Print control apparatus

• US 20040168116A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Shikata, Yukiko
• Application Number:
  US10/727,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20040168116A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/500
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/007 only remotely, e.g. at a host computer dedicated computer interfaces to print systems G06F3/1201

Abstract

The present invention provides a print control apparatus which comprises an information obtaining means which obtains from a printer, information regarding a consumed level of a consumable item, a receiving means which selectively receives a setting from a user in which a notice that the consumed level of the consumable item is in advanced stage is limited to once within a predetermined period of time, a notifying means which notifies the user that the consumed level of the consumable item is in advanced stage, and a determining means which determines whether or not the user is notified of the advanced consumed level as to the consumable item whose consumed level is found to be in advanced stage according to the information regarding the consumed level, wherein, when the consumable item whose consumed level is found to be in advanced stage has a setting that the notice as to advanced consumed level is limited to once within the predetermined period of time, and the notice has already been given within the predetermined period of time, the determining means determines that the user is not notified of the advanced consumed level, and when the notice has not been given within the predetermined period of time, the determining means determines that the user is notified of the advanced consumed level. Accordingly, it is possible to enhance the convenience of a user, regarding the notice that the consumed level of a consumable item in a printer is in advanced stage.

Claims

1. A print control apparatus comprises,

an information obtaining means which obtains from a printer, information regarding a consumed level of a consumable item,

a receiving means which selectively receives a setting from a user in which a notice that the consumed level of the consumable item is in advanced stage is limited to once within a predetermined period of time,

a notifying means which notifies the user that the consumed level of the consumable item is in advanced stage, and

a determining means which determines whether or not the user is notified of an advanced consumed level as to the consumable item whose consumed level is found to be in advanced stage according to said information regarding the consumed level, wherein,

when the consumable item whose consumed level is found to be in advanced stage has a setting that the notice as to advanced consumed level is limited to once within the predetermined period of time, and said notice has already been given within said predetermined period of time, said determining means determines that the user is not notified of the advanced consumed level, and when said notice has not been given to the user within said predetermined period of time, said determining means determines that the user is notified of the advanced consumed level.

2. A printer control unit according to claim 1, wherein,

said predetermined period of time is one day, and

said determining means stores a date when the notice is given to the user, if the setting is such that the notice as to advanced consumed level regarding the consumable item whose consumed level is in advanced stage, is limited to once within said predetermined period of time.

3. A printer control unit according to claim 1, wherein,

said receiving means further selectively receives a setting that the notice as to the advanced consumed level is not given and a setting that the notice as to advanced consumed level is given without limiting the number of times.

4. A printer control unit according to claim 1, wherein,

said printer is provided with plural types of consumable items,

said information obtaining means obtains information regarding a consumed level per consumable item from said printer, and

said receiving means selectively receives per consumable item a setting that the notice as to advanced consumed level of the consumable item is limited to once within the predetermined period of time.

5. A recording medium on which a computer program is recorded, wherein,

said computer program allows a computer to execute,

an information obtaining process which obtains from a printer, information regarding a consumed level of a consumable item,

a receiving process which selectively receives from a user a setting that a notice as to advanced consumed level of the consumable item is limited to once within a predetermined period of time, and

a process which does not notify the user of the advanced consumed level, if the user is already notified of the advanced consumed level of the consumable item within said predetermined period of time, and which notifies the user of the advanced consumed level, if the user is not notified of the advanced consumed level of the consumable item within said predetermined period of time, when the consumable item, whose consumed level is found to be in advanced stage according to said information regarding said consumed level, has a setting that the notice as to advanced consumed level is limited to once within said predetermined period of time.

6. A recording medium according to claim 5, wherein,

said predetermined period of time is one day, and

said program further allows said computer to execute a process which stores a date when the notice is given to the user, if the setting is such that the notice as to advanced consumed level of the consumable item whose consumed level is in advanced stage, is limited to once within said predetermined period of time.

7. A recording medium according to claim 5, wherein,

said printer is provided with plural types of consumable items,

said information obtaining means obtains information regarding the consumed level per consumable item from said printer, and

said receiving means selectively receives per consumable item a setting that the notice as to advanced consumed level of the consumable item is limited to once within the predetermined period of time.