JP2024078105A - Control device, information processing system, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To enable ordering of ink bottles at a more suitable time according to the amount of ink consumed, even in a situation where ink bottles of various sizes are available. [Solution] A control device controls a printer 104 having an ink tank that stores ink supplied from an ink bottle, and a head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank. A CPU 301 manages the amount of ink consumed that is ejected from the head. Also, ink bottle information associated with the capacity of the ink bottle is stored in a specified memory area. The CPU 301 updates the ink bottle information stored in the memory area in response to a received instruction. A decision is made as to whether or not to order an ink bottle, based on the ink bottle information stored in the memory area and the amount of ink consumed. [Selected Figure] Figure 13

Description

This disclosure relates to a control device, an information processing system, and a program.

In recent years, it has become possible to manage an image forming device (e.g., a printer) that forms an image on a recording medium such as paper via a network such as the Internet by connecting the image forming device to a network. Based on such a mechanism, various systems have been considered that automatically order consumables when ordering conditions are met by notifying a Web server of consumable information, including the remaining amount of consumables used in the image forming device, from the image forming device. Patent Document 1 proposes a consumables ordering system that manages the amount of ink consumed in an ink bottle by counting the amount of ink discharged from a printer head, and orders a new ink bottle when the amount of ink consumed in the ink bottle reaches a threshold value.

JP 2022-045015 A

On the other hand, in recent years, it has become possible to use ink bottles of various sizes as ink bottles that can be installed in image forming devices. In a situation where ink bottles of various sizes can be used in this way, the ink capacity differs depending on the ink bottle that is installed, so it may be difficult to automatically order ink bottles at an appropriate time according to the amount of ink consumed.

In consideration of the above problems, the present invention aims to enable the ordering of ink bottles at a more suitable time according to the amount of ink consumed, even in a situation where ink bottles of various sizes are available.

The control device according to the present invention is a control device that controls an image forming device having an ink tank that stores ink supplied from an ink bottle and a head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank, and is characterized in that it has a management means for managing the consumption of ink ejected from the head, a storage means for storing ink bottle information associated with the capacity of the ink bottle, and an update means for updating the ink bottle information stored in the storage means in response to a received instruction, and determines whether or not to order ink bottles based on the ink bottle information stored in the storage means and the consumption of ink.

According to the present invention, even in a situation where ink bottles of various sizes are available, it is possible to order ink bottles at a more suitable time according to the amount of ink consumed.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a consumables ordering system. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an information processing device. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a hardware configuration of a printer. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of an ink tank unit. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a process of the consumables ordering system. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process of a printer. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a process of a management server. FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a UI presented via a client terminal. FIG. 13 illustrates an example of a UI presented via a client terminal. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a database managed in a management server. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating the ink amount status of an ink bottle. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a UI of a printer. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a process of the consumables ordering system. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a process of the consumables ordering system.

A preferred embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that in this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant description.

First Embodiment
A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below. First, with reference to FIG. 1, an example of a system configuration of a consumables ordering system 100 will be described as an example of an information processing system according to the present embodiment. The consumables ordering system 100 is configured with a management server 102, a retail store server 103, a printer 104 corresponding to an example of an image forming device, a client terminal 106 such as a personal computer, and a smartphone 107. Note that the system configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and the system configuration of the consumables ordering system 100 is not limited as long as it is configured to include an image forming device and a server system including one or more servers.

The management server 102 and the store server 103 are each connected to the Internet 101. The printer 104 can be connected to the Internet 101 via a router 105.
The management server 102 manages information transmitted from the printer 104, and is capable of providing the information transmitted from the printer 104 to the dealer server 103 via the Internet 101. Each communication is realized using various protocols such as HTTP and XMPP, and various controls are applied based on the protocol. The protocols exemplified above are merely examples, and the protocol applied to the communication is not limited as long as it is possible to realize communication via various networks such as the Internet.

Each of the client terminal 106 and the smartphone 107 can be connected to a local area network 109, and in this case, can also be connected to the Internet 101 via the router 105. The smartphone 107 can also be connected to a mobile phone network 108, and in this case, can also communicate with various servers (e.g., the management server 102, the store server 103, etc.) on the Internet 101 via the mobile phone network 108.
Furthermore, various servers such as the management server 102 and the dealer server 103 may be realized by a server device or may be realized by a network service such as a cloud service.

The configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and does not necessarily limit the system configuration of the consumables ordering system 100 according to this embodiment. As a specific example, the components described as the management server 102 and the sales server 103 may be realized by one server or one network service. As another example, the components equivalent to the management server 102 and the sales store server 103 may be realized by multiple servers working together. As a specific example, some of the functions of the management server 102 and the sales store server 103 may be realized by other devices different from the servers or other network services. As another example, the processing load of the management server 102 and the sales store server 103 may be distributed to multiple devices.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, the configuration of the management server 102 will be described as an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device constituting the consumables ordering system 100 according to this embodiment. The management server 102 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 202, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 203, and a storage device 204. The management server 102 also includes an operation unit 205, a display unit 206, a network communication unit 207, and a network connection unit 208.

