MXPA02001768A - Printer for printing labels, tags or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

A printer (10) which is configured to automatically transmit data, such as critical and noncritical printer data, and route that data through at least one of a plurality of communication channels and services, such as via email or mobile wireless equipment (e.g. an Internetready pager (150), a Personal Communications Service (PCS) phone (160) or a wireless Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) (170)). Preferably, the printer is configured such that it can be programmed and controlled from a remote location. Preferably, the printer is configured such that new label formats can be added from a remote location, and label formats stored in the printer can be viewed and modified from a remote location. Preferably, the printer is also configured such that barcode rendering algorithms can be downloaded to the printer, and such that printer settings can be viewed and modified from a remote location, and thereafter can be downloaded to the printer andor to other printers (10a, 10b, 10c) in a network to facilitate cloning.

Description

PRINTER OF LABELS, LABELS OR SIMILAR DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Application No. 60 / 149,966, filed on August 20, 1999 and United States Provisional Application No. 60 / 162,789, filed on October 29, 1999. The present invention relates generally to printers that are configured to print labels, tags or the like, and more specifically refers to a printer that is configured to print labels, tags and the like. and provides many sales: as above the prior art. It is advantageous to prevent the idle time of the printer, or at least to keep the idle time to a minimum. Sometimes, printers that print labels, labels or the like, such as bar code printers, are used in critical mission applications. In such circumstances, when a printer goes down, it can be quite expensive. For example, if a printer configured to print boat tags is finished or the tape becomes effectively non-functional, several hundred boxes may be placed in the inventory without identification. In this case, every hour that the system or the printer is not available can cost hundreds of dollars or more in loss of productivity. Therefore, it is advantageous to prevent the idle time of the printer, and in critical mission applications, it is generally economically imperative. The prior art printers are not configured to automatically notify any person, such as an Information Technology (IT) manager who can not be located in close proximity to the printer, when the problem exists. As such, in order to keep time idle to a minimum, it is imperative to continuously monitor a person's performance in the system, and even after inactive time it can be substantial. For example, in the case where there is an assembly line with an industrial bar code printer at the end of the assembly line, and the printer tape is running out, operators on the assembly line may or may not realize right away, the printer has run out of tape. Once the problem has been finally detected, it may take some time for the new tape to be placed and installed in the printer, resulting in substantial downtime for the assembly line. Some prior art printers have a web server in place. the same ones that a manager of IT can remotely view a web page that contains some basic information about the printer. However, these prior art printers do not provide the unsolicited transmission of critical and non-critical printer data and routing of that data through a plurality of communication channels to an IT manager. For example, these ro printers automatically send the important printer data; s to an IT manager via email, an easy Internet user, a Personal Communications Service (PCS) phone or a Wireless Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) so it allows the IT manager to respond to a potential problem or problems immediately, even though the IT manager may not have been actively monitoring the printer at the time. Instead, printers that have a web server in them are configured so that the IT manager should actively pro-monitor the printer and use a device that supports JAVA, such as a personal computer, to verify the status of the printer. printer. In addition, even if a problem is detected by the IT manager, in this way, these printers do not stipulate that the IT manager can correct after the problem by remotely interfacing with the printer. For example, the prior art printers also do not stipulate that an IT manager can remotely access and modify a program that is operating within the operating system of a printer. Therefore, if a change to the program needs to be made, the IT manager must have access to the program in the printer on the site, using a computer connected to the port of being or parallel to the printer, and this process should repeat for each printer that the IT manager wants to reprogram. Furthermore, the prior art printers do not stipulate that an IT manager can view and modify a label format from a remote location. The printers that adapt to print labels, labels and the like, do so according to a predetermined format, preprogrammed. For example, a printer that is configured to print boat labels can be configured to print a boat label in a format where the boat company logo, name and address are printed on the top, left corner of the label and the name and address of the reception company is printed in the center of the label. If the format of the label changes, (for example, if the logo of the boat company or address has changed), the IT manager must change the label format on the site. After the label format change, the II manager typically causes the printer to print a label to determine if the label seems acceptable. If it is not, the IT manager changes the format again, and makes him. printer prints another label. This trial and error process may have to be repeated - i & Míf bars to one or more printers. Finally, the prior art printers are not configured so that an IT manager can remotely access (ie, load) the initial settings of a printer, change the printer's initial settings, and download the new ones: Initial settings of the printer to the printer or to other printers. Therefore, the initial printer settings of the printers of the prior art can not be remotely modified, and the prior art printers are not configured so that they can be cloned (ie, contain the same printer configurations), quickly and easily from a remote location An object of the present invention is to provide a printer which is configured to automatically transmit data, such as critical and non-critical printer data, and = to route the data through at least one plurality of communication channels and services such as via email or mobile wireless equipment (for example, an easy search engine Internet, a Personal Communications Service (PCS) telephone or a Wireless Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)) Another object of the present invention is to provide a printer that is configured so that it can be programmed and controlled from a remote location.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a printer: to be configured so that new label formats can be added from a remote location and label formats stored in the printer can be viewed and modified from a remote location. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a printer that is configured so that barcode-providing algorithms can be downloaded to the printer. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a printer that is configured so that the printer's initial settings they can be viewed and modified from a remote location, and after that they can be downloaded to the printer and / or the printers in a network. Briefly, and in accordance with at least one of the foregoing objects, one embodiment of the present invention provides a printer that is configured to print labels, tags or the like, wherein the printer includes a housing and electronics in the housing configured to determine a condition of the printer (such as a printer error or dangerous condition) and after it is to automatically transmit the data corresponding to the condition to a remote location, PDA or PCS phone. Furthermore, preferably, a label format that is stored in the printer can be viewed and modified from a remote location. Additionally, preferably the printer is configured so that a barcode providing algorithm can be downloaded to the printer, preferably in the form of Executable code Desirably, the printer is configured to be able to control one or more peripheral devices in a stand-alone operation and acquire data, and may thereafter, without solicitation of a nodal computer, upload the data to the nodal computer (when the nodal computer is ready to receive data) via email or TCP / UDP message. Preferably, the data is assembled within one or more databases and processed by the nodal computer in other applications. Preferably, the printer is configured to transmit its initial settings to a remote location in XML format so that the initial settings of the printer can be easily read and viewed using, for example, a web browser on a personal computer connected to the Intranet. or the Internet. After this, the initial settings can be modified and downloaded back to the printer, or they can be downloaded to other printers in order to facilitate cloning.

