JP2009111553A - Multifunction machine system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a printing device having a function of reading data from a portable recording medium and printing them to give warning of connection abnormality of the portable recording medium in its early stage. <P>SOLUTION: A multifunction machine system includes a scanner portion and a printer portion, and the scanner portion has a scanner engine and a reader performing at least either reading or writing of data from or to the portable recording medium. The scanner portion and printer portion are connected through a reader control cable. The printer portion has a printer engine and a reader control circuit which controls the reader through the reader control cable. The multifunction machine system further has a reception means for receiving setting items, a decision means for deciding whether a received setting item is related to the portable recording medium, a state confirmation means for confirming the state of the portable recording medium when it is decided that the received item is related to the portable recording medium, and a warning means to output warning when the state confirmation means decides that the portable recording medium is in a faulty state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a multifunction machine system having a function of reading data from a portable recording medium and executing printing.

  There is a printing apparatus (multifunction machine system) that reads data from a portable recording medium such as a USB memory and executes a mark. In such a printing apparatus, after all setting items have been set, a print start command is accepted and the state of the portable recording medium is confirmed. When an abnormality is detected in the state, a warning is output for the first time.

JP 2007-110316 A

  In the conventional printing apparatus, the user is not informed that there is an abnormality in the connection state of the USB memory until after the setting of the setting item is completed and a print start command is input. Therefore, the user must check the attached state of the USB memory and the attachment / detachment of the cable only after the warning is given, and then must make a setting again and input a print start command, thus repeating unnecessary operations. It will be.

  An object of the present invention is to enable early warning of an abnormality in the state of a portable recording medium in a multifunction machine system having a function of reading data from a portable recording medium and executing printing.

  In order to achieve the above object, a multifunction machine system according to the present invention includes a scanner unit and a printer unit, and the scanner unit includes at least one of a scanner engine and data of a portable recording medium. And a reading device. The scanner unit and the printer unit are connected via a reading device control cable. The printer unit includes a printer engine and a reading device control circuit that controls the reading device via the reading device control cable. The MFP system further includes a receiving unit that receives a setting item, a determination unit that determines whether the received setting item is an item related to the portable recording medium, and an item that is related to the portable recording medium In addition, there are provided state confirmation means for confirming the state of the portable recording medium, and warning means for outputting a warning when the state confirmation means determines that the state of the portable recording medium is defective. .

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus (multifunction machine system) 100 to which the present embodiment is applied.

  The printing apparatus 100 is a so-called multifunction machine having a scanner function, and includes a scanner unit 110 and a printer unit 120. A facsimile function may be provided.

  The scanner unit 110 and the printer unit 120 are configured by separate housings, and the scanner unit 110 is disposed above the printer unit 120.

  The scanner unit 110 includes a light source, a lens, a scanning motor, a CCD image sensor, and the like. The scanner engine 111, a scanner engine driving circuit 112 that drives the scanner engine 111, a message to the user, and an input from the user. An operation panel 140 that accepts instructions and a USB board 142 for mounting the USB memory 145 are provided.

  The operation panel 140 includes a display device such as an LCD (liquid crystal display device) and an input device such as a hard switch and a touch panel.

  The USB board 142 includes a connector 162 for connecting to the USB host control cable 152.

  The printer unit 120 includes a printer engine 123 including a printing mechanism and a paper supply / discharge mechanism, and a printer engine drive circuit 124 that drives the printer engine 123. Further, the printer unit 120 includes a controller 121, a spare display panel 122, and a power supply unit 125.

  The controller 121 is configured by a computer including a CPU, a memory, and an interface, and as its functional units, a spare display panel control circuit 131 that controls the spare display panel 122, a scanner control circuit 132 that controls the scanner engine drive circuit 112, An operation panel control circuit 133 for controlling the operation panel 140, a scanner power supply circuit 134 for supplying power to the scanner unit 110, a printer control circuit 135 for controlling the printer engine drive circuit 124, and a USB for controlling the USB board 142. A host control circuit 136.

  That is, the printer unit 120 stores a control circuit related to the scanner function and a control circuit related to the entire printing apparatus 100 in addition to the control circuit related to the printer function.

