JP7483380B2 - Printer and program - Google Patents

Description

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a printer and a program.

Conventionally, printers that run on battery power without being connected to a power source are known. Such printers stop printing when the battery charge runs out. For this reason, users must keep an eye on the battery charge to prevent the printer from stopping.

However, even if the user pays attention to the battery's charge capacity, various factors can cause the battery's charge capacity to become insufficient. Also, the user may forget to pay attention to the battery's charge capacity. In such cases, the printer will stop operating due to insufficient battery power.

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a printer and program that can reduce the possibility of the printer shutting down due to a power shortage.

The printer of the embodiment includes a connection means, a printing means, an acquisition means, a measurement means, a selection means, and a notification means. The connection means connects to each of a plurality of batteries. The printing means prints using the plurality of batteries connected to the connection means. The acquisition means acquires a print request for the printing means. The measurement means measures the voltage value of each of the plurality of batteries when the acquisition means acquires the print request. If, based on the measurement result of the measurement means, the voltage value of the battery to be used is less than a threshold value and the voltage value of the standby battery is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the selection means selects the standby battery as the battery to be used when printing corresponding to the print request is completed . The notification means notifies in a manner that allows the battery to be used selected by the selection means and the standby battery not to be used to be distinguished from each other.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of a printer according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a printer. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the power supply control table. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of characteristic functions of the printer. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a switching process executed by the printer of the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a temperature monitoring process executed by the printer of the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a printing process executed by the printer of the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of a printer according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a printer. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of characteristic functions of the printer. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a mode setting process executed by the printing unit of the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a normal printing process executed by the printer of the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an abnormal printing process executed by the printer of the second embodiment.

The following describes in detail an embodiment of the printer and program with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is one embodiment of the printer and program, and does not limit the configuration or specifications. The printer of this embodiment is an example of application to a printer connected to a POS (Point Of Sales) terminal.

First Embodiment
First, a first embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a printer 1 according to the first embodiment. The printer 1 prints printouts such as receipts and invoices in response to a request from a POS terminal. The printer 1 is also connected to the POS terminal via wireless communication such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The printer 1 receives a print request from the POS terminal requesting printing of print data, which is data to be printed.

Printer 1 is equipped with a paper storage section on the inside of the upper part that stores roll paper. When printer 1 receives a print request, it prints print data on the roll paper stored in the paper storage section. Then, printer 1 ejects the printed material with the print data printed on it from ejection outlet 11 located on the upper part.

The printer 1 has a battery storage section 12 at the bottom that stores multiple batteries. Each battery connects to a connection terminal provided in the battery storage section 12. Specifically, the battery storage section 12 stores a first battery 21 and a second battery 22. The first battery 21 is a rechargeable secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery. The second battery 22 is a rechargeable secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the first battery 21 and the second battery 22, they will be referred to as batteries 20. Note that the number of batteries 20 in the printer 1 is not limited to two, and it may be three or more batteries 20.

The first battery 21 also has a first locking portion 211 in approximately the center. The first locking portion 211 is a member that locks the first battery 21 to the battery storage section 12. When the first locking portion 211 is pulled downward, the first battery 21 is released from the battery storage section 12. Thus, the first battery 21 is pulled out of the battery storage section 12. This allows the user to replace the first battery 21.

Similarly, the second battery 22 has a second locking portion 221 in approximately the center. The second locking portion 221 is a member that locks the second battery 22 to the battery storage section 12. When the second locking portion 221 is pulled downward, the second battery 22 is released from the battery storage section 12. Thus, the second battery 22 is pulled out of the battery storage section 12. This allows the user to replace the second battery 22.

The printer 1 also has a first indicator light 31 and a second indicator light 32 on the front of the lower part. The first indicator light 31 is a light that indicates the status of the first battery 21. The first indicator light 31 is, for example, a two-color LED (Light Emitting Diode). The first indicator light 31 indicates the status of the first battery 21 by changing color or changing the blinking cycle. For example, the first indicator light 31 lights up in red or green. Note that the first indicator light 31 is not limited to two colors, and may light up in three or more colors.

The second indicator light 32 is a light that indicates the status of the second battery 22. The second indicator light 32 is, for example, a two-color LED. The second indicator light 32 indicates the status of the second battery 22 by changing its color or changing the blinking cycle. For example, the second indicator light 32 lights up in red or green. Note that the second indicator light 32 is not limited to two colors, and may be lit up in three or more colors. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32, they will be referred to as indicator lights 30. Also, the printer 1 may display the status of each battery 20 using a liquid crystal display or the like, rather than using only the indicator lights 30.

Next, we will explain the hardware configuration of printer 1.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the printer 1. The printer 1 includes a control unit 110, a memory 120, a communication unit 130, a controller 140, and a power supply microcontroller 150. These units are interconnected via a system bus 160 such as a data bus or an address bus.

