JPH05221096A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To ensure that information which specifies an error is stored and held whenever the error occurs, and the information which serves as a criterium for repair is not lost. CONSTITUTION:The subject printing device consists of memory for storage NVRAM 6 as non-volatile memory in which the stored content is retained, if a power supply is shut off, and CPU which stores information by which to specify an error in NVRAM 6, if the error occurs, and at the same time, prints the content of the error after resetting the device, under control.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for recording an image on a predetermined recording medium based on print information inputted from the outside.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional printing apparatus of this kind, when an error that cannot be continued occurs, a message and an error code are displayed on the panel section and the operation stops, and the user stops the service at the dealer and at the same time. , I needed to know the error code number being displayed.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, there was a case in which an error that could not be continued was displayed, and it was left unattended for a long time. Furthermore, when a serviceman comes to repair it, you can write it down in a memo etc. to inform you of what kind of condition it was, or in some cases it is possible to assume an error that is not reproducible, so that kind of error In the case of recognizing that it is, it is necessary to wait for the serviceman to come in the same state (the state in which the error has occurred).

However, it is very troublesome to write down the content of the error in a memo or the like each time, and waiting for the service person to come will cause a problem in working efficiency.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above prior art, and when an error occurs, information for identifying the error is stored and retained, and is used as a guide when repairing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device in which the printer is not lost.

To solve this problem, the image processing apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, in a printing apparatus that records an image based on input print data on a predetermined recording medium and outputs it, a storage unit that retains the stored content even at least when the power is turned off, and if an error occurs, identify the error. Storage means for storing the information to be stored in the storage means, and notification means for notifying the information stored in the storage means to the outside.

[0007]

In the structure of the present invention, when an error occurs, information for specifying the error is stored in the storage means and the stored content is notified to the outside.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Description of Laser Beam Printer] The configuration of a laser beam printer to which this embodiment is applied will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer (hereinafter abbreviated as LBP) of the embodiment.
The BP can perform registration of character patterns and affiliation forms (form data 9) from a data source (not shown).

In the figure, 100 is an LBP main body,
Input and store print information (character code, etc.) or form information or macro commands supplied from an externally connected host computer, and create the corresponding character pattern or form pattern according to the information. An image is formed on a recording paper, which is a recording medium. Three
Reference numeral 00 is an operation panel on which switches for operation and LED displays are arranged, and 101 is a printer control unit for controlling the entire LBP 100 and analyzing character information supplied from the host computer. The printer control unit 101 mainly converts character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and outputs it to the laser driver 102.

The laser driver 102 is a semiconductor laser 10.
3 is a circuit for driving the laser beam 3, and the laser beam 1 emitted from the semiconductor laser 103 according to the input video signal.
The laser beam 104 for switching ON / OFF of 04 is oscillated in the left-right direction by the rotary polygon mirror 105 to scan and expose the electrostatic drum 106. As a result, an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 106. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 107 arranged around the electrostatic drum 106, and then transferred to a recording paper. A cut sheet is used as the recording paper, and the cut sheet recording paper is stored in a paper cassette 108 mounted on the LBP 100, and is taken into the apparatus by a paper feed roller 109 and conveyance rollers 110 and 111, and the electrostatic drum 106 is used. Is supplied to.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the printer control unit 101 of the embodiment. In the figure, 1
Is a host computer, the input buffer 2 is a circuit for temporarily storing print data sent from 1, and the data analysis function unit 3 analyzes the print data stored in the input buffer memory 2. The page buffer memory 4 is a circuit for storing the print data after analysis in page units, and the output processing function unit 5 changes the information of 4 in the page buffer memory into a corresponding dot pattern and expands it in the image buffer memory 7.
Here, the data analysis function unit 3 and the output processing function unit 5 are realized by a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as CPU). The memory holding NVRAM 6 stores error information corresponding to an error that cannot be continued, and the contents are stored even when the power is turned off (for example, EEPRO).
M etc.). The printer I / F unit 9 transfers the dot pattern information in the image buffer memory 7 to the printer engine unit 10. Reference numeral 8 denotes an R that stores a program related to the operation processing procedure of the CPU (flowcharts in FIGS. 2 and 3 described later).
The OM stores not only the program but also a character pattern and information (error number etc.) for identifying an error that occurs.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of the processing procedure of the printing apparatus. Here, an example is shown from the time when an error that cannot be continued occurs.

