JP2023066869A - Image forming system, control program, and notification method - Google Patents

Abstract

To prompt a user to properly use a printing service, consequently, suppress consumption of a coloring material.SOLUTION: A printer 30 can execute internal printing processing and external printing processing. An S server 50 determines, on the basis of first consumption information received before the amount of a coloring material consumed by the printer reaches a predetermined amount, whether the amount of the coloring material consumed by the internal printing processing is higher/lower than a determination value. The S server 50 performs notification when a determination is made that the amount of the coloring material consumed by the internal printing processing is higher than the determination value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a technique of printing by consuming a coloring agent.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-200002 describes a technique for ordering a new colorant according to the amount of colorant used in a printing apparatus having a container containing a colorant. Specifically, the printing device transmits information indicating the amount of colorant used to the server. The server determines whether or not it is necessary to order the coloring agent from the accumulated value of the usage amount of the coloring agent.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-108008

The coloring agent filled in the container is consumed not only when printing a print image, but also when performing maintenance of the printing device and when printing information set for the printing device. Here, if the user unnecessarily causes the printer to maintain the printer or print the set information, the printing service will not be used properly, and the coloring agent will be consumed unnecessarily. is concerned.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to encourage a user to properly use a print service and, in turn, to suppress the consumption of coloring agents.

In order to solve the above problems, an image forming system disclosed in the present embodiment includes a printing device and a server. a printing mechanism for printing an image on the sheet using the colorant. Upon receipt of an instruction from a user, the printing apparatus causes the printing mechanism to consume the colorant based on predetermined data. a second consumption process for consuming the colorant by causing the printing mechanism to print a print image input based on an instruction from the second consumption process; first consumption information indicating consumption of the colorant by the first consumption process; and a transmission process of transmitting second consumption information indicating consumption of the colorant by the consumption process to the server. Based on the first consumption information received until the consumption amount of the coloring agent contained in the container reaches a predetermined amount, the server determines whether the consumption of the coloring agent in the first consumption process is higher or lower than the judgment value. A determination process and a notification process of notifying when it is determined by the determination process that the consumption of the colorant by the first consumption process is higher than the determination value are executed.

In the above configuration, the server controls the amount of consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process based on the first consumption information transmitted from the printing apparatus until the consumption amount of the coloring agent contained in the container reaches the predetermined amount. Judging high or low with respect to the judgment value. The server notifies when it determines that the colorant consumption by the first consumption process is higher than the determination value. As a result, when the consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process is higher than the determination value, the user is notified to that effect, and the user can be encouraged to properly use the image forming system. As a result, consumption of the coloring agent can be suppressed.

The present invention can be implemented in various forms, and in addition to the image forming system, it can be implemented as a control program executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus and an image forming method.

According to the present invention, it is possible to encourage the user to properly use the image forming system, and thus to suppress the consumption of the coloring agent.

1 is a configuration diagram of a printing system; FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining job histories; It is a figure explaining a management table. It is a figure explaining a top screen. It is a figure explaining a number-of-sheets selection screen. FIG. 10 is a timing chart for explaining procedures for adding charge information; FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing procedures of processing executed between a terminal, a printer, and a server; FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of processing executed in S32 of FIG. 7; FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure of processing executed in S36 of FIG. 7; FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of processing executed in S38 of FIG. 7; FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure of processing executed in S44 of FIG. 7; FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing procedures of processing executed between a terminal, a server, and a printer; FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of processing executed in S36 of FIG. 7 according to the second embodiment; FIG.

(First embodiment)
An image forming system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
An image forming system 100 shown in FIG. Terminal 10 , printer 30 , and servers 50 and 60 are connected to network 200 . In this embodiment, network 200 may be the Internet, a local area network (LAN), or a combination of LAN and Internet. The network 200 may be wired or wireless, or may be configured by a combination of wired and wireless.

The terminal 10 is a smart phone or a tablet terminal. Terminal 10 includes bus 11 , computer 12 , memory 13 , user IF 17 and communication IF 20 . These components are communicatively connected to each other via a bus 11 . IF is an abbreviation for Interface.

The user IF 17 has operation keys 18 and a touch panel 19 . The touch panel 19 has a touch sensor and outputs a signal according to the detection result of the touch sensor. It should be noted that “touch” in the present embodiment includes general operations of bringing an input medium into contact with the display screen of the touch panel 19 . Also, bringing the input medium close to the touch panel 19 to a position where the distance between the input medium and the touch panel 19 is very small may be included in the above-described concept of “touch”. Furthermore, the input medium may be a user's finger, a touch pen, or the like.

Communication IF 20 connects terminal 10 to network 200 in compliance with a predetermined communication protocol. The communication IF 20 is capable of performing Wi-Fi (R) (registered trademark) wireless communication based on, for example, the IEEE 802.11 standard and its equivalent standards. Further, the communication IF 20 may perform short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) with the printer 30 . Note that the communication IF 20 may perform wireless communication using a mobile communication system via a base station.

The memory 13 stores a user ID, a device ID, an OS (abbreviation of Operating System) (not shown), and an application program 14 . The user ID and device ID are information for identifying the user and the device, respectively, when receiving the print service provided by the server 50, and will be described later in detail. The computer 12 can receive printing services provided by the server 50 by executing the application program 14 under the execution of the OS. The print service will be described later.

In the following, the application program is also simply referred to as "application". In some cases, the computer that executes the program is simply described as the program name. For example, the statement "the application 14" may mean "the computer 12 executing the application 14". The same applies to the printer 30 and the servers 50 and 60 as well. The user ID is information for uniquely identifying the user of the terminal 10 , specifically information for identifying the application 14 . The device ID is information for uniquely identifying the printer 30 that is a device that can be operated by the terminal 10 .

Note that the present embodiment mainly shows computer processing according to instructions written in a program. That is, the processes such as "judgment", "extraction", "selection", "calculation", "determination", "identification", "acquisition", "acceptance", "control", etc. in the following explanation are processing. Computer processing also includes hardware control via the OS. Note that "acquisition" is used as a concept that does not require a request. In other words, the concept of "obtaining data" also includes the process of receiving data without being requested by each program. Also, "data" herein is expressed in a computer-readable format. Data having substantially the same meaning and content but different formats are treated as the same data. The same applies to "information" in this specification.