The control unit 110 is a computer that controls the overall operation of the printer 1 and realizes the various functions of the printer 1. The control unit 110 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 111, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 112, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 113. The CPU 111 controls the overall operation of the printer 1. The ROM 112 is a storage medium that stores various programs and data. The RAM 113 is a storage medium that temporarily stores various programs and data. The CPU 111 then executes programs stored in the ROM 112 or memory 120, etc., using the RAM 113 as a work area.

The memory 120 is a storage device such as a flash memory. The memory 120 stores a control program P. The control program P is a program for implementing an operating system and functions of the printer 1. The control program P includes a program for implementing the characteristic functions of this embodiment.

The communication unit 130 is an interface for communicating with a POS terminal via wireless communication such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

The controller 140 operates various connected hardware in response to instructions from the control unit 110. The controller 140 is connected to a cutting unit 141, a thermal head 142, a motor 143, and a transport switch 144.

The cutting unit 141 is a cutter that cuts the roll paper when printing of the print data is completed. The thermal head 142 is a print head that prints the print data onto the roll paper. The thermal head 142 prints the print data onto the roll paper, which is heat-sensitive paper, by using heat. The motor 143 rotates the platen that is pressed against the thermal head 142. In other words, the motor 143 is a motor that transports the roll paper. The transport switch 144 is a switch that accepts an operation to transport the roll paper.

The power supply microcontroller 150 is a computer that executes various processes related to the power supply based on instructions from the control unit 110. The power supply microcontroller 150 is also connected to a battery selection unit 155, a first connection terminal 121, a second connection terminal 122, a first indicator light 31, a second indicator light 32, and a temperature sensor 158.

The power supply microcontroller 150 includes a CPU 151, a ROM 152, a RAM 153, and an ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) 154. The CPU 151 controls the overall operation of the power supply microcontroller 150. The ROM 152 is a storage medium that stores various programs and data. The RAM 153 is a storage medium that temporarily stores various programs and data. The CPU 151 then executes programs stored in the ROM 152, etc., using the RAM 153 as a work area.

The ADC 154 converts the voltage values indicated by the analog signals output from the first connection terminal 121 and the second connection terminal 122 into voltage values indicated by a digital signal. That is, the ADC 154 acquires the voltage values of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22.

The power supply microcontroller 150 also controls the selection of the battery 20 to be used from among the multiple batteries 20. Furthermore, the power supply microcontroller 150 controls the illumination of the indicator light 30.

Here, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a power supply control table. The power supply control table shows the selection of the battery 20 according to the combination of the voltage values of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22, and the display of the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 when each battery 20 is in its respective state. The power supply microcontroller 150 controls the battery selection unit 155, the first indicator light 31, and the second indicator light 32 so that they are in the state shown in the power supply control table.

The first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are classified into four stages according to the voltage value: Full, Low, Critical Low, and Error. Full is a state in which the battery 20 has a large charge capacity. For example, Full is a state in which the voltage value is 14.4 V or higher.

Low is a state in which the charge capacity of the battery 20 is low. For example, Low indicates that the voltage value is between 13 and 14.4 V.

Critical Low is a state in which the charge capacity of the battery 20 is extremely low. For example, Critical Low is a state in which the voltage value is between 12 and 13 V.

Error is a state in which the battery 20 has no charge capacity. For example, Error is a state in which the voltage value is 12 V or less. Note that the voltage values of Full, Low, Critical Low, and Error are only examples and can be changed as desired depending on the characteristics of the battery 20, etc.

The power supply microcontroller 150 selects, from among the multiple batteries 20, a battery 20 whose voltage value is equal to or higher than Critical Low as the battery 20 to be used. In other words, the power supply microcontroller 150 selects, as the battery 20 to be used, a battery 20 whose voltage value is equal to or higher than a threshold value.

Specifically, the power supply microcontroller 150 selects the battery 20 with a voltage value of 12 V or more as the battery 20 to be used. Furthermore, when both the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are at or above Critical Low, the power supply microcontroller 150 selects the battery 20 with the lower voltage value as the battery 20 to be used.

Here, if the battery 20 with the higher voltage value is selected as the battery to be used, the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are alternately selected as the battery to be used, so that both batteries 20 run out of charge at approximately the same time. However, by selecting the battery 20 with the lower voltage value as the battery to be used, even if one battery 20 runs out of charge, the other battery 20 may still have charge. Therefore, the power supply microcontroller 150 selects the battery 20 with the lower voltage value as the battery to be used.

