EP0654757A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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A printing apparatus and a control method therefor
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 1994-11-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-11-15
Abstract
Abstract A printing apparatus has an operating state detection and transmission means for detecting at least one operating state of the printing apparatus and transmitting status information representing said at least one operating state to a host computer (61) to which the printing apparatus is connected. The operating state detection and transmission means comprises state detection means (47, 54, 68, 71, 72) for detecting said operating state; state change detection means (74, 76) for detecting a change in the output of the state detection means; and status transmission means (77) for transmitting said status information corresponding to the output of the state detection means. The status information is automatically transmitted in response to each change in the output of the state detection means. Such status information may be enabled or disabled, for instance by a corresponding control command from the host computer. Since the status information is automatically sent if and only if a detected operating state of the printing apparatus has changed, a high reliability is achieved with the smallest possible amount of status information to be sent and processed by the host computer.
Inventors
- 👤 Mitsuaki Seiko Epson Corporation Teradaira
- 👤 Naohiko Seiko Epson Corporation Koakutsu
- 👤 Takuya Seiko Epson Corporation Hyonaga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:52
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/12; G06F3/1201; G06F3/1202; G06F3/1203; G06F3/1207; G06F3/1223; G06F3/1229; G06F3/1278; G06F3/1284; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/0005; G06K2215/0017
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A printing apparatus which is adapted to be connected to a host device (61) and has an operating state detection and transmission means for detecting at least one operating state of the printing apparatus and transmitting status information representing said at least one operating state to the host device, said operating state detection and transmission means comprising: state detection means (47, 54, 68, 71, 72) for detecting said operating state; state change detection means (74, 76) for detecting a change in the output of the state detection means; and status transmission means (77) for transmitting said status information corresponding to the output of the state detection means; wherein said status information is transmitted in response to each change in the output of the state detection means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the state change detection means comprises: status storing means (76) for storing the status information transmitted to the host device; and state comparing means (74) for comparing previously stored status information with the state currently detected by the state detection means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: a plurality of state detection means (47, 54, 68, 71, 72) corresponding to the number of operating states to be detected is provided, and the state change detection means (74, 76) is adapted to detect a change in the output of each of these state detection means; wherein said status information is transmitted in response to each change in the output of any one of the state detection means.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
46 words
The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising enabling/disabling means (62-64, 66, 73, 75) for bringing said operating state detection and transmission means into either a first condition enabling said status information transmission or a second condition disabling said status information transmission.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said enabling/disabling means (62-64, 66, 73, 75) includes means for receiving, interpreting and executing a control command sent from the host device (61).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 and claim 4 or 5, wherein said enabling/disabling means (62-64, 66, 73, 75) comprises selection means (75) for selecting one or more of said state detection means (47, 54, 68, 71, 72), wherein said status information is transmitted only in response to a change in the output of a selected state detection means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said status information includes status data representing at least the operating state or operating states detected by the selected one or more state detection means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus according to claim 6 or 7 wherein: said plurality of state detection means are grouped into one or more groups of state detection means; and said status information includes at least status data representing the operating states detected by the state detection means which are part of a group that includes a selected state detection means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
A printing apparatus according to claim 7 wherein: one group of state detection means includes at least state detection means (68) for detecting abnormal printing apparatus states, state detection means (47) for detecting presence or absence of print media, and detection means (72) for detecting whether the printing apparatus is or is not ready to receive data from the host device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
A control method in a printing apparatus for transmitting operating status information to a host device, said control method comprising the steps: (a) detecting an operating state of the printing apparatus; (b) detecting a change in said operating state; (c) transmitting, in response to a change detected in step (b), said operating state information including status data representing the state detected in step (a); and (d) repeating steps (a) to (c).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 10 wherein step (b) comprises: (b1) storing the last status information transmitted to the host device; and (b2) comparing the stored status information with the state detected in step (a).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method according to claim 10 or 11 wherein: step (a) comprises detecting a plurality of operating states of the printing apparatus; step (b) comprises detecting a change in each of the operating states detected in step (a); and step (c) comprises transmitting said operating status information in response to a any change detected in step (b).
Claim 13
Independent Claim
40 words
The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12 further comprising the step: (e) enabling or disabling status information transmission to the host device, wherein at least step (c) is performed only when status information transmission is enabled.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 13 wherein step (e) includes: (e1) receiving and interpreting a control command; and (e2) enabling or disabling status information transmission to the host device in accordance with the control command.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method according to claim 12 and claim 13 or 14 wherein step (e) comprises enabling status information transmission by selecting on or more of said operating states; and step (c) comprises transmitting said operating state information in response to a any change in a selected one of the operating states detected in step (a).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method according to claim 12 and any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein step (a) comprises grouping said plurality of operating states into one or more groups, and wherein said status information includes at least status data representing those of the operating states detected in step (a) which are part of a group that includes a selected operating state.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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