JP3876520B2 - Auxiliary information display device, auxiliary information display method, and medium on which auxiliary information display program is recorded - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an auxiliary information display device that displays failure recovery auxiliary information that assists in recovery of a failure in a peripheral device, an auxiliary information display method, and a medium that records an auxiliary information display program.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, electronic manuals have been adopted in peripheral devices connected to a PC body for the purpose of improving the convenience of manual reference work. In many cases, this electronic manual is provided on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM attached to a peripheral device, and is incorporated into a PC body through a predetermined installation process. This electronic manual covers a lot of information. For example, when a peripheral device does not operate normally, a user performs input according to a predetermined operation. Then, since the electronic manual displays a selection screen for allowing the user to select the symptom, when the user selects the corresponding symptom on the displayed selection screen, there is a solution for solving the symptom. Searched and displayed on the screen.
[0003]
Here, since there are cases where a plurality of causes are assumed as the cause of the peripheral device not operating, a plurality of countermeasures may be displayed. In this case, since it is no longer necessary for the user to determine which coping method is appropriate, the user selects and applies the coping method that seems to be most appropriate.
[0004]
Also, although we tried applying the most appropriate countermeasure, if the peripheral device still does not work, apply the following countermeasure and apply different countermeasures sequentially until the peripheral device operates. Will do.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The conventional techniques described above have the following problems.
[0006]
Certainly, if a symptom is selected when the peripheral device does not operate normally, a coping method for solving the symptom is searched and displayed on the screen, so that convenience can be improved. However, when a plurality of countermeasures are displayed, it may be difficult to determine which countermeasure is appropriate. Therefore, in such a case, the user must apply the coping method indiscriminately and waste time until the peripheral device operates normally.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and when displaying auxiliary information for assisting recovery from a failure in a peripheral device, it is possible to reduce the load of judgment by the user and shorten the time until the failure is restored. An auxiliary information display device, an auxiliary information display method, and a medium on which an auxiliary information display program is recorded are provided.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The auxiliary information display device of the present invention is
An auxiliary information display device for displaying auxiliary information for assisting recovery from a failure in a peripheral device on a display unit,
A selection means for selecting an item related to the failure of the peripheral device by a user's selection operation;
Status information acquisition means for acquiring predetermined status information from the peripheral device;
Symptoms of failure of the peripheral device that can be displayed on the display unit, status information of the peripheral device that can be assumed as the cause of the failure indicating the symptom, and recovery from the failure that is caused by the status information Database means for storing the auxiliary information in association with each other;
Based on the user's selection operation, the status information acquisition unit acquires the status information from the peripheral device, and searches the database unit to detect whether the item selected by the user and the status information are correct. Then, the auxiliary information associated with the acquired state information is acquired from the database unit and displayed on the display unit.
It is characterized by having.
[0010]
Here, auxiliary information is not only information that assists recovery from a failure when the peripheral device does not operate normally, but is normal when the user subjectively thinks that the peripheral device does not operate normally. This information includes auxiliary information for returning to a state that seems to be a problem. Generally, whether or not the cause is called a failure is not a problem here. For example, when the operation status of a peripheral device can be set, the setting is different from the normal setting, and if it is viewed objectively, it operates as set, but it operates normally from the user's subjective viewpoint. It also includes information that assists in returning to a normal state in the case where it is not considered normal.
[0011]
The state information is information indicating a specific state of the peripheral device, and is used for selecting auxiliary information that can be assumed from auxiliary information prepared in advance as described above. Accordingly, the contents vary depending on the type of peripheral device and the like, and are not particularly limited. For example, when an inkjet type color printer is considered as a peripheral device, in general, there is no specific ink or a nozzle that ejects ink is clogged with respect to a symptom that “color printing color is not correct”. However, if the color printer detects the presence or absence of ink and holds the detection result as status information, at least the former cause can be eliminated.