The power supply microcontroller 150 also causes the first indicator light 31 to display the stage of the first battery 21 and a state indicating whether the first battery 21 is a target for use. Similarly, the power supply microcontroller 150 causes the second indicator light 32 to display the stage of the second battery 22 and a state indicating whether the second battery 22 is a target for use.

Specifically, when the first battery 21 is Full, the power microcontroller 150 lights the first indicator light 31 green. When the first battery 21 is Low, the power microcontroller 150 lights the first indicator light 31 orange, which is a combination of green and red. When the first battery 21 is Critical Low or Error, the power microcontroller 150 lights the first indicator light 31 red. When the first battery 21 is Error, the power microcontroller 150 flashes the first indicator light 31 red with short cycles.

Similarly, when the second battery 22 is Full, the power microcontroller 150 lights the second indicator light 32 green. When the second battery 22 is Low, the power microcontroller 150 lights the second indicator light 32 orange, which is a combination of green and red. When the second battery 22 is Critical Low or Error, the power microcontroller 150 lights the second indicator light 32 red. When the second battery 22 is Error, the power microcontroller 150 flashes the second indicator light 32 red with short cycles.

The power supply microcontroller 150 also blinks the indicator light 30 corresponding to the battery 20 to be used at a long interval. That is, when the first battery 21 is to be used, the power supply microcontroller 150 blinks the first indicator light 31 at a long interval. When the second battery 22 is to be used, the power supply microcontroller 150 blinks the second indicator light 32 at a long interval.

On the other hand, the power supply microcontroller 150 keeps the indicator light 30 corresponding to the standby battery 20 that is not being used on a constant basis. That is, when the first battery 21 is on standby, the power supply microcontroller 150 keeps the first indicator light 31 on at all times. Also, when the second battery 22 is on standby, the power supply microcontroller 150 keeps the second indicator light 32 on at all times.

The battery selection unit 155 selects the battery 20 to be used from the first battery 21 and the second battery 22. Here, the first connection terminal 121 and the second connection terminal 122 are connected to the battery selection unit 155.

The first connection terminal 121 is a connection part such as a terminal that connects to the first battery 21. The second connection terminal 122 is a connection part such as a terminal that connects to the second battery 22. That is, the first connection terminal 121 and the second connection terminal 122 are connected to each of the multiple batteries 20. Therefore, the battery selection unit 155 can select the battery 20 to be used by selecting the terminal to be used from the first connection terminal 121 and the second connection terminal 122. Then, the battery selection unit 155 supplies the power of the selected battery 20 to be used to each part that performs printing, such as the cutting unit 141, the thermal head 142, the motor 143, and the conveying switch 144. In this way, the battery selection unit 155 supplies the power of the battery 20 selected to be used among the multiple batteries 20 to each part. That is, the battery selection unit 155 does not use the power of the battery 20 in standby. Therefore, the user can replace the standby battery 20 with another battery 20 at any time, such as during printing. Furthermore, when three or more batteries 20 are connected, the battery selection unit 155 may select a plurality of batteries 20 from the plurality of batteries 20 as the batteries 20 to be used. For example, when four batteries 20 are connected to the battery selection unit 155, the battery selection unit 155 may select two batteries 20 as the batteries to be used.

The temperature sensor 158 is a sensor such as a thermistor that measures the temperature of the multiple batteries 20. The temperature sensor 158 is used to monitor whether the batteries 20 are generating abnormal heat. If the battery 20 is generating abnormal heat, the power supply microcontroller 150 alternately lights up the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 in red.

Next, we will explain the characteristic functions of the printer 1. Here, Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the characteristic functions of the printer 1.

The control unit 110 of the printer 1 expands the control program P stored in the memory 120 into the RAM 113, and generates each functional unit in the RAM 113 by operating according to the control program P. Specifically, the control unit 110 of the printer 1 includes, as functional units, a communication control unit 1001, a print control unit 1002, an initial setting unit 1003, a temperature measurement unit 1004, a voltage measurement unit 1005, a power supply control unit 1006, and an alarm control unit 1007.

The communication control unit 1001 controls the communication unit 130 to communicate with an external device such as a POS terminal. For example, the communication control unit 1001 receives print data, which is the data to be printed, from the POS terminal. The communication control unit 1001 also receives a print request from the POS terminal to request printing. In other words, the communication control unit 1001 obtains the print data and print request for the print control unit 1002.

The print control unit 1002 controls the cutting unit 141, the thermal head 142, and the motor 143 to print the print data on a print medium such as roll paper. The print control unit 1002 also prints using the power of the battery 20 selected by the battery selection unit 155 from among the multiple batteries 20 connected to the first connection terminal 121 and the second connection terminal 122.

More specifically, when the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Full, the print control unit 1002 executes normal printing, which prints at a normal print speed. Also, when the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Low, the print control unit 1002 executes low-speed printing, which prints at a slower speed than normal printing. In this way, the print control unit 1002 reduces the power consumption used for printing.

