JP3505849B2 - Diagnosis system for image printing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a diagnostic system for an image printing apparatus, and more particularly, to an image forming unit in a printing device such as a printer for printing characters or images, or between a device such as a printer and a remote device such as a print server. The present invention relates to a diagnostic system for an image printing apparatus that performs maintenance or failure diagnosis of the communication unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a printing apparatus such as a printer for printing characters or images has a local printing function for performing maintenance / fault diagnosis of an image forming unit for forming an output image. The local print function is a function of storing test pattern data in the printing apparatus and using the data to print out the test pattern by the printing apparatus alone. The administrator of the printing apparatus prints a specific test pattern held in the printing apparatus by this local printing function, and inspects whether or not the resulting print image is normal, thereby maintaining / maintaining the image forming unit. Diagnosis can be done.

As described above, with respect to the printing apparatus, the image forming section can be maintained / diagnosed by the local printing function, but the communication section with the remote apparatus such as a workstation to which the printing apparatus is connected. Will be offline during local printing.
No maintenance / diagnosis is possible.

On the other hand, conventionally, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 0-159928, at the time of executing local printing, input of an image signal from a remote device is also accepted, and the image signal is superimposed on the data of the test pattern held in the printing device and printed. Thus, maintenance / diagnosis including the communication part with the remote device can be performed.

[0005]

By the way, since the conventional printing apparatus usually has only one type of test pattern data, the details of any troubles in the image forming unit can be obtained from the printing result of such test pattern. There was a problem that there is a limit in making various diagnoses.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a diagnostic system for an image printing apparatus, which enables more detailed diagnosis of the printing apparatus by using various test patterns. .

Another object of the present invention is to provide a diagnostic system for an image printing apparatus capable of simultaneously performing maintenance / diagnosis including communication with a remote device.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in a diagnostic system for diagnosing an image printing apparatus, a test pattern input means for inputting a first test pattern for diagnosis, the first test pattern, and a download command. And a diagnostic instructing means for outputting a first diagnostic print command,
A print processing apparatus having: a first test pattern;
Communication means for receiving the download command and the first diagnostic print command, first test pattern storage means for storing a test pattern to be printed, and downloading the first test pattern according to the download command. First image formation for storing the first test pattern stored in the first test pattern storage means as a second test pattern and printing the first test pattern received from the print processing apparatus according to the first diagnostic print command. A print control unit that outputs a second image formation command that outputs a command and that reads the second test pattern from the first test pattern storage unit and prints it; the first image formation command and the second image formation command. An image forming unit that forms an image in accordance with the image forming instruction of And wherein the Ranaru.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the first test pattern prepared by the test pattern input means of the print processing apparatus is transmitted to the printing apparatus through the diagnosis instructing means, and the printing apparatus transmits the transmitted first test pattern to the communication means. And the second control pattern is stored in the test pattern storage means through the print control means. That is, the diagnostic test pattern is downloaded from the print processing apparatus to the printing apparatus. The print processing apparatus transmits the prepared first test pattern to the image forming section through the diagnosis instruction section, the communication section of the printing apparatus, and the print control section, and executes remote printing. The printing device transmits the downloaded second test pattern to the image forming unit through the print control unit and executes local printing. By comparing print results printed by remote printing and local printing using the same test pattern, it is possible to diagnose the communication part between the image forming unit and the print processing apparatus, and the print processing apparatus. A more detailed diagnosis can be made by changing the test pattern prepared by the test pattern input means.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a principle block diagram of a diagnostic system for an image printing apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the diagnostic system of the image printing apparatus is composed of a print processing apparatus 10 as a remote device and a printing apparatus 20. The print processing apparatus 10 can prepare a diagnostic instruction unit 11 for instructing execution of diagnostics and various test patterns 12a, and a test pattern input unit 1
2 and. The diagnosis instructing unit 11 has a test pattern developing unit 11 a and a printing device control unit 11 b that controls communication with the printing device 20. The test pattern expansion unit 11a is used according to the data format of the test pattern 12a, and expands / expands the data when the test pattern 12a is in the compressed format. Printing device 20
Is a print control unit 21 that controls the entire printing apparatus 20.
And a read-only memory (ROM) type test pattern storage unit 22 for storing the pattern data of the test pattern 22a in advance, and a random access memory (RAM) for storing the pattern data of the test pattern 23a downloaded from the print processing apparatus 10. ) Type test pattern storage unit 23 and image forming unit 24 for printing
And a communication unit 25 that communicates with the print processing apparatus 10.

