JP2023174355A - Display method, electronic equipment, program, and management system - Google Patents

Abstract

To manage the state of printers more properly.SOLUTION: A display method for displaying information on electronic equipment in a printing system including printers 114, a management server 12, and the electronic equipment (PC 112 and electronic device 116) comprises: an information transmission step of transmitting printer information from the management server 12 to the electronic equipment; and a display step of displaying information based on the printer information on the electronic equipment. The management server 12 manages operation information, ink usage information, and printing area information, as printer information. In the display step, the summary of operation state, the summary of ink usage, and the summary of printing area are displayed in one screen, on the basis of the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a display method, an electronic device, a program, and a management system.

Conventionally, printers such as inkjet printers have been widely used. Further, as a method for controlling the operation of a printer, for example, a method using a PC that performs RIP processing is widely used (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-138583

When controlling the operation of a printer using a PC or the like that performs RIP processing, the status of the printer can be managed, for example, by running a program (application software) that manages the status of the printer on the PC. However, depending on the purpose of the printer, it may be desirable to manage the status of the printer in a more appropriate manner. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a display method, an electronic device, a program, and a management system that can solve the above problems.

The inventor of the present application has conducted extensive research on how to manage printers. Instead of simply managing the status of the printer using a PC for RIP processing, etc., it is possible to check the status of the printer by collecting information indicating the status of the printer on a server and acquiring the information from that server. I thought about it. With this configuration, the status of the printer can be checked not only at the location where the printer is installed, but also at various locations. Furthermore, this allows even a person other than the user (operator) who operates the printer to check the status of the printer as needed.

Further, in this case, in order to easily and appropriately check the status of the printer, it may be desirable for an electronic device or the like that displays information to display all necessary information on one screen. Furthermore, in this regard, the inventor of the present application has conducted extensive research and found that it is particularly preferable to display the totals of the operating status of the printer, the total amount of ink used, and the total printed area on one screen. By displaying this information on one screen, it is possible to easily and appropriately check, for example, whether the printer is operating stably or not. Furthermore, it is also possible to collectively grasp information that is useful when considering, for example, the running cost of a printer. Furthermore, for example, when a problem occurs in the printer's status, it becomes possible to collect useful information for understanding the problem.

In addition, the inventor of the present application further conducted extensive research and discovered the features necessary to obtain such effects, leading to the present invention. In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a printer, a management server that manages printer information that is information indicating the status of the printer, and an electronic device that performs display based on the printer information acquired from the management server. A display method for displaying information on the electronic device in a printing system comprising: an information transmitting step of transmitting the printer information associated with the printer from the management server to the electronic device; and a step of transmitting the information. displaying information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device on the electronic device; the management server associates the information with the printer as the printer information; , managing operation information indicating an operating state of the printer, ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer, and printing area information indicating a printing area that is an area printed by the printer. In the information transmitting step, at least the operating information, the ink usage amount information, and the printing area information are transmitted from the management server to the electronic device, and in the displaying step, the operating information and the ink usage amount are transmitted. information and the printing area information, the operating status of the printer, the amount of ink used by the printer, and the printing area printed by the printer are displayed on one screen. It is characterized by displaying.

With this configuration, for example, by using the electronic device to display information based on the printer information acquired from the management server, it is possible to appropriately grasp the status of the printer. In this case, for example, by displaying a total of printer operating status, ink consumption, and printing area on one screen on the electronic device, it is possible to easily and appropriately understand the status of the printer, for example. be able to. Therefore, with this configuration, for example, the status of the printer can be managed more appropriately.

Further, in this case, it is conceivable to accept designation of the aggregation period (display period) from the user operating the electronic device regarding the aggregation of the operating state of the printer, the aggregation of the amount of ink used, and the aggregation of the print area. In this case, the user interface (UI) of the electronic device allows the user to select whether to set the period all at once or individually, and then the electronic device allows the user to select whether to set the period all at once or individually. It is possible to display it. More specifically, in this case, the display method further includes, for example, an aggregation period setting step of setting an aggregation period corresponding to information to be displayed on the electronic device in the display step. Then, in the aggregation period setting stage, the period for aggregating operating status, the period for aggregating ink usage, and the period for aggregating printing area are set all at once or individually according to the user's selection. . In addition, in the display stage, the electronic device is caused to display the total operating status, the total amount of ink used, and the total printed area in accordance with the period set in the total period setting stage. With this configuration, for example, the aggregation period can be changed appropriately according to the user's wishes. Furthermore, by displaying the information all at once or individually, it becomes possible to check the status of the printer and conduct various studies more appropriately, for example.

In addition, in this configuration, at the display stage, as a summary of the operating status, for example, the standby period indicating the period during which the printer was on standby, the printing period indicating the period during which the printer was executing printing, and the period during which the printer was printing. To display on an electronic device a total of an error stop period indicating a period during which the printer was stopped due to an error and an offline period indicating a period during which printer information could not be acquired. With this configuration, for example, the operating state of the printer can be appropriately grasped.

In the display stage, the electronic device displays, for example, a bar graph or a pie chart showing the time in which the printer was in a plurality of states, as a summary of the operating states. With this configuration, for example, it is possible to cause the electronic device to display a display that makes it easy to understand the operating state. Additionally, this allows, for example, the operating state of the printer to be more appropriately understood. In this case, by displaying a tally of operating states corresponding to the printer on the electronic device at the display stage, it can be considered that, for example, the operating state of the printer is visualized. Furthermore, by visualizing the operating status of the printer, it becomes possible to make improvements to increase the printer's productivity, leading to efficient production, for example.

