Printer enabling user to set error recovery method for each error category

• US 20040165209A1
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Akai, Muneyoshi, Kageyama, Seiji, Kishi, Shinichi, Hashimoto, Susumu, Udo, Hiroshi, Aoki, Noboru
• Granted Patent: US 7,903,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5012 Priority interrupt; Job recovery, e.g. after jamming or malfunction
• 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 2215/0085 Error recovery

Abstract

As a user selects one of error recovery methods for each error category, and the selected method is stored in a memory. When an error occurs, an error recovery method corresponding to an error category of the error is detected. If the detected method is automatic print continuation, then the error is ignored and print operation is automatically continued. If the detected method is a recovery by user'"'"'s operation, then an error message is displayed, and a procedure is performed in accordance with an instruction from the user.

Claims

1. A printer comprising:

a printing unit that performs a print operation to print images on a recording medium based on print data;

a setting unit that sets one of error recovery methods for each of a plurality of error categories, the error recovery methods including an automatic print continuation and a recovery by user'"'"'s operation;

a memory that stores a correspondence data indicating the set error recovery method of each error category;

an error detecting unit that detects an error during the print operation;

an error category detecting unit that detects an error category of the detected error;

a method detecting unit that detects an error recovery method corresponding to the detected error category with reference to the correspondence data stored in the memory; and

an error recovery unit that executes an error recovery procedure according to the error recovery method detected by the method detecting unit.

2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that displays a message and an input unit through which a user inputs various instructions, wherein:

when the error recovery method detected by the method detecting unit is the automatic print continuation, the error recovery unit automatically executes an error recovery procedure and controls the printing unit to continue the print operation without waiting for an instruction from the user; and

when the error recovery method detected by the method detecting unit is the recovery by user'"'"'s operation, the error recovery unit controls the display unit to display an error message and an operation guide message, prompting the user to input an instruction, and executes an error recovery procedure in accordance with the instruction from the user.

3. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the memory is a nonvolatile memory.

4. The printer according to claim 1, further including an updating unit that updates the correspondence data in accordance with an instruction from the user.

5. A storing medium storing a control program for controlling a printer, the control program comprising the programs of:

performing a print operation to print images on a recording medium based on print data;

setting one of error recovery methods for each of a plurality of error categories, the error recovery methods including an automatic print continuation and a recovery by user'"'"'s operation;

detecting an error during the print operation;

detecting an error category of the detected error;

detecting an error recovery method corresponding to the detected error category with reference to correspondence data stored in a memory; and

executing an error recovery procedure according to the detected error recovery method.

6. The storing method according to claim 5, wherein the control program further comprising the programs of:

when the detected error recovery method is the automatic print continuation, automatically executing an error recovery procedure and controlling a printing unit to continue the print operation without waiting for an instruction from the user; and

when the detected error recovery method is the recovery by user'"'"'s operation, controlling a display unit to display an error message and an operation guide message, prompting the user to input an instruction, and executing an error recovery procedure in accordance with the instruction from the user.