The CPU 201 is a central processing unit for controlling each part of the management server 102. The RAM 202 is used as a temporary storage area such as the main memory or work area of the CPU 201. The ROM 203 is a read-only storage area for storing programs executed by the CPU 201.
The storage device 204 is a storage area for storing various data and various programs. The various data stored in the storage device 204 may be managed as, for example, a database 209. An example of the database 209 will be described in detail later. The storage device 204 may be realized by, for example, a non-volatile storage device such as a magnetic disk or a flash memory.

The operation unit 205 serves as an input interface for receiving various instructions from a user, and may be realized by an input device such as a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, and a touch panel.
The display unit 206 serves as an output interface for presenting various information to the user. The display unit 206 is realized by a display device such as a liquid crystal display, and presents various information to the user by displaying the information on a screen as an image.

The network communication unit 207 is connected to a network such as the Internet 101 via the network connection unit 208, and performs various communications with other devices via the network. The network connection unit 208 is a communication interface for connecting the network communication unit 207 to a network. The configuration of the network connection unit 208 may be changed as appropriate depending on the type of network to be connected and the communication method to be applied.

The above-mentioned components of the management server 102 are connected to each other via a bus 210, and are capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from each other.
Based on the above configuration, for example, a program stored in ROM 203 or storage device 204 is executed by CPU 201 expanded in RAM 202, thereby realizing the processing described below with reference to Figures 5 to 7, Figures 13, and Figure 14, etc.

It should be noted that the dealer server 103 and the client terminal 106 may have substantially the same hardware configuration as the above-described example of the management server 102. Of course, the dealer server 103 and the client terminal 106 may have a different hardware configuration from that of the above-described example of the management server 102.
In addition, various servers such as the management server 102 and the dealer server 103 may be realized by one server device or by a plurality of server devices working together. As described above, various servers such as the management server 102 and the dealer server 103 may be realized by a network service such as a cloud service (in other words, a so-called virtual server).

Next, an example of the configuration of the printer 104 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. First, an example of the hardware configuration of the printer 104 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The printer 104 has a printer unit 308, a scanner unit 310, and an ink tank unit 309. The printer 104 also has a CPU 301, a RAM 302, a ROM 303, a display unit 306, an operation unit 307, a network communication unit 304, and a network connection unit 305. Note that in this embodiment, the printer 104 configured as a so-called multifunction machine will be described as an example of an image forming device, but this does not necessarily limit the image forming device applicable to this embodiment. For example, a copier or facsimile may be applied as the image forming device according to this embodiment, or a printer without a scanner function may be applied.

The printer unit 308 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration for implementing a function for printing an image on a recording medium such as printing paper (hereinafter also referred to as a printing function). The scanner unit 310 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration for implementing a function for reading an original such as a document and outputting image data corresponding to the results of reading the original to a predetermined output destination (hereinafter also referred to as a scanner function).
The ink tank unit 309 stores ink used for printing by the printer unit 308. The ink tank unit 309 has an ink inlet, and can be refilled with ink from an ink bottle.

The printer unit 308 has an inkjet head, and ink is supplied to the inkjet head from the ink tank unit 309 via a tube. The printer unit 308 forms (i.e., prints) an image on a recording medium such as printing paper by an inkjet method based on image data received from the outside and image data corresponding to the results of reading by the scanner unit 310. The printer unit 308 also manages ink information in the ink tanks, including information on the remaining amount of ink, ink information in the ink bottles, and paper information, including information on the number of sheets of paper loaded.
The scanner unit 310 optically reads an original placed on a platen (not shown), converts the result of the reading into electronic data, and then converts the data into a specified file format to generate image data. The scanner unit 310 transmits the generated image data to an external device via a network, or stores the image data in a storage area (not shown) such as a HDD.
Furthermore, a so-called copy function may be realized by cooperation between the scanner unit 310 and the printer unit 308. The copy function is realized, for example, by the scanner unit 310 reading an original placed on an original table, and the printer unit 308 forming an image on a recording medium based on image data corresponding to the reading result.

The CPU 301 is a central processing unit for controlling each part in the printer 104. The ROM 303 stores various program codes, applications for communicating with the management server 102, and the like. The application modules generate printer status information, the details of which will be described separately below. The RAM 302 is used as a temporary storage area such as the main memory or work area of the CPU 301. As a specific example, the RAM 302 temporarily stores image data and the like and buffers it when various services are executed.

The operation unit 307 serves as an input interface for receiving various instructions from a user, and can be realized by, for example, an input device such as an operation panel or various switches.
The display unit 306 serves as an output interface for presenting various information to the user. The display unit 306 is realized by a display device such as a liquid crystal display, and presents various information to the user by displaying the information on a screen as an image.

The network communication unit 304 is connected to a network such as the Internet 101 via the network connection unit 305, and performs various communications with other devices via the network. The network connection unit 208 is a communication interface for connecting the network communication unit 207 to a network. The configuration of the network connection unit 208 may be changed as appropriate depending on the type of network to be connected and the communication method to be applied.

The components of the printer 104 described above are connected to each other via a bus 311, and are capable of sending and receiving data between each other.

Next, referring to FIG. 4, an example of the configuration of the printer 104 will be described, focusing in particular on the configuration of the ink tank unit 309. When the printer 104 body cover is opened, it is possible to access the inside of the printer body. Inside the printer body, an ink tank unit 309 is provided that supplies ink to the print head that ejects ink. When the ink tank cover is opened, it is possible to access the ink inlet of the ink tank unit 309, and when this is done, it is possible to supply ink from an ink bottle via the ink inlet by opening the cap on the ink inlet.