Preferably, the printer 10 (and the other printers in the cloning process) are configured to scan out the XML data and restore their initial settings according to the data that is analyzed outside of XML. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The organization and form of the structure and function of the invention, together with additional objects and advantages thereof can be understood with reference to the following description taken together with the attached drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a printer that is in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; a schematic diagram of the electronics of the printer shown in FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3 is a diagram showing FIGURE 1 interconnected with a personal computer at a remote and interconnected location with several mobile wireless devices, including an easy Internet dialer, a PCS telephone and a PDA; FIGURE 4 is a schematic diagram showing a user loading the initial settings of the printer of Figure 1, viewing and modifying the initial settings. using, for example, a web browser, and after that downloading the initial settings back to the printer, or to other printers in the network to facilitate cloning; FIGURE 5 is a diagram showing a user loading, modifying and downloading ZBI, and executing / stopping ZBI from a remote location; FIGURE 6 is a block diagram of a process where a user loads a program that is stored in the printer which the printer uses to print a label, view and modify the program, and see how the label can be seen if printed and / or print the label, and download the modified program back to the printer; FIGURE 7 is a diagram showing the printer of FIGURE 1 connected to a main computer, and showing the printer loading the data to the nodal computer; and FIGURE 8 is a diagram showing a user downloading bar code providing algorithms from a website, such as a printer manufacturer's website, and then downloading the algorithms provided with bar code 3 for several printers. While the present invention may be susceptible to modalities in different forms, it is shown in the drawings and where it will be described in detail, one embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the printer, and the printer's initial settings can be viewed and modified from a remote location. After this, the initial settings of the printer can be downloaded to the printer 10, or the initial print settings can be downloaded to other printers in a network to facilitate cloning. As shown in Figure 2, which illustrates electronics 20 of the printer?At 10, the printer 10 includes a microprocessor 30 for communication and generation of labels that communicates with a parallel port 40 and a port 50 in series. Since, other ports may also be provided to the printer 10 and these ports may also be in communication with the communication processor 30 and label generation. As shown, a printer server 60 can be interfaced with the parallel port 40, and the printer server 60 can be connected to an Ethernet network 70 or some other type of network, which is connected thereafter to an Intranet and / or to the Internet, as shown in FIGURE 3. A device 80 such as a personal computer, programmable logic controller (PLC), weight scale, bar code reader or other type of device can be connected to port 50 in series for providing the printer 10 with a stream of data that the printer 10 uses to print labels, tags or the like.