Next, the printer 30 will be explained. The printer 30 includes a bus 31 , a communication IF 32 , a printing mechanism 33 , a user IF 34 , a controller 35 , a memory 36 , a storage section 37 and an ink tank 38 . Each unit constituting the printer 30 is communicably connected via a bus 31 .

Communication IF 32 is similar to communication IF 20 in terminal 10 . The user IF 34 is similar to the user IF 17 in the terminal 10, and has a touch panel and operation keys as physical keys.

The printing mechanism 33 executes a printing operation for printing an image on a recording medium such as a sheet or disk. The printing mechanism 33 is an inkjet unit that ejects ink as a recording medium onto a recording medium, and has a print head (not shown) and a carriage that reciprocates the print head in the main scanning direction. The accommodation portion 37 is a portion in which an ink tank 38 that stores ink is accommodated. An ink tank 38 housed in the housing portion 37 is connected to the printing mechanism 33 and supplies ink to the print head of the printing mechanism 33 . In this embodiment, there are four types of ink (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black), and a plurality of ink tanks 38 are provided for each type of ink. The ink tank 38 is configured to be refillable with ink. Further, the ink tank 38 is fixed to the housing portion 37 and cannot be removed. Specifically, the ink tank 38 has an inlet for refilling with ink. When the ink in the ink tank 38 runs low, the user orders the server 50 for a bottle containing ink to be filled in the ink tank 38 from the vendor. When the server receives an order for a bottle from a user, it ships the bottle to the user's pre-registered address. Further, the printer 30 may be configured to mount a replaceable cartridge. In this case, when the ink in the ink tank 38 runs low, the user orders a cartridge instead of a bottle. Hereinafter, ordering a new bottle or cartridge may be referred to as "ordering new ink".

The controller 35 is composed of a CPU, ASIC (abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit), etc., and controls each operation of the printing mechanism 33 and the user IF 34 . The memory 36 stores various programs and data. The memory 36 may be composed of, for example, a combination of RAM, ROM, and flash memory. The memory 36 may also include a storage medium readable by the controller 35, which is a computer. Storage media also include recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs.

The memory 36 stores firmware (not shown). The controller 35 can execute print processing by executing firmware. The memory 36 stores information used in the print service. Specifically, the device ID, the number of printable sheets, and the job history HD are stored. The device ID is information that identifies the printer 30 . The number of printable sheets will be described later.

The job history HD is information that stores the history of jobs executed by the printer 30 . As shown in FIG. 2, the job history HD stores job names, number of pages, attributes, and execution dates. A job name is the name of a job printed by the printer 30 . The number of pages is the number of pages printed in one job. The attribute is information for identifying the content of the job, and includes "internal print processing" and "external print processing". The “external printing process” is a process different from the internal printing process, and is a process of consuming ink by causing the printing mechanism 33 to print a print image input based on a user's instruction. Specifically, "external print processing" includes "PC Print". The “internal printing process” is a process of consuming ink by the printing mechanism 33 based on predetermined data when receiving an instruction from the user. Specifically, the "internal printing process" includes parsing and flushing, which are processes related to maintenance of the printer 30, and setting information output, which is a process of printing various settings stored in the memory 36 of the printer 30.

In flushing, which is one of the internal printing processes, the controller 35 drives the actuator to eject ink from the print head while the carriage constituting the printing mechanism 33 is positioned to the flushing position, thereby increasing the viscosity inside the nozzles. drain the ink. In the purging of the internal printing process, the controller 35 drives the suction pump provided on the ink flow path to forcibly discharge the ink from the capped print head. Note that flushing and parsing can be divided into processing that is triggered by an operation on the user interface 34 of the printer 30 or the terminal 10, and processing that is executed when a condition such as turning on the power of the printer or the elapse of a predetermined period of time is met. be.

Next, configurations of the servers 50 and 60 will be described. In this embodiment, the server is composed of a service server 50 (hereinafter also referred to as an S server) and a management server 60 . The S server 50 is a server that provides the print service of this embodiment. The management server 60 is a server that manages a plurality of printers 30 and relays communication between the S server 50 and the printers 30 . Since the configuration of the management server 60 is the same as that of the S server, the description thereof will be omitted. Also, the S server 50 and the management server 60 may be one server having both functions. The S server 50 comprises a bus 51 , a communication IF 52 , a computer 53 and a memory 54 . Each unit constituting the S server 50 is communicably connected via a bus 51 . The S server 50 is a server capable of providing printing services to the terminals 10 .

The memory 54 of the S server 50 stores a control program 55 and a management table KT. The control program 55 is a program that causes the computer 53 to execute processing for providing print services. The management table KT, as shown in FIG. 3, is a table in which information necessary for the computer 53 to provide printing services is stored. The management table KT stores user IDs and passwords associated with each other as information about users who use the print service. A user ID and a password are used when the user uses the application 14 .

In the management table KT, the number of printable sheets, device ID, cumulative ink consumption, activation information, and device settings are stored as information related to the printer 30, which is a device, in association with the user ID. The number of printable sheets indicates the number of sheets that can be printed with charge by the printer 30 , and is information indicating a value different from the remaining amount of ink contained in the ink tank 38 . The cumulative ink consumption indicates the cumulative amount of ink consumed by the printer 30 . The activation information is information indicating whether or not the printer 30 has been initialized to the S server 50 . The activation information indicates that printing by the printer 30 is permitted when the activation information is set to the ON state "O", and that printing by the printer 30 is restricted when the activation information is set to the OFF state "X". It is. The device settings indicate the functions of the printer 30 and the settings of each function (paper size, color, magnification, etc.).