Next, an example of the processing of the consumables ordering system 100 according to this embodiment will be described. First, with reference to FIG. 5, an example of the processing of the consumables ordering system 100 will be described, focusing on the processing executed by the management server 102 and the retail store server 103 when a user subscribes to the consumables ordering service. The series of processing shown in FIG. 5 is realized, for example, by the CPUs of the management server 102 and the retail store server 103 expanding a program stored in a storage device such as a HDD into RAM and executing it. As another example, at least the hidden parts of the series of processing shown in FIG. 5 may be realized by hardware such as an ASIC or electronic circuit.

When the retailer server 103 accepts an application to join the consumables ordering service from a user, in S501 it transmits a registration request to the management server 102 in response to the application received from the user. The registration request transmitted to the management server 102 in the process of S501 includes various information such as, for example, identification information for identifying the printer 104 (e.g., a serial number, etc.), date and time, the type of consumables, and the model number of the consumables such as ink bottles. For example, if the consumables are ink, the type of consumables indicates whether it is an ink cartridge type or an ink bottle type. Note that, in this disclosure, the serial number is described as being used as the identification information for identifying the printer 104, but other information such as a MAC address may be used as long as it is possible to identify the printer 104.

In S502, the management server 102 registers the information acquired in S501 in each table managed as the database 209.

Here, an example of various tables managed as the database 209 in the management server 102 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 10A is a diagram showing an example of a printer management table. The management server 102 associates the serial number of the printer 104 included in the registration request received from the store server 103 with information on the consumable product type and stores it in the printer management table. The printer management table also stores information indicating the date and the order availability of each color of ink bottle (hereinafter also referred to as order availability information) in association with each serial number. In the order availability information, if the target ink bottle is in an orderable state, such as when it has not been ordered from the store server 103, "Yes" is registered as a value indicating that the order is available. On the other hand, in the order availability information, if the target ink bottle is in a state where ordering is not required, "No" is registered as a value indicating that ordering is not required. Note that "No" is registered as the initial value of the order availability information at the time of service registration.

Figure 10 (b) shows an example of an ink model number table. The management server 102 associates the serial number of the printer 104 included in the registration request received from the retailer server 103 with the model number of the ink bottle for each color, and stores the association in the ink model number table.

Now, let us refer again to FIG. 5. In S503, the management server 102 returns a response to the registration request received in S501 to the dealer server 103 indicating that the information included in the registration request has been successfully registered (hereinafter, also referred to as a registration success response).

Next, referring to FIG. 6, an example of a process in which the printer 104 transmits information about each ink bottle to the management server 102 according to the ink consumption of the ink bottle will be described. The series of processes shown in FIG. 6 is realized by the CPU 301 of the printer 104 expanding program code stored in a storage device such as an HDD into RAM and executing the program code. The series of processes shown in FIG. 6 is executed, for example, when the ink consumption is updated. Examples of times when the ink consumption is updated include when soft power is turned on, after the cover is closed, after cleaning, during cleaning, before cleaning at the time of arrival, and after capping. In addition, hereinafter, information about consumables such as ink bottles is also referred to as consumable information. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the consumable information may include information about the ink bottle.

In step S601, the CPU 301 determines whether it is time to update the amount of ink consumed in the printer 104.
If the CPU 301 determines in step S601 that it is not time to update the ink consumption amount, the CPU 301 ends the series of processes shown in Fig. 6. In this case, the printer 104 does not transmit the consumables information to the management server 102.
On the other hand, if the CPU 301 determines in step S601 that it is time to update the ink consumption amount, the process proceeds to step S602.
In S602, the CPU 301 updates the ink consumption amount of each ink tank and each ink bottle.

In S603, the CPU 301 determines whether or not the remaining ink amount in each ink tank requires ink replenishment, based on the update result of the ink consumption amount in each ink tank of the ink tank unit 309 in S602.
If the CPU 301 determines in S603 that the remaining ink amount in each ink tank is not such that ink replenishment is required, the process proceeds to S605. In this case, the process of S604, which will be described later, is skipped.
On the other hand, if the CPU 301 determines in S603 that the remaining ink amount in at least some of the ink tanks is such that ink replenishment is required, the process proceeds to S604.
In S604, the CPU 301 causes the display unit 306 of the printer 104 to display information that prompts the user to refill the target ink tank with ink from the ink bottle.

In S605, the CPU 301 determines whether or not the ink consumption amount of each ink bottle has reached a threshold value for ordering the ink bottle, based on the updated result of the ink consumption amount of each ink bottle in S602.
If the CPU 301 determines in step S605 that the ink consumption amount of each ink bottle has not reached the threshold value for ordering the ink bottle, the CPU 301 ends the series of processes shown in FIG.
On the other hand, if the CPU 301 determines in S605 that the ink consumption amount of at least some of the ink bottles has reached the threshold value for ordering ink bottles, the CPU 301 advances the process to S606.
In S606, the printer 104 transmits a printer status including the consumable information to the management server 102.