In addition, when the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Critical Low, the print control unit 1002 executes status printing to print the status of the battery 20 to be used. Here, if a large amount of current flows through the battery 20 to be used at once, the voltage drops in an instant and the printer 1 is reset. Specifically, when the print control unit 1002 prints lines, a large amount of current flows at once, and the printer 1 is reset. Therefore, the print control unit 1002 prints 1/4 or 1/8 of the normal print width. Furthermore, the print control unit 1002 prints characters without printing figures, etc. As a result, the print control unit 1002 suppresses the current as much as possible and reduces the possibility of the printer 1 being reset. In addition, the print control unit 1002 prints that the requested print data cannot be printed because the charge capacity of the battery 20 to be used is low. This causes the print control unit 1002 to prompt the replacement of the target battery 20. Note that when the battery is at a Critical Low state, the print control unit 1002 is not limited to printing the status of the target battery 20, but may instead print print data.

The initial setting unit 1003 controls the initialization of the power supply microcontroller 150.

The temperature measurement unit 1004 instructs the power supply microcontroller 150 to have the temperature sensor 158 measure the temperatures of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22. The temperature measurement unit 1004 then acquires the temperatures of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 measured by the temperature sensor 158.

The voltage measurement unit 1005 instructs the ADC 154 of the power supply microcontroller 150 to measure the voltages of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22. More specifically, the voltage measurement unit 1005 instructs the ADC 154 to measure the voltage values of each of the multiple batteries 20 when a measurement condition for measuring the voltage value of each of the multiple batteries 20 is satisfied. The measurement conditions include when a print request to the print control unit 1002 is obtained, when a start command to start printing is obtained, when an end command to end printing corresponding to the print request is obtained, when a set time has elapsed, etc.

The power supply control unit 1006 instructs the power supply microcontroller 150 regarding the use of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22. More specifically, the power supply control unit 1006 instructs the power supply microcontroller 150 to select the battery 20 shown in the power supply control table of FIG. 3 when the state is as shown in the power supply control table of FIG. 3 based on the measurement result of the voltage measurement unit 1005.

Specifically, based on the measurement results of the voltage measurement unit 1005, the power supply control unit 1006 selects, from among the multiple batteries 20, a battery 20 whose voltage value is equal to or greater than a threshold value as the battery to be used. That is, the power supply control unit 1006 instructs the use of a battery 20 whose voltage value is equal to or greater than Critical Low. Here, a battery 20 whose voltage value is equal to or greater than Critical Low has the power to perform printing. Therefore, by selecting a battery 20 whose voltage value is equal to or greater than Critical Low as the battery to be used, the power supply control unit 1006 reduces the possibility that printing will become impossible due to a lack of power midway through printing.

The power supply control unit 1006 also selects the battery 20 with the lowest voltage value from among the multiple batteries 20 as the battery to be used based on the measurement results of the voltage measurement unit 1005. If the battery 20 with the highest voltage value is selected as the battery to be used, the batteries 20 will be used alternately, causing the multiple batteries 20 to go into an error state at approximately the same time. However, by selecting the battery 20 with the lowest voltage value as the battery to be used, it is highly likely that even if one battery 20 goes into an error state, the other battery 20 still has power remaining. Therefore, by selecting the battery 20 with the lowest voltage value as the battery to be used, the power supply control unit 1006 reduces the possibility of being unable to print due to a lack of power.

In addition, the power supply control unit 1006 stops the supply of power used for printing by the battery selection unit 155 when the temperature of the first battery 21 or the second battery 22 measured by the temperature measurement unit 1004 is equal to or higher than a set temperature.

The notification control unit 1007 notifies the state of each of the multiple batteries 20 based on the measurement results of the voltage measurement unit 1005. More specifically, the power supply control unit 1006 instructs the power supply microcontroller 150 to notify the state shown in the power supply control table of FIG. 3 when the state is as shown in the power supply control table of FIG. 3 based on the measurement results of the voltage measurement unit 1005. That is, the notification control unit 1007 causes the first indicator light 31 to be displayed according to the voltage value of the first battery 21. The notification control unit 1007 also causes the second indicator light 32 to be displayed according to the voltage value of the second battery 22.

In addition, when the measurement result of the temperature measurement unit 1004 indicates abnormal heat generation in the battery 20, the notification control unit 1007 alternately lights up the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 in red. In this way, the notification control unit 1007 notifies the abnormal heat generation in the battery 20.

Next, the operation of printer 1 will be explained.

Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a switching process executed by the printer 1 of the first embodiment. The switching process is a process for switching the battery 20 to be used.

