Seiko Epson Corporation

Seiko Epson Corporaition

Kazuko Fukano

Naohiko Koakutsu

Masayo Miyasaka

Yoshiaki Kinoshita

Kazuhisa Aruga

Hidetake Mochizuki

Masahiro Minowa

Mitsuaki Teradaira

Toshiaki Koike

Toru Takami

Koji Yamada

Yoshikazu Ito

Ikuo Masujima

Atsushi Yamaji

Asahiro Oguchi

Go Hiroike

Yuji Takamizawa

Tadashi Inakoshi

A media processing device has a printer error detection unitthat detects ink supply errors, such as the ink end, in the label printer, and a media retraction stacker for removing written media from the media drive, the label printer, and the media transportation path.

Media processing device and drive control method for a media processing device

A processing mode appropriate to the cause of the error is selected when an error occurs in a printer, thereby avoiding wasting processing time and consumables. The printing apparatus has a normal processing mode control unit for printing based on data sent from a host device; a deletion processing mode control unit for discarding data except for specific commands sent from the host device; an error detection unit for detecting errors; a cause of error determination unit for identifying the cause of the error; a processing mode storage unit for storing the processing modes as well as information pertaining to which processing mode to be executed for a particular cause of error when an error occurs; and a processing mode determination unit for selecting the normal processing mode control unit or deletion processing mode control unit to execute the appropriate processing mode stored in the processing mode storage unit according to the cause of error identified by the cause of error determination unit when the error detection unit detects an error, and to select the normal processing mode control unit to change from the deletion processing mode to the normal processing mode based on a resume command from the host device.

Printing apparatus, printer control method, printer control program, and printing system

Data in the host device that was processed before a data interrupt process could run, and data that was already being sent to the printer, can be reliably deleted when an error occurs. A printing apparatushaving a normal processing mode for storing data sent from a host deviceto a receive bufferand running a printing process based on the data in the receive buffer, and a deletion processing mode for clearing data in the receive buffer, has: a processing mode selection meansfor selecting one of a first processing mode for saving data in the receive bufferand print buffer, and not changing to the deletion processing mode, when a printing apparatuserror is detected in the normal processing mode; a second processing mode for clearing all data in the receive bufferand print buffer, and changing to the deletion processing mode, when a printing apparatuserror is detected in the normal processing mode; and a third processing mode for clearing data in the print bufferand saving data in the receive buffer, and changing to the deletion processing mode, when a printing apparatuserror is detected in the normal processing mode.

Printing apparatus for selecting the appropriate error state mode according to the application type and user desired print results

In a label printer in which either a peeling mode or non-peeling mode can be selected as the label dispensing mode, labels are printed and thus wasted when the operator loads the label paper into a transportation path that does not match the desired dispensing mode. This problem is solved by a label printer enabling selecting as the printing configuration either a peeling configuration for peeling printed labels from the web of label paper, or a non-peeling configuration in which the printed labels are not separated from the web of the label paper. A printing configuration selection unitenables selecting which printing configuration to use. To operate in the non-peeling mode, the label paperis loaded into a first paper transportation path A. To operate in the peeling mode, the label paperis loaded to a second paper transportation path B. A cover unitcan be opened and closed to enable handling the label paper, and takes the label printer off-line when the cover unitis opened. A mode selection switchis accessible only when the cover unit is open and operating the mode selection switch causes the printing configuration selection unitto change the printing configuration.

Label printer with selectible dispensible modes for peeling and non-peeling modes

An output device can be quickly and easily set to the operating parameters required for a particular output process according to data received from a host device. The output device has RAM that temporarily stores the operating parameters, a memory initialization processor that initializes the volatile memory in response to a specific input, a controller that stores operating parameter values for controlling the output device into the RAM in response to one or more first commands from the host device. A second command from the host device causes a first operating parameter controller to save the operating parameters from RAM into a flash ROM. A second operating parameter controller responds to a third command from the host device by storing information into the flash ROM indicative of whether operating parameter data in the flash ROM should be automatically loaded after the memory initialization process. A third operating parameter controller is effective for restoring the operating parameters from flash ROM to RAM after the memory initialization process only when the information in the flash ROM indicates that operating parameter data stored in the flash ROM should be automatically loaded. A particular operating environment defined by the parameters stored in nonvolatile memory can therefore be quickly reset en masse.

Output device with adjustable operating parameter values via host commands

Printing apparatus, printing system, and printer control method

A communication terminal device autonomously activates a specific function predetermined by a host device even when the communication terminal device is off-line when the power turns on. The specific function is a function such as an offline response function or auto-status back (ASB) function for automatically reporting a status of the communication terminal device to the host device. A status monitoring command is provided. During normal operation, the host device sends this status monitoring command to the communication terminal device to store specific data in nonvolatile memory in the communication terminal device. When power turns on, the communication terminal device reads the content of this nonvolatile memory to automatically initialize the particular functions indicated by the stored content, such as an ASB or off-line response function.