[0012]
As described above, the state information acquired by the state information acquisition unit is configured to be used by the auxiliary information analysis display unit. However, the acquired state information may be used by others. As an example, the auxiliary information display device according to claim 1 may be configured to narrow down items that can be selected by the user based on the state information acquired by the state information acquisition unit.
[0014]
For example, in the above-described color printer, when the symptom selection means can select the symptom that “the printer does not move”, status information such as power on / off of the printer and error information is acquired, and this status information If the printer is determined to move reliably, the symptom “printer does not move” is not selected, and other symptom such as “color print color is not correct” can be selected.
[0015]
When the status information acquisition means acquires the status information of the peripheral device, various aspects are considered as the location of the status information. As an example, in the auxiliary information display device, the peripheral device can output its own state information, and the state information acquisition unit acquires the state information from the peripheral device via a predetermined communication unit. It is good also as a structure.
[0016]
The peripheral device can output its own status information and can communicate with the auxiliary information display device via a predetermined communication means, and the status information acquisition means can receive the status information from the peripheral device via the communication means. Get information.
[0017]
Of course, the medium of the communication means depends on the connection interface between the peripheral device and the auxiliary information display device, and includes various modes such as a cable, infrared rays and radio waves.
[0018]
As another example of the location of the status information, in the auxiliary information display device, the status information acquisition unit acquires status information indicating the usage status of the peripheral device held in the auxiliary information display device. Also good.
[0019]
In the configuration as described above, the status information indicating the usage status of the peripheral device is held on the side of the auxiliary information display device, and the status information acquisition means stores the status information held on the side of the auxiliary information display device. get.
[0020]
For example, in a peripheral device connected to the PC main body, the usage status of the peripheral device may be set by a setting file on the PC main body side, and the setting contents of the setting file are acquired as status information.
[0021]
As described above, when the state information indicating the usage status of the peripheral device is held on the side of the auxiliary information display device, the peripheral device may not operate normally due to the state information. Therefore, the auxiliary information analysis / display means may be configured to display a method of correcting the state information indicating the usage status.
[0022]
In the configuration as described above, the auxiliary information analysis display means displays a correction method when there is an error in the state information indicating the usage status of the peripheral device held on the auxiliary information display device side.
[0023]
Here, displaying the correction method includes, of course, displaying specific correction contents, but displaying the operation method when the state information can be corrected automatically by performing a predetermined operation. Is also included. For example, an example of the latter includes a case where a confirmation message as to whether or not the state information is to be automatically corrected is displayed, and the state information is corrected when it is approved.
[0024]
By the way, when acquiring state information composed of a plurality of pieces of information, various modes can be considered as the acquisition timing. For example, as one aspect of the entire processing procedure, first, auxiliary information is selected based on an item selected by the user in the auxiliary information analysis display means, and status information related to the auxiliary information is acquired and further narrowed down. Consider the case. In this case, if a plurality of pieces of auxiliary information are selected in the initial auxiliary information selection stage, the corresponding state is sequentially determined in determining whether each piece of auxiliary information can be actually assumed. It is also possible to carry out while acquiring information. As another example, the state information acquisition unit may acquire a plurality of state information at once.
[0025]
In the configuration as described above, the status information acquisition unit acquires the status information in a lump when a plurality of status information exists.
[0026]
In other words, as described above, in determining whether or not auxiliary information can actually be assumed, instead of sequentially acquiring necessary state information, it is acquired in a lump without considering necessity, and auxiliary information is acquired. The determination is made on the side of the information analysis display means.
[0029]
The auxiliary information database as an example of the storage means can be regarded as so-called master data, but is not necessarily fixed information and may be appropriately updated. As an example, the auxiliary information display device may be connected to a predetermined network and acquire and update a new auxiliary information database from a predetermined host on the network.
[0031]
Assuming that there is a change in the status information of the peripheral device as a result of performing a predetermined procedure according to the content of the auxiliary information, if the status information is acquired again and the auxiliary information is displayed, more appropriate auxiliary information is displayed. The result is easily understood. In particular, when a plurality of auxiliary information is displayed, the treatment may be performed according to the contents while displaying the auxiliary information. It is preferable if the information can be reflected in the display content. Therefore, in the auxiliary information display device according to one aspect of the present invention, the state information acquisition unit repeatedly acquires the state information, and the auxiliary information analysis display unit performs the state information acquisition unit every time the state information acquisition unit acquires the state information. The auxiliary information may be selected and displayed.