An ink bottle is ordered, for example, when it is determined that a certain value (threshold value) of ink has been consumed relative to the amount of ink in one ink bottle.
For example, Fig. 11 shows the ink volume status of an ink bottle. Specifically, Fig. 11(a) shows the ink bottle status when ink consumption is 0%. Fig. 11(b) shows the ink bottle status when ink consumption is 90%. Fig. 11(c) shows the ink bottle status when ink consumption is 100%.
As a specific example, an ink bottle may be ordered when it is determined that 90% or more of the ink has been consumed, as shown in Fig. 11B. In this case, the difference of 10% of the ink volume may be set as a margin that takes into account the time it takes from ordering an ink bottle to receiving the ink bottle at the user's hand.

The amount of ink in one ink bottle can be determined based on information about the ink bottle (hereinafter also referred to as ink bottle information) stored in a specified storage area of the printer 104 (e.g., RAM 302, ROM 303, etc.). As a specific example, the model number of the target ink bottle may be stored as the ink bottle information. This makes it possible to determine the capacity of the ink bottle based on the model number by previously associating various information about the ink bottle, such as the capacity of the ink bottle (i.e., the amount of ink in one ink bottle) with the model number. Furthermore, with this mechanism, by updating the ink bottle information, such as the model number, stored in the printer 104, it is also possible to update the information on the capacity of the ink bottle installed in the printer 104, in other words, the threshold value to be compared when counting the amount of ink consumption.

Furthermore, as long as it is possible to manage the amount of ink consumption, there is no particular limitation on the method. As a specific example, the amount of ink consumption may be managed by counting the amount of ink ejected from the head. In this case, for example, the number of times ink is ejected from the head is counted using a counter value, and the amount of ink ejected up to that point (i.e., the amount of ink consumed) can be counted by multiplying the counter value by the amount of ink ejected in one ejection.
Furthermore, it is preferable that the ink consumption count is not reset when an ink bottle is ordered, but rather is reset after the ink volume of one ink bottle is counted, as shown in Fig. 11(c). If the ink consumption is reset when an ink bottle is ordered, and the ink bottle ordering threshold is 90% of the ink consumption, an error of 10% of the ink consumption will accumulate each time an ink bottle is ordered. In view of this situation, the count of the ink consumption of an ink bottle is not reset until it reaches 100%.

That is, in S607, the CPU 301 determines whether the ink consumption amount of each ink bottle updated in S602 has reached the threshold value. Note that in this case, the CPU 301 determines whether the ink consumption amount of each ink bottle has reached 100%.
If the CPU 301 determines in step S607 that the ink consumption amount in each ink bottle has not reached 100%, the CPU 301 ends the series of processes shown in FIG.
On the other hand, if the CPU 301 determines in step S607 that the ink consumption amount of each ink bottle has reached 100%, the process proceeds to step S608.

In S608, the CPU 301 updates the ink consumption of an ink bottle whose ink consumption has reached 100% to a value obtained by subtracting 100% from the ink consumption at that time. As a specific example, for an ink bottle whose ink consumption has reached 105% in S607, the ink consumption of that ink bottle is updated in S608 to a value obtained by subtracting 100% from the ink consumption at that time, 105%.

As described above, in this embodiment, the amount of ink actually consumed is counted, so even in a usage scenario in which ink is continually replenished from an ink bottle to the ink tank, it is possible to order a new ink bottle before the ink bottle becomes empty. This makes it possible to shorten (and ultimately eliminate) the period between when the ink actually runs out and when a new ink bottle is loaded.

On the other hand, if an ink bottle is discarded before being used to the end, or if the same ink bottle is used in another printer, the ink consumption count may be inaccurate. For this reason, the consumables ordering system 100 according to this embodiment is provided with a function to forcibly reset the ink consumption of each ink bottle.

For example, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the function of forcibly resetting the ink consumption amount of each ink bottle, and shows an example of a UI (User Interface) for operating this function. Note that in a situation where the ink bottle is always used up to the last drop, there is no need to forcibly reset the ink consumption amount of the ink bottle. In other words, this function is mainly used when resetting the ink consumption amount when using a new ink bottle. Note that in this embodiment, the software for managing the printer started on the client terminal 106 is operated via the operation unit 205, and the ink consumption amount of each ink bottle is reset according to the maintenance setting menu displayed on the display unit 206.

Fig. 8A shows an example of a screen for receiving instructions from a user regarding the display of various setting screens. When "Maintenance setting menu" is selected on the screen shown in Fig. 8A, a menu screen shown in Fig. 8B is displayed.
Fig. 8B shows an example of a menu screen for receiving instructions from a user regarding the execution of various maintenance functions. When "Reset ink bottle consumption counter" is selected on the menu screen shown in Fig. 8B, the menu screen shown in Fig. 8C is displayed.
Fig. 8C shows an example of a menu screen for receiving an instruction from a user to reset the ink consumption counters of each ink bottle. The menu screen shown in Fig. 8C presents a menu for receiving the designation of the ink bottle for which the ink consumption counters are to be reset. Specifically, in the example shown in Fig. 8C, a menu for designating the target for which the ink consumption counters are to be reset is presented, which corresponds to the ink bottles corresponding to "C", "M", "Y" and "K" respectively, and to all ink bottles. It is assumed here that "Reset all ink bottle consumption counters" has been selected.
Fig. 8(d) shows an example of a screen for receiving an instruction from the user as to whether or not to reset the ink consumption counters of the ink bottles designated as targets on the menu screen shown in Fig. 8(c). Here, "Reset all ink bottle consumption counters" has been selected on the menu screen shown in Fig. 8(c), so confirmation is being made as to whether or not to reset all ink bottle consumption counters. If "Yes" is selected in this state, all ink bottle consumption counters are reset.