The initial setting unit 1003 executes the initial setting of the power supply microcontroller 150 (step S1). For example, the initial setting unit 1003 sets the IO ports of the CPU 151 and the power supply microcontroller 150 to input ports and output ports, and sets the ADC port for reading voltages.

The voltage measurement unit 1005 measures the voltage values of the multiple batteries 20 (step S2). That is, the voltage measurement unit 1005 measures the voltage value of the first battery 21 and the voltage value of the second battery 22.

The power supply control unit 1006 selects the battery 20 to be used from the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 based on the voltage value measured by the voltage measurement unit 1005 (step S3).

The notification control unit 1007 causes the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 to display the status of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 based on the voltage value measured by the voltage measurement unit 1005 (step S4).

The voltage measurement unit 1005 determines whether or not the measurement conditions, which are the conditions for measuring the voltage values of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22, are met (step S5). For example, the voltage measurement unit 1005 determines that the measurement conditions are met when a print request is acquired, when printing is started, when printing is ended, or when a preset time has elapsed.

The voltage measurement unit 1005 measures the voltage value of the first battery 21 and the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used among the second batteries 22 (step S6).

The power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the measured voltage value is less than the threshold value (step S7). That is, the power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the voltage value is equal to or greater than 12 V, which is the threshold value for an error. If the voltage value is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S7; No), the power supply control unit 1006 proceeds to step S5 and waits until the voltage value becomes less than the threshold value.

If the voltage value falls below the threshold value (step S7; Yes), the power supply control unit 1006 measures the voltage value of the standby battery 20 (step S8).

The power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the measured voltage value is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S9). That is, the power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the voltage value of the standby battery 20 is equal to or greater than 12 V, which is the voltage that causes an error.

If the measured voltage value is less than the threshold value (step S9; No), the notification control unit 1007 notifies the user of an error (step S10). That is, the notification control unit 1007 causes the first indicator light 31 and the second indicator light 32 to flash red in short cycles.

If the measured voltage value is equal to or greater than the threshold value (step S9; Yes), the communication control unit 1001 determines whether or not a print request has been received from the POS terminal (step S11). If a print request has not been received (step S11; No), the power supply control unit 1006 proceeds to step S13.

If a print request has been received (step S11: Yes), the power supply control unit 1006 determines whether printing in response to the print request has been completed (step S12). If printing in response to the print request has not been completed (step S12: No), the power supply control unit 1006 waits until printing is completed.

When printing in response to the print request is completed (step S12; Yes), the power supply control unit 1006 switches the standby battery 20 to the battery 20 to be used (step S13). Switching the battery 20 during printing causes a temporary voltage drop, which may result in deterioration of print quality. The power supply control unit 1006 switches the battery 20 after printing is completed. Thus, the power supply control unit 1006 can prevent deterioration of print quality due to switching the battery 20.

After this, Printer 1 completes the switching process.

Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a temperature monitoring process executed by the printer 1 of the first embodiment. The temperature monitoring process is a process for monitoring abnormal heat generation by the first battery 21 and the second battery 22.

The temperature measurement unit 1004 measures the temperatures of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 (step S21).

The power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the measured temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature (step S22). If the measured temperature is lower than the set temperature (step S22; No), the printer 1 ends the temperature monitoring process.

If the temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature (step S22; Yes), the power supply control unit 1006 stops the power supply used for printing (step S23). That is, the power supply control unit 1006 stops the power supply used for printing by the battery selection unit 155. As a result, the printing control unit 1002 stops printing if it is in progress.

The notification control unit 1007 causes the indicator light 30 to indicate that the battery 20 is at or above the set temperature (step S24).

The temperature measurement unit 1004 measures the temperatures of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 (step S25).

The power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the measured temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature (step S26). If the measured temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature (step S26; No), the notification control unit 1007 proceeds to step S24 and displays that the temperature is equal to or higher than the set temperature.

If the temperature is below the set temperature (step S26; No), the notification control unit 1007 ends the display indicating that the temperature is above the set temperature (step S27).

The printer 1 then finishes the temperature monitoring process.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the printing process executed by the printer 1 of the first embodiment. The printing process is a process that executes printing according to a voltage value.

The communication control unit 1001 receives a print request (step S31).

The temperature measurement unit 1004 measures the temperatures of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 (step S32).

The temperature measurement unit 1004 determines whether the temperatures of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are below the set temperature (step S33).

If the temperatures of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are equal to or higher than the set temperature (step S33; No), the print control unit 1002 is unable to print because the battery selection unit 155 stops the power supply (step S34).

If the temperatures of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are below the set temperature (step S33; Yes), the voltage measurement unit 1005 measures the voltage values of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 (step S35).

The power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Critical Low or higher (step S36). That is, the power supply control unit 1006 determines whether it is 12 V or higher. If the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Error (step S36; No), the print control unit 1002 becomes unable to print due to insufficient power in step S34.