[0032]
In the configuration as described above, the state information acquisition unit repeatedly acquires the state information, and the auxiliary information analysis display unit selects the auxiliary information every time new state information is acquired and reflects it in the display content. .
[0033]
Of course, although the state information acquisition means repeatedly acquires the state information, the acquisition timing is not limited. For example, the state information may be acquired again every certain period, or the state information may be acquired again according to a predetermined input from the user.
[0034]
On the other hand, various types of preprocessing may be performed at the time of starting the peripheral device. However, an error or the like may occur in the preprocessing execution stage, and the preprocessing may be interrupted. In such a case, if the preprocessing related to the communication means with the auxiliary information display device is not executed on the peripheral device side, the state information acquisition means can acquire the state information from the peripheral device using the communication means. It will disappear. Therefore, the peripheral device cannot execute pre-processing other than the communication means when the activation is completed by sequentially executing a plurality of stages of pre-processing including communication means with the auxiliary information display device after the power is turned on. However, the configuration may be such that the pre-processing of the communication means is executed and the activation is completed.
[0037]
The auxiliary information display device is also effective as a method thereof.
[0038]
By the way, as described above, an auxiliary information display device that displays auxiliary information that can be assumed based on the symptom and status information of a peripheral device may exist alone, or may be used in a state where it is incorporated in a certain device. The idea of the invention includes various aspects. Further, it can be changed as appropriate, for example, by hardware or by software.
[0039]
In the case of software that displays information as an embodiment of the idea of the invention, it naturally exists on a recording medium on which such software is recorded and must be used.
[0041]
Of course, the recording medium may be a magnetic recording medium, a magneto-optical recording medium, or any recording medium that will be developed in the future. In addition, the duplication stages such as the primary duplication product and the secondary duplication product are equivalent without any question. In addition, even if the communication method is used as a supply method, the present invention is not changed, and the same applies even if it is written on a semiconductor chip.
[0042]
Further, even when a part is software and a part is realized by hardware, there is nothing completely different in the idea of the invention, and a part is stored on a recording medium, and it is appropriately changed as necessary. It may be in the form of being read.
[0043]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention displays auxiliary information that can be assumed based on the symptom and status information of the failure of the peripheral device, so that it is easy for the user to understand and can shorten the time to return to the failure. A possible auxiliary information display device can be provided.
[0054]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0055]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an auxiliary information display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration of various programs recorded on a hard disk included in the auxiliary information display device. This is shown in the figure.
[0056]
In the figure, the auxiliary information display device includes a PC main body 10 and a display 20 connected to the PC main body 10. The PC main body 10 includes a main board 11 including electronic components such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM (not shown) and can execute programs. The main base 11 controls operations of various hardware. Specifically, the PC main body 10 includes various drive devices such as an HD drive 12, an FD drive 13, or a CD-ROM drive (not shown), and these are connected via an operating system 12 a having a GUI (Graphical User Interface). The drive device can be accessed and display control of the display 20 is performed via the display board 14. The PC body 10 includes a modem board 15 and is connected to a public line so that it can communicate with the outside.
[0057]
Further, the PC main body 10 includes a printer board 16 to which a printer 30 as a peripheral device can be connected via the printer board 16, and printing is performed from the application 12b while executing the application 12b on the operating system 12a. When the instruction is issued, predetermined data is created via the printer driver 12 c and output from the printer 30. In FIG. 2, arrows indicated by broken lines indicate the flow of print data, and arrows indicated by solid lines indicate the flow of other data transmitted and received between programs. As can be seen from the figure, the printer driver 12c can bidirectionally communicate with the printer 30 via the operating system 12a, and data communication other than print data will be described later.