In the display stage, the electronic device displays, for example, a bar graph or a line graph as a total of ink usage. With this configuration, for example, it is possible to appropriately keep tabs on the amount of ink used. Furthermore, in this configuration, the printer may print using ink of multiple colors. In this case, at the display stage, the amount of ink used can be summarized depending on the user's selection, for example, the amount used for each color of ink, and the total amount used for all colors of ink of multiple colors. Display on the electronic device one or both of the total amount of usage. With this configuration, for example, when using multiple colors of ink, it is possible to more appropriately keep tabs on the amount of ink used. In addition, by displaying the total amount of usage for all colors, it is easier to calculate the cost for all colors, for example, when calculating the cost of printing. can.

Furthermore, in the display stage, the electronic device displays, for example, a bar graph or a line graph as a total of the printed area. With this configuration, for example, the total print area can be appropriately grasped. Further, at the display stage, the total print area may be divided and displayed for each category using a plurality of preset categories, for example. With this configuration, for example, more diverse information can be displayed regarding the total print area. Further, in this case, as display for each category, for example, display for each medium used for printing (each media), display for each print data, etc. can be considered.

Further, in the display stage, for example, a plurality of the totals of printer operating states, totals of ink usage, and totals of printing area may be displayed in one graph. With this configuration, for example, correlations between a plurality of aggregation targets can be easily and appropriately grasped. In this case, for example, it may be possible to display a total of operating states and a total of ink usage in one graph to check the correlation between the two.

Further, in this configuration, for example, it is possible to display various numerical values etc. in accordance with the user's operations on the electronic device. More specifically, for example, when a user places a cursor on a graph, a numerical value corresponding to that position may be displayed on the electronic device. In this case, in the display stage, for example, a cursor that moves according to the user's operation, and a graph showing at least one of a total of printer operating states, a total of ink usage, and a total of printed area. and is displayed. Then, when the cursor is placed on the graph by the user's operation, for example, a numerical value corresponding to the position of the cursor on the graph is displayed. With this configuration, for example, the electronic device can display more detailed information to the user. In this case, it is conceivable that the electronic device displays, for example, hourly values, daily values, stacked values, values on the vertical axis, or values on the horizontal axis as numerical values.

In addition, in this configuration, it is also possible to display the graph with, for example, the maximum value and the minimum value conspicuously displayed. In this case, in the display stage, for example, a graph showing at least one of a total of the operating status of the printer, a total of ink usage, and a total of printing area is displayed, and in the graph, the maximum value and the minimum value are displayed. It is conceivable to display the value differently from other values. With this configuration, for example, the position of the maximum value or minimum value in the graph can be easily grasped. Further, in this case, it is possible to change the display of the maximum value or minimum value during the period, such as color or shape.

Further, as the configuration of the present invention, for example, the configuration of an electronic device, a program, a management system, etc. having the same characteristics as described above can be considered. In this case, the program can be considered to be, for example, a program executed on at least one of the management server and the electronic device in order to display information on the electronic device. The management system can be considered, for example, as a system that manages printers in a printing system. Even with these configurations, the same effects as described above can be obtained, for example.

According to the present invention, for example, the state of a printer can be managed more appropriately.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a printing system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a diagram illustrating a specific configuration of a user base 14 and an external management section 16. FIG. FIG. 2(a) shows an example of the configuration of the user base 14. FIG. 2(b) shows an example of the configuration of the external management section 16. 3 is a diagram illustrating how printer information is managed in the management server 12. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen when displaying a list of printers 114 on a PC 112 or the like. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the display screen displayed on PC112 etc.

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a printing system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the printing system 10 is a system that performs printing using a printer, and includes a management server 12, a user base 14, and an external management section 16. Printing system 10 may have the same or similar features as known printing systems, except as described below.

The management server 12 is a server that manages printer information, which is information indicating the status of printers used in the printing system 10. In this example, the management server 12 is a cloud server that communicates with other components via a wide area network such as the Internet, and manages printer information according to a program executed on the cloud. Furthermore, the management server 12 acquires printer information regarding printers installed at the user base 14 by communicating with electronic devices installed at the user base 14 via a wide area network, for example. Further, by communicating with electronic devices provided at the user base 14 and the external management section 16 via a wide area network, printer information is supplied to the electronic devices. Furthermore, the management server 12 causes the electronic device to display information based on the printer information. The operation of causing the electronic device to display information based on the printer information will be explained in more detail later.

Note that, as the management server 12, it is possible to use, for example, a server provided by a cloud server provider. In this case, the computer functioning as the management server 12 can be considered to be managed by a person different from the administrator of the user base 14 and the external management section 16, for example. Further, in this case, for example, it is conceivable that a server etc. provided by a cloud server provider is controlled by the external management unit 16 to cause this server etc. to function as the management server 12. Further, in a modification of the configuration of the printing system 10, for example, a computer managed by the same administrator as the administrator of the user base 14 or the external management section 16 may be used as the management server 12. In this case, the management server 12 may be installed within the user base 14 or the external management section 16, for example.

The user base 14 is a base that executes printing operations in the printing system 10. The user base 14 can be considered, for example, as a base where printers to be managed by the management server 12 are installed. Further, the user base 14 can be considered to be, for example, a base managed by an administrator of a printer used in the printing system 10. The external management unit 16 is configured to manage at least a portion of the printing system 10 outside the user base 14 . In this example, the external management unit 16 is a base of a business that provides services such as maintenance for printers at the user base 14, and based on printer information acquired from the management server 12, the external management unit 16 performs maintenance and other services for printers at the user base 14. provide services; The external management unit 16 can also be considered, for example, as a base managed by a different administrator from the administrator of the user base 14. Further, as the user base 14 and the external management section 16, for example, the configuration shown in FIG. 2 can be used.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a specific configuration of the user base 14 and the external management section 16. FIG. 2(a) shows an example of the configuration of the user base 14. FIG. 2(b) shows an example of the configuration of the external management section 16. In this example, the user base 14 is a base that produces products (printed matter) printed using a printer, and has a plurality of production bases 102 and a management department 104. The production base 102 is a base where printers are installed. Further, in this example, the production base 102 includes a PC 112, a plurality of printers 114, and an electronic device 116. The PC 112 is a computer that controls printing operations by the printer 114. Further, in this example, the PC 112 is a computer for RIP processing (RIP-PC), and controls the operation of the printer 114 by supplying data generated by RIP processing to the printer 114. In this case, for example, as shown in the figure, one PC 112 may control the operations of a plurality of printers 114.

