METHOD OF SETTING PAPER IN A PRINTER, AND A PRINTER

• US 20090224020A1
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: MOTOYAMA, Hiroyuki, OI, Tomoyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,366,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 226/1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/009 Detecting type of paper, e.g. by automatic reading of a code that is printed on a paper package or on a paper roll or by sensing the grade of translucency of the paper
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/03 indicating an entity which is measured, estimated, evaluated, calculated or determined but which does not constitute an entity which is adjusted or changed by the control process per se
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/416 of material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/51 Presence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 26/00 Warning or safety devices, e.g. automatic fault detectors, stop-motions, for web-advancing mechanisms safety devices in general F16P; investigating chemical or physical properties of materials in general G01N; indicating devices in general G08B
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2801/12 Single-function printing machines, typically table-top machines

Abstract

When the paper loaded in a printer is changed to a different type of paper, the paper setting in the printer can be easily updated without a paper mismatch error occurring. When the paper is replaced or the paper setting is changed in the printer 1, the cover 3 is first opened, the roll paper 12 is removed from the roll paper compartment 11, and the cover 3 is then closed. A paper settings update command from the host device 32 is received and executed when no roll paper is loaded. After the command is executed, the cover 3 is opened, new roll paper 12 is loaded, and the cover 3 is closed. The printer 1 then indexes the newly loaded paper for printing, and executes a paper identification process to determine if the newly loaded paper matches the content of the current paper settings.

Claims

1. A paper setting method for a printer, comprising:

entering a command reception state enabling receiving a command that is sent from an external device for setting or updating paper information stored in the printer when the printer detects an error state;

executing the command to set or update the paper information when the command is received;

conveying the paper and acquiring the corresponding paper information when the printer detects that paper was loaded; and

determining if the detected paper information matches the paper information that was set or updated.

2. The paper setting method for a printer of claim 1, wherein the printer does not accept any other command from the external drive when in the command reception state.

3. The paper setting method for a printer of claim 1, wherein the printer is in an on-line state or ready state when in the command reception state.

4. The paper setting method for a printer of claim 1, wherein the printer detects the an error state after detecting that an access cover for opening and closing the paper storage compartment of the printer has changed from an open state to the closed state.

5. The paper setting method for a printer of claim 4, wherein the error state is a state in which the paper has been removed from the paper storage compartment.

6. The paper setting method for a printer of claim 4, wherein a paper-loaded state is a state in which the paper is loaded in the paper storage compartment.

7. The paper setting method for a printer of claim 4, wherein:

the paper is roll paper wound in a roll; and

the paper storage compartment is a roll paper compartment.

8. The paper setting method of claim 7, wherein the roll paper is a plain roll paper with no index marks, a label paper, a label paper or indexed paper bearing labels or index marks of different sizes, intervals, and dimensions, or a glossy paper, or a coated paper.

9. The paper setting method for a printer of claim 4, wherein the printer detects the an error state after detecting that an access cover for opening and closing the paper storage compartment of the printer has changed from an open state to the closed state using a magnetic sensor, a photosensor or a microswitch.

10. The paper setting method for a printer of claim 1, wherein said determining if the detected paper information matches the paper information that was set or update comprises using a paper detector.

11. The paper setting method for a printer of claim 10, wherein said paper detector is a reflection photosensor or a transmission photosensor.

12. A printer comprising:

a transportation unit for conveying paper;

a paper detector for detecting the paper;

a communication unit for communicating with an external device and receiving a paper information command that is sent from the external device;

a storage unit for storing the paper information; and

a control unit that executes the command received by the communication unit and sets or updates the paper information in the storage unit;

the communication unit enabling a command reception state when the paper detector detects an error state,

the control unit setting or updating the paper information in the storage unit when the communication unit receives the command from the external device, and

the control unit acquiring the corresponding paper information as a result of the transportation unit conveying the paper when the paper detector detects the paper-loaded state and determining if the paper matches the paper information in the storage unit.

13. The printer of claim 12, wherein:

the command reception state in which the communication unit can receive the command is a state in which the communication unit ignores received data from the external device other than said command.

14. The printer of claim 12, further comprising:

a paper storage compartment for storing the paper;

an access cover for opening and closing the paper storage compartment; and

an access cover detector for detecting the access cover;

wherein the paper detector detects the paper after the access cover detector detects that the access cover has changed from an open state to the closed state.

15. The printer of claim 14, wherein:

the paper is roll paper wound in a roll; and

the paper storage compartment is a roll paper compartment.

16. The printer of claim 14, wherein the roll paper is a plain roll paper with no index marks, a label paper, a label paper or indexed paper bearing labels or index marks of different sizes, intervals, and dimensions, or a glossy paper, or a coated paper.

17. The printer of claim 14, wherein said access cover detector is a magnetic sensor, a photosensor or a microswitch.

18. The printer of claim 12, wherein the printer is in an on-line state or ready state when in the command reception state.

19. The printer of claim 12, wherein said paper detector is a reflection photosensor or a transmission photosensor.

20. The printer of claim 12,wherein said determining if the paper matches the paper information in the storage unit comprises using a paper detector.

21. The printer of claim 20, wherein said paper detector is a reflection photosensor or a transmission photosensor.