If the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Critical Low or higher (step S36; Yes), the power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Low or higher (step S37). That is, the power supply control unit 1006 determines whether it is 13V or higher. If the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Critical Low (step S37; No), the print control unit 1002 prints the status of the battery 20, such as the voltage value (step S38).

If the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Low or higher (step S37; Yes), the power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Full or higher (step S39). That is, the power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the voltage value is 14.4V or higher. If the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Low (step S39; No), the print control unit 1002 prints the print data at a low speed (step S40).

If the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used is Full or higher (step S39; Yes), the print control unit 1002 prints the print data at normal speed (step S41).

The printer 1 then finishes the printing process.

As described above, the printer 1 according to the first embodiment has multiple batteries 20 connected, such as the first battery 21 and the second battery 22. When the printer 1 receives a print request, it measures the voltage value of each of the multiple batteries 20. Based on the measurement results, the printer 1 selects a battery 20 from the multiple batteries 20 whose voltage value is equal to or greater than a threshold value as the battery to be used. Therefore, the printer 1 according to the first embodiment can reduce the possibility of stopping due to a power shortage.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a printer 1a according to the second embodiment. The printer 1a according to the second embodiment differs from the printer 1 according to the first embodiment in that it can be separated into a print unit 2 and a power supply unit 3. The print unit 2 is a unit that includes various hardware related to printing. The power supply unit 3 is a unit that includes various hardware related to power. The power supply unit 3 includes a connection portion 15 for connecting to the print unit 2.

The connecting portion 15 is provided on the top surface of the power supply unit 3. The connecting portion 15 has multiple protrusions 16 that are inserted into holes provided in the print unit 2. The tips of the protrusions 16 are bent at approximately right angles toward the front surface of the printer 1a. When the power supply unit 3 and the print unit 2 are connected, the protrusions 16 can fix the connected state. On the other hand, when disconnecting the power supply unit 3 and the print unit 2, the user can disconnect them by shifting the print unit 2 forward.

Next, we will explain the hardware configuration of printer 1a.

Figure 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the printer 1a. The printing unit 2 has a first connection interface 170 for connecting to the power supply unit 3. The power supply unit 3 has a second connection interface 180 for connecting to the printing unit 2. The first connection interface 170 and the second connection interface 180 are interfaces such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) and RS-232 (Recommended Standard 232). Note that the first connection interface 170 and the second connection interface 180 are not limited to these and may be other interfaces. The first connection interface 170 and the second connection interface 180 execute communication between the printing unit 2 and the power supply unit 3.

The first connection interface 170 and the second connection interface 180 transmit power from the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 from the power supply unit 3 to the printing unit 2. Note that the printer 1a may be provided with another interface for transmitting power, not limited to the first connection interface 170 and the second connection interface 180.

Next, we will explain the characteristic functions of printer 1a. Here, Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the characteristic functions of printer 1a.

The control unit 110 of the printing unit 2 expands the control program P stored in the memory 120 into the RAM 113, and generates each functional unit in the RAM 113 by operating according to the control program P. Specifically, the control unit 110 of the printing unit 2 has, as functional units, a communication control unit 1001, a printing control unit 1002, a mode control unit 1011, and a first connection control unit 1012.

The communication control unit 1001 and the print control unit 1002 have the same functions as in the first embodiment.

The mode control unit 1011 sets the mode of the printer 1a. There are two modes: normal mode and low power consumption mode. The normal mode consumes more power than the low power consumption mode. In the normal mode, the printer 1a prints faster than in the low power consumption mode and takes longer to transition to a standby state. The low power consumption mode is a mode in which the time to transition to a sleep state, the printing speed of the thermal head 142, the division of the strobe, the heat application time, etc. are adjusted to reduce the power consumption of the battery 20.

When the power supply unit 3 is connected to the printing unit 2, the printer 1a indicates that it will be driven by multiple batteries 20 connected to the power supply unit 3. In this case, the mode control unit 1011 sets the printer to a low power consumption mode to conserve power usage. On the other hand, when the power supply unit 3 is not connected to the printing unit 2, the printer 1a indicates that it will be driven using power from an external power source. In this case, the mode control unit 1011 sets the printer to a normal mode to provide greater convenience than the low power consumption mode.

The first connection control unit 1012 controls the first connection interface 170 to communicate with the power supply unit 3. The first connection control unit 1012 sends a start command indicating the start of printing and an end command indicating the end of printing to the power supply unit 3. This allows the power supply unit 3 to know that printing is in progress, and therefore can prevent switching of the battery 20 during printing. As a result, the power supply unit 3 can prevent deterioration of print quality caused by switching of the battery 20 during printing.

