not to include the barometric pressure sensor 31. The print control unit 20 may transmit the atmospheric pressure input by the user as atmospheric pressure information.
-The print control unit 20 does not have to transmit the atmospheric pressure information. The atmospheric pressure at the place where the printing device 13 is installed changes depending on the altitude. Therefore, the server control unit 17 may obtain the altitude from the address, zip code, or the like of the place where the printing device 13 is installed, and obtain the atmospheric pressure from the altitude. The server control unit 17 may calculate the correction consumption amount and the correction coefficient according to the altitude of the place where the printing device 13 is installed.

The print control unit 20 may transmit weight information regarding the weight of the printing material accommodating body 12 at arbitrary timings such as every day, every few days, and every predetermined period. The server control unit 17 is actually consumed in the period from the acquisition of the earlier weight information to the acquisition of the later weight information from the difference between the weight indicated by the earlier weight information and the later weight information. Consumption may be calculated. The server control unit 17 may calculate the unit consumption amount by dividing the actual consumption amount by the period.

The print control unit 20 or the server control unit 17 can be used for a period during which the print material container 12 can be used by dividing the remaining amount of the print material stored in the print material container 12 by the unit consumption amount. The period may be calculated. The time when the usable period has elapsed from the time when the usable period is calculated is the time when the printing material accommodating body 12 needs to be replaced or the printing material needs to be replenished. The print control unit 20 or the server control unit 17 delivers the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle 45 from the required time only before the delivery period required for the delivery of the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle 45. You may order.

-The printing device 13 may be configured not to include the weight sensor 32. The weight of the printing material container 12 may be measured by the user. The print control unit 20 may transmit the weight of the printing material accommodating body 12 input by the user as weight information.

-The printing system 11 may collect the used printing material container 12. In this case, the collector who has collected the used printing material container 12 may measure the weight of the printing material container 12. For example, the collector may transmit the back weight information from the delivery terminal 15 to the server device 14, or may directly input the back weight information to the server device 14.

The weight included in the rear weight information is the total of the weight of the housing of the printing material accommodating body 12 and the weight of the remaining printing material. Since the weight of the housing of the printing material accommodating body 12 is unchanged, the weight of the remaining printing material can be obtained from the rear weight information. The server control unit 17 may calculate the corrected consumption amount using the rear weight information. Specifically, when the weight of the remaining printing material is larger than the required threshold value, the server control unit 17 makes the corrected consumption amount smaller than the consumption amount. That is, when the weight of the remaining printing material is larger than the required threshold value, the server control unit 17 sets the correction coefficient to less than 1.

The print control unit 20 determines the transmission of image information when the printing device 13 is installed, when the power of the printing device 13 is turned on, when the printing material is filled, or when the printing material is consumed. This may be performed at any time, such as when the time has elapsed or when the user orders the transmission of image information.

The reading unit 30 may be provided in the transport path of the medium to be printed. For example, if the reading unit 30 is provided between the ejection unit 26 for printing on the medium and the ejection unit for discharging the medium, the printing and reading of the print pattern can be efficiently performed.

The printing device 13 may be configured not to include the reading unit 30. The printing system 11 may be provided with a reading device for reading the image of the medium separately from the printing device 13, and the user may print and read the print pattern.

When the printing device 13 ejects a plurality of types of printing materials for printing, the printing control unit 20 and the server control unit 17 may perform correction for each printing material.
The storage medium 39 may store identification information that identifies the printing material container 12. When the printing material accommodating body 12 is mounted on the mounting unit 23, the print control unit 20 may transmit the identification information stored in the storage medium 39 to the server control unit 17. The server control unit 17 may authenticate whether the replacement printing material accommodating body for which delivery is arranged and the printing material accommodating body 12 mounted on the mounting unit 23 are the same.

When there is a difference between the calculated consumption amount and the actual consumption amount, the printing device 13 drives the ejection unit 26 or the cleaning unit 27 so as to match the actual consumption amount with the calculated consumption amount. You may control it. For example, when the calculated consumption amount is smaller than the actual consumption amount, the cleaning operation time may be shortened.

-The consumption amount information may be print data. The server control unit 17 may calculate the number of ejections based on the print data.
-The printing material may be a liquid such as ink or a fluid such as toner. The printing device 13 is a device that prints images such as characters, pictures, and photographs by adhering liquids and fluids to the medium, and may be a serial printer, a lateral printer, a line printer, a page printer, or the like. Further, the printing device may be an offset printing device, a printing printing device, or the like. The printing apparatus may have at least a printing function for printing on a medium, and may be a multifunction device having a function other than the printing function.

The technical idea and its action and effect grasped from the above-described embodiments and modifications are described below.
(A) The server device is a server device capable of communicating with a printing device that prints with the printing material supplied from the printing material accommodating body for accommodating the printing material, and is a server device capable of communicating with the printing material consumed by the printing device. The consumption amount information regarding the consumption amount is acquired from the printing device, the correction amount information regarding the correction consumption amount is calculated using the correction information acquired from the printing device and the consumption amount information, and the correction amount information is transmitted to the printing device. Send.

