JPH0973377A - Information processing system, information processor, and information processing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the problems of a recording defect and discoloration of a recording color on a color recording device owing to a shortage of a recording material halfway in a recording process, and securing a user of a shortage of the rest of the recording material and urge the user to perform replenishment as to the information processing system consisting of the information processor and recording device. SOLUTION: Before one page is printed, it is judged (steps S2 and S10) whether or not ink that is much enough to print the one page is left; when there is enough ink, the one page is printed (S3 and S12), but when not, a message indicating a deficiency in the rest is displayed on a display device (S4 and S11). In the case of a color printer, printable colors are judged (S7) from the remaining amounts of ink and it is further judged (S8) whether or not where is an unprintable color among colors specified for the printing; when there is an unprintable color, a message indicating the unprintable color is displayed (S9).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording apparatus provided with a recording material remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of recording material (ink, ink ribbon, toner, etc.) used for recording, and recording in the recording apparatus. And an information processing system in which the recording material remaining amount detected by the recording material remaining amount detecting means is notified from the recording device to the information processing device, and the information processing in the system. It is about the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a general configuration of an information processing system including an information processing device such as a personal computer and a printer (recording device) connected to the information processing device, print data (print data) is transferred between the information processing device and the printer. There is no exchange of special information other than recorded data,
In the case of printing (recording), the print data is simply given to the printer from the information processing apparatus side. For example, the printer is a printer that performs printing using ink, such as an inkjet printer, and is provided with an ink remaining amount detecting unit that detects the remaining amount of ink in the printer, and the ink remaining amount is small. Even when the information is detected, the information is not notified to the information processing apparatus side, and the information processing apparatus simply gives the printer print data to the sink to execute the printing.

[0003]

Therefore, there is a case where ink runs out due to ink shortage in the middle of printing one page, resulting in defective printing. However, the user can print without actually performing printing. I could not know whether or not.

On the other hand, color printers have become widespread in recent years. Color printers store several colors of ink,
It is designed so that various colors can be printed by overlapping multiple colors. Therefore, when printing with such a color printer, when the color of the original is unprintable due to the lack of the ink of one color, and the printing color changes during printing, Alternatively, it may be printed in a different color from the beginning.

In order to prevent such a failure, it is necessary for the user to check the remaining amount of ink of each color immediately before printing before printing, but the work is cumbersome and too real. Not at all.

Further, especially in the case of printing using a large number of colors in color printing, it is very difficult to check whether all the originals are printed in a desired color, which is practically impossible. It is possible.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is, in an information processing system including an information processing apparatus and a recording apparatus of this type, a problem of recording failure due to a loss of recording material in the middle of recording and a change in recording color in a color recording apparatus. This is to prevent the occurrence of the problem, and when the remaining amount of the recording material is insufficient, the user can be surely informed of this and to prompt the replenishment of the recording material. Further, in the case of a color recording apparatus, it is to notify the user of a color that cannot be recorded among the colors designated for recording depending on the remaining amount of the recording material so that the user can be prompted to change the color designation.

[0008]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the present invention, there is provided a recording apparatus having a recording material remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of recording material used for recording, and the recording apparatus. An information processing system, comprising: an information processing device for causing an apparatus to perform recording, wherein the recording material remaining amount detected by the recording material remaining amount detecting means is notified from the recording device to the information processing device. The recording device further includes an output device for outputting information separately from the recording device, and a control device for controlling the output device and the recording device. The control device has a recording device before the recording device executes recording of a predetermined unit. Check whether or not the remaining amount of recording material notified from is a predetermined amount that enables recording in the predetermined unit, and if there is, let the recording device execute recording in the predetermined unit, and if not, do not execute recording. The remaining recording material The information processing system output information for notifying the user to perform the output means, the information processing apparatus, and employs a configuration of an information processing method.

According to this structure, before the recording of a predetermined unit, for example, one page, it is confirmed whether or not the recording material remaining amount of the recording device is the predetermined amount that enables the recording of the predetermined unit. Since the recording is executed only when there is a recording unit, it is possible to prevent problems such as occurrence of recording defects due to the recording material being exhausted during recording of a predetermined unit, or color change in the case of color recording. Further, when there is no recording material remaining amount of the predetermined amount, it is possible to notify the user of the shortage of the recording material remaining amount by the output of the output means, for example, the display device, and prompt the user to replenish the recording material.

Further, in the present invention, when the recording device is a color recording device for performing color recording by using recording materials of a plurality of colors, the control means causes the recording device to execute recording of the predetermined unit. Then, before the control based on the presence or absence of the predetermined amount of recording material remaining, the recordable color is judged by the remaining amount of the recording material of each color notified from the recording device, and is designated by the recording in the predetermined unit. If there is an unrecordable color among the colors, if there is an unrecordable color, output the information that notifies the user of the unrecordable color without causing the recording device to execute recording. A configuration is adopted in which the output means is caused to perform the control depending on the presence or absence of the predetermined amount of recording material when there is no unrecordable color.