The first connection control unit 1012 also receives battery status information from the power supply unit 3, which indicates the status of the battery 20 to be used. The battery status information indicates whether the battery 20 to be used is in a Full, Low, Critical Low, or Error state. This allows the printing control unit 1002 to perform printing according to the status of the battery 20 to be used.

The power supply microcontroller 150 of the power supply unit 3 loads a program stored in the ROM 152 or the like into the RAM 153 and operates according to the program to generate each functional unit in the RAM 153. Specifically, the power supply microcontroller 150 includes, as functional units, an initial setting unit 1003, a temperature measurement unit 1004, a voltage measurement unit 1005, a power supply control unit 1006, an alarm control unit 1007, and a second connection control unit 1013.

The initial setting unit 1003, the temperature measurement unit 1004, the voltage measurement unit 1005, the power supply control unit 1006, and the notification control unit 1007 have the same functions as in the first embodiment.

The second connection control unit 1013 controls the second connection interface 180 to communicate with the printing unit 2. The second connection control unit 1013 receives a start command indicating the start of printing and an end command indicating the end of printing from the printing unit 2. The second connection control unit 1013 also transmits battery status information indicating the status of the battery 20 to be used to the printing unit 2.

Next, we will explain the operation of printer 1a.

Figure 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a mode setting process executed by the printing unit 2 of the second embodiment. The mode setting process is a process for setting a mode related to the power consumption of the printer 1a. The mode setting process is also executed after the power is turned on.

The mode control unit 1011 determines whether the printing unit 2 is compatible with the power supply unit 3 (step S51). For example, the mode control unit 1011 determines whether the printing unit 2 is compatible with the power supply unit 3 based on the settings stored in the ROM 152, internal signals, etc.

If the power supply unit 3 is not supported (step S51; No), the mode control unit 1011 sets the mode to normal mode (step S52).

If it is compatible with the power supply unit 3 (step S51; Yes), the first connection control unit 1012 controls the first connection interface 170 to send a connection request to establish a connection with the second connection interface 180 of the power supply unit 3 (step S53).

The first connection control unit 1012 determines whether or not a response approving the connection has been received from the second connection interface 180 of the power supply unit 3 in response to the connection request (step S54). If a response approving the connection has not been received (step S54; No), the mode control unit 1011 sets the normal mode.

If a response approving the connection is received (step S54; Yes), the mode control unit 1011 sets the low power consumption mode (step S55).

The printer 1 then completes the mode setting process.

The printer 1a executes the switching process for switching the battery 20 to be used in a flow similar to that of the printer 1 in the first embodiment. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the description of the switching process is omitted.

The printer 1a also executes a temperature monitoring process to monitor abnormal heat generation from the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 in a flow that is substantially similar to that of the printer 1 in the first embodiment. Therefore, in the second embodiment, a description of the temperature monitoring process is omitted.

Next, we will explain the printing process performed by printer 1a.

First, a case where the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are normal will be described with reference to FIG. 12. In other words, a case where the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are Full or Low will be described. FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram showing an example of normal printing processing executed by the printer 1a of the second embodiment.

When the communication control unit 1001 receives a print request, the first connection control unit 1012 of the printing unit 2 sends a start command to the power supply unit 3 to notify the start of printing (step S61).

The second connection control unit 1013 of the power supply unit 3 receives a start command from the printing unit 2 (step S62). The power supply control unit 1006 executes a battery check process to check the status of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 (step S63).

Specifically, the power supply control unit 1006 determines whether the temperatures of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are below the set temperature based on the measurement result of the temperature measurement unit 1004. The power supply control unit 1006 also determines whether the voltage values of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are in a Full, Low, Critical Low, or Error state based on the measurement result of the voltage measurement unit 1005. The sequence diagram shown in FIG. 12 assumes that the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are normal, so the temperatures of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are below the set temperature and the voltage values are Full or Low.

The second connection control unit 1013 transmits the battery status information to the printing unit 2 as a result of executing the battery confirmation process (step S64).

The first connection control unit 1012 of the printing unit 2 receives battery status information from the power supply unit 3 (step S65).

The print control unit 1002 of the print unit 2 prints the print data that is the subject of the print request based on the received battery status information (step S66). Specifically, if the battery status information indicates that the battery 20 to be used is Full, the print control unit 1002 performs normal printing. Also, if the battery status information indicates that the battery 20 to be used is Low, the print control unit 1002 performs low-speed printing.

When printing is completed, the first connection control unit 1012 of the printing unit 2 sends an end command to the power supply unit 3 to notify the end of printing (step S67).

The second connection control unit 1013 of the power supply unit 3 receives the termination command from the printing unit 2 (step S68).

The power supply control unit 1006 switches the battery 20 according to the voltage value of the battery 20 to be used based on the power supply control table shown in Figure 3 (step S69).