The communication and label generation microprocessor 30 communicates with a user interface 90 consisting of buttons and switches that are arranged primarily on the front panel 100 of the printer 10 (see FIGURE 1). The communication and label generation microprocessor 30 also communicates with a printing control microprocessor 1. The print control microprocessor 110 is in communication with the printer medicas 120 which are generally conventional and well known in the art, and controls the mechanics 120 of the printer to print labels, labels or the like, depending on the information receives the print control microprocessor 110 from the communication and label generation microprocessor 30. Preferably, the print control microprocessor 110 is configured to monitor certain components and aspects of the printer's mechanics 120, determine whether there is a danger condition, printer error or other problem, and inform the microprocessor 30 of communication and generation of For example, preferably, the print control microprocessor 110 is configured to determine whether the printer 10 has run out of paper, is off or online, has run out of the ribbon, if the print head is open or if It's getting hot, í. :, etc. This type of monitoring is generally well known in the art. The configuration of the communication microprocessor and label generation and the fact that the print control microprocessor 110 monitors the mechanics 120 of the printer and the printer 10 is connected to an intranet and / or the Internet (see FIGURE 3) stipulates that the printer 10 can automatically tranjsmit critical printer information and does not criticize one or more remote devices such as shown in FIGURE 3, to a personal computer 130, 140 connected to an intranet or to the Internet, or an easy L50 Internet search engine, a PCS 160 telephone and / or a PDA 17'0, over a wireless communication network. This will be described in more detail in the present. Preferably, the generation of the communication and tag generation microprocessor 30 is configured to be programmed and controlled using a predetermined programming language (identified as "ZPL" in FIGURE 2). As will be described in more detail herein, preferably the printer 10 is configured so that the printer can be programmed and controlled from a remote location, such as on an intranet, the Internet or some wireless communications network. Preferably, the communications microprocessor 30. and tag generation includes a server web (which is usually embedded within the printer's operating system, which is configured to communicate in Hypertext Labeling Language (HTML) (identified as "HTML" in FIGURE 2) to facilitate the deployment of web pages on a] ntranet, the Internet or other wireless communications network As will be described in more detail here, this stipulates that a person, such as an IT manager, can see the initial settings of the printer and can program and control the printer 10 from a remote location using a web browser Preferably, the printer is configured to provide the data in a simple format that does not require the JAVA to support the receiving device.

As such, the data can be easily processed and displayed by a browser 150, a telephone 160 PCS or PDA 170 that can support JAVTJL. Preferably, the printer 10 includes a corresponding program and firmware (identified as "ZBI" in FIGURE 2 which is configured to convert a stream of data from one format to another, thereby stipulating that the printer 10 is compatible with a plurality of Different formats of data streams Specifically, the microprocessor 30 for communication and tag generation receives a stream of data, for example, through port 50 in sequence, such as from a computer personal, weight scale or barcode reader. The ZBI can then convert 1. stream of data in a format that may otherwise s < r incompatible with the printer 10 in another format which is compatible with the printer 10. The microprocessor 30 for communication and generation of labels then uses the converted data to be formatted on a label, tag or the like and communicate with the microprocessor 10 for controlling the printing that controls after this the printer mechaanilea 120 to be able to print the label, paint or similar according to the format. United States PJ Application No. 60 / 162,789 describes ZBI in more detail, and in this application is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety for reference. As discussed above, preferably, the printer 10 is configured so that the printer 10 can be interconnected with a dial at a remote location by means of an email or TCP / UDP over an intranet, the Internet or over a network of wireless communication. This will now be described in more detail. As discussed above, preferably, the printer 10 is configured to display web pages on an intranet, the Internet or over a wireless communication network. Preferred one of the web pages is configured so that the user can select conditions such as printer error or dangerous conditions) of which the user wants to be alert, and can select how he wants to be alerted. Specifically, preferably the web page is configured so that the user can select a condition and can select an e-mail and provide a website with his e-mail address, he can select the PCS telephone and provide the website with his telephone number, can select the search engine and provide the website with the number! see, you can select to be alert in some other way through a built-in local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN). Then, if the printer 10 (i.e., the printing control microprocessor 110) detects the condition, the printer 10 alerts the user of the condition by means of the selected medium (i.e., sends the user u, n e-mail, calls the person and displays the information on the screen of the PCS phone, searches for the person and displays the information on the browser screen, or alerts the person in some way with the LAN or WAN built in) see FIGURE 3). This stipulates that the user, such as an IT manager, does not need to proactively monitor the printer 10, and the printer 10 will automatically and automatically inform the user of printing errors or dangerous conditions via the communication channel.