Next, a print service using the image forming system 100 will be described.
By operating the terminal 10, the user applies to the vendor for using the print service. When the vendor receives the application from the user, the vendor sends the printer 30 to the user. The printer 30 sent from the vendor to the user is filled with an amount of ink necessary for printing a predetermined number of printable sheets or more (for example, 2000 sheets+α sheets) given to the user. Specifically, when receiving a print service, the application 14 of the terminal 10 requests activation information from the server 50 along with the device ID stored in the memory 13 . The application 14 may transmit to the server 50 a token capable of identifying the user ID of the terminal 10 that is the transmission source together with the activation information request.

Upon receiving the activation information request from the terminal 10, the control program 55 of the server 50 returns the activation information associated with the device ID transmitted from the terminal 10 on the management table KT. Application 14 receives the activation information sent from server 50 . The application 14 of the terminal 10 acquires a predetermined number of printable sheets from the server 50 by initial setting. The terminal 10 can cause the printer 30 to print until the number of printable sheets reaches a predetermined number. In this embodiment, the predetermined number is "0". Also, if the user wishes to print more than the predetermined number of printable sheets provided by paying the initial cost, the server 50 is billed to purchase the additional number of printable sheets and increase the number of printable sheets. can be increased. Hereinafter, the newly purchased additional number will be referred to as the charge number. In this embodiment, the number of printable sheets is an example of the printable amount. In the print service, the number of printable sheets stored in the management table KT is decremented each time the printer 30 performs external print processing. When the number of printable sheets stored in the management table KT becomes "0", the printer 30 cannot print regardless of whether ink remains in the ink tank 38 or not. In this case, as described above, when the user purchases the chargeable number of sheets from the server 50, the number of printable sheets becomes a value larger than 0, and the printer 30 can resume printing.

When using the print service, the user activates the application 14 by operating the terminal 10 to display the top screen 70 shown in FIG. 4 on the touch panel 19 . The top screen 70 includes a print icon 71 , a charge icon 72 and a body setting icon 73 . The print icon 71 is an icon that receives a user's operation when causing the printer 30 to execute printing in the print service. The charge icon 72 is an icon for receiving an operation by the user when purchasing a charge number from the S server 50 . The body setting icon 73 is an icon that accepts a user's operation when changing various setting information for the printer 30 .

When the application 14 detects that the print icon 71 has been operated on the top screen 70 , it causes the touch panel 19 to display a print execution screen (not shown). The application 14 can accept input operations for the number of copies to be printed and print settings on the print execution screen. When the application 14 detects that a print execution operation has been performed on the print execution screen, the application 14 transmits a print file to the printer 30 to start printing. When the application 14 detects that the charge icon 72 has been operated on the top screen 70, the application 14 displays the number selection screen 80 shown in FIG. The number-of-charges selection screen 80 is a screen for accepting a user's selection operation of the number of charged cards.

Processing executed when the charge icon 72 is operated on the top screen 70 will be described with reference to FIG. The application 14 checks in step 10 (hereinafter step is referred to as "S") whether or not the printer 30 has been activated (that is, whether the printer 30 is permitted to print). to judge. As described above, when the activation information is "O", printing is permitted for the printer 30 specified by the device ID associated with the user ID. On the other hand, if the activation information is "x", the printer 30 is not permitted to print. If the application 14 makes a negative determination in S10, the process of FIG. 6 ends. On the other hand, if the application 14 makes an affirmative determination in S10, it proceeds to S11.

In S11, the application 14 of the terminal 10 receives an operation for selecting the number of charged cards. In this process, the number of charging cards to be purchased from the S server 50 is set according to the user's operation. Specifically, in the process executed in S11, the touch panel 19 is caused to display the number selection screen 80 shown in FIG.

The number selection screen 80 includes selection icons 81, 82, and 83 for accepting a selection operation for each predetermined charge number (50, 500, and 2000). When the user operates one of the selection icons 81, 82, 83 and then operates the confirmation icon 84, the selection of the number of charged cards is completed. Note that each selection icon 81, 82, 83 displays the number of charged cards, the charging fee for purchasing the number of charged cards, and the amount per card.

In the process of S11, the application 14 proceeds to S12 upon receiving the user's operation of selecting the number of charged cards. In S12, a payment process is performed to transmit to the S server 50 a charge request including a charge corresponding to the charge number selected in S11. The charge request is information requesting the S server 50 to purchase the charge number. When the S server 50 receives the billing request from the terminal 10, the S server 50 updates the management table KT by adding the number of printable sheets stored in the management table KT by the charge number in S13.

In S14, a charging instruction indicating the number of sheets to be charged according to the charging fee included in the charging request is transmitted to the terminal 10. FIG. The charge instruction is an instruction for adding the number of sheets to be charged to the number of printable sheets.

The application 14 of the terminal 10 transfers the charge instruction transmitted from the S server 50 to the printer 30 in S15. Upon receiving the charging instruction, the controller 35 of the printer 30 updates the number of printable sheets by adding the charge number of sheets to the number of printable sheets stored in the memory 13 in S16. In S<b>17 , the controller 35 sends a completion notice to the S server 50 . By executing the process of S17, the process of FIG. 6 ends.

Next, the processing when the user operates the top screen 70 displayed on the terminal 10 to use charge printing will be described with reference to FIG. When the user operates the print icon 71 on the top screen 70 shown in FIG. 4, the terminal 10 displays a print execution screen (not shown). By the user's operation on the print execution screen, the terminal 10 transmits the print file to the printer 30 together with the print instruction in S31.

Upon receiving the print instruction from the terminal 10, the controller 35 of the printer 30 executes external print processing in S32. In this embodiment, the process executed by the controller 35 in S32 is an example of the second consumption process. FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining the procedure of the external printing process executed in S32. In S50, the drawing content of the print image and print settings are analyzed from the job data included in the print file, and the print operation of printing the print image on a sheet is performed.

In S51, the number of pages printed in S50 is calculated as the number of printed sheets. In S52, the amount of ink used by printing in S50 is calculated. Specifically, the amount of ink used is calculated using the dot count number that indicates the number of times the print head is driven. For example, the amount of ink used is calculated by multiplying the dot count number by the ejection amount per drive of the print head.