Next, referring to FIG. 7, an example of the ordering process of consumables from the management server 102 to the retail store server 103 according to this embodiment will be described, focusing in particular on the process flow up until the management server 102 issues an order notification of an ink bottle to the retail store server 103. The series of processes shown in FIG. 7 are realized by the CPU 201 of the management server 102 expanding the program code stored in the ROM 203 or storage device 204 into the RAM 202 and executing it.

In S701, the management server 102 receives the printer status information sent by the printer 104.

In S702, the CPU 201 determines whether or not to order an ink bottle of the target color based on the printer status information received in S701.
If the CPU 201 determines in step S702 that an ink bottle of the target color is to be ordered, the process proceeds to step S703.
On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines in step S702 that the ink bottle of the target color is not to be ordered, the process proceeds to step S704, in which case step S703 is skipped.
In S703, the CPU 201 adds the ink bottle of the target color to the order list.

In S704, the CPU 201 determines whether the ink bottle ordering determination process and, if necessary, the ink bottle ordering process have been performed for all colors of ink tanks installed in the printer 104 (in other words, whether the processes of S702 to S703 have been executed).
If the CPU 201 determines in S704 that the processes in S702 and S703 have been executed for all colors of ink tanks installed in the printer 104, the process proceeds to S704.
On the other hand, if the CPU 201 determines in S704 that the processes in S702 to S703 have not been executed for all colors of ink tanks installed in the printer 104, the process proceeds to S702. In this case, the processes in S702 to S703 are executed for ink bottles that have not yet been targeted at that point.

In S705, the CPU 201 executes a process for ordering the ink bottles listed in the order list from the retailer. Specifically, the CPU 201 notifies the retailer server 103 of the combination information of the ink color and ink bottle model number listed in the order list. Note that in the ordering process, the CPU 201 may inquire of the user of the printer 104 by email or the like as to whether or not to place an order before notifying the retailer server 103. In this case, the CPU 201 may notify the retailer server 103 of the order if the user has permitted the order. Hereinafter, when the term "ordering process" is used, it refers to the process for ordering consumables such as ink bottles, including the form of first inquiring of the user as to whether or not to place an order, as described above.

Next, referring to FIG. 9, an example of a method for setting ink bottle information such as model numbers for each ink bottle attached to the printer 104 will be described, focusing in particular on a case where the setting is made based on instructions from the user. Specifically, a maintenance setting menu such as that shown in FIG. 9 is presented to the user via the display unit 206 by software for managing the printer that is started on the client terminal 106 capable of communicating with the printer 104. The user can set ink bottle information for each ink bottle by operating the operation unit 205 in accordance with the maintenance setting menu. Note that in the example shown in FIG. 9, the model number of the target ink bottle is set as the ink bottle information.

Fig. 9A shows an example of a screen for receiving instructions from a user regarding the display of various setting screens. When "Maintenance Setting Menu" is selected on the screen shown in Fig. 9A, a menu screen shown in Fig. 9B is displayed.
Fig. 9B shows an example of a menu screen for receiving instructions from a user regarding the execution of various maintenance functions. When "Set ink bottle model number" is selected on the menu screen shown in Fig. 9B, the menu screen shown in Fig. 9C is displayed.
Fig. 9(c) shows an example of a menu screen for receiving the model number (ink bottle information) of each ink bottle from the user. The menu screen shown in Fig. 9(c) presents a menu for receiving the designation of the ink bottle for which the model number is to be designated. Specifically, in the example shown in Fig. 9(c), menus corresponding to the ink bottles corresponding to "C", "M", "Y", and "K" are presented as menus indicating the model number designation targets. When any of the menus is selected by the user, a setting screen shown in Fig. 9(d) is displayed as a screen for setting the model number of the ink bottle associated with the menu.
Fig. 9(d) shows an example of a setting screen for setting the model number of the ink bottle designated as the target on the menu screen shown in Fig. 9(c). In the example shown in Fig. 9(d), a list of candidates for the model number of the ink bottle designated as the target on the menu screen shown in Fig. 9(c) is presented, and when the user selects one of the candidates, that candidate is set as the model number of the target ink bottle.

Next, referring to FIG. 13, an example of a process will be described in which the client terminal 106 that has received a designation of an ink bottle model number as illustrated in FIG. 9 sends the model number to the printer 104, thereby updating the model number of the ink bottle held in the printer 104.

When the model number of the target ink bottle is selected via the setting screen illustrated in FIG. 9D, in S1301, the client terminal 106 sends information on the model number of the ink bottle (e.g., ink bottle information) to the printer 104.
In S1302, the printer 104 updates the model number information of the target ink bottle stored inside the printer with the ink bottle model number information sent from the client terminal 106 in S1301. As a specific example, when the printer 104 receives information on the ink bottle model number corresponding to "C", it updates the information on the ink bottle model number corresponding to "C" among the information on the model numbers of each ink bottle stored inside the printer with that information.
In S1303, the printer 104 transmits to the client terminal 106 a response indicating that the registration of the ink bottle model number has been successful.