In the above structure, when the failure diagnosis is executed, the test pattern input section 12 of the print processing apparatus 10 is used.
The test pattern 12a is prepared in the diagnostic instruction section 1
This test pattern 12a is transmitted to the printing device 20 through the printing device control portion 11b of the diagnosis instructing portion 11 together with the download command of 1. The test pattern 12
If a has a compressed data format and the print control unit 21 of the printing apparatus 20 does not have a data decompression function, the test pattern decompression unit 11a decompresses / decompresses the data in advance and prints it. It will be transmitted to the device 20. In the printing device 20, the communication unit 25 receives the transmitted download command and the test pattern 12a, and the print control unit 21 stores the test pattern 12a in the test pattern storage unit 23 as the test pattern 23a in accordance with the download command.

The print processing apparatus 10 uses the test pattern 12a prepared by the test pattern input unit 12 as the diagnostic instruction unit 1
Printing device control unit 11b together with the diagnostic print command 1
To the printing device 20 through. The printing apparatus 20 sends the diagnostic print command and the test pattern 12a.
The communication control section 21 receives the print command from the communication section 25, and the print control section 21 transmits an image forming command of the test pattern 12a to the image forming section 24 in accordance with the diagnostic print command to execute remote printing.
On the other hand, when the printing apparatus 20 receives the diagnostic print command from the print processing apparatus 10, the print control unit 21 reads the downloaded test pattern 23a from the test pattern storage unit 23 according to the diagnostic print command,
The image forming unit 24 sends the image forming command of the test pattern 23a.
To perform local printing.

Since the print result of the remote print and the print result of the local print are both printed based on the test pattern 12a, by comparing these print results, the printing device 20 and the printing device 20 are compared. The normality of the communication part with the print processing apparatus 10 can be diagnosed. In addition, the print processing apparatus 1
In 0, the test pattern input unit 12 prepares a plurality of test patterns 12a and changes the test pattern 12a according to the symptom of the failure obtained by the diagnosis, so that more detailed diagnosis can be performed.

Next, a case of making a diagnosis using test pattern data in the printing apparatus as pattern data will be described. The print processing apparatus 10 transmits an upload command from the diagnosis instructing unit 11 to the printing device 20 through the printing device control unit 11b. The printing device 20 has a communication unit 25.
When the upload command is received at, the print control unit 21
Reads the test pattern 22a from the test pattern storage unit 22 according to the upload command, and the communication unit 25
Through the print processing apparatus 10. Print processing device 1
0 indicates the test pattern 2 transmitted from the printing device 20.
2a is received by the printer control unit 11b and stored in the test pattern input unit 12 as a test pattern 12a.

Next, remote printing is performed using the uploaded test pattern 12a. That is,
The test pattern 12a is transmitted to the printing device 20 through the printing device control unit 11b together with the diagnostic print command of the diagnostic instruction unit 11. The printing device 20 receives the diagnostic print command and the test pattern 12a transmitted by the communication unit 25. The print control unit 21 transmits an image forming command of the test pattern 12a to the image forming unit 24 according to the diagnostic print command, and executes remote printing. On the other hand, when the printing apparatus 20 receives the diagnostic print command from the print processing apparatus 10, the print control unit 21 reads the test pattern 22a stored in the test pattern storage unit 22 according to the diagnostic print command, and the test pattern 22a. Image forming command is transmitted to the image forming unit 24, and local printing is executed.

Here, by comparing the print results of the remote print and the local print, it is possible to diagnose the normality of the printing device 20 and the communication portion between the printing device 20 and the print processing device 10.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of the flow at the time of executing the diagnosis. According to the flowchart shown in the figure, first, as test print data used for diagnosis,
It is determined whether to use the data in the printing apparatus or the separately prepared external data (step S1). If external data is used, a test pattern download process is performed (step S2), and if internal data is used, a test pattern upload process is performed (step S3). Next, the remote test print is executed from the print processing apparatus using the external data or the uploaded data in the printing apparatus (step S4), and then the external data downloaded from the print processing apparatus or the data in the printing apparatus is used. A local test print is executed by the printing device (step S5). And
The print results of the remote test print and the local test print are compared to diagnose a failure in the image forming unit or the like (step S6).

