Printer control apparatus and printer control method

• US 6,789,869 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Takeishi, Tetsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Raquel Yvette
• Application Number:
  US10/083,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20020163568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 346/16, 346/5, 346/9, 346/14, 346/10, 399/18, 399/37, 399/38-65, 399/9-14, 399/16
• US Class Current: 347/16
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0075 Low-paper indication, i.e. indicating the state when copy material has been used up nearly or completely
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns

Abstract

The present invention relates to printer-control apparatus and method that achieve PF measurements at the time of printer power-on and also other occasions for precise control to a paper-feed motor for driving a paper-feed mechanism of a printer to be used in variety of environments even at a small paper-feeding amount in one paper-feeding action. The present invention also relates to a storage medium storing a computer program for executing the printer-control method. The printer-control apparatus and method according to the present invention generate and execute an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving in accordance with detection of several statuses in addition to printer power-on.

Claims

1. A printer-control apparatus comprising a PF-measurement generator/executor for generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving in accordance with detection of specific statuses in addition to printer power-on.

2. The printer-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the PF-measurements include calculation of an average motor-current value for the paper-feed motor.

3. The printer-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection of statuses includes detection of ink-cartridge replacements.

4. The printer-control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection of statues includes detection of the replacements of a rolled printing paper.

5. A printer-control apparatus comprising:

an ink-cartridge replacement detector to detect replacements of an ink-cartridge;

a release detector, responsive to the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, to determine whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

a printing-paper detector, responsive to the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, to determine whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

a PF-measurement generator/executor for generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, the detection of the nipping status, and the determination that no printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

a memory to store accumulated integral values of the motor current calculated through the PF measurements and the average motor current also calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

6. A printer-control apparatus comprising:

a roll-paper replacement detector to detect replacements of a rolled printing paper;

a release detector, responsive to the detection of the roll-paper replacements, to determine whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

a printing-paper detector, responsive to the detection of the roll-paper replacements, to determine whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

a PF-measurement generator/executor for generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of the roll-paper replacements, the detection of the nipping status, and the determination that no printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

a memory to store accumulated integral values of the motor current calculated through the PF measurements and the average motor current also calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

7. A printer-control apparatus comprising:

a power-on detector to detect printer power-on;

an ink-cartridge replacement detector to detect replacements of an ink-cartridge;

a roll-paper replacement detector to detect replacements of a roll printing paper;

a release detector, responsive to the detection of power on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, to determine whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

a printing-paper detector, responsive to the detection of power on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, to determine whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

a PF-measurement generator/executor for generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of printer power on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, and the detection of the nipping status and the determination that no printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

a memory to store accumulated integral values of the motor current calculated through the PF measurements and the average motor current also calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

8. A printer-control apparatus comprising:

an ink-cartridge replacement detector to detect replacements of an ink-cartridge;

a release detector, responsive to the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, to determine whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

a printing-paper detector, responsive to the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, to determine whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

a PF-measurement generator/executor for generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, the detection of the nipping status, and the determination as to whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

a memory to store accumulated integral values of the motor current calculated through the PF measurements and the average motor current also calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

9. A printer-control apparatus comprising:

a roll-paper replacement detector to detect replacements of a roll printing paper;

a release detector, responsive to the detection of the roll-paper replacements, to determine whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

a printing-paper detector, responsive to the detection of the roll-paper replacements, to determine whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

a PF-measurement generator/executor for generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of the roll-paper replacements, the detection of the nipping status, and the determination as to whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

a memory to store accumulated integral values of the motor current calculated through the PF measurements and the average motor current also calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

10. A printer-control apparatus comprising:

a power-on detector to detect printer power-on;

an ink-cartridge replacement detector to detect replacements of an ink-cartridge;

a roll-paper replacement detector to detect replacements of a roll printing paper;

a release detector, responsive to the detection of power on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, to determine whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

a printing-paper detector, responsive to the detection of power on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, to determine whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

a PF-measurement generator/executor for generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of power on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, and the detection of the nipping status and the determination as to whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

a memory to store accumulated integral values of the motor current calculated through the PF measurements and the average motor current also calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

11. A printer-control method comprising the step of generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving in accordance with detection of specific statuses in addition to printer power-on.