By applying the above control, the user can specify the model number of the ink bottle used in the printer via software for managing the printer that is launched on the client terminal, and register the model number in the printer. This makes it possible to control the reset value according to the model number of the ink bottle that is set when the ink consumption counter of the ink bottle is reset by the operation described with reference to FIG. 8. Therefore, for example, even in a situation where multiple sizes of ink bottles can be selected as candidates for the ink bottle to be installed in the printer, it becomes possible to perform the ordering process for the ink bottle at a more suitable time according to the size of the installed ink bottle.

In this embodiment, ink bottle information such as the ink bottle model number is specified via a client terminal such as a personal computer, but the method for receiving this specification is not necessarily limited. As a specific example, a smartphone may be used instead of a client terminal to specify ink bottle information such as the ink bottle model number.

In addition, when ink bottle information (e.g., model number, etc.) held in the printer is updated by an instruction via the client terminal, the printer may notify the client terminal of information indicating the status of the printer (printer status). As a specific example, when the ink consumption of each ink bottle reaches a predetermined threshold (e.g., the threshold for ordering ink bottles), the printer may send information to the client terminal indicating that the ink remaining in the ink bottle is low. This makes it possible to notify the user via the client terminal of the status of the ink bottles attached to the printer, and therefore, for example, to prompt the user to check and update the information of the ink bottles registered in the printer.

Second Embodiment
A second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below. In this embodiment, an example of a case where ink bottle information such as the model number of an ink bottle held in the printer 104 is updated by an operation via the display unit 306 and the operation unit 307 of the printer 104 will be described.

For example, FIG. 12 shows an example of a screen for the printer 104 to receive various instructions from the user.
Specifically, Fig. 12A shows an example of a screen for receiving instructions from a user regarding the display of various setting screens. When the "Ink Level Management" menu is selected on the screen shown in Fig. 12A, the menu screen shown in Fig. 12B is displayed.
Fig. 12B shows an example of a menu screen for receiving various instructions from the user relating to management of the remaining ink amount. When "Set ink bottle model number" is selected on the menu screen shown in Fig. 12B, the menu screen shown in Fig. 12C is displayed.
Fig. 12(c) shows an example of a menu screen for receiving the model number (ink bottle information) of each ink bottle from the user. The menu screen shown in Fig. 12(c) presents a menu for receiving the designation of the ink bottle for which the model number is to be designated. Specifically, in the example shown in Fig. 12(c), menus corresponding to the ink bottles corresponding to "C", "M", "Y", and "K" are presented as menus indicating the model number designation targets. When any of the menus is selected by the user, a setting screen shown in Fig. 12(d) is displayed as a screen for setting the model number of the ink bottle associated with the menu.
Fig. 12(d) shows an example of a setting screen for setting the model number of the ink bottle designated as the target on the menu screen shown in Fig. 12(c). In the example shown in Fig. 12(d), a list of candidates for the model number of the ink bottle designated as the target on the menu screen shown in Fig. 12(c) is presented, and when the user selects one of the candidates, that candidate is set as the model number of the target ink bottle.
When the model number of the target ink bottle is selected via the setting screen illustrated in FIG. 12(d), the printer 104 updates the model number information of the target ink bottle stored inside the printer with the information of the selected model number.

By applying the above control, the user can specify the model number of the ink bottle used in the printer by operating the operation unit of the printer body, and register the model number in the printer. This makes it possible to control the reset value according to the model number of the ink bottle that has been set when the ink consumption counter of the ink bottle is reset by the operation described with reference to FIG. 8. Therefore, for example, even in a situation where multiple sizes of ink bottles can be selected as candidates for the ink bottle to be installed in the printer, it becomes possible to perform the ordering process for the ink bottle at a more suitable time according to the size of the installed ink bottle.

Third Embodiment
A second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below. In this embodiment, an example of a case where ink bottle information, such as the model number of an ink bottle held in the printer 104, is updated based on information transmitted from the management server 102 will be described.

FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram showing an example of processing of the consumables ordering system 100 according to this embodiment.
In S1401, the printer 104 transmits a request for ink bottle model number information to the management server 102 in association with its own serial number.
In S1402, the management server 102 transmits to the printer 104 the model number information of the ink bottle corresponding to the serial number associated with the request from the printer 104 in S1401.
In S1403, the printer 104 updates the model number information of the ink bottle held within the printer with the model number information of the ink bottle received from the management server 102 in S1402.
In S1404, the printer 104 transmits a response to the management server 102 indicating that the registration of the ink bottle model number information has been successful.

By applying the above control, it becomes possible to register the model number of the ink bottle in the printer using the ink bottle model number information sent from a management server that can communicate with the printer. As a result, when the ink consumption counter of the ink bottle is reset by the operation described with reference to FIG. 8, it becomes possible to control the reset value according to the model number of the set ink bottle. Therefore, for example, even in a situation where multiple sizes of ink bottles can be selected as candidates for the ink bottle to be installed in the printer, it becomes possible to perform the ordering process for the ink bottle at a more suitable time according to the size of the installed ink bottle.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more of the functions.