[0058]
The printer 30 is an ink jet color printer, and includes cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) ink, and sprays ink of each color in a dot shape according to the resolution. This expresses the desired color development. That is, although not described above, as the role of the printer driver 12c, RGB gradation data is input, rasterized data generated through predetermined rasterization is color-converted from RGB to CMYK, and then the CMYK gradation is obtained. Data is converted into binary data and output to the printer 30.
[0059]
The color conversion process in the printer driver 12c is performed in accordance with a predetermined standard value. However, due to factors such as variations in the amount of ink jetted between the airframes, even if a printer of the same model is used, a certain printer may have redness as a whole. It may be expressed strongly, or redness may be expressed weakly on other printers. In view of such circumstances, the user can finely adjust the ink ejection amount for cyan, magenta, and yellow inks, and the corrected color settings are reflected in the printer driver 12c. . In this embodiment, the actual color setting can be performed by starting a dedicated utility 12d.
[0060]
The utility 12d can perform maintenance of the printer 30. When a desired item is selected on the maintenance screen shown in FIG. 3, a predetermined signal is transmitted to the printer 30 via the printer driver 12c. Corresponding processing is executed on the 30 side. As can be seen from the figure, the maintenance screen displays four items: “Printer window”, “Clogging pattern printing”, “Head cleaning”, and “Gap adjustment”, and the user selects the desired item. Then, a corresponding process is executed.
[0061]
In the “printer window”, error information output from the printer 30 can be displayed as described later. In “clogged pattern printing”, clogging of the print head can be visually confirmed by pattern printing. If clogging is confirmed here, “Head cleaning” is selected and print head cleaning processing is performed. Will be performed. Here, when the head cleaning is actually performed, the utility 12d acquires the execution date and time of the head cleaning from the system clock of the operating system 12a and stores it in a predetermined file. Furthermore, if “Gap Adjustment” is selected, the print gap can be adjusted. Note that each of these processes is within the scope of the prior art and will not be described in detail here.
[0062]
On the other hand, on the printer 30 side, the process according to the flowchart of FIG. 4 is executed after the power is turned on. In the figure, first, in step S110, each module of firmware (FW) composed of a plurality of modules that control the operation of the printer 30 is sequentially read from a ROM (not shown) into a work area to be in a startup completion state. Of course, this module also includes a communication module for performing bidirectional communication with the printer driver 12c. Even if reading of a module other than this communication module fails, the communication module is given priority. And read it to complete the startup.
[0063]
That is, as described above, the error information on the printer 30 side can be acquired on the PC main body 10 side. Therefore, if reading of a module other than the communication module fails and the reading process is interrupted, the error information May not be able to get. In view of such circumstances, even if a reading error occurs during the module reading process, the communication module is preferentially read so that it can communicate with the PC body 10.
[0064]
When the startup completion state is reached, it is determined in the next step S120 whether or not a firmware read error has occurred. If there is no read error, self-diagnosis is performed in the next step S130. Here, the self-diagnosis is a process for determining whether or not the printer 30 operates normally, and mainly detects errors related to the hardware of the printer 30 and other equipment. For example, when the ink is insufficient, it is detected by this self-diagnosis. In step S140, error information corresponding to the self-diagnosis and firmware reading result described above is output. Thereafter, steps S130 and S140 are looped and the same processing is repeated. When a print request is input, actual print processing is started by interrupt processing. Also, error information is output in the same manner when an error such as a paper jam occurs in the actual printing process.
[0065]
In general, auxiliary information related to failure recovery, such as a coping method when a failure occurs in a printer, is described in a manual attached to the printer. Therefore, the manual may be referred to as needed. However, referring to such a manual is troublesome, so-called electronic manuals have been adopted in recent years. In this electronic manual, when a user inputs a desired item by executing a predetermined reference guide program, auxiliary information related to the input item is searched and displayed. Efficiency can be improved dramatically. Also in the printer 30 according to the present embodiment, a recording medium on which the reference guide program 12e as described above is recorded is attached, and can be installed and used in the PC main body 10 by a predetermined installation process. Yes.