Method for controlling a communication terminal device and rewritable storage medium having initialization setting data

An output device () can be quickly and easily set to the operating parameters required for a particular output process. The output device has RAM () that temporarily stores the control parameters, and flash ROM () that stores the same parameter values in a nonvolatile manner. Specific parameter values are stored in RAM () in response to a specific command from the host (). A customization command causes the output device () to save the operating parameters from RAM () into the flash ROM (). Another customization command causes the output device () to restore the parameters from flash ROM () to RAM (). A particular operating environment defined by the parameters stored in nonvolatile memory can therefore be quickly reset en masse.

Output device, method of controlling it, and storage medium

A printer is provided which reliably detects front and back sides of a print medium and the print data to be printed to the respective sides, and automatically prints print data to the correct side of the print medium. A print command interpreter interprets a print command received from the host device to determines the print medium side indicated by the print command for printing associated print data. An inserted side detecting means detects which side of the print medium inserted to the printer is facing a particular direction. Control units and print the print data when the print medium side detected by the print command interpreter and the print medium side detected by the inserted side detecting means are the same. Data can thus be printed to a desired specific side of the print medium because the printer can reliably print to the print medium side specified by the host

Printer, a control method therefor, and a control method storage medium

A printer for reporting a printer error state to a user using sound, a control method for the printer, and a data storage medium storing the control method as a computer-readable program use a printing unit (print head ) that prints text or graphics, a detector (cover open sensor no-paper sensor temperature sensor ) that detects specific printer error states, and settings memory (RAM ) that stores a setting determining whether errors are reported using sound. A sound generator (buzzer ) emits sound when a particular error state is detected by the detector and a setting instructing acoustic error state reports is stored in the settings memory (RAM ).

Printer, printer control method, and medium for storing the control method

A printing apparatus, a control method therefor, and a medium on which the control method is stored, enable selection of a resume operation to be performed when the printing apparatus resumes operation following an off-line state. The resume operation to be performed after an off-line state is determined by a command received from a host device according to the cause for the off-line state. The resume operation thus determined is performed when the printing apparatus goes on-line again following the off-line state. A marker indicating a particular location in a continuous data stream can be set. If the marker is placed at the beginning of a particular data stream, printing can be resumed from the beginning of the data stream after recovery from an off-line state. By also storing various printer definitions (settings) when a marker is set, the printing apparatus can also be restored to the printer definitions in use when the printer went off-line. By setting a plurality of markers, printing can also be resumed from a selected marker.

Printing apparatus, control method therefor and medium for storing the control method

A printing apparatus for storing total operation counters for individual consumable and nonconsumable parts of a printing apparatus. A nonvolatile storage retains stored count information even when power is not supplied to the printing apparatus. An operations counter counts a value indicative of a printing apparatus operation. A counter storage stores a historical counter indicative of the printing apparatus operation history to the nonvolatile storage means based on a value counted by the operations counter, and stores a total printing apparatus operations count to the storage means. Specific printer operations, such as the number of characters printed, distance of recording medium transportation, and the number of times the automatic paper cutter is operated, can thus be individually accumulated, and the historical counts, that is, the cumulative counts since the printer was first used, can be stored to memory.

Printing apparatus and control method therefor

According to the present invention, a printer apparatus connected to a host computer, in such a manner that permits bidirectional communication, has a nonvolatile memory that allows its contents to be rewritten and read from the host computer. Allocated to the nonvolatile memory is an area for retaining a plurality of types of information for identifying the printer apparatus. Each piece of information comprises a key for identifying the type of information and a terminator indicating the end of the information. Thus, efficiently storing a plurality of pieces of information regarding the printer apparatus in the nonvolatile memory permits flexible change or addition of information.

Printing apparatus, method of controlling it and storage medium

Printing apparatus, control method therefor and medium for storing the

While eliminating the need for a dedicated on-line selector switch, a printing apparatus and control method is provided to improve the processes required to replenish consumable printing materials consumed during the printing operation. Using a transport mechanism for transporting the print medium and a printing mechanism for printing to the print medium, the printing apparatus accomplishes the printing process based on data received from a host device, selectively switches between an on-line state and an off-line state and notifies the host device of the currently selected state. The printing apparatus further comprises sensors for detecting the presence of consumable products, including roll paper and ink, that are consumed by the printing process, a switch with two functional settings, and a control device. The two functional settings of the switch are an on-line function commanding a transition from the off-line state to the on-line state, and a second function for specifying the process, such as a paper feed operation, to be executed by the printing apparatus when consumable materials are replenished. The control device causes the printing apparatus to shift to the off-line state when a sensor detects that a particular consumable material is not present, and selects the on-line function of the switch when a sensor detects after switching to the off-line state that a particular consumable material is again present and available for printing.

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Suwa, Japan

Kazuko Fukano