Printing device, diagnosing method for printing device, and diagnosing program for printing device

• US 20030148766A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Karaki, Isuke, Kitano, Masahiro, Honda, Osamu, Inoguchi, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/23 Indication means, e.g. displays, alarms, audible means
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/345 Interference values signal-to-interference ratio [SIR] or carrier-to-interference ratio [CIR] H04B17/336

Abstract

A printer that enables a determination whether a failure has occurred in a device during initialization or a radio wave condition is bad. Receive electric field strength during a time period from a time at which a turn-off message is outputted to a time at which turn-on message is outputted and receive electric field strength after the turn-on message is outputted are measured. The measurements are compared with each other and information indicating the condition of each of a plurality of channels is printed out according to the results of the comparison. A user can reference the printed information to determine whether a failure has occurred in a device or the radio wave condition is bad.

Claims

1. A printer that uses one of a plurality of channels to perform wireless communication, characterized by comprising:

turn-off message output means for outputting a turn-off message suggesting an operation for turning off a device emitting radio interference;

turn-on message output means for outputting a turn-on message suggesting an operation for turning on said device emitting the radio interference; and

channel condition output means for outputting information indicating the condition of each of said plurality of channels according to the result of comparison between receive electric field strength during the time period from a time at which said turn-off message is outputted to a time at which said turn-on message is outputted and receive electric field strength after said turn-on message is outputted.

2. The printer according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising means for outputting a message suggesting changing an installation location of the printer if the receive electric field strengths of all said plurality of channels are lower than a predetermined threshold.

3. The printer according to claim 1, characterized in that said channel condition output means prints out information indicating the condition of each of said plurality of channels.

4. The printer according to claim 3, characterized by further comprising means for outputting a message suggesting changing the installation location of the printer if the receive electric field strengths of all said plurality of channels are lower than a predetermined threshold.

5. A printer diagnostic method of diagnosing a printer that uses one of a plurality of channels to perform wireless communication, characterized by that comprising the steps of:

outputting a turn-off message suggesting an operation for turning off a device emitting radio interference;

outputting a turn-on message suggesting an operation for turning on said device emitting the radio interference; and

outputting information indicating the condition of each of said plurality of channels according to the result of comparison between receive electric field strength during the time period from a time at which said turn-off message is outputted to a time at which said turn-on message is outputted and receive electric field strength after said turn-on message is outputted.

6. The printer diagnostic method according to claim 5, characterized by further comprising the step of outputting a message suggesting changing the installation location of the printer if the receive electric field strengths of all said plurality of channels are lower than a predetermined threshold.

7. The printer diagnostic method according to claim 5, characterized in that said step of outputting channel condition comprises the step of printing out information indicating the condition of each of said plurality of channels.

8. The printer diagnostic method according to claim 7, characterized by further comprising the step of outputting a message suggesting changing the installation location of the printer if the receive electric field strengths of all said plurality of channels are lower than a predetermined threshold.

9. A printer diagnostic program for diagnosing a printer that uses one of a plurality of channels to perform wireless communication, characterized by comprising the steps of:

outputting a turn-off message suggesting an operation for turning off a device emitting radio interference;

outputting a turn-on message suggesting an operation for turning on said device emitting the radio interference; and

outputting information indicating the condition of each of said plurality of channels according to the result of comparison between receive electric field strength during the time period from a time at which said turn-off message is outputted to a time at which said turn-on message is outputted and receive electric field strength after said turn-on message is outputted.

10. The printer diagnostic program according to claim 9, characterized by further comprising the step of outputting a message suggesting changing the installation location of the printer if the receive electric field strengths of all said plurality of channels are lower than a predetermined threshold.

11. The printer diagnostic program according to claim 9, characterized in that said step of outputting channel condition comprises the step of printing out information indicating the condition of each of said plurality of channels.

12. The printer diagnostic program according to claim 11, characterized by further comprising the step of outputting a message suggesting changing the installation location of the printer if the receive electric field strengths of all said plurality of channels are lower than a predetermined threshold.