Furthermore, various modifications may be made without departing from the basic technical concept of the present invention described above.
For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, an example has been described in which the printer 104 manages and updates ink bottle information, such as the model number of an ink bottle attached to the printer 104. That is, in each of the above-described embodiments, a component equivalent to a control device that is responsible for managing and updating the ink bottle information of the ink bottle attached to the printer 104 is built into the printer 104. Alternatively, the component equivalent to the control device can be realized by an external device that can communicate with the printer 104.
As a specific example, the management server 102 may operate as the control device that manages and updates the ink bottle information of the ink bottle attached to the target printer 104. In this case, for example, the management server 102 may count the ink consumption of each ink bottle in the printer 104 by acquiring information indicating the amount of ink ejected from the head from the printer 104. Furthermore, the management server 102 may execute a process related to ordering an ink bottle when the ink consumption of each ink bottle reaches a threshold value for ordering an ink bottle. In addition, the management server 102 may manage the capacity of the target ink bottle by appropriately updating the ink bottle information (e.g., the model number of the ink bottle) that it holds. As a specific example, when the management server 102 receives an order for an ink bottle, it may update the ink bottle information that it holds according to the ink bottle to be ordered.

In addition, as long as it is possible to identify the ink bottle (and thus the capacity of the ink bottle) attached to the printer 104, the method for identifying the ink bottle is not particularly limited. For example, the printer 104 itself may detect the type of the attached ink bottle. As a specific example, the printer 104 may detect the type of the ink bottle according to the connection state of the ink bottle's inlet when ink is injected. It should be noted that the method for detecting the type of the ink bottle according to the connection state of the ink bottle's inlet can also be realized by known technology. As a specific example, it is also possible to detect the type of the ink bottle attached to the printer 104 by the physical connection state using a switch or the like. As another example, it is also possible to detect the type of the ink bottle attached to the printer 104 by non-contact communication between the printer 104 and the ink bottle attached to the printer 104. In this case, for example, the information of the ink bottle may be stored in an IC chip embedded in the ink bottle, and the information may be notified to the printer 104 during non-contact communication. By applying the above mechanism, for example, the printer 104 can automatically recognize the type of ink bottle installed in the printer and update the ink bottle information it holds according to the type of ink bottle installed.

The disclosure of the present embodiment also includes the following configurations, systems, methods, and programs.
(Configuration 1) A control device for controlling an image forming device having an ink tank that stores ink supplied from an ink bottle and a head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank, comprising:
A control device comprising: a management means for managing the consumption of ink ejected from the head; a storage means for storing ink bottle information associated with the capacity of the ink bottle; and an update means for updating the ink bottle information stored in the storage means in response to a received instruction, wherein a determination is made as to whether or not to order ink bottles based on the ink bottle information stored in the storage means and the consumption of ink.
(Configuration 2) The control device described in configuration 1, characterized in that the management means counts the amount of ink ejected from the head using a counter value, and when the counter value reaches a threshold value, resets the counter value according to the capacity of the ink bottle associated with the ink bottle information stored in the update means.
(Configuration 3) The control device described in configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the control device is built into the image forming device, and the update means updates the ink bottle information held in the holding means in response to at least one of instructions from a user via an operation means possessed by the image forming device, instructions transmitted from an external device via a network, and instructions from a detection means for detecting the type of the ink bottle attached to the image forming device.
(Configuration 4) The control device described in Configuration 3, wherein the external device is a terminal device held by a user, and the update means updates the ink bottle information held in the holding means with ink bottle information transmitted from the terminal device.
(Configuration 5) The control device described in Configuration 4, characterized in that the update means updates the ink bottle information held in the holding means with ink bottle information corresponding to the ink bottle transmitted from the terminal device when the terminal device places an order for an ink bottle in response to an instruction from a user.
(Configuration 6) The control device described in configuration 4, characterized in that when the ink consumption reaches a threshold value corresponding to the capacity of the ink bottle associated with the ink bottle information held in the update means, the management means sends a notification to the terminal device indicating that the ink remaining in the ink bottle is low, and the update means updates the ink bottle information held in the holding means with the ink bottle information sent from the terminal device that received the notification.
(Configuration 7) The control device described in configuration 3, wherein the external device is a server that accepts orders for ink bottles, and the update means, when the server accepts an order for an ink bottle, updates the ink bottle information held in the holding means with ink bottle information corresponding to the ink bottle sent from the server.
(Configuration 8) The control device described in configuration 1 or 2, characterized in that the control device is connected to the image forming device via a network, and the management means counts the amount of ink ejected from the head based on a notification sent from the image forming device in conjunction with the ejection of ink from the head, and manages the amount of ink consumption.
(Configuration 9) The control device described in configuration 8, further comprising a receiving means for receiving an order for an ink bottle, wherein the updating means, when the receiving means receives an order for an ink bottle, updates the ink bottle information held in the holding means with ink bottle information corresponding to the ink bottle.
(Configuration 10) The control device according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, wherein the management means manages the ink consumption amount by counting the amount of ink ejected from the head.
(System 1) An information processing system including an image forming device having an ink tank for storing ink supplied from an ink bottle, and a head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank, characterized in that the information processing system has: a management means for managing the consumption of ink ejected from the head; a storage means for storing ink bottle information including the capacity of the ink bottle; an update means for updating the ink bottle information stored in the storage means in response to a received instruction; and a judgment means for determining whether to order ink bottles based on the ink bottle information stored in the storage means and the consumption of ink.
(Method 1) A control method for a control device that controls an image forming device having an ink tank that stores ink supplied from an ink bottle and a head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank, the control method including a management step of managing the consumption of ink ejected from the head, a retention step of retaining ink bottle information associated with the capacity of the ink bottle, and an update step of updating the ink bottle information retained in the retention step in accordance with a received instruction, characterized in that a determination is made as to whether or not to order ink bottles based on the ink bottle information retained in the retention step and the consumption of ink.
(Program 1) A program for causing a computer to function as a control device that controls an image forming device having an ink tank that stores ink supplied from an ink bottle and a head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank, the control device having a management means for managing the consumption of ink ejected from the head, a storage means for storing ink bottle information associated with the capacity of the ink bottle, and an update means for updating the ink bottle information stored in the storage means in response to a received instruction, and characterized in that a determination is made as to whether or not to order ink bottles based on the ink bottle information stored in the storage means and the consumption of ink.