In S53, using the content of the print job analyzed in S50, the number of prints calculated in S51, and the amount of ink used calculated in S52, the items "job name" and "number of pages" of the job history HD are calculated. ”, “attribute”, and “execution date and time”. In this example, since "PC Print", which is an external print process, is executed in S32, "PC Print" is set as the "job name", "1 page" is set as the "number of pages", and "external print process" is set as the attribute. ” and “2021/3/20 16:30” as the date and time. After completing the process of S53, the process proceeds to S33 of FIG.

In S<b>33 , the controller 35 transmits the history information stored in the job history HD and the amount of ink used to the management server 60 together with the user ID and device ID. The history information is each item newly stored in the job history HD, specifically, "job name", "number of pages", "attribute", and "execution date and time". In S<b>34 , the management server 60 transfers to the management server 60 the user ID, the device ID, the history information, and the amount of ink used that have been received from the printer 30 . In this embodiment, the controller 35 executes the external printing process in S32, and the history information and the amount of ink used transmitted in S33 are an example of the second consumption information. The process executed by the controller 35 in S33 is an example of the transmission process.

In S35, the control program 55 of the S server 50 uses the information transferred from the management server 60 to set the items specified by the "user ID" and "device ID" in the management table KT shown in FIG. Update. Specifically, the value of the "printable number" is updated by subtracting the "printable number" received from the printer 30 from the "printable number" stored in the management table KT. By adding the ink usage received from the printer 30 to the "cumulative ink consumption" stored in the management table KT, the value of the "cumulative ink consumption" is updated.

At S36, the control program 55 of the S server 50 executes determination processing for determining whether the user is properly using the print service. FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining the procedure of the determination process executed in S36. In S60, the control program 55 of the S server 50 updates the cumulative number of jobs Na. The cumulative number of jobs Na is the total number of jobs executed by the printer 30 . For example, if the executed process is an external print process, the current cumulative number of jobs Na is updated assuming that the printing executed by one print instruction is one job. On the other hand, if the executed process is an internal print process, one process is regarded as one job, and is added to the current cumulative job number Na, thereby updating the cumulative job number Na.

In S61, the control program 55 of the S server 50 acquires the cumulative ink consumption stored in the management table KT. In this embodiment, the cumulative ink consumption is obtained for each of C, M, Y, and K colors. In S62, the control program 55 of the S server 50 updates the execution count of internal print processing. In this embodiment, the memory 54 stores an accumulated value of the number of executions of internal print processing from the start of the print service to the present. If the executed process is an internal print process, the number of times of execution is updated for each of "flushing", "parsing", and "setting output". Specifically, the memory 54 stores an accumulated value of the number of executions from the start of the print service to the present for each of "flushing", "parsing", and "setting output". From the "job name" and "attribute" included in the history information transmitted in S34, the type of printing notified this time is determined, and 1 is added to the cumulative value of the corresponding number of times of execution stored in the memory 54.

In S63, the control program 55 of the S server 50 determines whether or not the cumulative ink consumption is equal to or greater than the first predetermined amount TH1. In this embodiment, the maximum value among the cumulative ink consumption amounts of C, M, Y, and K is compared with the first predetermined amount TH1. The first predetermined amount TH1 is a value smaller than the total amount of ink filled in the ink tank 38, and is a value predetermined as a threshold for ordering new ink. That is, the control program 55 of the S server 50 determines whether or not it is time to refill with new ink. If the cumulative ink consumption is less than the first predetermined amount TH1 and a negative determination is made in S63, the process of S36 ends and the process proceeds to S37 in FIG.

On the other hand, if an affirmative determination is made in S63, the process proceeds to S64, and the control program 55 of the S server 50 determines whether or not the cumulative ink consumption is equal to or greater than the second predetermined amount TH2. The second predetermined amount TH2 is larger than the first predetermined amount TH1 and less than or equal to the total amount of ink filled in the ink tank 38 . If the cumulative ink consumption is less than the second predetermined amount TH2 and a negative determination is made in S64, the process proceeds to S65.

In S65, the control program 55 of the S server 50 calculates a ratio Dm that indicates the ratio of the number of internal print processing executions to the cumulative number of jobs Na. The ratio Dm of internal printing can be calculated by the following (Equation 1).
Dm(i)=N2/Na×100 (1)
"N2" is the number of times the internal print process is executed, and is the value updated in S62. “i” is an identifier for identifying “flushing”, “parsing”, and “setting output”, which are the types of internal print processing. "Na" is the cumulative number of jobs Na, which is the sum of the number of internal print processing executions and the number of external print processing executions.

In this embodiment, the ratio Dm of internal printing is calculated for each of "flushing", "parsing", and "setting output". Specifically, the internal printing ratio Dm(i) is calculated by dividing the number of executions of each of "flushing", "purging", and "setting output" updated in S62 by the cumulative number of jobs Na.

In S66, the control program 55 of the S server 50 determines whether or not there is a ratio Dm(i) of internal printing calculated in S65 that is greater than or equal to the first determination value THa. The first determination value THa is the upper limit value of the range in which it is assumed that the internal printing process has been properly executed until the ink in the ink tank 38 is consumed by the first predetermined amount TH1 or more. For example, a value around "20" can be used as the first determination value THa.

If the ratio Dm(i) of all internal printing is less than the first determination value THa, the control program 55 of the S server 50 makes a negative determination in S66 and proceeds to S67. In S67, the status flag is set to "ordering permitted" indicating that the new ink can be ordered. The status flag is information indicating the status of the print service, and includes "ordering permitted", "warning", and "usage restriction". If the status flag is "ordering permitted", the terminal 10 is permitted to order ink. If the status flag is "warning", the terminal 10 is permitted to place an order for ink, but the terminal 10 is notified of a warning. If the status flag is "use restricted", execution of internal print processing is restricted. Details of the execution restriction of the internal printing process will be described later. When the process of S67 is finished, the process of FIG. 9 is finished and the process proceeds to S37 of FIG.