Further, in this example, the PC 112 is an example of an electronic device that performs display based on printer information obtained from the management server 12, and includes a communication interface, a monitor, and the like. In this case, the communication interface can be considered as an example of a communication unit that receives printer information associated with the printer 114 managed by the PC 112 from the management server 12, for example. Further, the monitor can be considered as an example of a display unit that displays information based on printer information transmitted from the management server 12, for example. In this case, it may be considered as an example of a display unit including a configuration for controlling display contents on the monitor. Furthermore, in this example, the PC 112 further updates printer information in the management server 12 by communicating with the printer 114 to obtain information about the printer 114 and transmitting the information to the management server 12 . In this case, the PC 112 can also be considered to have a configuration that detects the status of the printer 114 and notifies the management server 12, for example. More specifically, the PC 112 periodically detects the state of the printer 114 at a predetermined timing, for example, and updates the printer information in the management server 12 based on the detected state. Further, in this case, the PC 112 may automatically perform operations such as detecting the printer 114 and updating the printer information, without depending on the user's operation.

The printer 114 is a printer for producing products at the production base 102, and executes printing operations under the control of the PC 112. Further, in this example, the printer 114 is a color printer that prints using ink of multiple colors. As the printer 114, for example, an inkjet printer having the same or similar configuration as a known inkjet printer can be suitably used.

The electronic device 116 is, for example, an information display device such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer. Further, in this example, the electronic device 116 is also an example of electronic equipment, and performs display based on printer information acquired from the management server 12. In this case, the communication interface of the electronic device 116 can be considered, for example, as an example of a communication unit. Further, the screen of the electronic device 116 can be considered, for example, as an example of a display section. In this case, it may be considered as an example of a display unit, including a configuration for controlling the content displayed on the screen. Further, in this example, the electronic device 116 can be considered, for example, as an electronic device that performs display based on printer information without updating printer information in the management server 12.

By using the production base 102 having such a configuration, it is possible to appropriately display information based on the printer information on the PC 112 and the electronic device 116, for example. Further, the PC 112 can appropriately update printer information in the management server 12, for example. The specific configuration of the production base 102 is not limited to the illustrated configuration, and may be varied in various ways. For example, the number of printers 114 managed by the PC 112 may be one or three or more. Further, the number of PCs 112 and electronic devices 116 in one production base 102 may be plural. Furthermore, the number of PCs 112, printers 114, and electronic devices 116, the number of printers 114 managed by one PC 112, and the like may differ for each production base 102. Furthermore, the number of production bases 102 is not limited to the number shown in the figure, and can be changed as appropriate. Further, it is also conceivable to use a configuration in which the number of printers 114 in the printing system 10 is only one as the production base 102, for example.

Further, as described above, in this example, the user base 14 further includes a management department 104 in addition to the plurality of production bases 102. The management department 104 is configured to manage the plurality of production bases 102 and includes a PC 112. In this example, the PC 112 in the management department 104 is also an example of an electronic device that performs display based on printer information acquired from the management server 12. More specifically, for example, the PC 112 is a computer for the administrator of the entire user base 14, and similarly to the PC 112 in the production base 102, displays information based on printer information acquired from the management server 12. The PC 112 in the management department 104 can also be considered, for example, as an electronic device that displays information based on printer information without updating printer information in the management server 12.

Further, in this example, the external management department 16 includes a marketing department 106 and a support department 108. The marketing department 106 is a department that provides goods and information related to the printer 114 to users of the printer 114 at the user base 14 . In this case, the provision of goods related to the printer 114 may include, for example, selling ink, media, and the like. Furthermore, for example, in cooperation with the marketing department 106, it is possible to sell consumables and the like that are replaced during maintenance of the printer 114. The support department 108 is a department that provides maintenance services and the like to users of the printer 114. Furthermore, in this example, the marketing department 106 and the support department 108 have PCs 112. The PCs 112 in the marketing department 106 and the support department 108 are also examples of electronic devices that perform display based on printer information acquired from the management server 12. In this case, by displaying information based on the printer information on the PC 112 in the marketing department 106, it becomes possible to carry out marketing activities tailored to the status of the printer 114, for example. Furthermore, by displaying information based on the printer information on the PC 112, the support department 108 can easily and appropriately check the status of the printer 114 without having to visit the production base 102 where the printer 114 is installed. can be grasped. Additionally, this makes it possible, for example, to reduce the number of visits to the production base 102, and to provide higher quality maintenance services at lower cost.

Here, as described above, in the printing system 10 of this example, information is displayed on the PC 112 and the electronic device 116, which are examples of electronic equipment, based on the printer information managed by the management server 12. Such an operation can be considered, for example, as an example of the operation of a display method for displaying information on an electronic device. Further, in this case, the operation of transmitting printer information from the management server 12 to the PC 112 or the electronic device 116 (hereinafter referred to as PC 112, etc.) can be considered as an example of the operation in the information transmission stage. The information transmission stage can be considered, for example, as a stage in which printer information associated with the printer 114 is transmitted from the management server 12 to the PC 112 or the like. Further, the operation of causing the PC 112 or the like to display information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server 12 can be considered as an example of the operation at the display stage. The display stage can be considered, for example, as a stage in which information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server 12 to the electronic device in the information transmission stage is displayed on the PC 112 or the like.