According to this configuration, the server device calculates the correction amount information using the consumption amount information and the correction amount information acquired from the printing device, and transmits the correction amount information to the printing device. Therefore, as compared with the case where the printing apparatus calculates the correction amount information, it is possible to reduce the deviation between the calculated remaining amount of the printing material and the actual remaining amount of the printing material while suppressing the load applied to the printing apparatus.

(B) The server device is a server device capable of communicating with a printing device that prints with the printing material supplied from the printing material accommodating body that houses the printing material, and obtains correction information from the printing device to obtain the correction information. A correction coefficient for correcting consumption information regarding the consumption amount of the printing material consumed by the printing apparatus is calculated using the correction information, and the correction coefficient is transmitted to the printing apparatus.

According to this configuration, the server device calculates the correction coefficient using the correction information acquired from the printing device, and transmits the calculated correction coefficient to the printing device. By calculating the correction consumption amount using the received correction coefficient, the printing apparatus can reduce the load of the processing performed by the printing apparatus as compared with the case where the printing apparatus calculates the correction coefficient. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the deviation between the calculated remaining amount of the printing material and the actual remaining amount of the printing material while suppressing the load applied to the printing apparatus.

(C) The server device is a server device capable of communicating with a printing device that prints with the printing material supplied from the printing material accommodating body for accommodating the printing material, and is a server device capable of communicating with the printing material consumed by the printing device. The consumption amount information regarding the consumption amount is acquired from the printing device, the correction amount information regarding the correction consumption amount is calculated using the correction information acquired from the printing device and the consumption amount information, and the printing material container accommodates the correction amount information. The state information regarding the state of the printing material container is transmitted to the printing apparatus based on the storage amount information regarding the amount of the printing material and the correction amount information.

According to this configuration, the server device transmits the state information to the printing device based on the consumption amount information and the correction information acquired from the printing device and the capacity information regarding the amount of the printing material accommodated in the printing material container. do. Therefore, as compared with the case where the printing apparatus calculates the state information, it is possible to reduce the deviation between the calculated state of the printing material accommodating body and the actual state of the printing material accommodating body while suppressing the load applied to the printing device. .. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the deviation between the calculated remaining amount of the printing material and the actual remaining amount of the printing material.

(D) In the server device, the correction information may include image information obtained by reading a print pattern printed by the printing device.
Some printing devices print by adhering a droplet-shaped printing material to a medium. The droplet-shaped printing material forms dots when it adheres to the medium. The diameter of the dots formed on the medium varies depending on the amount of the printing material constituting the droplet. Therefore, the amount of printing material per drop can be obtained from the diameter of the dots. However, the process of analyzing the image to obtain the dot diameter and calculating the amount of the printing material from the dot diameter is a heavy load. In that respect, according to this configuration, the correction information includes the image information obtained by reading the print pattern. Therefore, the processing with a large load can be performed by the server device, and the load applied to the printing device can be suppressed.

(E) In the server device, the printing device includes a detection unit capable of detecting the state of the printing material container, and the detection unit measures the amount of the printing material contained in the printing material container to print. It is possible to detect a minute state in which the warning threshold is higher than the required threshold for replacing the material container or replenishing the printing material, and the correction information is detected after the use of the printing material container is started. The unit may include cumulative information about the cumulative consumption until the minute state is detected.

The amount of printing material actually consumed from the start of use of the printing material container to the minute state is the amount of printing material contained in the printing material container at the start of use and the notice threshold value. Can be obtained from. According to this configuration, the detection unit detects that the printing material container is in a small amount. The correction information includes cumulative information regarding the cumulative consumption amount from the start of use of the printed material container to the detection of the minute state by the detection unit. Therefore, the server device can compare the amount of printing material actually consumed with the calculated cumulative consumption, and can improve the correction accuracy.

(F) In the server device, the correction information may include weight information of the printing material accommodating body.
According to this configuration, the correction information includes the weight information of the printing material container. The weight of the printing material container is reduced by the amount of the printing material supplied from the printing material container and consumed by the printing apparatus. Therefore, the amount of printing material actually consumed can be obtained from the weight information. Therefore, the server device can compare the amount of the printing material actually consumed with the calculated consumption amount, and can improve the correction accuracy.

(G) In the server device, the correction information may include the atmospheric pressure information of the place where the printing device is installed.
For example, in a printing apparatus that ejects a liquid printing material from a ejection portion to print, the amount of the printing material consumed by cleaning the ejection portion may change depending on the atmospheric pressure. In that respect, according to this configuration, since the correction information includes the atmospheric pressure information, the correction accuracy can be improved.