In S37 of FIG. 7, the control program 55 of the S server 50 notifies the terminal 10 of the print service status. In this example, in S67, the status flag is set to "order allowed", so the terminal 10 is notified that it is possible to order new ink.

Assume that the user thereafter performs flushing, which is an internal print process, on the printer 30 . At S38, the controller 35 of the printer 30 executes internal print processing. Note that the flushing execution operation can also be performed on the setting screen displayed by operating the main body setting icon 73 on the top screen 70 displayed on the terminal 10 . FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining the procedure of the internal printing process executed in S38. In this embodiment, the process executed by the controller 35 in S38 is an example of the first consumption process.

In S80, flushing is performed by driving the print head of the printing mechanism 33 using the flushing data. The flushing data is data for driving the print head with a predetermined drive pattern to eject ink. In S81, the amount of ink used in the internal printing process is calculated. Specifically, when internal print processing is executed, one processing is counted as one job. In addition, the memory 36 stores a predetermined amount of ink consumed in one job in association with the type of internal print processing (flushing, purging, setting output). Therefore, the amount of ink used in the internal printing process can be calculated according to the type of internal printing process executed in S80.

In S82, the job history HD is updated. In this example, the job history HD stores "flushing" as the "job name", "internal print processing" as the attribute, and "2021/3/20 〇〇" as the date and time. Note that the item "number of pages" is not stored. After completing the process of S82, the process proceeds to S39 of FIG.

In S<b>39 , the controller 35 of the printer 30 transmits the history information and the amount of ink used to the management server 60 along with the user ID and device ID. In S<b>40 , the management server 60 transfers the user ID, device ID, history information, and ink usage to the S server 50 . As described above, the history information is the "job name", "attribute", and "date and time" stored in the job history HD in S72. In S41, the control program 55 of the S server 50 uses each piece of information transferred from the management server 60 to update the management table KT.

In S42, judgment processing is executed. Since the determination process executed in S42 is the same as the determination process executed in S36, FIG. 9 will be used for explanation. In S60, the cumulative number of jobs Na is updated. In S61, the cumulative ink consumption is obtained. In S62, the number of executions in internal print processing is updated. In S63, it is determined whether or not the cumulative ink consumption is greater than or equal to the first predetermined amount TH1. If an affirmative determination is made in S63, the process proceeds to S64, in which it is determined whether or not the cumulative ink consumption is equal to or greater than the second predetermined amount TH2. If a negative determination is made in S64, the process advances to S65 to calculate the internal printing ratio Dm(i). Here, since flushing, which is the internal printing process, is executed in S38, the number of times N2 of executing internal printing process in "flushing" increases and the proportion of internal printing Dm increases in the above (Equation 1).

In S66, it is determined whether or not there is a document having a ratio Dm of internal printing equal to or greater than the first determination value THa. As a result of the execution of flushing, the ratio Dm(1) of internal printing becomes equal to or greater than the first judgment value THa, and if an affirmative judgment is made in S66, the process advances to S68, and the status flag is set to "warning". After completing the process of S68, the process proceeds to S43 of FIG.

In S43, the control program 55 of the S server 50 notifies the terminal 10 of the print service status. In this example, the state flag is set to "warning" because the ratio Dm(1) of "flushing" is greater than or equal to the first determination value THa. , and “flushing” which is the target of the warning, is notified to the terminal 10 . In this embodiment, the processing executed by the control program 55 of the S server 50 in S37 and S43 is an example of the notification processing.

Upon receiving the notification of the "warning" state, the terminal 10 performs processing for displaying a warning screen on the touch panel 19 in S44. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure of processing executed by the application 14 of the terminal 10 in S44. In S90, the status of the print service notified from the S server 50 is determined. In this example, "warning", which is the content of the status flag, and "flushing", which is the target of the warning, are determined.

In S<b>91 , it is determined whether or not the internal printing process to be warned is related to maintenance of the printer 30 . If the target of the warning is "flushing" or "purging", it is an internal printing process related to maintenance of the printer 30, so an affirmative determination is made in S91. On the other hand, if the warning target is "setting output", a negative determination is made in S91.

If an affirmative determination is made in S91, the process advances to S92 to determine whether or not the server 50 has been notified of the abnormality of the printing mechanism 33 or not. The controller 35 can detect an ink ejection abnormality by the printing mechanism 33 , and can notify the S server 50 of the ejection abnormality via the communication interface 32 when an ejection abnormality is detected. Ink ejection abnormalities include, for example, nozzle clogging and missing dots.

If an affirmative determination is made in S92, the process proceeds to S93 and causes the touch panel 19 to display a screen corresponding to the first notification. In the first notification, for example, a screen is displayed on the touch panel 19 prompting the user to quickly replace the printer 30 because an ink ejection abnormality has been detected and the internal printing ratio Dm has increased. be done. On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in S92, the process proceeds to S94, and the screen corresponding to the second notification is displayed on the touch panel 19. FIG. In the second notification, for example, the number of internal print processing executions has increased. A screen prompting you to

If a negative determination is made in S91, the process proceeds to S95, and the screen corresponding to the third notification is displayed on the touch panel 19. FIG.
In the third notification, the number of executions of the setting output is increased, and if the setting output is continued to be executed as it is, a screen indicating that the execution of the internal print processing is restricted is displayed. Alternatively, in S43, instead of notifying the terminal 10 of the status, the user IF 34 may display a warning screen.

In the following, an example will be described in which the user continues to perform internal print processing even after the warning. In S100 of FIG. 12, the controller 35 of the printer 30 executes internal print processing. The internal printing process executed in S100 is the same as the process shown in S38 of FIG. 7, and description thereof is omitted.

In S<b>101 , the controller 35 of the printer 30 transmits history information and ink usage to the management server 60 along with the user ID and device ID. In S<b>102 , the management server 60 transfers the user ID, device ID, history information, and ink usage to the S server 50 . In S103, the control program 55 of the S server 50 uses each piece of information transferred from the management server 60 to update the management table KT.