The flow chart shown is an example, and the order of remote test print and local test print may be changed, and when external data is used as the data of the test pattern, the remote test print is performed before step S1. The test print may be executed first, or when the internal data in the printing apparatus is used as the data of the test pattern, the local test print may be executed before step S1.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the test pattern download processing. When the test pattern data is downloaded from the print processing apparatus 10 to the print apparatus 20, first, if the data format of the test pattern is a compression format, the test pattern expansion unit 11a expands the test pattern (step S11), and the standard data If it is the format, the test pattern developing unit 11a passes. The diagnosis instructing unit 11 transmits a download start command to the printing device 20 through the printing device control unit 11b (step S1).
2). Upon receiving the download start command through the communication unit 25, the print control unit 21 changes the transfer destination of the print data from the image forming unit 24 to the test pattern storage unit 23 (step S13). The print processing apparatus 10 transmits the developed test pattern data to the printing apparatus 20, and the printing apparatus 20
Stores the received data in the test pattern storage unit 23 (step S14). After transmitting the data, the print processing apparatus 10 transmits a download end command to the printing apparatus 20 (step S15). Then, the print control unit 21 of the printing apparatus 20 changes the transfer destination of the print data from the test pattern storage unit 23 to the image forming unit 24 (step S1).
6).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a test pattern upload process. When uploading the test pattern data from the printing device 20 to the print processing device 10, first, the diagnosis instructing unit 11 causes the printing device control unit 11b.
The upload start command is transmitted to the printing device 20 through the (step S21). Upon receiving the upload start command through the communication unit 25, the print control unit 21 changes the transfer destination of the print data from the image forming unit 24 to the communication unit 25 (step S22). The diagnosis instructing unit 11 transmits an upload execution command to the printing device 20 (step S23). The print control unit 21 includes a test pattern storage unit 22.
The test pattern data is read from and transmitted to the print processing apparatus 10 (step S24). The received test pattern data is stored in the test pattern input unit 12 (step S25). After receiving the data, the print processing apparatus 10 transmits an upload end command to the printing apparatus 20 (step S26). Then, the print control unit 21 of the printing apparatus 20 changes the transfer destination of the print data from the communication unit 25 to the image forming unit 24 (step S27).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the remote test print process. When printing a test pattern from the print processing apparatus 10, first, when execution of remote printing is started, if the data format of the test pattern is a compressed format, the test pattern expansion unit 11a expands the test pattern (step S31). ). The diagnosis instructing unit 11 transmits a test print start command to the printing device 20 through the printing device control unit 11b (step S32). Following this, the diagnosis instructing unit 11 transmits the data of the test pattern developed by the test pattern developing unit 11a to the printing device 20 through the printing device control unit 11b (step S33). Then, the print control unit 21 of the printing apparatus 20 transmits the received test pattern data to the image forming unit 24 (step S34).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the local test print process. In the case of local printing in which printing of test pattern data in the printing device 20 is performed, first, the diagnostic instruction unit 11 of the print processing device 10 transmits a test print start command to the printing device 20 through the printing device control unit 11b ( Step S41). The print control unit 21 of the printing apparatus 20 changes the print data input destination from the communication unit 25 to the test pattern storage unit 22 or 23 (step S42). Then, the print control unit 21 of the printing apparatus 20 transmits the test pattern data from the test pattern storage unit 22 or 23 to the image forming unit 24 (step S).
34).

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a system to which the diagnostic system of the image printing apparatus of the present invention is applied. In this figure, 30 is a remote device, and 40 is a printer for printing characters or images. The remote device 30 can be, for example, a workstation or a personal computer on a LAN (local information communication network), functions as a print server, and corresponds to the print processing apparatus 10 shown in FIG. The printer 40 corresponds to the printing device 20 shown in FIG. 1 and executes printing in response to a print request requested from a client machine on the network through the remote device 30.

The data of the external test pattern for performing the fault diagnosis is stored in the form of a file in the hard disk of the remote device 30, and when the diagnosis is executed, a data file suitable for the diagnosis is selected and downloaded to the printer 40. Then, remote printing of the selected data file is executed from the remote device 30, and the printer 40
Command to execute local print of the downloaded data file.