With this, printer 1a will finish printing process if everything is normal.

Next, a case where the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are abnormal will be described with reference to FIG. 13. That is, a case where the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are in a Critical Low or Error state will be described. FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an abnormal printing process executed by the printer 1a of the second embodiment.

When the communication control unit 1001 receives a print request, the first connection control unit 1012 of the printing unit 2 sends a start command to the power supply unit 3 to notify the start of printing (step S81).

The second connection control unit 1013 of the power supply unit 3 receives a start command from the printing unit 2 (step S82). The power supply control unit 1006 executes a battery check process to check the status of the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 (step S83). The sequence diagram shown in FIG. 13 assumes that the first battery 21 and the second battery 22 are abnormal, so the temperature of the first battery 21 or the second battery 22 is equal to or higher than the set temperature. Or, the voltage value of the first battery 21 or the second battery 22 becomes Critical Low or Error.

The second connection control unit 1013 transmits the battery status information to the printing unit 2 as a result of executing the battery confirmation process (step S84).

The first connection control unit 1012 of the printing unit 2 receives battery status information from the power supply unit 3 (step S85).

The print control unit 1002 of the print unit 2 executes processing based on the received battery status information (step S86). Specifically, if the temperature of the first battery 21 or the second battery 22 is equal to or higher than the set temperature, the print control unit 1002 does not execute printing because the battery selection unit 155 stops supplying power used for printing. Also, if the battery 20 to be used is in Error, the print control unit 1002 does not execute printing. Also, if the battery 20 is in Critical Low, the print control unit 1002 prints the status of the battery 20.

As a result, printer 1a ends the printing process in the event of an abnormality.

As described above, the printer 1a according to the second embodiment can be separated into the print unit 2 and the power supply unit 3. Even when separated, the printer 1a can reduce the possibility of stopping due to a lack of power.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims.

The programs executed by each device in the above embodiments and modified examples are provided by being pre-installed in a storage medium (ROM or storage unit) provided in each device, but this is not limited to this. For example, the programs may be provided by being recorded in an installable or executable format on a computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, flexible disk (FD), CD-R, or DVD (Digital Versatile Disk). Furthermore, the storage medium is not limited to a medium independent of the computer or embedded system, but also includes a storage medium in which a program transmitted via a LAN, the Internet, etc. is downloaded and stored or temporarily stored.

The programs executed by each device in the above embodiments and variations may be stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and provided by downloading them via the network, or may be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 printer 2 printing unit 3 power supply unit 20 battery 21 first battery 22 second battery 30 indicator light 31 first indicator light 32 second indicator light 121 first connection terminal 122 second connection terminal 150 power supply microcontroller 155 battery selection unit 158 temperature sensor 170 first connection interface 180 second connection interface 1001 communication control unit 1002 print control unit 1003 initial setting unit 1004 temperature measurement unit 1005 voltage measurement unit 1006 power supply control unit 1007 notification control unit 1011 mode control unit 1012 first connection control unit 1013 second connection control unit

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-304203

Claims (5)

A connection means for connecting to each of the plurality of batteries;
a printing means for printing using the plurality of batteries connected to the connection means;
an acquisition means for acquiring a print request for the printing means;
a measuring means for measuring a voltage value of each of the plurality of batteries when the acquiring means acquires the print request;
a selection means for selecting the standby battery as the battery to be used when the voltage value of the battery to be used is less than a threshold value and the voltage value of the standby battery is equal to or greater than a threshold value based on the measurement result of the measurement means, upon completion of printing in response to the print request ;
a notification means for notifying a battery to be used selected by the selection means in a manner that distinguishes between a battery in standby and not to be used;
A printer comprising: The notification means notifies a charge capacity of each of the plurality of batteries based on a measurement result of the measurement means.
The printer of claim 1 . a printing means for printing the state of the battery to be used based on the measurement result of the measuring means;
3. The printer according to claim 1 or 2 . the selection means selects, from the plurality of batteries, a battery having a low voltage value as a battery to be used based on a measurement result of the measurement means.
A printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . A printer including a connection means for connecting to each of a plurality of batteries,
a printing means for printing using the plurality of batteries connected to the connection means;
an acquisition means for acquiring a print request for the printing means;
a measuring means for measuring a voltage value of each of the plurality of batteries when the acquiring means acquires the print request;
a selection means for selecting the standby battery as the battery to be used when the voltage value of the battery to be used is less than a threshold value and the voltage value of the standby battery is equal to or greater than a threshold value based on the measurement result of the measurement means, upon completion of printing in response to the print request ;
a notification means for notifying a battery to be used selected by the selection means in a manner that distinguishes between a battery in standby and not to be used;
A program to function as a

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