According to such a configuration, if there is an unrecordable color among the colors designated by the recording of the predetermined unit depending on the remaining amount of the recording material of each color, the user is informed of it and the color is recorded. It is possible to urge changes in specifications. At this time, it is convenient for the user to change the color designation by outputting the information notifying the recordable color as well as the non-recordable color.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of an information processing system including an information processing apparatus and a recording apparatus according to the present invention.

The information processing system shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, an information processing apparatus 10 configured as a personal computer or the like.
And a printer 11 for recording and outputting.

The printer 11 is, for example, an ink jet printer or the like, which prints (records) characters or images on a printing paper by using ink as a recording material, and performs monochrome printing using only black ink, or a plurality of color inks. It is configured as a color printer that performs color printing. The printer 11 includes an ink remaining amount detector that detects the remaining amount of ink stored in an ink tank (not shown) of the printer 11, that is, black ink for a monochrome printer and a plurality of colors of ink for a color printer. 12 are provided.

Next, the structure of the information processing apparatus 10 will be described.

In the configuration of the information processing device 10, firstly,
Is an MPU (microprocessor unit) for controlling the entire system, and uses a RAM (random access memory) 2 for information processing by a control program written in a control ROM (read only memory) 3. , Control the entire system.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a display device such as a CRT, which is an MPU 1
Is used to display various types of information during normal application execution while information processing is being performed by the printer, and informs the user of a shortage of ink remaining in the printer 11 and other printer 11 states as described below. Used for display.

Reference numeral 5 is a bidirectional printer interface for connecting the printer 11 to the information processing apparatus 10 and for mediating the exchange of information between the MPU 1 of the information processing apparatus 10 and the printer 11. Information such as print data and control commands is transmitted from the information processing apparatus 10 side to the printer 11 via the printer interface 5, and the printer 11 transmits the detection result of the ink remaining amount detector 12 to the information processing apparatus 10. Ink remaining amount information and other information related to the state of the printer 11 are transmitted.

Reference numeral 6 is a program as software, not hardware, but it is shown because it relates to the features of the present invention. This program 6 is a remaining ink amount check / printable color determination program for checking the remaining ink amount executed immediately before the start of printing and determining the printable color in the case of a color printer as described later. . The program 6 is written in the control ROM 3 in advance and used, or read from the external storage device 7 such as a hard disk drive or a floppy disk drive into the RAM 2 when the information processing apparatus 10 is started up and used.

In addition to the above, a keyboard 8 for input operation for the user to input various information is provided.

With the above configuration, when the information processing apparatus 10 receives a print command from the application, the ink remaining amount check / printable color determination program 6 is executed by the MPU 1 and thereby each page Before execution of printing, it is checked whether or not there is a predetermined amount of ink remaining capable of printing one page, and if there is, the printing of one page is executed. When the printer 11 is a color printer, the printable color is determined based on the remaining amount of ink of each color, and the unprintable color among the colors designated by the print data of one page designated for printing is determined. It is determined whether or not there is.

Details of the processing operation of the MPU 1 by the program 6 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the print start command is received as described above, the program 6 is executed by the MPU 1 to start the process of FIG. 2. First, the MPU 1 connects to the information processing device 10 via the printer interface 5 in step S1. The registered printer is a color printer or a monochrome printer.

When it is determined that the printer is a monochrome printer, the information of the ink remaining amount of the printer 11 detected by the ink remaining amount detector 12 is acquired through the printer interface 5 in step S2, and one page of printing paper (1 It is determined whether or not there is a predetermined amount of ink remaining that enables printing of one sheet.

If it is determined that the predetermined amount of ink remains, the printer 11 prints one page in step S3.
To run.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the predetermined amount of remaining ink is not available, printing is not performed and a message is displayed on the display device 4 to inform the user of the insufficient remaining ink amount in step S4. Encourage people to replenish ink.

When the printing of one page in step S3 is completed, it is judged in step S5 whether or not the printing of all the instructed pages is completed. If not completed, step S2 is executed.
Then, the process of steps S2 to S5 is repeated. Then, when the printing of all pages is completed, the processing ends.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S1 that the printer is a color printer, first in step S6, the ink remaining amount detector 12
The information of the ink remaining amount of each color detected by is acquired through the printer interface 5.

Next, in step S7, the printable colors from the ink remaining amounts of the respective colors, that is, the respective colors of the inks having the remaining amount and the respective colors obtained by superimposing the respective color inks having the remaining amount are respectively determined. Judge and create a palette (list) of printable colors.