First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not a continuation impossible error has occurred, and if not, a normal operation is performed. If it is determined that an error has occurred, in steps S2 to S4, the program address being processed when the uncontinueable error occurs and each register of the CPU at that time are stored in the storage NVRAM 6, and The error number that identifies the error that occurred at that time is stored. Then, in order to indicate that an error has occurred, the error flag secured at a predetermined address position of the NVRAM 6 is turned on. The NVRAM 6 for storage
Does not store only one-time error information, but stores and retains it in a state of being added to past error information. Therefore, a pointer indicating how far the error information is already stored is secured at a predetermined address position of the storage NVRAM 6. Also, when storing error information,
The apparatus is provided with a timer (not shown) in order to store the error occurrence time. However, by performing a predetermined operation (operated by a serviceman), the NVRAM for storage is
The contents of 6 can be initialized.

After this, the process proceeds to step S6, where the device is once reset, the memory is cleared, and the device is restarted.
After the reset, if the error flag of the storage NVRAM 6 is turned on, the content stored in the memory is automatically printed out as a test print (step S7). However, the object to be printed here may be only the latest error information, but in the embodiment, all error information stored in the past is printed so that the time of occurrence can be known.

When the printing process of the error information is completed normally, the error flag of the NVRAM 6 is turned off.

[Description of Other Embodiments] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing another example of the processing procedure after re-driving according to the present invention.

In the above-described embodiment, when an error occurs, the error is reset and the error content is automatically printed out. However, the user may instruct this. This example will be described below.

When the printing apparatus is turned on,
The state of the error flag of the NVRAM storing the error information is determined (step S11). When the flag is off, it is regarded as normal power-on and normal operation is performed. Also, when the error flag is on,
It is regarded as the re-drive after the occurrence of an error that cannot be continued, and a display indicating that the error has occurred is displayed on a part of the display portion of the panel (step S12). Next, operation panel (not shown)
If there is a test print instruction via (step S13), the stored error information is added to the test print, and the test print is output.

As described above, the error information is automatically stored when an error occurs, and then the hard reset and the re-driving are performed to save the user's time and effort concerning the error.
By reducing the time during which the printing device cannot be used, it is possible to prevent the work efficiency of the user from decreasing. In addition, by notifying the user that an error that cannot be continued has occurred after re-driving,
Preventing the user from forgetting the service request from the store and adding the error information to the test print to output it helps the user to explain the condition of the printing device and helps the service person to repair it. is there.

Although not explained before, errors that cannot be continued include illegal commands (transmission of undefined commands), flag traps (problems on programs), undefined instruction traps (bug on programs), etc. , Jam, etc. are included. For example, if there is an abnormally large number of jams within a short period of time, it is considered that a failure has occurred in the recording paper transport system, so that it can be well communicated to the service person.

Further, it is possible that the error information itself cannot be printed after the reset. Therefore, it is desirable that the NVRAM 6 in the embodiment be removable. By doing so, even if the recording itself becomes impossible, by examining the contents of the memory, it is possible to grasp what kind of error occurred in what kind of history in the past.

Furthermore, the contents of errors that occurred in the past on the operation panel may be sequentially confirmed by pressing a predetermined key.

The contents of the error information are not limited to those described in the embodiment, and the storage destination is not limited to NVRAM, and FLASH memory or the like can be considered.

As described above, according to the embodiment, the error information is automatically stored at the time of the occurrence of the uncontinuable error, and the hard reset and the re-driving are performed to save the user's time and effort for the error and to print. By reducing the time during which the device cannot be used, the work efficiency of the user can be prevented from decreasing. In addition, by notifying the user that an error that cannot be continued has occurred after restarting, it is possible to prevent the user from forgetting the service request to the store, and by adding the error information to the test print and outputting it, the user can print. There is an effect that the explanation of the state of the device is omitted and the service person can be repaired.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an error occurs, the information for identifying the error is stored and held, so that the information used as a guide for the repair may be lost. Disappear.

[0028]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing contents when an error occurs in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing processing contents in another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a printing mechanism of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Host Computer 2 Input Buffer Memory 3 Data Analysis Function Section 4 Page Buffer Memory 5 Output Processing Function Section 6 NVRAM for Storage 7 Image Buffer Memory 8 ROM 9 Printer I / F Section 10 Printer Engine Section

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. In a printing apparatus for recording an image based on input print data on a predetermined recording medium and outputting the same, a storage unit that retains the stored content even when power is turned off, and an error occurs when the error occurs. A printing apparatus comprising: a storage unit for storing information specifying an error in the storage unit; and a notification unit for externally reporting the information stored in the storage unit. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notifying unit is a unit that prints out the error content.