Furthermore, in the PC 112 and the like, display based on printer information may be performed using, for example, a web browser (Internet browser). In this case, the management server 12 communicates with the PC 112 or the like using a predetermined protocol such as the HTTP protocol, and transmits data for displaying a web page to the PC 112 or the like in response to a request from the PC 112 or the like. In this case, sending this data from the management server 12 to the PC 112 or the like can be thought of as, for example, sending printer information. Further, in this case, the PC 112 or the like displays a display based on the printer information by using a web browser to display a display based on the data sent from the management server 12. Depending on the configuration of the PC 112 or the like, display based on printer information may be performed using, for example, a dedicated application program without using a web browser.

Furthermore, in the printing system 10 of this example, the operation of displaying information on the PC 112 etc. can be considered to be executed by a program executed on at least one of the management server 12, the PC 112, etc., for example. In this case, the process of transmitting information from the management server 12 to the PC 112 or the like according to this program can be considered, for example, as an example of the information transmitting process. Furthermore, the process of causing the PC 112 or the like to display a screen can be considered as an example of display processing. Further, in this example, it can be considered that the management server 12 causes the PC 112 etc. to display information by sending data from the management server 12 to the PC 112 etc. according to a program executed on the management server 12, for example. Further, for example, it can be considered that the PC 112 or the like performs a display based on the printer information according to a program executed on the PC 112 or the like. Furthermore, depending on the concept of the relationship between the configuration and operation of the printing system 10 and programs, for example, information may be displayed on the PC 112 etc. using the functions of both the program executed on the management server 12 and the program executed on the PC 112 etc. You can also think of it as

Further, as can be understood from the above description and the like, in this example, it can be considered that the printer 114 is managed by at least part of the configuration in the printing system 10. Therefore, for example, at least a portion of the printing system 10 can be considered as a management system that manages the printers 114 in the printing system 10. In this case, this management system can be considered as, for example, a configuration including the management server 12 in the printing system 10. Further, the management system may be considered to further include configurations other than the management server 12. In this case, it can be considered that the management system further includes, for example, the PC 112 and the like.

Next, printer information and the like managed by the management server 12 will be explained in more detail. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining how printer information is managed in the management server 12, and shows a simplified example of items that are managed in association with printer information. In this example, the management server 12 is a server that is accessed from the user base 14, the external management unit 16 (see FIG. 1), etc., and identifies the user of the printer 114 (see FIG. 2) through user authentication, and then stores the printer information. Manage.

More specifically, in this example, the management server 12 associates the user information for identifying the user registered in advance with the printer ID for identifying the printer 114, so that the management server 12 can connect the user to the printer 114. Manage the correspondence between. For example, in the case shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of printers 114 whose printer IDs are bbb1 to bbb5 are associated with one user or one organization as a user whose user information is aaa1. There is. In this case, the association between the user information and the printer 114 can be considered as an example of the association between the user and the printer 114. Further, when the user information indicates an organization, the organization can be considered as a user identified by the user information. Furthermore, the printer 114 whose printer ID is bbb6 is associated with the user whose user information is aaa2. In the actual management server 12, it is conceivable to manage the association between users and printers 114 for even more users.

Further, as in this example, when a plurality of printers 114 are associated with one user or one organization as a user, it is possible to manage the plurality of printers 114 by dividing them into groups. More specifically, for example, when the user base 14 has multiple production bases 102 (see FIG. 2), it is possible to group the printers 114 for each printer 114 installed at the same production base 102. Conceivable. Furthermore, in the production base 102, for example, if there are multiple operators who work in response to user instructions associated with multiple printers 114, it may be possible to divide the operators into groups. Therefore, in this example, the management server 12 makes it possible to manage the plurality of printers 114 by dividing them into groups by associating groups with printer IDs. For example, in the case shown in the figure, a plurality of printers 114 whose printer IDs are bbb1 to bbb3 belong to group X. A plurality of printers 114 whose printer IDs are bbb4 to bbb5 belong to group Y. Further, the printer 114 whose printer ID is bbb6 belongs to group Z.

Furthermore, in this example, the management server 12 associates printer information with each printer 114 identified by the printer ID. As the printer information, various information regarding the status and past history of the printer 114 can be used. According to this example, for example, printer information corresponding to the printer 114 can be appropriately managed. Furthermore, this allows the printer 114 to be appropriately managed, for example, using the printer information. Further, in this case, the PC 112 or the like may display a list of printers 114 associated with the user, the status of the printers 114, etc. based on the printer information. Further, in this case, in connection with displaying the status, the PC 112 or the like may display a list of printers 114, as shown in FIG. 4, for example.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen when a list of printers 114 is displayed on the PC 112 or the like, and shows examples of two types of display screens selected depending on the electronic device displaying the screen. More specifically, the diagram on the left side of the figure shows an example of a display screen when displaying on a large screen, for example, when a personal computer or the like is used as the PC 112 or the electronic device 116. The figure on the right shows an example of a display screen when displaying on a narrow screen when a smartphone or the like is used as the electronic device 116. Furthermore, in this case, it can be considered that substantially the same content is displayed in both the left and right screen display examples, depending on the purpose of the screen display.