,, J. ~ selected. Preferably, the web page also stipulates that the user may also select to be alert that a condition has been cleared (i.e., a danger condition or printer error that has been detected by the printer 10 has been corrected). This is advantageous since it can prevent the user, such as an IT manager, from spending time trying to correct a problem that has already been corrected, such as by the staff that is on site at the printer 10. Preferably, another page web is configured so that the user can see the configuration of the printer. Preferably, other web pages are configured so that the user can see and modify the initial configurations of the printer, for example, the general installation of the printer, the installation of serial communications, the installation of network communications, the installation of media , calibration, as well as view and modify other initial settings of the printer. Additionally, preferably the user can direct the web page to have the printer 10 print its initial settings on a tag, label or the like, to be seen in the shop. Preferably, the web pages are configured so that the user must enter a password to adjust the initial settings of the printer. With regard to the installation of media, preferably, the user may specify the type of media and the type of sensor as well as the printing method and the printing width and maximum length within acceptable ranges. Preferably, as shown in FIGURE 4, the printer 10 is configured so that a user 180 can load the initial configurations of the printer in a format such as XML, can view and modify the initial settings using a web browser, and can download after this the initial settings again the printer ÍC, or to the other printers (10a, 10b, 10c, etc.) in the network to facilitate the cloning. Preferably, a web page of the printer 10 is configured so that the user can see the memory status in the printer 10 and can see a directory list of the different objects that are stored and used by the printer 10 (ie used by the microprocessor 30 for communication and generation of labels and / or the microprocessor 110 for printing control). Such lists may include programs running in the printer's operating system, as well as graphic images, fonts, L label formats and programs in relation to the ZBI (discussed above). Preferably, the printer 10 is configured so that the user can direct the printer to stop or -. .*2 run a program, and you can add or modify an existing program, where the new or modified program is then downloaded to the printer 10 and the printer 10 is effectively reprogrammed. Preferably, the web pages are configured so that the user must enter a password to add, execute, stop or modify any of the programs. Figure 5 illustrates a user controlling (ie executing or stopping) the ZBI from a remote location as well as loading the ZBI, modifying the ZBI and downloading the modified 2.BI to the printer. Preferably, the printer 10 is configured to deploy the ZBI in the form of a web page at a remote location and stipulates that a user can direct the ZBI to open TCP / UDP or email ports to the Internet or an Intranet to send messages to or from the printer to communicate with other systems on the Internet or Intranet. With respect to the label formats, as shown in Figure 6, preferably the printer 10 is configured so that a user can load (see FIGURE 3) label formats that are stored in the printer 10 which the printer 10 uses to print labels, and you can see after this and modify the format. Preferably, the printer 10 is configured so that after modifying the format, the user can direct the web page (i.e., the printer) to display how the The label can be seen if it is currently printed by the printer (ie, a preview of the label), or you can direct the printer to currently print the label. If the label is not seen as desired, the user can further modify the format and again see a preview of the label or print the label until the label is seen as desired. Then, the user can direct the web site to download the modified format, finalized to the printer 10 (or to one or more printers) that afterwards use the modified format to print labels, labels or the like. Preferably, the printer 10 and web pages are also configured so that the user can format a new label and can download the new label format to the printer for use. Although the printer 10 is preferably configured so that web pages can be viewed using a web browser, the printer 10 can also be configured to communicate over an intranet or the Internet (see FIGURE 3) with a computer running an installation program that is it specifically addresses the monitoring of the printer 10 and provides centralized management of a plurality of printers in a network. As discussed above and as shown in FIGURE 7, desirably the printer 10 is configured to that the printer 10 can process data in a standalone application, such as receiving data through port 50 in series (see Figure 3) and acting on the information when printing labels, tags or the like, and after that, can without solicitation of a nodal computer 90, load the processed data to the nodal computer 190 when the nodal computer is ready to receive the data. Preferably, as shown in Figure 8, the printer is configured so that a user can download barcode-providing algorithms to the printer for the printer to use interpreting data streams and generating a bar code. Preferably, the printer and web pages are configured so that the user can download bar code-providing algorithms, such as from a printer manufacturer's website, and thereafter download the bar code-providing algorithms to the printer. printer. As such, it is easy for the user to keep the printer updated with respect to new or updated barcode standards, and can be done from a remote location. Preferably, the printer is configured so that barcode-providing algorithms can be downloaded to the printer in the form of executable code, and the printer can execute the code to print a barcode from a stream of data, the which is possibly received by the printer through port 50 in series (see Figure 2). As stated in the foregoing, United States Provisional Application No. 60 / 162,789 has been incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 149,966 is also incorporated herein in its entirety for reference in that the application contains additional description of the present invention. While one embodiment of the present is shown and described it is envisioned that those skilled in the art can visualize various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the foregoing description. kt - - > . •

