Multifunction device and method for printing and reading data on a medium

• US 8,928,925 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Toshima, Kazuya, Komiyama, Takahisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Guillermety, Fred
• Application Number:
  US13/628,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20130077121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.13, 358/1.16, 705/43
• US Class Current: 358/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/202 Depositing operations within ATMs depositing in general G07D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32486 Storage for making a plurality of copies or reproductions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32491 alternate storage in and retrieval from two parallel memories, e.g. using ping-pong buffers

Abstract

A multifunction device that has functions for reading media and printing tickets, and produces tickets on which an image reflecting the result of reading the medium is recorded under the control of a control device, can quickly reprint a ticket when a command to reprint the ticket is received. When image data is written to a first buffer 77a, the ticket production control unit 70a of the multifunction device 1 copies the image data to a second buffer 77b. When a command to reprint the ticket is received, the ticket production control unit 70a causes a thermal printer unit 60 to record an image on thermal roll paper based on the image data copied to the second buffer 77b, and then cuts the thermal roll paper to reproduce the ticket.

Claims

1. A multifunction device that can connect to a control device and comprises:

a conveyance unit that conveys a medium;

a reading unit that reads the medium conveyed by the conveyance unit and outputs a read result to the control device;

a ticket producing unit that produces a ticket by recording an image on the recording medium and cutting the recording medium;

a reception unit that receives from the control device a control command for producing a ticket on which an image reflecting the read result from the reading unit is recorded; and

a ticket production control unit that produces a ticket based on the control command received by the reception unit by writing image data to a first buffer, recording an image on the recording medium with the ticket producing unit based on the buffered image data, and cutting the recording medium;

wherein the ticket production control unit copies the image data written to the first buffer to a second buffer when the image data is written to the first buffer, and

when a command to reprint the ticket is received, the ticket producing unit reprints the ticket by recording an image on the recording medium with the ticket producing unit based on the image data copied to the second buffer, and cutting the recording medium,

wherein, the ticket production control unit copies the image data to the second buffer parallel to the ticket producing unit producing a ticket.

2. The multifunction device described in claim 1, wherein:

a cut command for cutting the recording medium is included in the control command; and

after the reception unit starts receiving a control command from the control device, the ticket production control unit copies image data written to the first buffer to the second buffer as the image data to be recorded on one ticket until the recording medium is cut based on the cut command, and

when a command to reprint the ticket is received, records on the recording medium with the ticket producing unit based on the image data copied to the second buffer as the image data of the image to be recorded on the one ticket.

3. The multifunction device described in claim 1, wherein:

the ticket production control unit specifically processes the image data copied to the second buffer for recording on a reprinted ticket.

4. The multifunction device described in claim 1, further comprising:

one or a plurality of switches for inputting a command;

wherein reprinting the ticket can be commanded by operating the switch in a specific way.

5. A method of controlling a multifunction device that can connect to a control device and has a conveyance unit that conveys a medium, a reading unit that reads the medium conveyed by the conveyance unit and outputs the read result to the control device, and a ticket producing unit that produces a ticket by recording an image on the recording medium and cutting the recording medium, the control method comprising steps of:

receiving from the control device a control command for producing a ticket on which an image reflecting the read result from the reading unit is recorded;

producing a ticket based on the control command received by a reception unit by writing image data to a first buffer, recording an image on the recording medium with the ticket producing unit based on the buffered image data, and cutting the recording medium;

copying the image data written to the first buffer to a second buffer when the image data is written to the first buffer and parallel to the producing step; and

when a command to reprint the ticket is received, reprinting the ticket by recording an image on the recording medium with the ticket producing unit based on the image data copied to the second buffer, and cutting the recording medium.

6. The method of controlling a multifunction device described in claim 5, wherein:

a cut command for cutting the recording medium is included in the control command;

the control method further comprising steps of;

after starting to receive a control command from the control device, copying image data written to the first buffer to the second buffer as the image data to be recorded on one ticket until the recording medium is cut based on the cut command; and

when a command to reprint the ticket is received, recording on the recording medium based on the image data copied to the second buffer as the image data of the image to be recorded on the one ticket.

7. The method of controlling a multifunction device described in claim 5, further comprising a step of:

specifically processing the image data copied to the second buffer for recording on a reprinted ticket.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium in which a computer program controls parts of a multifunction device that can connect to a control device and has a conveyance unit that conveys a medium, a reading unit that reads the medium conveyed by the conveyance unit and outputs the read result to the control device, and a ticket producing unit that produces a ticket by recording an image on the recording medium and cutting the recording medium, the computer program causing the computer to execute steps of:

producing a ticket based on a control command received from the control device for producing a ticket on which an image reflecting the read result from the reading unit is recorded by writing image data to a first buffer, recording an image on the recording medium with the ticket producing unit based on the buffered image data, and cutting the recording medium;

copying the image data written to the first buffer to a second buffer when the image data is written to the first buffer while producing a ticket; and

when a command to reprint the ticket is received, reprinting the ticket by recording an image on the recording medium with the ticket producing unit based on the image data copied to the second buffer, and cutting the recording medium.