[0066]
When the reference guide program 12e is executed and a predetermined operation is performed, a screen display as shown in FIG. 5 is performed. Referring to the figure, the display screen has five items in order from the top: “Let's print”, “Clean the printer”, “Get to know the printer”, “Troubleshooting”, and “Support / Service”. It is displayed. The reference guide program 12e is composed of a predetermined browser, a script file described in HTML format that can be read by the browser, and image data pasted on the display screen of the browser. The page of the display screen is updated by reading different script files on the browser side corresponding to the operation. For example, on the display screen shown in FIG. 5, a desired item can be selected from five items on the display screen, and when the item is actually selected, the display screen is updated on the page.
[0067]
Here, when “when in trouble” is selected, the display screen is updated according to the flowchart of FIG. 6, and the screen display shown in FIG. 7 and the like is performed.
[0068]
In FIG. 6, predetermined state information is acquired in step S210. Here, the status information is error information output by the printer 30 such as ink shortage or paper jam, color setting status in the printer driver 12c, and the head cleaning execution date and time stored as described above. Yes, collect all of this information and save it in the work area.
[0069]
In the next step S220, the auxiliary information database 12f is searched using the acquired state information. As shown in FIG. 8, the auxiliary information database 12f is caused by the status information of the printer 30 that can be assumed as the cause of the failure and the status information of each item displayed on the display screen of FIG. Is stored in association with auxiliary information for assisting the recovery of the failure that occurs.
[0070]
For example, referring to FIG. 8, regarding the item “printing result is not good”, the causes such as ink shortage, clogging of the print head, and improper color setting of the printer driver 12c are considered. If the conditions that cause these problems are not satisfied, it can be determined that at least the failure that actually occurs is not “the printing result is not good”. Here, ink shortage can be detected directly from the acquired status information, and clogging of the print head is likely to have occurred if head cleaning has not been performed over a long period of time. it can. Whether the color setting of the printer driver 12c is appropriate or not can be considered to be inappropriate if the color setting is operated by the user.
[0071]
That is, if the auxiliary information database 12f is searched using the acquired state information, items that are clearly judged to be unrelated to the fault that actually occurs are detected in the items that can be selected on the display screen of FIG. be able to. In step S230, while displaying such items so that the user cannot select them, only other items are displayed so as to be selectable by the user. Therefore, the user does not need to consider options that are unrelated to the actual failure.
[0072]
When a desired item is selected on the display screen shown in FIG. 7, the display screen is updated according to the flowchart of FIG.
[0073]
In the same figure, in step S310, the status information is acquired in the same manner, and the auxiliary information database 12f is searched based on the status information acquired in the next step S320 to detect whether the status information relating to the selected item is correct. For example, when the item “printing result is not good” is selected on the display screen of FIG. 7, it is detected whether or not the state information acquired in step S310 satisfies the corresponding state information in the auxiliary information database 12f. And the item regarding the auxiliary information memorize | stored with respect to the status information applicable in step S330 is displayed so that selection from a user is possible, as shown in FIG. Display so that it cannot be selected.
[0074]
That is, even if an item is selectable on the display screen of FIG. 7, there is a plurality of state information in the auxiliary information database 12f related to the item, and it cannot be asserted that all of the state information is satisfied. In the above-described example, even when the failure “the printing result is not good” has occurred, the case where the remaining amount of ink is sufficient and shortly after the head cleaning is performed can be considered. Therefore, in such a case, only items relating to auxiliary information for color setting are displayed.
[0075]
Furthermore, when the user selects a desired item on the display screen shown in FIG. 10, the display screen is updated to display the corresponding auxiliary information.
[0076]
Here, when “Replace ink cartridge” is selected, a method for replacing the ink cartridge is displayed in an illustration as shown in FIG. A “test print” button is displayed on the display screen, and a predetermined print pattern is printed when the “test print” button is depressed after the ink cartridge is replaced. Here, if the user visually recognizes the print pattern and there is no problem, the user selects “Yes” in response to an inquiry “Is the problem solved?”.