Claims (4)

1. CLAIMS 1. A printer that is configured to print labels, labels or similar, the printer is characterized by: a al.oj miento; and electronic in the housing configured to determine a condition of the printer, and thereafter automatically transmit data corresponding to the condition to a remote location on at least one of an intranet, the Internet and a wireless communication network. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that the printer is configured to transmit the data by e-mail. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that the printer is configured to transmit the data throughout the wireless communication network to at least one of the ready Internlet finder device, a telephone Service Personal Communications (PCS) and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that the printer is configured to process data and load the processed data to a nodal computer when the nodal computer is ready to receive the data, the printer is configured to continue operating system and at least one program stored in it operating within the operating system, the printer is configured to stipulate that the program is at least one that can be controlled, modified and viewed by a computer connected to by at least one of the Intranet and the Internet. 13. The printer in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that the printer is configured to stipulate that the printer can be programmed and controlled by at least one of a personal computer connected to the Internet, a telephone service of Personal Communications (PCS) and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). The printer according to claim 11, characterized in that the printer is configured to stipulate that the printer can be programmed and controlled using a web browser on a personal computer connected to at least one of the intranet and the Internet. 15. A form that is configured to print labels, labels or the like, the printer is characterized by: a printer; and electronic in the housing configured to stipulate that the printer receives a barcode propsrcionador algorithm through a port. 16. The printer according to claim 15, characterized in that the printer is configured to receive the barcode providing algorithm as executable code and configured to execute the code afterwards to print a barcode. The printer according to claim 15, characterized in that the printer is configured to receive a barcode providing algorithm from a remote location on at least one of an intranet, the Internet and a wireless communication network. 18. A printer that is configured to print labels, tags or the like, the printer is characterized by: a housing; and electronic in the housing configured to stipulate that the initial configurations ie the printer are at least one that can be viewed and modified from a remote location on at least one of an intranet, the Internet and a wireless communication network. 19. The printer according to claim 18, characterized in that the printer is configured to stipulate that the initial configurations of the printer are of at least one that can be viewed and modified using at least one of a SSeerrvviicciioo phone. Personal CCoommuunniiccaacciioonneess (PCS), a smart search engine Internet and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). 20. The printer according to claim 18, characterized in that the printer is configured to stipulate that the printer can be programmed and controlled using a web browser on a personal computer connected to at least one of the intranet and the Internet. 21. The printing according to claim 18, characterized in that the printer is configured to transmit data in XML format over the Internet, the data corresponding to the initial configurations of the printer, the data that can be viewed and modified using a web browser on a personal computer connected to by or less of the Intranet and the Internet. 22. A method to make it easy for a user to keep an updated printer with respect to the algorithms provided with barcode stored in it, the method is characterized by: providing the user with the printer that is configured to print and tags, tags or the like, the printer includes a housing, and includes electronics in the housing that is set to stipulate that the printer can receive a bar code provision algorithm on at least one of the intranet, the Internet and a wireless communication network; spreading a plurality of bar code-providing algorithms on the Internet; and allowing the user to download the barcode-providing algorithms and send the barcode-providing algorithms to the printer on at least one of the Intranet, the Internet and the wireless communication network. 23. A method for cloning a plurality of printers characterized pop: load from a printer data corresponding to the initial configurations ss of the printer; download the data to a plurality of printers to clone the printers, where the initial configurations of the printers are the same 24. The method according to the claim 23, characterized in that the data is in XML format.