In S104, the control program 55 executes determination processing. Since the judgment process executed in S104 is the same as the judgment process executed in S36, FIG. 9 will be used for explanation. After executing the processes of S60 to S62, if it is determined in S63 that the cumulative ink consumption amount is equal to or greater than the first predetermined amount TH1, the process proceeds to S64. In S64, it is determined whether or not the cumulative ink consumption is equal to or greater than the second predetermined amount TH2. By executing the internal printing process, the accumulated ink consumption becomes equal to or greater than the second predetermined amount TH2, so that a positive determination is made in S64.

If the determination in S64 is affirmative, the process advances to S69 to calculate the internal printing ratio Dm. In the process executed in S69, the ratio Dm of internal printing is calculated using the above (Equation 1), like the process executed in S65. Here, since flushing, which is the internal printing process, is executed in S100, the number of flushing execution times N2 increases and the internal printing ratio Dm(1) increases in the above (Equation 1).

In S70, it is determined whether or not the internal printing ratio Dm calculated in S69 is greater than or equal to the second determination value THb. The second determination value THb is greater than the first determination value THa and is, for example, "30" or less. This is because when the user suppresses the execution of the internal printing process by confirming the display of the warning screen in S44, the ratio Dm of the internal printing decreases along with the execution of the external printing process. On the other hand, if the user does not properly use the print service even after the warning, the execution of the internal printing process continues, and the internal printing ratio Dm increases. Therefore, the control program 55 of the S server 50 increases the determination value for determining the internal printing ratio Dm by a predetermined value, thereby determining whether or not the user's use of the print service has changed after the warning.

If a negative determination is made in S70 because the increase in the internal printing ratio Dm is suppressed, the process proceeds to S66. In S66, it is determined whether or not the ratio Dm of internal printing is greater than or equal to the first determination value THa. If a negative determination is made in S66, the process advances to S67 to set the status flag to "permit ordering". This is due to improved user utilization of print services. If the ratio Dm of internal printing is greater than or equal to the first determination value THa, the process proceeds to S68 to set the status flag to "warning". In this case, by continuing to display the warning screen on the terminal 10, the user is urged to correct the improper use of the print service.

On the other hand, if the internal printing ratio Dm becomes equal to or greater than the second determination value THb by continuing the execution of the internal printing process, an affirmative determination is made in S70, and the process proceeds to S71. In S71, the status flag is set to "use restricted". This is because the user can determine that the print service is not properly used by continuing to execute internal print processing even after the warning. In the present embodiment, as a restriction on the use of internal print processing, the internal print processing is changed from processing that does not involve charging to processing that involves charging. Specifically, each time the internal printing process is executed, the number of printable sheets is consumed as in the case of the external printing process. In addition to this, execution of internal print processing may be prohibited. After completing the process of S71, the process proceeds to S105 of FIG. In this embodiment, the process executed by the control program 55 of the server 50 in S71 is an example of the consumption restriction process.

In S105, the control program 55 of the S server 50 notifies the terminal 10 of the print service status. If the status flag is set to "restricted use", it is notified that the internal print process is restricted from being used. When the terminal 10 receives the notification, in S106, the touch panel 19 displays a screen indicating that usage restrictions are set for the internal printing process and the number of printable sheets is consumed. The screen displayed on the touch panel displays, for example, an image prompting that it is necessary to make an inquiry to the vendor in order to cancel the use restriction of the internal printing process. Alternatively, in S105, instead of notifying the terminal 10 of the status, the user IF 34 may display a screen indicating that use of the internal print process is restricted.

In the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
The S server 50 determines the amount of ink consumed by the internal printing process based on the amount of ink used transmitted from the printer 30 until the amount of ink consumed in the ink tank 38 reaches the first predetermined amount TH1. It judges whether it is high or low with respect to the judgment value THa. The S server 50 notifies the terminal 10 when it determines that the internal printing process consumes a lot of ink. As a result, if the consumption of ink due to the internal printing process is high until the consumption of the ink contained in the ink tank 38 reaches a predetermined amount, the user is notified of this fact, and the image forming system 100 is notified to the user. can promote the proper use of As a result, consumption of ink can be suppressed.

The control program 55 of the S server 50 calculates the amount of ink consumed by the internal printing process based on the received ratio Dm of the external printing to the sum of the amount of ink used in the internal printing process and the amount of ink used in the external printing process. It is determined whether it is high or low with respect to the first determination value THa. As a result, it is possible to improve the accuracy of determining the level of ink consumption in the internal printing process, and to notify the user at an appropriate timing.

After executing the notification process, the S server 50 restricts the execution of the internal print process. As a result, when it is determined that the internal printing process consumes a large amount of ink, the internal printing process is restricted, and improper use of the printing service can be corrected.

The S server 50 determines whether the amount of ink consumed by the internal printing process is higher or lower than the first determination value THa based on the amount of ink used by the internal printing process received until the cumulative ink consumption amount reaches the first predetermined amount TH1. to judge. After that, based on the amount of ink used by the internal printing process received until the cumulative ink consumption reaches the second predetermined amount TH2, it is determined whether the consumption of ink by the internal printing process is high or low with respect to the second determination value THb. . The S server 50 notifies when it is determined that the ink consumption due to the internal printing process is higher than the first determination value THa, and it is determined that the ink consumption due to the internal printing process is higher than the second determination value THb. limit the execution of internal print processing. As a result, when the user improves the use of the image forming system 100 in accordance with the notification, the internal printing ratio Dm decreases. On the other hand, if the user does not improve the use of the image forming system 100 even after the notification, execution of internal print processing is restricted. As a result, the malicious user is forcibly restricted from executing the internal printing process, while giving the honest user an opportunity to voluntarily correct the improper use of the image forming system. .

In the notification process, a first notification is made when no ink ejection abnormality is detected and it is determined that the consumption of ink by the internal printing process is high relative to the determination value. On the other hand, when an ink ejection abnormality is detected and it is determined that the consumption of ink by the internal printing process is higher than the determination value, a first notification with a different notification mode from the second notification is sent.