Furthermore, in this example, when displaying a screen on the PC 112 or the like, the user operating the PC 112 or the like performs user authentication with respect to the management server 12 (see FIG. 1) to sign in to the management server 12. Then, on the PC 112 or the like, information regarding the printer 114 associated with the user who has been authenticated through user authentication is displayed on the screen. Further, in this case, on a display screen displaying a list of printers 114, the PC 112 or the like displays information indicating the printers 114 associated with the user side by side, as shown in the figure, for example. More specifically, for example, in the case shown in FIG. 4, the PC 112 or the like displays the name, model, operating state, etc. of all the printers 114 associated with the user. In this case, the name of the printer 114 can be considered to be, for example, a printer name determined by the user to identify the printer 114. Further, the operating state can be considered as information indicating the state of the printer 114 in relation to printing operations, for example. More specifically, in this example, information indicating which of the operating states is printing, waiting, stopped due to an error, and offline is used as the operating state. In this case, printing can be considered to be, for example, a state in which the printer 114 is executing printing. Waiting can be considered to be, for example, a state in which the printer 114 is on standby and ready to start printing. The error stop can be considered to be, for example, a state in which the printer 114 is stopped due to some kind of error. Offline can be considered, for example, to be a state in which the status of the printer 114 cannot be obtained. Further, offline can also be considered as, for example, a state in which the management server 12 is unable to grasp the latest status of the printer 114. In this case, offline can be considered as, for example, a state in which the printer 114 is not powered on, or a state in which the state of the printer 114 cannot be grasped due to a problem with the communication path or the management server 12, etc. Further, in this example, offline can also be considered as, for example, a state in which the latest status of the printer 114 cannot be obtained from the management server 12.

Further, in this example, the PC 112 or the like can also display a list of printers 114 for each status of the printers 114 by using the tabs 202. In this case, the PC 112 or the like displays a list of printers 114 associated with the tab 202 in response to the user's operation to select the tab 202. More specifically, in the case shown in the figure, the PC 112 and the like all display a tab 202 for switching the display between standby, printing, error stop, and offline. In this case, when the tab 202 corresponding to all is selected, all printers 114 associated with the user are displayed. Furthermore, when any other tab 202 is selected, the printer 114 corresponding to the selected tab 202 among the printers 114 associated with the user is displayed. With this configuration, for example, the status of the printer 114 managed by the user can be easily and appropriately confirmed.

Further, in this example, the PC 112 and the like can also display more detailed information regarding the printer 114 based on printer information received from the management server 12. In this case, for example, information based on printer information may be displayed on the PC 112 or the like regarding the printer 114 selected by the user from a list of printers 114. Further, more specifically, in this case, for example, it is possible to display information as shown in FIG. 5 on the PC 112 or the like.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on the PC 112 or the like, and shows an example of information displayed based on printer information about the printer 114 selected by the user. Similarly to FIG. 4, FIG. 5 also shows examples of two types of display screens that are selected depending on the electronic device that displays the screen. As explained above, in this example, the management server 12 manages printer information in association with the printer 114. Furthermore, when the screen display shown in FIG. Ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used and printing area information indicating the printing area that is the area printed by the printer 114 are managed. Further, in this case, the management server 12 transmits printer information including at least this information to the PC 112 or the like in response to a request from the PC 112 or the like. Based on the information sent from the management server 12, the PC 112 and the like display on one screen a total of operating conditions, a total of ink usage, and a total of printed area.

In this case, displaying these totals on one screen may be considered as, for example, displaying them in a state that can be handled as one screen on the PC 112 or the like. For example, when displaying a screen on a web browser on the PC 112 or the like, it can be considered that the display corresponds to one screen on the web browser. Furthermore, one screen on a web browser can be considered, for example, as the range that can be displayed without moving pages. The range that can be displayed without changing the page can be considered, for example, as the range that can be displayed without changing the URL. In addition, when displaying the above-mentioned tally on the PC 112 or the like, the management server 12 may directly transmit the operating status tally, ink consumption tally, print area tally, etc. to the PC 112 or the like. In this case, sending these totals can be thought of as, for example, sending printer information including operation information, ink usage information, and print area information.

In this example, in the PC 112, for example, as shown in the figure, one screen includes a tab 202, an operation information display section 212, an ink usage display section 214, a printing area display section 216, and a period setting section 218. Display a screen showing. In this case, the tab 202 is a selection section for accepting selections of items to be displayed related to the printer 114. Further, in this example, the PC 112 and the like displays a tab 202 for switching the display among printer status, operation history, print history, maintenance history, and settings/manual. Further, FIG. 5 shows an example of a screen when the operation record tab 202 is selected from among these.

The operation information display section 212 is a section that displays a total of operation states. Furthermore, as explained above, in this example, information indicating which of the operating states is printing, waiting, stopped due to an error, and offline is used as the operating state. Therefore, the PC 112 or the like displays the operation information display section 212 as a summary of the operation status, including the printing period during which the printer 114 was printing, the standby period indicating the period during which the printer 114 was on standby, and the period during which the printer 114 was on standby. A total of the error stop period during which the printer 114 was stopped due to an error and the offline period during which the printer 114 was offline is displayed. The aggregation of these periods can be thought of as, for example, the aggregation of the time during which the device was in the operating state. More specifically, the totaling of the printing period can be considered as, for example, the totaling of the period during which printing was executed by the printer 114. The counting of the standby period can be considered as, for example, counting the period during which the printer was in a standby state. The tally of error stop periods can be considered, for example, as a tally of the period during which the printer 114 was stopped due to an error. The offline period can be considered to be, for example, the period during which information about the printer 114 could not be acquired. With this configuration, for example, the operating state of the printer 114 can be appropriately grasped.

