JP2923885B2 - Office equipment operation / alarm information display method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operation / alarm information display system capable of confirming operation / alarm information of office equipment such as a printer or a facsimile machine having a printing function from a remote position.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The operating state or alarm information of office equipment such as printers, copiers, and facsimile machines is generally displayed in characters or codes on a display unit provided on an operation panel of the apparatus body. In order to check the state, etc., it is necessary to go to the installation location of the device each time, and the efficiency of work is poor.

In recent years, printers have recently been provided with a plurality of personal computers (hereinafter, referred to as PCs) via a network interface or the like.
In many cases, printing is performed in response to a print command from a computer or a workstation (hereinafter, referred to as WS). In such a case, the printer is often arranged at a position distant from the PC or WS. It is inefficient to go to the printer installation location to check whether the printer is operating during printing or whether an alarm such as out of paper, out of toner, or paper jam has occurred.

As one means for solving this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-154565 discloses a facsimile apparatus having a transmitting antenna and a radio wave transmitting unit, and a receiving antenna and a receiving unit for receiving a radio wave from the transmitting unit. By arranging a monitoring panel with a display in a place where all users of the machine can easily see it, the operation status can be checked by the monitoring panel without having to go to the place where the facsimile is installed, thereby improving work efficiency. Techniques for trying are described.

[0005]

According to the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, the operation state of the facsimile apparatus can be checked without going to the place where the facsimile apparatus is installed, so that the work efficiency is improved. But for that,
The facsimile apparatus must be provided with a transmitter and a transmitting antenna, and the monitoring panel must be provided with a receiving antenna and a receiver, which causes a problem that the apparatus becomes complicated and costly.

When accessing the printer from a plurality of PCs or WSs, the operation / alarm information of the printer is
It is also conceivable to use a printing interface between the printer C and WS and the printer, but in that case, the PC, WS
A function must be added to the printer driver program on the side of the printer, which causes a problem of compatibility with existing printers and products of other manufacturers.

The present invention is particularly applicable to office equipment for printing and the like.
It is an object of the present invention to make it possible to check the operation state or the alarm information without going to the place where the office equipment is installed by simply adding a very simple configuration, thereby improving work efficiency. .

The present invention relates to an office equipment main body having a printing function, such as a printer, a facsimile machine, or a copying machine.
During printing, sending / receiving, copying, etc. or running out of paper,
Install a telescopic pole equipped with a light-emitting display element that can display alarm information such as paper jams and running out of toner, and extend the pole during use to extend the floor on which the office machine is installed. The operation state of the light-emitting display element can be confirmed from anywhere by the light-emitting state of the light-emitting display element. Ma
In addition, the pole has a light emitting element disposed at the top thereof.
Except to be able to be stored in the office equipment body
And the pole is housed in the office equipment body
In the state, the light emitting element arranged at the uppermost position
Characterized in that an alarm display of the office equipment is performed.
Is what you do.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram in which an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a printer. In FIG. 1, a control unit 5 and an information display unit 6 (liquid crystal panel, LE
D) are provided in a conventional printer,
In the present invention, a new display information converter 4, an electric signal line 7,
A telescopic pole 2 and an LED 3 as a light emitting element are added. The electric signal line 7 is configured to be extended into the telescopic pole according to the expansion and contraction of the telescopic pole 2.

Usually, the operation / alarm information of the printer is
The information is transmitted from the control unit 5 to the information display unit 6,
(Indication is performed by a liquid surface panel or LED built in the main body). In the present invention, the operation / alarm information from the control unit 5 is simultaneously received by the display information conversion unit 4,
After converting into a signal required for ED lighting, the signal is supplied to the LED 3 via the electric signal line 7 wired in the telescopic pole 2,
The operation / alarm information of the printer is displayed by turning on the LED 3 provided at the tip of the telescopic pole 2.

A plurality of LEDs 3 of different emission colors (for example, red, yellow, and green) are arranged as the LEDs 3, and emits only green during normal operation, emits green and yellow during printing, and causes paper jams and the like. In this alarm state, a plurality of states can be displayed by appropriately combining, for example, emitting only red light when the remaining amount of paper and toner is small, and emitting only yellow light.

In use, since the telescopic pole 2 is extended, the printer user can check the lighting state of the LED 3 from a remote position, and can check the operation / alarm information of the printer without going to the printer installation position. Obtainable. When not needed, the telescopic pole 2 is stored in the printer body as shown in FIG.
Only use as alarm display.

In FIG. 1, the present invention is applied to a printer. However, the present invention can be applied to a facsimile apparatus or a copying machine as long as it has a printing function. Further, although an LED is used as the light emitting element, an appropriate light emitting element such as a lamp that can be visually recognized can be used.

[0014]

According to the present invention, the office equipment main body is provided with a telescopic or collapsible pole having a light emitting display element for displaying operation / alarm information of the office equipment at the tip thereof. Alternatively, it is possible to check the alarm information from a distance without going to the installation location, and it is possible to improve the work efficiency.

Further, for this purpose, there is no need to provide a dedicated transceiver, or to consider compatibility between office equipment, and the cost can be reduced. In addition, no need
Sometimes, retractable pole 2 is stored inside the printer
Only the LED (red) is normally provided on the main body.
It can also be used as a game display .

[0016]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view illustrating an operation state of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer main body 2 Telescopic pole 3 LED 4 Display information conversion part 5 Control part 6 Information display part 7 Electric signal line

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A telescopic pole is provided on an office equipment main body, and different colors are emitted at the tip of the pole .
That is composed of a plurality of light emitting elements and so as to correspond to the operating / alarm information of the office equipment with placing a light emitting display device that performs different display to each other, the pole, its
Excluding the light-emitting element located at the top of the office equipment book
It is configured so that it can be stored in a reduced size in the body, and
When the tool is stored in the office equipment body.
The light emitting element located at the top places the office equipment
Office equipment, characterized in that to perform alarm display operation / alarm information display system. 2. The display of different operation information of the office equipment,
Corresponding to the plurality of light emitting elements of different colors.
2. The operation of the office equipment according to claim 1,
Alarm information display method. 3. The display of different operation information of the office equipment,
The operation / alarm information display method for office equipment according to claim 1, wherein the method is adapted to correspond to a combination of light emission states of the plurality of light emitting elements . 4. An LED is used as said light emitting display element.
The operation / alarm information display method for office equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: 5. The office equipment includes a printer, facsimile
Or one of a copier and a copier
The operation / alarm information display method for office equipment according to claim 1 .