100 Consumables ordering system 102 Management server 104 Printer 309 Ink tank section

Claims (13)

A control device for controlling an image forming device having an ink tank that stores ink supplied from an ink bottle and a head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank,
a management means for managing the consumption amount of ink ejected from the head;
a storage unit for storing ink bottle information associated with the capacity of the ink bottle;
an updating unit that updates the ink bottle information stored in the storage unit in response to a received instruction;
having
a control device for determining whether or not to order ink bottles based on the ink bottle information stored in the storage device and the amount of ink consumed. The management means includes:
Counting the amount of ink ejected from the head using a counter value;
The control device according to claim 1 , wherein when the counter value reaches a threshold value, the counter value is reset according to the capacity of the ink bottle associated with the ink bottle information held in the update means. The control device is built into the image forming apparatus,
The update means includes:
An instruction from a user via an operation unit of the image forming apparatus;
An instruction transmitted from an external device via a network;
An instruction from a detection means for detecting the type of the ink bottle attached to the image forming apparatus;
2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the ink bottle information held in the holding means is updated in response to at least one of the instructions above. the external device is a terminal device held by a user,
The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the update means updates the ink bottle information held in the holding means with the ink bottle information transmitted from the terminal device. The control device according to claim 4, characterized in that the update means updates the ink bottle information held in the holding means with the ink bottle information corresponding to the ink bottle transmitted from the terminal device when the terminal device places an order for an ink bottle in response to an instruction from a user. the management means, when the consumption amount of the ink reaches a threshold value corresponding to the capacity of the ink bottle associated with the ink bottle information held in the update means, sends a notification to the terminal device indicating that the ink remaining in the ink bottle is low;
The control device according to claim 4 , wherein the update means updates the ink bottle information held in the holding means with the ink bottle information transmitted from the terminal device that has received the notification. the external device is a server that receives orders for ink bottles,
4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein the update means updates the ink bottle information held in the holding means with ink bottle information corresponding to the ink bottle transmitted from the server when the server receives an order for the ink bottle. the control device is connected to the image forming device via a network,
The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the management unit counts the amount of ink ejected from the head based on a notification sent from the image forming device in association with the ejection of ink from the head, and manages the amount of ink consumption. A receiving means for receiving an order for an ink bottle is provided,
9. The control device according to claim 8, wherein the update means updates the ink bottle information held by the holding means with the ink bottle information corresponding to the ink bottle when the acceptance means accepts an order for the ink bottle. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the management means manages the ink consumption amount by counting the amount of ink ejected from the head. An information processing system including an image forming apparatus having an ink tank that stores ink supplied from an ink bottle, and a head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank,
a management means for managing the consumption amount of ink ejected from the head;
a storage unit for storing ink bottle information including the capacity of the ink bottle;
an update unit that updates the ink bottle information stored in the storage unit in response to a received instruction;
a determining means for determining whether or not to order an ink bottle based on the ink bottle information stored in the storing means and the amount of ink consumed;
An information processing system comprising: 1. A control method for a control device that controls an image forming device having an ink tank that stores ink supplied from an ink bottle and a head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank, comprising the steps of:
a management step of managing the consumption amount of ink ejected from the head;
a storage step of storing ink bottle information associated with the capacity of the ink bottle;
an updating step of updating the ink bottle information held in the holding step in response to a received instruction;
Including,
a control method for a control device, comprising: determining whether or not to order ink bottles based on the ink bottle information stored in the storing step and the amount of ink consumed. Computer,
A control device for controlling an image forming device having an ink tank that stores ink supplied from an ink bottle and a head to which ink is supplied from the ink tank,
a management means for managing the consumption amount of ink ejected from the head;
a storage unit for storing ink bottle information associated with the capacity of the ink bottle;
an update unit that updates the ink bottle information stored in the storage unit in response to a received instruction;
having
a control device that determines whether or not to order an ink bottle based on the ink bottle information stored in the storage means and the amount of ink consumed.

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