In addition, in this example, the PC 112 and the like display a bar graph and a pie chart showing the time period in which the printer 114 was in a plurality of types of states (operating states), as shown in the figure, for example, as a summary of the operating states. Display. With this configuration, for example, the PC 112 or the like can appropriately display a display that makes it easy to understand the operating state. Furthermore, this allows, for example, the totalization of the operating status of the printer 114 to be appropriately grasped. Further, in this case, the PC 112 and the like directly indicate, for example, the time for each operating state using a bar graph, and indicate, for example, the ratio of time for each operating state using a pie chart. By using two types of graphs, a bar graph and a pie graph, for example, the user can understand the operating state of the printer 114 in detail and appropriately. Further, in this example, by displaying a total of the operating status corresponding to the printer 114 on the PC 112 or the like, it can be considered that, for example, the operating status of the printer 114 is visualized. Furthermore, in this case, by visualizing the operating status of the printer 114, it becomes possible to make improvements to increase the productivity of the printer 114, leading to efficient production, for example. Further, the display method on the operation information display section 212 is not limited to the display method shown in the figure, and can be changed in various ways. For example, the bar graph is not limited to the illustrated vertical bar graph, but a horizontal bar graph may also be used. Furthermore, depending on the purpose of displaying information, it is also possible to display only one of a bar graph or a pie graph on the operation information display section 212.

The ink usage amount display section 214 is a part that displays the total amount of ink usage. In this example, the PC 112 or the like displays, for example, a line graph and a bar graph as shown in the figure, on the ink usage amount display section 214 as a total of ink usage amounts. In this case, the PC 112 or the like displays, for example, the amount of ink used for each color in time series using a line graph. Further, for example, the amount of ink used for each color in the total period is displayed using a bar graph. With this configuration, for example, it is possible to appropriately keep tabs on the amount of ink used. Further, the display method on the ink usage amount display section 214 is not limited to the display method shown in the figure, and can be changed in various ways. For example, the bar graph is not limited to the illustrated vertical bar graph, but a horizontal bar graph may also be used. Further, depending on the purpose of displaying information, it is also possible to display only one of a line graph or a bar graph on the ink usage amount display section 214. Further, regarding the total amount of ink used, for example, it is possible to display the total amount of used amount not for each color but as the total amount used for all the colors of ink. In this case, the PC 112 or the like calculates the amount of ink used, for example, according to the user's selection, the amount of used ink for each color, and the total amount of used ink for all colors of ink. Display either or both of the total amount of usage. With this configuration, for example, when using multiple colors of ink, it is possible to more appropriately grasp the amount of ink used. In addition, by displaying the total amount of usage for all colors, it is easier to calculate the cost for all colors, for example, when calculating the cost of printing. can.

The printing area display section 216 is a part that displays the total printing area. In this example, the PC 112 and the like displays the printing length, printing area, and cost on the printing area display section 216 in relation to the totaling of the printing area. In this case, the total printing area can be considered as a parameter that increases depending on the amount of media consumed, for example. With this configuration, for example, the total print area can be appropriately grasped. Furthermore, the display method on the print area display section 216 is not limited to the display method shown in the figure, and can be changed in various ways. For example, a bar graph or a line graph may be displayed for the total printed area. As the bar graph, for example, a vertical bar graph or a horizontal bar graph may be used. With this configuration, for example, it is possible to intuitively understand the total printing area. Further, the PC 112 or the like may divide and display the total print area for each category using a plurality of preset categories, for example. With this configuration, for example, more diverse information can be displayed regarding the total print area. Further, in this case, as display for each category, for example, display for each medium used for printing (each media), display for each print data, etc. can be considered.

The period setting section 218 is a section for receiving the designation of the period for aggregation from the user. In this example, the PC 112 or the like uses the period setting unit 218 to set the totaling period (display period ) is accepted. The period setting unit 218 can be considered, for example, as a configuration for accepting a period specification on a user interface (UI) of the PC 112 or the like. Further, the operation of accepting the designation of a period by the period setting unit 218 can be considered as an example of the operation at the aggregation period setting stage, for example. The aggregation period setting step can be considered, for example, as a step of setting a period of aggregation corresponding to information to be displayed on the PC 112 or the like. In this example, when a period is specified by the user in the period setting section 218, the PC 112 etc. displays the operation information display section 212, ink usage display section 214, and printing area display section 216 according to the specified period. Display in . Further, when the specified period is changed by operating the period setting section 218, the PC 112 etc. changes the operation information display section 212, ink usage display section 214, and print area display section according to the newly specified period. The display at 216 is updated.

Further, in this example, the period setting section 218 accepts the same period as the total period in the operation information display section 212, the ink usage display section 214, and the printing area display section 216 at once. However, the manner in which the period setting unit 218 accepts the period designation is not limited to collective setting, and may be performed individually. In this case, the PC 112 or the like allows the user to select whether to set the period all at once or individually, and then accepts the designation of the period from the user. Additionally, the PC 112 or the like displays, for example, the total for the specified period. With this configuration, for example, even when it is desired to change only the aggregation period of some items when considering the aggregation results, the aggregation period can be appropriately changed. More specifically, in this case, when setting the period using the period setting unit 218, the PC 112 etc. sets the period for calculating the operating status, the period for calculating the amount of ink used, and the period for calculating the printing area. Depending on the user's selection, settings for the period for aggregation can be accepted all at once or individually. In addition, when displaying on the operation information display section 212, ink usage display section 214, and print area display section 216, the PC 112 etc. aggregates the operation status according to the period set when setting the period. , display the total amount of ink used, and the total printed area. With this configuration, for example, the aggregation period can be changed appropriately according to the user's wishes. Furthermore, by displaying the information all at once or individually, it becomes possible to check the status of the printer 114 and perform various studies more appropriately, for example.