The S server 50 charges for the use of the printer 30 based only on the amount of ink used in the external printing process, and when it determines that the cumulative ink consumption is equal to or greater than the first predetermined amount TH1, new ink is charged. to the user of the printer 30. As a result, it is possible to prevent unnecessary consumption of ink by the internal printing process that does not charge the user, and furthermore, it is possible to prevent an increase in the frequency of replacement of the ink tank 38 .

(Modified example of the first embodiment)
In the first embodiment described above, the first determination value THa and the second determination value THb are used as the determination values for determining the internal printing ratio Dm. Alternatively, the determination value may be one. In this case, in FIG. 9, if it is determined in S66 that the internal printing ratio Dm is greater than or equal to the first determination value THa, the process proceeds to S71 to limit the use of the internal printing process. The processes of S64, S68, S69 and S70 are omitted.

In the first embodiment described above, the printer 30 calculates the amount of ink used by dot counting. Alternatively, if the printer 30 includes a sensor that detects the amount of ink remaining in the ink tank 38, the amount of ink used may be calculated from the remaining amount of ink detected by the sensor.

(Second embodiment)
In the second embodiment, a configuration different from that of the first embodiment will be mainly described. Parts in the second embodiment that are the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

In the above-described first embodiment, if the ratio Dm of internal printing is equal to or greater than the second determination value THb (S70: YES), use restriction of internal printing processing is set in S71. Alternatively, if the internal printing ratio Dm is equal to or greater than the second determination value THb, ordering new ink may be prohibited.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart explaining the processing executed in S36, S42 of FIG. 7 and S104 of FIG. 11 in the second embodiment. In this embodiment as well, the server 50 limits new orders for ink when it is determined a plurality of times that the consumption of ink by the internal printing process is higher than the determination value. Specifically, if the cumulative ink consumption is greater than or equal to the first predetermined amount TH1 (S63: YES) and less than the second predetermined amount TH2 (S64: NO), the process proceeds to S65, where the internal printing ratio Dm is calculate. Then, if the ratio Dm of internal printing is equal to or greater than the first determination value THa (S66: YES), the process advances to S68 to set the status flag indicating the status of the print service to "warning".

In the subsequent processing, if the cumulative ink consumption is equal to or greater than the first predetermined amount TH1 (S63: YES) and is equal to or greater than the second predetermined amount TH2 (S64: YES), the process proceeds to S69, and the internal printing ratio Dm is calculate. Then, if the ratio Dm of internal printing is equal to or greater than the second determination value THb (S70: YES), the state flag indicating the state of the print service is set to "order prohibited" in S110. That is, in S66, it is determined that the internal printing ratio Dm is higher than the first determination value THa, and then in S70, it is determined that the internal printing ratio Dm is higher than the second determination value THb. If it is determined that the ratio Dm of internal printing is high for a plurality of times, the ordering of ink is restricted. In this embodiment, the process executed by the control program 55 in S110 is an example of the order restriction process.

In S105 of FIG. 12, the terminal 10 is notified of "order prohibition" as the status of the print service. In S106, the terminal 10 causes the touch panel 19 to display a screen indicating that ordering new ink is prohibited.

In the embodiment described above, the server 50 restricts execution of processing for supplying new ink to the user after notifying the terminal 10 . As a result, when ink consumption is high in the internal printing process, the process for supplying the ink tank 38 to the user is restricted, and the user can be further encouraged to use the printer 30 properly.

(Other embodiments)
The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified in various forms without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the following modifications are possible.
In the embodiment described above, the first consumption information is the number of pages and the amount of ink used in the internal printing process, and the second consumption information is the number of jobs and the amount of ink used in the external printing process. Alternatively, the first consumption information may be the amount of ink used in the internal printing process, and the second consumption information may be the amount of ink used in the external printing process. In this case, the control program 55 of the server 50 may determine the number of times the internal printing process is executed and the number of times the external printing process is executed based on the amount of ink used.

In the above-described embodiment, when it is determined that the colorant consumption by the internal printing process is higher than the determination value a plurality of times until the ink in the ink tank 38 is consumed by the second predetermined amount TH2. In addition, the execution of internal print processing and the execution of order processing are restricted. Alternatively, if it is determined that the colorant consumption by the internal printing process is higher than the determination value a plurality of times while the ink is replaced a plurality of times, the execution of the internal printing process or the ordering process is executed. Execution of processing may be restricted. In this case, the first predetermined amount TH1 and the second predetermined amount TH2 may be values exceeding the total amount that the ink tank 38 can contain.

In the embodiment described above, the number of printable sheets was stored in the server 50 . Alternatively, the number of printable pages may be stored in memory 36 of printer 30 .

In the above-described embodiment, the image forming system 100 uses the number of printable sheets as the printable amount. Alternatively, the print service may use the amount of ink that can be used, the number of ink shots, and the length of the sheet that can be used as the printable amount.

In the above-described embodiment, the printer 30 was configured to allow refilling of ink and exchange of cartridges. Alternatively, printer 30 may include ink tanks 38 that are not refillable or replaceable. In this case, the user may request the vendor to replace the printer 30 in the order. The printing mechanism 33 provided in the printer 30 may be an electrophotographic unit that forms a toner image on a photoreceptor and transfers the formed toner image to a recording medium. In this case, instead of the ink tank 38, a toner cartridge storing toner is connected to the printing unit.

In the first embodiment described above, the S server 50 notifies the terminal 10 of the states of S37, S43, and S105 via the communication IF 52 . Alternatively, the S server 50 performs S37,
The printer 30 may be notified of the states of S43 and S105 via the communication IF52. In this case, the printer 30 may execute S44 when notified of the "warning" state.