  The preliminary display panel 122 is provided to inform the user of the state of the printing apparatus 100 even when the state of the printing apparatus 100 cannot be displayed on the operation panel 140 due to a connection failure between the printer unit 120 and the scanner unit 110. It has been. Therefore, it is only necessary to perform a minimum warning display, and it is not necessary to provide an advanced display device as high as the operation panel 140.

  Status items that require a warning include power status, controller malfunction, cable connection failure, printer function malfunction, scanner function malfunction, and the like.

  The controller 121 includes a connector 166 for connecting to the connector 165 on the printer unit 120 side of the scanner control cable 151. Further, a connector 168 for connecting to the connector 167 on the printer unit 120 side of the USB host control cable 152 is provided.

  The scanner unit 110 and the printer unit 120 are connected via a scanner control cable 151 and a USB host control cable 152 by connecting corresponding connectors 161 to 168.

  The USB host control circuit 136 performs processing for storing image data read from the original by the scanner engine 111 in the USB memory 145, processing for storing print data in the USB memory 145, and processing for reading print data from the USB memory 145.

  The printer control circuit 135 performs a process of executing printing by the printer engine 123 using the print data read from the USB memory 145 by the USB control circuit 136.

  That is, the USB memory 145 stores scanned data as well as data used for printing (print data).

  Each control circuit may be realized by hardware or may be realized by software.

  A characteristic operation of the printing apparatus 100 configured as described above will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a characteristic operation of the printing apparatus 100.

  When the operation panel control circuit 133 receives an input of a setting item via the operation panel 140 (S001), the operation panel control circuit 133 determines whether the item is related to the USB memory 145 (S002).

  For example, the operation panel control circuit 133 determines that the received setting item is an item related to the USB memory 145 when the data browsing request, the data editing request, the deletion request, or the like of the USB memory 145 is received. The operation panel control circuit 133 also determines that the setting item is related to the USB memory 145 even when the data stored in the USB memory 145 is set as a print target.

  If the setting item is related to the USB memory 145 (Y in S002), the operation panel control circuit 133 instructs the USB host control circuit 136 to check the state of the USB memory 145.

  In response to this, the USB host control circuit 136 confirms the state of the USB memory 145 (S005). Specifically, the connection with the USB board 142 is confirmed via the USB host control cable 152, and further, the mounting confirmation of the USB memory 145 is confirmed via the USB board 142. When it is confirmed that the connection state with the USB board 142 is normal and the USB memory 145 is attached to the USB board 145, the USB host control circuit 136 determines that there is no problem with the state of the USB memory 145. . On the other hand, when there is a problem with the connection state with the USB board 142, or when it is confirmed that the USB memory 145 is not attached to the USB board 145 even if the connection is normal, the USB host control circuit 136 It is determined that the state of 145 is defective. Then, the determination result is sent to the operation panel control circuit 136.

  If there is a problem in the connection state of the USB memory 145 (Y in S006), the operation panel control circuit 133 displays a warning message on the display device of the operation panel 140 such as “There is a problem in the USB memory state”. (S007). If a failure is detected in the USB host control cable 152, a warning message to that effect can be displayed. If it is detected that the USB memory 145 is not attached to the USB board 142, a warning message to that effect can be displayed. In addition, the auxiliary display panel control circuit 131 may be instructed to display a warning on the auxiliary display panel 122.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in S002 that the item is not related to the USB memory (N in S002), or if it is determined in S006 that there is no problem in the connection state of the USB memory 145 (N in S006), the operation panel control circuit 133 is Then, it is determined whether or not the setting item has been set (S003). Specifically, the operation panel control circuit 133 determines that the setting of all setting items has been completed when a setting end instruction is received from the user via the operation panel 140 or when a print start request is received. To do.

  If the setting item has not been set (N in S003), the operation panel control circuit 133 returns to S001 and continues the processing. On the other hand, when all the processes are completed (Y in S003), a normal predetermined operation is performed according to the set setting item (S004). That is, the printer control circuit 145 is instructed to start printing, and printing is executed.

  The flow diagram of FIG. 2 has been described above.

  If it is determined that there is no problem in S006, the operation panel control circuit 133 determines whether the item is related to the USB memory 145 when the setting item is received from the operation panel 140 (S001). It is possible to move to S003 without performing.