As described above, according to this example, the status of the PC 112 and the like can be appropriately understood by displaying the information on the PC 112 based on the printer information acquired from the management server 12, for example. In this case, for example, the status of the printer 114 can be easily and appropriately understood by displaying the total operating status, total ink usage, and printed area on one screen on the PC 112 or the like. I can do it. Furthermore, this makes it possible to easily and appropriately check whether or not the printer 114 is operating stably, for example. Further, for example, when a problem occurs in the state of the printer 114, useful information for understanding the problem can be grasped all at once.

Additionally, in this case, by displaying related information all together on one screen, the information that the user wants to see can be efficiently and appropriately displayed, for example, regarding the user's management of the printer 114 or various decisions related to the printer 114. It can also be considered that it can be displayed in More specifically, for example, by collectively displaying the operating status, ink usage, and printing area, the overall status of the printer 114 can be easily and appropriately grasped, and problems can be detected in the printer 114. This makes it easier to make a comprehensive judgment as to whether or not this is occurring. In this case, even a user who is not near the printer 114, such as a user who checks information at the management department 104 or external management section 16 at the user base 14, can easily and appropriately check the status of the printer 114. can be confirmed. Further, even a user (operator) who directly uses the printer 114 at the production base 102 can appropriately check the status of the printer 114 from a location away from the printer 114 by using the electronic device 116, for example. Further, this also makes it possible to perform other work at a location away from the printer 114, for example, when the printer 114 is operated continuously for a long time. Therefore, according to this example, it is also possible to appropriately improve the work efficiency at the production base 102, for example.

Furthermore, in this example, by displaying the total amount of ink used and the total printed area on one screen, it is easy to check, for example, whether the amount of ink used is appropriate for the printed area. and be able to make appropriate judgments. In addition, for example, when the amount of ink used changes due to an abnormality in the printer 114, the relationship (balance) between the printing area and the amount of ink used displayed on one screen changes, so that the abnormality can be detected. It becomes possible to do things like that. Further, as explained above, the total printing area can be considered as a parameter that increases depending on the amount of media consumed, for example. Therefore, by displaying a total of ink usage and a total of printing area on one screen, for example, the consumption of ink and media consumed by printing operations can be displayed together. Furthermore, this makes it possible to collectively grasp information that is useful when considering, for example, the running cost of the printer 114.

In addition, in calculating the operating status, it can be confirmed whether or not the work performed using the printer 114 is proceeding as planned by indicating the times during printing, during standby, when stopped due to an error, and when offline. be able to. Furthermore, based on these ratios, for example, it becomes possible to perform labor management related to work performed using the printer 114 at the production base 102. Furthermore, by displaying the total operating status together with the total amount of ink used and printed area on one screen, it becomes possible to judge, for example, the efficiency of the work depending on the method of work. More specifically, in this case, for example, if there is a difference between the printers 114 in the amount of ink consumed to achieve the same printing area, by checking the relationship with the total operation status, the work can be improved. It becomes possible to consider the influence of different methods.

Furthermore, the PC 112 and the like may display the totals of operating states, ink usage, and printing areas in a different manner from the above. For example, the PC 112 or the like may display a plurality of aggregations of operating status, ink usage, and print area in one graph. With this configuration, for example, correlations between a plurality of aggregation targets can be easily and appropriately grasped. Further, in this case, for example, it is conceivable to display a total of operating states and a total of ink usage in one graph to check the correlation between the two.

Further, the PC 112 and the like may display various numerical values and the like, for example, in response to user operations. In this case, for example, when a user places a cursor on a graph, a numerical value corresponding to that position may be displayed on the PC 112 or the like. More specifically, in this case, the PC 112 or the like displays, for example, a cursor that moves according to the user's operation, and at least one of aggregation of operating status, aggregation of ink usage, and aggregation of print area. Display graphs. When the cursor is placed on the graph by the user's operation, the PC 112 or the like displays, for example, a numerical value corresponding to the position of the cursor on the graph. With this configuration, for example, more detailed information can be displayed to the user. Further, in this case, it is conceivable to display numerical values such as hourly values, daily values, stacked values, vertical axis values, or horizontal axis values on the PC 112 or the like. Further, the PC 112 or the like may display a graph by highlighting the maximum value and minimum value, for example. In this case, the PC 112 or the like displays, for example, a graph showing at least one of aggregation of operating status, aggregation of ink usage, and a tabulation of print area, and in the graph, the maximum value and the minimum value. Make the display method different from other values. In this case, for example, it is possible to change the display of the maximum value or minimum value during the aggregation period, such as color or shape. With this configuration, for example, the position of the maximum value or minimum value in the graph can be easily grasped.

Further, in FIG. 5, the PC 112 and the like display the totals for one printer 114 regarding the totals of operating states, totals of ink usage, and totals of printing areas. On the other hand, the PC 112 or the like may display a summary of information regarding a plurality of printers 114, for example. In this case, these totals can be considered, for example, as totals for a plurality of printers 114 over a specified period. Further, in this case, the unit of the plurality of printers 114 may be, for example, a group associated with the printers 114 in the management server 12. In this case, the PC 112 or the like receives, for example, the designation of a group as a unit of aggregation from the user. It is also conceivable to use a plurality of printers 114 that are specified regardless of the group as the plurality of printers 114 that are the unit of aggregation. Further, the PC 112 or the like may display, for example, a summary of information regarding all printers 114 associated with the same user.