[0077]
Further, when “print head cleaning” is selected on the display screen shown in FIG. 10, a predetermined signal is transmitted from the reference guide program 12e to the printer 30 via the printer driver 12c, and the head on the printer 30 side. The cleaning is executed, the date and time are acquired from the system clock of the operating system 12a, and the head cleaning execution date and time stored as described above is updated. Thereafter, when a head cleaning end signal is returned from the printer 30 side, this is detected and the page is updated to a display screen as shown in FIG. Also on this display screen, a “test print” button is displayed, and the user can print a predetermined print pattern in the same manner, and selects success or failure of the problem according to the print result.
[0078]
Furthermore, when “return color setting to standard” is selected on the display screen shown in FIG. 10, the color setting of the printer driver 12c is returned to standard from the reference guide program 12e, and then the display screen shown in FIG. Refresh the page. Also on this display screen, a “test print” button is displayed, and the user can print a predetermined print pattern in the same manner, and selects success or failure of the problem according to the print result.
[0079]
In the selection related to the success or failure of the problem solving on the display screen shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, if “Yes” is selected, the reference guide program 12 e ends. If “No” is selected, the flowchart of FIG. Then, the display screen shown in FIG. 10 is redisplayed. Here, referring to FIG. 9, since the state information is acquired in step S310, if a change occurs in the state information after executing a certain procedure, the content is detected on the display screen in step S310. You can see that it is reflected.
[0080]
Accordingly, when the three items shown on the display screen shown in FIG. 10 can be selected, for example, “Replace ink cartridge” is selected to display the display screen of FIG. If the problem is not resolved even after replacing the ink cartridge, selecting “No” will return to the display screen of FIG. 10. At this time, the item “Replace the ink cartridge” is displayed by the user. It can not be selected, so it can be said that it is easy to understand.
[0081]
By the way, when the printer driver 12c is upgraded, the auxiliary information displayed by the reference guide program 12e may be changed, or auxiliary information may be added separately from the change. In the present embodiment, the auxiliary information database 12f can be updated to cope with such a case. Specifically, after starting a predetermined dial-up utility and connecting to the provider 40, when the browser is started and the Web server 50 is accessed, a new auxiliary information database can be downloaded according to a predetermined operation. It has become. Then, after this download, the auxiliary information is displayed based on the new auxiliary information database 12f.
[0082]
Next, the operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.
[0083]
The user performs initial settings of the printer 30 such as mounting an ink cartridge, and then connects the printer 30 to the PC main body 10 via the printer board 16 and uses the printer driver 12c and the printer 30 when using the printer 30. Setup of various programs such as the utility 12d or the reference guide program 12e is completed in advance. Then, when the application 12b is executed and a print instruction is issued, predetermined data is created and output from the printer 30 via the printer driver 12c.
[0084]
The printer 30 detects error information related to its own hardware and other equipment after power-on in a predetermined self-diagnosis process (step S130), and outputs the error information (step S140). When the utility 12d is activated and a predetermined operation is executed, such error information is displayed on the screen. Further, if this utility 12d is used, it is possible to execute head cleaning by the printer 30. When the head cleaning is actually executed, the utility 12d acquires the execution date and time of the head cleaning and stores it in a predetermined file. Remember.
[0085]
Further, the printer 30 is an ink-jet color printer, and the printer driver 12c converts RGB gradation data into CMYK binary data according to a predetermined standard value, but color development is not good. In this case, color setting is operated using the utility 12d. Then, the color setting after the operation is reflected in the printer driver 12c.
[0086]
It is assumed that the print result is not good as a result of issuing a print instruction from the application 12b and printing with the printer 30. In this case, the reference guide program 12e installed in the PC main body 10 is executed to perform a predetermined operation. Then, when a display screen as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed, “when in trouble” is further selected.
