JP2003300362A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manage paper information corresponding to each paper in a printer which uses a plurality of kinds of roll papers. <P>SOLUTION: The printer which can use a plurality of different kinds of papers while exchanging the papers is provided with a paper information storage means capable of storing paper identification numbers and information proper to papers (a remaining amount of papers, a type of papers, an image processing method and the like) when the papers are set in the printer, a data analyzing means for analyzing received printing data with reference to the paper information, and a state notifying means for notifying a state of the printer to a main body which has transmitted printing data with reference to the paper information. The paper information storage means can store paper information for each paper, so that the means is made effective by simply inputting the paper identification number to the printer even when the plurality of kinds of papers are exchanged when used. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a LAN (Local Ar
The present invention relates to a printer connected to a network such as an ea Network), which receives print data and prints on print paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printer device has been used in which print data is received by a receiving means and printed by a printing means on a print paper stored in a print paper supply means. In addition, the types of print paper used increase year by year, and when the print paper is replaced, the image processing method of print data is changed for each paper type for printing, and the remaining paper amount for each paper type is changed. In order to meet such a demand, a printer device having a function of printing the paper information on the paper and a function of inputting the paper information from the operation panel has been developed. ing.

[0003]

However, the above method is not a good idea because the paper information is always printed on the paper owned by the user, and the paper is consumed by the user. Further, the portion on which the paper information is printed is always cut and ejected when the paper is next attached, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of ecology which is rapidly spreading recently. Furthermore, it is necessary to print the paper information and input the paper information from the operation panel every time the paper is replaced, which complicates the operation when replacing the paper.

The present invention makes it possible to store paper information without discharging waste paper, and to simplify the panel operation when paper is replaced and improve the operability of the printer. With the goal.

[0005]

A printing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a receiving means for receiving print data, and a printing means having a print paper supply means for supplying a print paper. In a printing apparatus that prints the print data received by the method on a print sheet supplied from a print sheet supply section, a sheet information storage section that stores sheet information, a data analysis section that analyzes the received print data, and a printer apparatus A state notification unit for notifying the state is provided, the sheet information storage unit stores the sheet specific information for each sheet identification number, and the data analysis unit analyzes the received data with reference to the sheet information, and the printing unit. Printed by.

The paper information storage means may be provided with a first recognition means for recognizing the paper identification number by inputting the paper identification number from the operation panel. Further, the paper information storage means may be configured to include a second recognition means for recognizing the paper identification number by the paper identification number detection circuit.

Further, the status notification means analyzes the received data and notifies the status of the printer device to the operation panel or sends the print data to the operation panel before the printing means prints on the printing paper. May be configured to notify the status of the printer device.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the printer device includes a receiving circuit 101 as a receiving unit that receives print data transmitted from a host computer, a data analysis unit 102 that analyzes the received data and performs a process corresponding to the data, and a sheet identification. An operation panel 103 as an operation unit for inputting numbers, a circuit 104 for automatically detecting a sheet identification number, a sheet storage unit 106 for controlling a circuit 105 for storing sheet information,
The band memory circuit 10 has a band memory or page memory circuit 107 for temporarily storing print data and a print paper supply mechanism 108 for supplying print paper.
Printing mechanism 10 as printing means for printing the output signal of 7
9 and means 110 for notifying the status of the printer device. Here, the print data analysis unit 102, the sheet information storage unit 106, and the apparatus state notification unit 110 constitute a unit that manages sheet information corresponding to each sheet.

2 and 3 are flow charts showing the processing of the print data analyzing means, FIG. 2 shows the storage processing operation of the paper information when the paper is mounted in the printer, and FIG. 7 shows an operation of deleting the saved paper information when the paper runs out. Table 1 is a table showing sheet information stored for each sheet identification number.
The contents shown in are stored in the paper information storage circuit 105.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 and Table 1. First, a sheet is attached to the printer device (step S301). At this time, the paper identification number is input through the operation panel 103 (step S3).
02). At this time, if the input sheet identification number is not registered (step S303), the remaining sheet amount, the sheet type, the image processing method, etc. are input from the operation panel 103 (step S305), and the sheet information storage means is entered. It is stored in the paper information storage circuit 105 through 106 (step S
306). The stored paper information is used as the device status notification means 1
It is displayed on the operation panel 103 or the like through 10 (step S307). Thereafter, the print data received by the receiving circuit 101 from the host computer is analyzed by the print data analyzing means 102, and the paper information necessary for the analysis processing is read from the paper information storage circuit 105 through the paper information storage means 106. It is output and passed to the data analysis means 102. The analyzed print data is rasterized and then stored in the storage area of the band memory circuit 107. After that, the print data stored in the band memory circuit 107 is sequentially output to the printing mechanism 109. As a result, in the printing mechanism 109, printing corresponding to the print data is performed on the printing paper supplied from the printing paper supply mechanism 108.