12. The printer-control method according to claim 11, wherein the PF-measurements include calculation of an average motor-current value for the paper-feed motor.

13. The printer-control method according to claim 11, wherein the detection of statuses includes detection of ink-cartridge replacements.

14. The printer-control method according to claim 11, wherein the detection of statuses includes detection of the replacements of a rolled printing paper.

15. A printer-control method comprising the steps of:

detecting replacements of an ink-cartridge;

in response to the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, determining whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

in response to the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, determining whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, the detection of the nipping status, and the determination that no printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

storing the average motor current calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

16. A printer-control method comprising the steps of:

detecting replacements of a roll printing paper;

in response to the detection of the roll-paper replacements, determining whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

in response to the detection of the roll-paper replacements, determining whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of the roll-paper replacements, the detection of the nipping status, and the determination that no printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

storing the average motor current calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

17. A printer-control method comprising the steps of:

detecting printer power-on, replacements of an ink-cartridge or replacements of a roll printing paper;

in response to the detection of printer power-on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, determining whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

in response to the detection of printer power-on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, determining whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of printer power-on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, and the detection of the nipping status and the determination that no printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

storing the average motor current calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

18. A printer-control method comprising the steps of:

detecting replacements of an ink-cartridge;

in response to the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, determining whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

in response to the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, determining whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of the ink-cartridge replacements, the detection of the nipping stattus, and the determination as to whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

storing the average motor current calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

19. A printer-control method comprising the steps of:

detecting replacements of a roll printing paper;

in response to the detection of the roll-paper replacements, determining whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

in response to the detection of the roll-paper replacements, determining whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of the roll-paper replacements, the detection of the nipping status, and the determination as to whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

storing the average motor current calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

20. A printer-control method comprising the steps of:

detecting printer power-on, replacements of an ink-cartridge or replacements of a roll printing paper;

in response to the detection of printer power-on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, determining whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

in response to the detection of printer power-on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, determining whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of printer power-on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, and the detection of the nipping status and the determination as to whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

storing the average motor current calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

21. A storage medium storing a computer program running on a computer system, for controlling a printer, the program having instructions for generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving in accordance with detection of specific statuses in addition to printer power-on.

22. The storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the PF-measurements include calculation of an average motor-current value for the paper-feed motor.

23. The storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the detection of statuses includes detection of ink-cartridge replacements.

24. The storage medium according to claim 21, wherein the detection of statuses includes detection of replacements of a roll printing paper.

25. A storage medium storing a computer program running on a computer system, for controlling a printer, the program having instructions for:

detecting printer power-on, replacements of an ink-cartridge or replacements of a roll printing paper;

in response to the detection of printer power-on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, determining whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

in response to the detection of printer power-on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, determining whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of power on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, and the detection of the nipping status and the determination that no printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

storing the average motor current calculated through the PF measurements for updating.

26. A storage medium storing a computer program running on a computer system, for controlling a printer, the program having instructions for:

detecting printer power-on, replacements of an ink-cartridge or replacements of a roll printing paper;

in response to the detection of printer power-on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, determining whether a paper-feeding mechanism is in a nipping status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness within a specific range or in a release status for paper-feeding for printing papers with thickness out of the specific range;

in response to the detection of printer power-on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, determining whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism;

generating and executing an operation for PF-measurements to measure a motor current in accordance with load on paper feeding while a paper-feed motor is running at a constant-speed driving and calculate an average motor current in accordance with the detection of power on, ink-cartridge replacement or roll-paper replacements, and the detection of the nipping status and the determination as to whether any printing paper has been set in the paper-feeding mechanism; and

storing the average motor current calculated through the PF measurements for updating.