The test pattern data stored in the printer 40 can be compressed. In this case, the print control unit in the printer 40 has a function of decompressing the compressed data, and at the time of printing, the decompression function is used to decompress the compressed data before passing it to the image forming unit. ing. Further, when the print control unit in the printer 40 has a decompression function, the diagnostic instruction unit in the remote device 30 does not necessarily need the test pattern expansion unit. As described above, when the compressed data is used for the test pattern, the size of the data file and the memory capacity for storing the data can be reduced.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the print processing apparatus and the printing apparatus, the data of the test pattern held by one is transferred to the other, and the same pattern is applied to both the print processing apparatus and the printing apparatus. It is configured to have data and use the data to perform a remote test print and a local test print from the print processing device to the printing device. For this reason, maintenance / diagnosis of the image forming unit of the printing apparatus including the communication section between the printing processing apparatus and the printing apparatus can be performed, and external data can be used as the data of the test pattern. Can be prepared and select the data of the optimum test pattern according to the symptom of the failure.
Can be used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle configuration diagram of a diagnostic system for an image printing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a flow at the time of executing a diagnosis.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a test pattern download process.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of upload processing of a test pattern.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of remote test print processing.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of local test print processing.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a system to which a diagnostic system for an image printing apparatus of the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Print processing device 11 Diagnosis instruction section 11a Test pattern development unit 11b Printer control unit 12 Test pattern input section 12a test pattern 20 printing devices 21 Print control unit 22 Test pattern storage (ROM) 22a test pattern 23 Test pattern storage (RAM) 23a test pattern 24 Image forming section

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Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. In a diagnostic system for diagnosing an image printing apparatus, a test pattern input means for inputting a first test pattern for diagnosis, the first test pattern, a download command, and a first diagnostic print command. A print processing apparatus having: a diagnostic instruction unit for outputting the first test pattern, a communication unit for receiving the download command and the first diagnostic print command, and a test pattern to be printed. A first test pattern storing means, the first test pattern is downloaded according to the download command, and is stored as a second test pattern in the first test pattern storing means;
Output a first image formation command for printing the first test pattern received from the print processing device according to the diagnostic print command and read the second test pattern from the first test pattern storage means. A print control unit that outputs a second image forming command for performing printing by means of an image forming unit, and an image forming unit that forms an image in accordance with the first image forming command and the second image forming command. Image printing device diagnostic system. 2. The diagnostic system for an image printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the print processing apparatus further includes a test pattern expansion unit that expands / expands compressed test pattern data. 3. A diagnostic system for diagnosing an image printing apparatus, wherein a third test pattern for diagnosis is uploaded and a fourth test pattern is uploaded.
Pattern processing means for storing the test pattern as a test pattern, and a diagnostic instruction means for outputting the fourth test pattern, the upload command and the second diagnostic print command, and the third and fourth print processing devices. Communication pattern for transmitting and receiving the test pattern, the upload command and the second diagnostic print command, a second test pattern storage unit for storing the third predetermined test pattern, and the communication unit according to the upload command. The third test pattern is read out from the second test pattern storage means, and the fourth test pattern is input to the test pattern input means of the print processing apparatus.
Of the third test pattern stored in the second test pattern storage command, which is uploaded as a test pattern of the second test pattern and is output in accordance with the second diagnostic print command to print the fourth test pattern received from the print processing apparatus. A print control means for outputting a fourth image forming command for reading out and printing the third test pattern from the means, and an image forming means for forming an image in accordance with the third image forming command and the fourth image forming command. An image printing apparatus diagnostic system comprising: 4. The diagnostic system for an image printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the print processing apparatus further includes a test pattern expanding unit that expands / expands compressed test pattern data. 5. A diagnostic method for diagnosing an image printing device in which a print processing device is connected to a printing device, wherein data of a test pattern held by one of the print processing device and the printing device is transferred to the other. The print processing device and the printing device both have the same pattern data, and the print processing device remotely uses the test pattern data that it has or the test pattern data that is uploaded from the printing device. While executing the test print, the printing device executes the local test print by using the test pattern data downloaded from the print processing device or the test pattern data owned by the printing device, and the print result by the remote test print and the local Compare the print result of the test print and A method of diagnosing an image printing device, comprising: diagnosing the image printing device.