Next, when the input paper identification number is registered, the paper information stored in the paper information storage circuit is read out through the paper information storage means 106 (step S304) and displayed on the operation panel 103 or the like. Yes (step S307).

Next, when the paper being printed runs out of paper, the printer paper supply mechanism 108 detects the paper out (step S401). At this time, the paper identification number of the paper that has run out of paper is confirmed (step S402), and if it is a registered number, the paper information stored in the paper information storage circuit 105 is deleted through the paper information storage means 106. (Step S403). After that, the fact that the sheet is out of paper is displayed on the operation panel 103 or the like through the device state notification means 110 (step S404).

In the above-described embodiment, the paper identification number is input from the operation panel 103, but the paper identification number detection circuit 104 may detect the paper identification number. That is, it may be configured to have a function of automatically recognizing the sheet identification number.

Although the remaining amount of paper, the type of paper, the image processing method, etc. are input from the operation panel, the remaining amount of paper, the type of paper, the type of paper, and the like can be automatically recognized. It is also possible to provide information on the paper side so that information such as the image processing method can be automatically recognized.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment,
Although the case of the printer device having a single print paper supply unit is shown, the present invention can be applied to the case of a printer device having a plurality of print paper supply units. In the latter case, only a plurality of paper identification numbers are present at the same time, and the basic processing in the printer is no different from the single case.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the receiving circuit 101 for receiving print data, the print paper supply mechanism 108 for supplying print paper, and the print mechanism 109 for printing on print paper. In the printer device for printing the print data received by the receiving circuit 101 by the printing mechanism 109 on the print paper supplied from the print paper supply mechanism 108, the paper identification number of the paper attached to the printer device is operated. Panel 1
If the input paper identification number is not registered, the remaining paper amount, the paper type, the image processing method, etc. are input from the operation panel 103, and the paper information is stored in the paper information storage means 106. The sheet information stored in the storage circuit 105 is displayed on the operation panel 103 or the like through the device status notification unit 110, and then the print data received from the host computer by the reception circuit 101 is analyzed by the print data analysis unit. At the time of analysis by 102, the paper information necessary for the analysis processing can be read from the paper information storage circuit 105 through the paper information storage means 106. Since the information stored in the paper information storage circuit 105 is stored until the registered paper runs out, no matter how many times the paper is replaced thereafter,
Since the registered paper information is stored, the panel operation at the time of paper replacement is simplified and the operability can be improved.

[0017]

According to the present invention, it is possible to store paper information without discharging wasteful paper. Further, it is possible to simplify the panel operation when the paper is replaced and improve the operability of the printer device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a table showing contents of a paper information storage circuit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference numeral 10 ... Host computer 100 ... Printer device 101 ... Receiving circuit 102 as receiving means ... Print data analyzing means 103 for analyzing print data ... Operation panel 104 constituting operating means ... Detection circuit 105 for automatically detecting the paper identification number ... Storage circuit 106 for storing paper information ... Paper information storage means 107 for controlling paper information ... Band memory or page memory circuit 108 ... Print Print paper supply mechanism 109 for supplying paper ... Printing mechanism 110 constituting printing means ... Device status notification means for notifying printer device status

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A printer device for use while exchanging a plurality of different types of paper, wherein the paper identification number and information specific to the paper (paper remaining amount, paper type, image) when mounting the paper in the printer device. Paper information storage means capable of storing processing information), data analysis means for processing print data by referring to the paper information for received print data, and print data transmitted by referring to the paper information. Status notification means for notifying the main body of the status of the printer device,
A printer device comprising: 2. The paper information storage means includes a paper identification number assigned to each paper and unique information for each paper (for example,
2. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the remaining amount of paper, the type of paper, image processing information, etc. are stored. 3. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the data analysis unit performs data analysis with reference to the paper information. 4. The state notifying unit refers to the sheet information, and notifies a printing error when the remaining amount of sheets is insufficient or when the types of sheets are different, and the like. The printer device according to claim 1. 5. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the paper information storage unit is capable of storing a plurality of paper information for each paper.