Next, in step S8, it is judged whether or not there is a color that is not included in the palette and cannot be printed among the colors designated by the print data of one page to be printed, and there is a color that cannot be printed. If so, the display device 4 is caused to display a message notifying the user of the unprintable color in step S9. At this time, it is sufficient to notify only the colors that cannot be printed, but at the same time, notify the colors that can be printed,
It is more convenient to change the color designation by displaying a message prompting the user to change the color designation to a printable color.

If there is no unprintable color among the colors designated by the print data, the remaining amount of each color ink used for printing the color designated in step S10 is 1 page as described above. Judge whether there is a predetermined amount that enables printing of minutes, and if not, do not print,
In step S11, the display device 4 displays a message notifying the user of the color of the ink whose remaining amount is insufficient and urging the user to replenish the ink of that color.

On the other hand, there is no unprintable color among the designated colors, and the remaining amount of each color ink used for printing the designated color is a predetermined amount that enables printing of one page. In this case, the printer 11 is made to print one page in step S12. In this case, even if there is no remaining amount of ink of a specific color, if the ink of the specific color is not required for printing the specified color, then printing will be executed.

Next, when the printing of one page is completed, it is judged in step S13 whether the printing of all the pages instructed is completed. If not completed, the process returns to step S6 and the processes of steps S6 to S13 are repeated. Then, when the printing of all pages is completed, the processing ends.

According to the above-described embodiment, whether the printer is a monochrome printer or a color printer, it is confirmed that there is a predetermined amount of ink remaining for printing one page before printing each page. Since the printing is performed after that, it is possible to prevent the problem that the ink runs out due to the ink running out during the printing of one page to cause a recording failure or a color change. Further, in the case of a color printer, it is possible to prevent in advance the problem that the ink of a specific color does not remain from the beginning of one page and a different color is printed.

When the ink level is insufficient, a message is displayed on the display device 4 to inform the user of the shortage of the ink level, so that the user can be surely notified of the shortage of the ink level and the ink can be replenished. .

In the case of a color printer, if there is a color that cannot be printed out of the colors designated for printing, a message is displayed on the display device 4 to inform the user of this fact. It is possible to reliably notify the user and prompt the user to change the color designation. At this time, it is convenient to change the color designation by notifying the printable color as well as the non-printable color as described above.

[Other Embodiments] In the above embodiment,
Whether or not there is a remaining amount of ink that can print one page of printing paper is performed before the start of printing one page, and the unit that guarantees printing without running out of ink is one page. However, the unit is not limited to one page unit, For example, it may be a unit of one line, a unit of a plurality of predetermined pages, a unit of the entire document for which printing is instructed, or an arbitrary unit designated by the user.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the remaining ink amount is checked immediately before the start of printing to prevent the ink from running out or the color changing during printing. It is also possible to check the ink remaining amount of the printer or judge the printable color during the operation. And, ・ From the beginning, tell the application the printable color, remove the non-printable color in advance from the choices of the color to be printed, and make it unselectable ・ Warn on the screen when the non-printable color is specified Display a message.

Applications such as are conceivable.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the display device outputs the notification regarding the remaining amount of ink to the user and the color that cannot be printed. However, the output may be performed by other output means, for example. It is also possible to use a voice output device to notify by voice.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the recording apparatus (printer) for recording (printing) using the ink as the recording material is used is described, but the recording is performed by using other recording material such as toner or ink ribbon. Even in the case of using the recording apparatus for performing the above, it is needless to say that the same effect can be expected by similarly applying the technique of the present invention to check the remaining amount of the recording material and determine the recordable color.

[0043]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a recording apparatus provided with recording material remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of recording material used for recording, and recording in the recording apparatus. In the information processing system in which the recording material remaining amount detected by the recording material remaining amount detecting means is notified from the recording device to the information processing device, before performing recording in a predetermined unit, It is confirmed whether or not the recording material remaining amount of the recording device is a predetermined amount capable of recording in the predetermined unit, and recording is executed only when it is present. It is possible to prevent problems such as occurrence of defects or color change in the case of color recording. Further, when there is no remaining amount of the recording material, the other output means outputs the information notifying the user of the lack of the remaining amount of the recording material without executing the recording. The shortage can be surely notified to the user, and the recording material can be replenished.