Further, in the above description, the printer 114 used in the printing system 10 is described as using, for example, an inkjet printer. However, the printer 114 used in the printing system 10 may be a printer other than an inkjet printer. Furthermore, it is also possible to use, for example, a 3D printer as the printer 114 used in the printing system 10. In this case, for example, the total area of the ink layers formed by the ink used as the modeling material may be used as the printing area.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION This invention can be suitably utilized for the display method of displaying the information of an electronic device, for example.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Printing system, 102... Production base, 104... Management department, 106... Marketing department, 108... Support department, 112... PC, 114... Printer, 116... - Electronic device, 12... Management server, 14... User base, 16... External management section, 202... Tab, 212... Operation information display section, 214... Ink usage amount display section , 216...Print area display section, 218...Period setting section

Claims (15)

Displaying information on the electronic device in a printing system including a printer, a management server that manages printer information that is information indicating the status of the printer, and an electronic device that performs display based on the printer information acquired from the management server. A display method that allows
an information transmitting step of transmitting the printer information associated with the printer from the management server to the electronic device;
a display step of causing the electronic device to display information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device in the information transmitting step;
The management server stores at least the following information as the printer information in association with the printer.
operating information indicating an operating state of the printer;
Ink usage amount information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
It manages printing area information indicating a printing area that is the area printed by the printer,
In the information transmission step, at least the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information are transmitted from the management server to the electronic device;
In the display step, based on the operation information, the ink usage amount information, and the printing area information, the operation state of the printer is totaled, the ink usage amount of the printer is totaled, and the printer performs printing. A display method characterized by displaying a total of the printed area on one screen. further comprising an aggregation period setting step of setting an aggregation period corresponding to the information to be displayed on the electronic device in the display step,
In the aggregation period setting step, the period for aggregating the operating status, the period for aggregating the amount of ink used, and the period for aggregating the print area are set all at once or individually according to the user's selection. Set,
In the display step, the electronic device displays the total of the operating status, the total of the ink usage, and the total of the printed area according to the period set in the total period setting step. The display method according to claim 1. In the display step, as a tally of the operating states,
a standby period indicating a period during which the printer was on standby;
a printing period indicating a period during which printing was performed by the printer;
an error stop period indicating a period during which the printer was stopped due to an error;
2. The display method according to claim 1, further comprising causing the electronic device to display a total for an offline period indicating a period during which information about the printer could not be acquired. 2. In the displaying step, the electronic device displays a bar graph or a pie chart indicating the time period in which the printer has been in the plurality of states, as the total of the operating states. How to display. 2. The display method according to claim 1, wherein in the displaying step, the operational status of the printer is visualized by displaying a total of the operational status corresponding to the printer on the electronic device. 2. The display method according to claim 1, wherein in the displaying step, the electronic device displays a bar graph or a line graph as the total of the ink usage. The printer prints using ink of multiple colors,
In the display step, regarding the aggregation of the amount of ink used, depending on the user's selection, the amount of ink used for each color may be aggregated, and the total amount of ink used for all the colors of the plurality of inks may be aggregated. 2. The display method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying either or both of a total amount and a total amount on the electronic device. 2. The display method according to claim 1, wherein in the displaying step, a bar graph or a line graph is displayed on the electronic device as the total of the printed area. 2. The display method according to claim 1, wherein in the display step, the total printed area is divided and displayed according to a plurality of preset categories. 2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein in the displaying step, a plurality of the totals of the operational status of the printer, the total of the ink usage, and the total of the printing area are displayed in one graph. Display method. In the display step,
A cursor that moves according to user operations,
displaying a graph showing at least one of a total of the operating state of the printer, a total of the ink usage, and a total of the printing area;
2. The display method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying a numerical value corresponding to the position of the cursor on the graph when the cursor is placed on the graph by the user's operation. In the displaying step, displaying a graph showing at least one of a total of the operating state of the printer, a total of the ink usage amount, and a total of the printing area;
2. The display method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying the maximum value and the minimum value differently from other values in the graph. a communication unit that receives the printer information from a management server that manages printer information associated with the printer;
a display unit that displays information based on the printer information received from the management server;
The printer information includes at least:
operating information indicating an operating state of the printer;
ink usage amount information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
Information including printing area information indicating a printing area that is an area printed by the printer,
The display unit is configured to aggregate the operating status of the printer, aggregate the amount of ink used by the printer, and perform printing with the printer based on the operating information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information. An electronic device characterized in that the total printed area is displayed on one screen. information transmission processing for transmitting the printer information from a management server that manages printer information associated with the printer to an electronic device that performs display based on the printer information;
causing at least either the management server or the electronic device to execute a display process for causing the electronic device to display information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device;
The printer information includes at least:
operating information indicating an operating state of the printer;
ink usage amount information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
Information including printing area information indicating a printing area that is an area printed by the printer,
In the display processing, based on the operation information, the ink usage amount information, and the printing area information, the operation state of the printer is totaled, the ink usage amount of the printer is totaled, and the printer performs printing. A program for displaying a total of the printed area on one screen. A management system for managing a printer in a printing system including a printer, the management system comprising:
comprising a management server that manages printer information that is information indicating the status of the printer;
The printing system is a system including the printer, the management server, and an electronic device that performs display based on the printer information acquired from the management server, and the management system includes at least a portion of the printing system. It is a system that consists of
As the printer information, the management server associates the printer with at least the following:
operating information indicating an operating state of the printer;
ink usage amount information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
managing printing area information indicating a printing area that is an area printed by the printer;
displaying information based on the printer information on the electronic device by transmitting the printer information associated with the printer from the management server to the electronic device;
and transmitting at least the operating information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information as the printer information from the management server to the electronic device, so that the operating information, the ink usage information, and the ink usage information are transmitted to the electronic device. Based on the amount information and the printing area information, the operating status of the printer, the amount of ink used by the printer, and the printing area printed by the printer are displayed on one screen. A management system characterized by displaying.

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