[0087]
Then, the reference guide program 12e collectively collects error information output by the printer 30 such as ink shortage or paper jam, status information including various information such as the color setting status in the printer driver 12c and the head cleaning execution date and time. Is acquired and stored in the work area (step S210).
[0088]
Thereafter, the auxiliary information database 12f is searched based on the acquired state information, and an item that is clearly judged to be unrelated to the actual failure is detected (step S220), and the user selects the item. Only the other items are displayed so as to be selectable by the user while being displayed so that they cannot be performed (step S230). Then, when there is no failure other than the failure that the printing result is not good in the printer 30, only the item “not good printing result” can be selected on the display screen of FIG. Therefore, the user visually recognizes such a display screen and selects “not good printing result” without any hesitation.
[0089]
When “not good print result” is selected, the reference guide program 12e similarly obtains status information (step S310), searches the auxiliary information database 12f based on this status information, and reads “print result”. The status information regarding the item “not good” is detected (step S320).
[0090]
For example, in this example, there are two factors, that is, print head contamination due to not cleaning the print head for a long period of time, and improper color setting of the printer driver 12c by the user. Suppose that it is the cause of the failure that is bad. Then, since the head cleaning has not been executed for a long time from the acquired state information and the color setting of the printer driver 12c is operated by the user, these two states are displayed in the auxiliary information database 12f. Satisfaction is detected.
[0091]
Then, the items related to the auxiliary information stored for these two pieces of state information are displayed so as to be selectable from the user, and other items related to the auxiliary information are displayed so that they cannot be selected from the user (step S330). ). That is, in this example, two items of “print head cleaning” and “return color setting to standard” can be selected on the display screen shown in FIG.
[0092]
Here, it is assumed that the user selects “cleaning of print head”.
[0093]
Then, the reference guide program 12e sends a predetermined signal to the printer 30 via the printer driver 12c, causes the printer 30 to execute head cleaning, acquires the execution date and time of the head cleaning, and has been stored until now. Update the date and time. When the head cleaning is completed, a display screen as shown in FIG. 12 is displayed. The user depresses the “test print” button on the display screen to confirm whether or not the problem has been solved. Then, since a predetermined printing pattern is printed, this is visually recognized.
[0094]
However, as described above, in this example, the problem is not solved because the cause of the failure is that the print head is dirty and the color setting of the printer driver 12c by the user is inappropriate. . Accordingly, the user selects “No” in response to the inquiry “Is the problem solved?” On the display screen shown in FIG. Then, the page is updated on the display screen shown in FIG. 10. At this time, since the status information is newly acquired (step S210), “print head cleaning” can no longer be selected. Therefore, the user selects “Return color setting to standard”.
[0095]
Then, the reference guide program 12e returns the color setting of the printer driver 12c to the standard, and then updates the page on the display screen shown in FIG. Also on this display screen, a “test print” button is displayed, and the user prints a predetermined print pattern in the same manner. Then, since the trouble “the printing result is not good” is solved, “Yes” is selected in response to the inquiry “Is the problem solved?” On the display screen, and the reference guide program 12e is terminated. .
[0096]
As described above, when the auxiliary information for assisting the recovery of the failure of the printer 30 is displayed on the PC body 10, the reference guide program 12e is executed to select the symptom of the printer 30 and acquire the status information of the printer 30 (step). S310) The auxiliary information database 12f is searched based on this state information (step S320), and auxiliary information that can be assumed from the auxiliary information prepared in advance for the selected symptom is selected and displayed (step S320). Step S330), which is easy for the user to understand, can reduce the time to failure recovery.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an auxiliary information display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing various programs recorded on a hard disk of a PC main body constituting the auxiliary information display device.
FIG. 3 is a maintenance screen by a utility.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure inside the printer after power is turned on.
FIG. 5 is a display screen when a reference guide program is started.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a reference guide program when “when in trouble” is selected on the display screen;
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen when “when in trouble” is selected on the display screen.
FIG. 8 is a table showing data contents of an auxiliary information database.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a reference guide program when an item is selected on the display screen when “when in trouble” is selected.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen when “printing result is not good” is selected.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing display contents when “Replace ink cartridge” is selected on the display screen.