  According to the above embodiment, as soon as the setting items related to the portable recording medium are set, the state of the portable recording medium is checked, and if there is a problem, a warning is given. Therefore, unlike the conventional case, the user is not warned of an abnormality for the first time after completing the setting of setting items and making a print start request, and the user can know the abnormality at an early stage. This eliminates the need for the user to perform useless operations.

<Modification>
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in order to detect a connection failure of the USB host control cable 152, a signal line 320 for connection confirmation is provided in the USB host control cable 152, and this is used to confirm the connection. May be performed. That is, the USB host connector is usually composed of four D +, D-, _VBUS , and GND. In addition to these four, a signal for confirming connection (IP signal) is prepared, and the IP signal Check the connection status by checking the status.

  The controller 121 includes a control IC 323 that functions as a USB host. The control IC 323 is connected to the USB host control cable 152 via connectors 168 and 167. The signal line 320 for connection confirmation is grounded on the USB board 142 side.

  The control IC 323 detects whether the connection between the control IC 323 and the USB board 142 is a connection state or a disconnection state by a connection state detection element (for example, a pull-up resistor) connected to the signal line 320. The detection result of the connection state detection element 325 is stored in a register (not shown) for storing the connection state, and the control IC 323 reads the register to confirm the connection state.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the operation (warning display process) in such a configuration.

  When the power is turned on (S101), the controller 121 confirms the connection of the USB host control cable 152 using the connection state confirmation signal line 320 (S102).

  When the connection state is normal (Y in S102), the process proceeds to a predetermined normal operation (S103). On the other hand, in the case of a disconnection state (N in S102) and in a normal connection state with the operation panel 140 (Y in S104), the operation panel control circuit 133 connects the USB host control cable 152 to the operation panel 140. A message indicating that the camera is not properly mounted is displayed (S105), and the process is terminated.

  On the other hand, in the case of the disconnection state (N in S102) and the normal connection state with the operation panel 140 has not been established (N in S104), the spare display panel control circuit 131 displays the “connection state of cables”. The LED is not turned on (S106), and the process is terminated, thereby warning the user.

  The preliminary display panel 122 may display a connection state of the USB host control cable 152, for example, including a small LCD. In this case, the spare display panel control circuit 131 displays a message on the spare display panel 122 that the USB host control cable 152 is not normally attached.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus. The figure which shows the flow of a warning display process. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram around a USB host control cable. The flowchart of a warning display process.

Explanation of symbols

100 ... printing device,
110: Scanner unit, 111: Scanner engine, 112 ... Scanner engine drive unit,
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 120 ... Printer part, 121 ... Controller, 122 ... Preliminary display panel, 123 ... Printer engine, 124 ... Printer engine drive circuit, 125 ... Power supply unit,
131 ... Preliminary display panel control circuit, 132 ... Scanner control circuit, 133 ... Operation panel control circuit, 134 ... Scanner power supply circuit, 135 ... Printer control circuit, 136 ... USB host control circuit,
140 ... Operation panel, 142 ... USB board, 145 ... USB memory,
151 ... Scanner control cable, 152 ... USB host control cable,
161-168 ... Connector

Claims (4)

A multi-function system comprising a scanner unit and a printer unit,
The scanner unit is
A scanner engine,
A reading device that performs at least one of reading and writing of data on a portable recording medium,
The scanner unit and the printer unit are connected via a reading device control cable,
The printer unit is
A printer engine;
A reading device control circuit for controlling the reading device via the reading device control cable, and
Accepting means for accepting setting items;
Determination means for determining whether the received setting item is an item relating to the portable recording medium;
A state confirmation means for confirming the state of the portable recording medium when it is determined that the item is related to the portable recording medium;
Warning means for outputting a warning when it is determined by the state confirmation means that the state of the portable recording medium is defective;
A multi-function machine system comprising: The multifunction device system according to claim 1,
The determination means includes
Each time the accepting unit accepts the setting item, it determines whether the item is related to the portable recording medium. The multi-function device system according to claim 1 or 2,
The state confirmation means includes
A multifunction machine system, wherein the state of the portable recording medium is confirmed before the setting of the setting items is completed. A multi-function system according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Processing for storing image data read by the scan engine in the portable storage medium;
Storing print data in the portable storage medium;
An MFP system that performs at least one of a process of reading the print data from the portable storage medium and executing printing.

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