In addition to the printer 30 , the printing device may be a multi-function machine including a reading unit for reading a document and a printing mechanism 33 .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Terminal 30... Printer 35... Controller 37... Storage part 38... Ink tank 50... S server

Claims (13)

An image forming system comprising a printing device and a server,
The printing device includes a storage unit that stores a container containing a coloring agent, and a printing mechanism that prints an image on a sheet using the coloring agent contained in the container,
The printing device
a first consumption process for consuming the colorant by the printing mechanism based on predetermined data when receiving an instruction from a user;
a second consumption process, which is different from the first consumption process and consumes the colorant by causing the printing mechanism to print a print image input based on a user's instruction;
a transmission process of transmitting to the server first consumption information indicating consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process and second consumption information indicating consumption of the coloring agent by the second consumption process;
and run
The server is
Based on the first consumption information received until the amount of consumption of the coloring agent contained in the container reaches a predetermined amount, it is determined whether the consumption of the coloring agent in the first consumption process is high or low with respect to the judgment value. judgment process;
and a notification process of notifying when the consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process is determined to be higher than the determination value by the determination process. In the determination process executed by the server,
determining whether the consumption of the colorant by the second consumption process is high or low with respect to the judgment value based on the ratio of the second consumption information to the sum of the first consumption information and the second consumption information received; 1. The image forming system according to 1. In the determination process executed by the server,
calculating the number of executions of the first consumption process based on the received first consumption information;
calculating the number of executions of the second consumption process based on the received second consumption information;
Based on the ratio of the number of executions of the second consumption process to the sum of the number of executions of the first consumption process and the number of executions of the second consumption process, 3. The image forming system according to claim 2, wherein the height is determined. 4. The image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the server executes consumption restriction processing for restricting execution of the first consumption processing after execution of the notification processing. The consumption restriction process executed by the server is performed when the determination process determines that the colorant consumption by the first consumption process is higher than the determination value a plurality of times. 5. The imaging system of claim 4, wherein execution is restricted. In the determination process executed by the server,
Consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process based on the first consumption information received until the consumption amount of the coloring agent contained in the container reaches the first predetermined amount that is the predetermined amount. A first judgment for judging whether it is high or low with respect to the first judgment value, which is the judgment value of
Coloring agent by the first consumption process based on the first consumption information received until the consumption amount of the coloring agent contained in the container reaches a second predetermined amount that is larger than the first predetermined amount. performing a second judgment for judging whether the consumption is high or low with respect to the second judgment value,
In the notification process, if the first determination determines that the consumption of the colorant by the first consumption process is higher than the first determination value, the notification is performed;
5. In the consumption restriction process, execution of the first consumption process is restricted when it is determined by the second determination that consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process is higher than the second determination value.
6. The image forming system according to 5. The server is
executing a process for supplying a new coloring agent to a user of the printing apparatus when it is determined that the consumption amount of the coloring agent contained in the container has reached the predetermined amount;
7. The image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, after executing the notification process, a supply restriction process for restricting execution of the process for supplying the new colorant is performed. In the supply restriction process, when it is determined in the determination process that the consumption of the colorant by the first consumption process is higher than the determination value a plurality of times, the process for supplying the new colorant. 8. The image forming system according to claim 7, wherein execution of is restricted. In the judgment process,
Consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process based on the first consumption information received until the consumption amount of the coloring agent contained in the container reaches the first predetermined amount that is the predetermined amount. A first judgment for judging whether it is high or low with respect to the first judgment value, which is the judgment value of
Coloring agent by the first consumption process based on the first consumption information received until the consumption amount of the coloring agent contained in the container reaches a second predetermined amount that is larger than the first predetermined amount. performing a second judgment for judging whether the consumption is high or low with respect to the second judgment value,
In the notification process, if the first determination determines that the consumption of the colorant by the first consumption process is higher than the first determination value, the notification is performed;
In the supply restriction process, when it is determined by the second determination that the consumption of the colorant by the first consumption process is higher than the second determination value, the process for supplying the new colorant is executed. 9. The imaging system of claim 7 or 8, wherein the image forming system is restricted. The first consumption process includes a process of consuming colorant for the purpose of maintenance of the printing mechanism,
When the printing device detects an ejection failure of the coloring agent by the printing mechanism, the printing device notifies the server of the ejection failure,
In the notification process,
When the ejection abnormality of the coloring agent is not detected and the judgment processing judges that the consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption processing is higher than the judgment value, the notification is the first notification. and
When the ejection abnormality of the coloring agent is detected and the determination processing determines that the consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption processing is higher than the determination value, the notification is the first notification. 10. The image forming system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the second notification is performed in a different notification mode from the second notification. The server is
billing for use of the printing device based solely on the second consumption information;
processing for supplying a new coloring agent to a user of the printing apparatus when it is determined that the consumption amount of the coloring agent is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount based on the first consumption information and the second consumption information; The imaging system of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the imaging system comprises: A computer-executable control program for an information processing device capable of communicating with a printing device,
The printing device
a first consumption process for consuming a coloring agent by a printing mechanism based on predetermined data when an instruction from a user is received;
a second consumption process, which is different from the first consumption process and consumes the colorant by causing the printing mechanism to print a print image input based on an instruction from the user;
a transmission process of transmitting to the information processing apparatus first consumption information indicating consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process and second consumption information indicating consumption of the coloring agent by the second consumption process;
and run
to the computer;
Judgment for judging whether the consumption of the coloring agent in the first consumption process is higher or lower than the judgment value based on the first consumption information received until the consumption of the coloring agent contained in the container reaches a predetermined amount. processing;
a notification process of notifying when the consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process is determined to be higher than the determination value by the determination process;
A control program that runs A notification method executed by an image forming system comprising a printing device and a server,
to the printing device,
a first consumption process for consuming a coloring agent by a printing mechanism based on predetermined data when an instruction from a user is received;
a second consumption process, which is different from the first consumption process and consumes the colorant by causing the printing mechanism to print a print image input based on a user's instruction;
a transmission process of transmitting to the server first consumption information indicating consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process and second consumption information indicating consumption of the coloring agent by the second consumption process;
and
to the server,
Judgment for judging whether the consumption of the coloring agent in the first consumption process is higher or lower than the judgment value based on the first consumption information received until the consumption of the coloring agent contained in the container reaches a predetermined amount. processing;
a notification process of notifying when the consumption of the coloring agent by the first consumption process is determined to be higher than the determination value by the determination process;
How to notify to run .

Images