FIG. 12 is a diagram showing display contents when “cleaning of print head” is selected on the same display screen;
FIG. 13 is a diagram showing display contents when “return color setting to standard” is selected on the display screen;
[Explanation of symbols]
10 ... PC body
11 ... Main board
12 ... HD drive
12a ... Operating system
12b Application
12c: Printer driver
12d Utility
12e ... Reference guide program
12f ... auxiliary information database
13 ... FD drive
14 ... Display board
15. Modem board
16 ... Printer board
20 ... Display
30 ... Printer
40 ... Provider
50 ... Web server

Claims (7)

An auxiliary information display device for displaying auxiliary information for assisting recovery from a failure in a peripheral device on a display unit,
A selection means for selecting an item related to the failure of the peripheral device by a user's selection operation;
Status information acquisition means for acquiring predetermined status information from the peripheral device;
Symptoms of failure of the peripheral device that can be displayed on the display unit, status information of the peripheral device that can be assumed as the cause of the failure indicating the symptom, and recovery from the failure that is caused by the status information Database means for storing the auxiliary information in association with each other;
Based on the user's selection operation, the status information acquisition unit acquires the status information from the peripheral device, and searches the database unit to detect whether the item selected by the user and the status information are correct. And an auxiliary information analysis and display means for acquiring the auxiliary information associated with the acquired state information from the database means and displaying the auxiliary information on the display unit.   2. The auxiliary information display device according to claim 1, wherein the status information acquisition unit acquires a plurality of status information in a lump. The auxiliary information display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the state information acquisition unit repeatedly acquires the state information,
The auxiliary information analysis and display unit selects the auxiliary information and displays the auxiliary information on the display unit every time the state information acquisition unit acquires the state information. Auxiliary information display method for displaying auxiliary information for assisting recovery from a failure in a peripheral device on a display unit,
From the symptoms of the failure of the peripheral device that can be displayed on the display unit in advance, the status information of the peripheral device that can be assumed as the cause of the failure indicating the symptom, and the failure that occurs due to the status information The auxiliary information to be restored is stored in the database means in association with each other,
When an item related to a failure of the peripheral device is selected by a user's selection operation, after obtaining the state information from the peripheral device, the database means is searched and the item selected by the user and the state information are An auxiliary information display method comprising: detecting the success / failure, acquiring the auxiliary information associated with the acquired state information from the database unit, and displaying the acquired information on the display unit.   A medium in which a program for causing a computer to execute each step of the auxiliary information display method according to claim 4 is recorded. A printer system having a printer and an auxiliary information display device for displaying auxiliary information for assisting recovery from failure of the printer on a display unit,
A selection means for selecting an item related to the failure of the printer by a user selection operation;
Status information acquisition means for acquiring predetermined status information from the printer;
Symptoms of faults of the printer that can be displayed on the display unit, status information of the printer that can be assumed as causes of the faults that indicate the symptoms, and the auxiliary that recovers from faults caused by the status information Database means for storing information in association with each other;
Based on the user's selection operation, the status information acquisition unit acquires the status information from the printer, and searches the database unit to detect whether the item selected by the user and the status information are correct. A printer system comprising: an auxiliary information analysis display unit that acquires the auxiliary information associated with the acquired state information from the database unit and displays the auxiliary information on the display unit. Auxiliary information display method for displaying auxiliary information for assisting the recovery of a printer failure on a display unit,
Symptoms of failure of the printer that can be displayed on the display unit in advance, status information of the printer that can be assumed as the cause of the failure indicating the symptoms, and recovery from the failure caused by the status information The auxiliary information is associated with each other and stored in database means,
When an item related to a failure of the printer is selected by a user selection operation, the status information is obtained from the printer, and then the database means is searched to determine whether the item selected by the user is relevant to the status information. An auxiliary information display method comprising: detecting the auxiliary information associated with the acquired state information from the database unit and displaying the auxiliary information on the display unit.

Images