(H) The server device is a replacement printing material accommodating body or a replacement printing material accommodating body to be mounted on the printing device in place of the printing material accommodating body from the time when it is necessary to replace the printing material accommodating body or replenish the printing material. Delivery of the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle may be ordered only before the delivery period required for delivery of the replenishment bottle containing the printing material to be replenished in the printing material container.

According to this configuration, the replacement printing material is stored only before the delivery period required for delivery of the replacement printing material housing or the replenishment bottle from the time when the printing material housing needs to be replaced or the printing material needs to be replenished. Order delivery of the body or refill bottle. Therefore, the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle can be delivered to the user of the printing apparatus at the time when the remaining amount of the printing material contained in the printing material container reaches the required threshold value. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time and effort of the user to arrange the delivery of the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle and the time and effort to manage the inventory.

(I) The printing system may include the printing device and the server device having the above configuration.
According to this configuration, the same effect as that of the server device can be obtained.

(J) The printing system is a printing system including the printing device and the server device having the above configuration, and the printing device is a replacement printing mounted on the printing device in place of the printing material container. The control unit is provided with a control unit that orders the delivery of the material container or the replenishment bottle that houses the printing material to be replenished in the printing material container, and the control unit needs to replace the printing material container or replenish the printing material. The delivery of the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle may be ordered only before the delivery period required for the delivery of the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle.

According to this configuration, the same effect as that of the server device can be obtained.

11 ... printing system, 12 ... printing material container, 13 ... printing device, 14 ... server device, 15 ... delivery terminal, 17 ... server control unit, 18 ... server communication unit, 20 ... print control unit, 21 ... print communication unit , 23 ... Mounting part, 24 ... Electrical connection part, 26 ... Discharge part, 27 ... Cleaning part, 28 ... Display part, 29 ... Operation part, 30 ... Reading part, 31 ... Pressure sensor, 32 ... Weight sensor, 33 ... Detection Department, 35 ... data marker, 36 ... notice mark, 37 ... exchange mark, 39 ... storage medium, 41 ... window, 42 ... storage room, 43 ... communication passage, 44 ... cylinder part, 45 ... refill bottle, 46 ... liquid Surface, NT ... network.

Claims (10)

A server device capable of communicating with a printing device that prints using the printing material supplied from the printing material container that houses the printing material.
The consumption amount information about the consumption amount of the printing material consumed by the printing apparatus is acquired from the printing apparatus, and the correction amount information about the correction consumption amount is calculated using the correction information acquired from the printing apparatus and the consumption amount information. death,
A server device characterized by transmitting the correction amount information to the printing device. A server device capable of communicating with a printing device that prints using the printing material supplied from the printing material container that houses the printing material.
Obtaining correction information from the printing device,
A correction coefficient for correcting the consumption amount information regarding the consumption amount of the printing material consumed by the printing apparatus is calculated by using the correction information.
A server device characterized in that the correction coefficient is transmitted to the printing device. A server device capable of communicating with a printing device that prints using the printing material supplied from the printing material container that houses the printing material.
The consumption amount information about the consumption amount of the printing material consumed by the printing apparatus is acquired from the printing apparatus, and the correction amount information about the correction consumption amount is calculated using the correction information acquired from the printing apparatus and the consumption amount information. death,
A server device characterized in that state information regarding the state of the printing material container is transmitted to the printing device based on the storage amount information regarding the amount of the printing material accommodated by the printing material container and the correction amount information. .. The server device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the correction information includes image information obtained by reading a print pattern printed by the printing device. The printing apparatus includes a detection unit capable of detecting the state of the printing material container.
The detection unit can detect a small state in which the amount of the printing material contained in the printing material container becomes a warning threshold value higher than the required threshold value requiring replacement of the printing material container or replenishment of the printing material. can be,
Claims 1 to 4, wherein the correction information includes cumulative information regarding cumulative consumption from the start of use of the printing material container until the detection unit detects the minute state. The server device according to any one of the above. The server device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the correction information includes weight information of the printing material accommodating body. The server device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the correction information includes atmospheric pressure information of a place where the printing device is installed. From the time when it is necessary to replace the printing material accommodating body or replenish the printing material, the replenishing printing material accommodating body or the printing material accommodating body to be mounted on the printing apparatus instead of the printing material accommodating body is replenished. Of claims 1 to 7, the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle is ordered to be delivered only before the delivery period required for delivery of the replenishment bottle containing the printing material to be printed. The server device according to any one item. With the printing device
The server device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
A printing system characterized by being equipped with. With the printing device
The server device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
Is a printing system equipped with
The printing apparatus is a control unit that orders delivery of a replacement printing material accommodating body mounted on the printing apparatus in place of the printing material accommodating body or a replenishing bottle containing the printing material to be replenished in the printing material accommodating body. With
The control unit performs the replacement before the delivery period required for delivery of the replacement printing material container or the replenishment bottle from the time when the printing material container needs to be replaced or the printing material needs to be replenished. A printing system comprising ordering the delivery of a printing material container or the replenishing bottle.

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