Further, in the present invention, when the recording device is a color recording device for performing color recording by using recording materials of a plurality of colors, the recording material remaining amount of the predetermined amount before the recording of the predetermined unit is executed. Before the control based on the presence or absence of the amount, the recordable color is determined by the remaining amount of the recording material of each color, and it is determined whether or not there is an unrecordable color among the colors designated by the recording of the predetermined unit. If there is an unrecordable color, information that informs the user of the unrecordable color is output.Therefore, it is possible to inform the user of the unrecordable color and encourage the user to change the color designation. it can. At this time, it is convenient for the user to change the color designation by outputting the information notifying the recordable color as well as the non-recordable color.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of an information processing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control processing procedure by an ink remaining amount check / printable color determination program 6 of the MPU 1 in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 MPU 2 RAM 3 Control ROM 4 Display device 5 Printer interface 6 Ink remaining amount check / printable color judgment program 7 External storage device 8 Keyboard 10 Information processing device 11 Printer 12 Ink remaining amount detector

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location B41J 2/175 B41J 3/04 102Z

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A recording device having a recording material remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of recording material used for recording, and an information processing device for causing the recording device to perform recording. An information processing system in which an information processing apparatus notifies the information processing apparatus of the remaining amount of recording material detected by the means, wherein the information processing apparatus outputs the information separately from the recording apparatus, and the output means. And a control means for controlling the recording device, the control means being capable of recording in the predetermined unit of the recording material remaining amount notified from the recording device before the recording device is made to execute recording in the predetermined unit. Confirm whether or not there is a predetermined amount,
If there is, let the recording device execute the recording of the predetermined unit,
An information processing system characterized by causing the output means to output the information notifying the user of the shortage of the remaining amount of the recording material without executing the recording when there is no such information. 2. When the recording device is a color recording device that performs color recording using recording materials of a plurality of colors, the control means sets the position before the recording device executes the predetermined unit of recording. Prior to control based on the presence or absence of a fixed amount of recording material, the recordable color is judged from the remaining amount of recording material of each color notified from the recording device, and the recordable color is determined by Judge whether there is a color that cannot be recorded,
When there is an unrecordable color, the output device is caused to output the information for notifying the user of the unrecordable color without causing the recording device to execute the recording. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein control is performed depending on whether or not a predetermined amount of recording material remains. 3. The control means, when causing the output means to output the information notifying the user of the unrecordable color, also outputs the information notifying the user of the recordable color. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein 4. Recording using a recording device having a recording material remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of recording material used for recording, and notifying the information processing device of the recording material remaining amount detected by the means. An information processing apparatus for performing a recording operation, comprising: an output unit that outputs information separately from the recording device; and a control unit that controls the output unit and the recording device. Before making the recording device execute, it is confirmed whether the recording material remaining amount notified from the recording device is a predetermined amount that enables recording in the predetermined unit,
If there is, let the recording device execute the recording of the predetermined unit,
An information processing apparatus, characterized in that, when there is no such information, the output means outputs the information notifying the user of the shortage of the remaining amount of the recording material without executing the recording. 5. When a color recording apparatus for performing color recording using a recording material of a plurality of colors is used as the recording apparatus, the control means is configured to perform the above-mentioned processing before the recording apparatus executes the recording in the predetermined unit. Prior to control based on the presence or absence of a fixed amount of recording material, the recordable color is judged from the remaining amount of recording material of each color notified from the recording device, and the recordable color is determined by It is determined whether or not there is an unrecordable color, and if there is an unrecordable color, the output means outputs the information notifying the user of the unrecordable color without causing the recording device to perform recording. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein if there is no unrecordable color, control is performed depending on the presence or absence of the predetermined amount of recording material remaining. 6. The control means also outputs information for informing a user of a recordable color when causing the output means to output information for informing the user of the unrecordable color. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein 7. A recording device having a recording material remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of recording material used for recording, and an information processing device for causing the recording device to perform recording. An information processing method in an information processing system in which the recording material remaining amount detected by the means is notified from the recording device to the information processing device, wherein the information processing device is configured to perform recording in a predetermined unit before the recording device executes. Check whether or not the recording material remaining amount notified from the recording device is a predetermined amount that enables recording in the predetermined unit, and if there is, make the recording device execute recording in the predetermined unit, and if not, perform recording. An information processing method characterized by outputting information for notifying the user of the shortage of the remaining amount of recording material without executing the information. 8. When the recording device is a color recording device that performs color recording using recording materials of a plurality of colors, the information processing device is configured to execute the recording in the predetermined unit before the recording device executes the recording. Before the processing depending on the presence / absence of a predetermined amount of recording material remaining, the recordable color is judged from the remaining amount of the recording material of each color notified from the recording device, and the color specified by the recording of the predetermined unit is determined. If there is a color that cannot be recorded, and if there is a color that cannot be recorded, output the information notifying the user of the color that cannot be recorded without causing the recording device to execute recording, and then record. 8. The information processing method according to claim 7, wherein if there is no impossible color, processing is performed depending on whether or not the predetermined amount of recording material remains. 9. The information processing apparatus, when outputting the information notifying the user of the unrecordable color, also outputs the information notifying the user of the recordable color. The information processing method according to claim 8.