Seiko Epson Corporation

Tomohiro Kodama

Akio Takamoto

Tadashi Furuhata

Hitoshi Oyama

Yuichi Tsuchiya

Hiroaki Hayashi

Motohiro Nakamaki

Atsushi Sakai

Teruyuki Takata

Eiji Ito

Masaki Hyogo

Sohei Yagisawa

Yagisawa Sohei

Various functions can be easily added using print data output from an exist lag application without modifying the existing application program. A function expansion method for executing a process that expands the functions of an application runs on a computer that operates according to an operating system on the operating system kernel layer, executes a specific process according to an application on an application layer, and has one or more communication ports, includes a step of acquiring print data output from the application on the operating system kernel layer, and a step of performing at the application layer a process expanding the function of the acquired print data, and outputs the print data after processing to a suitable communication port.

Function expansion method in a point-of-sale system using print data

Various kinds of value can be easily added to print data output from an existing application without modifying the existing application program. A value-adding method executes a process of adding value to print data output from an application on a computer that has one or more communication ports and executes a specific process by means of an application, and includes a data acquisition step of acquiring the print data at the operating system kernel layer before the print data is received at the communication port, and a data processing step that applies at the application layer a process of adding and/or deleting print content in the print data based on previously registered information, and outputs the data after processing to the specified communication port.

Method of adding value to print data, a value-adding device, and a recording medium

Various functions can be easily added using print data output from an existing application without modifying the existing application program. A function expansion method for executing a process that expands the functions of an application runs on a computer that operates according to an operating system on the operating system kernel layer, executes a specific process according to an application on an application layer, and has one or more communication ports, includes a step of acquiring print data output from the application on the operating system kernel layer, and a step of performing at the application layer a process expanding the function of the acquired print data, and outputs the print data after processing to a suitable communication port.

Function expansion method using print data for a point-of-sale terminal

Data output from an existing application to specific devices can be easily distributed to plural devices. A method of distributing device-specific data output from an application on a computer that executes a specific process according to an application and has two or more communication ports causes the computer to execute a step of acquiring device-specific data output by an executed program to one specific communication port at the operating system kernel layer before the device-specific data is received at the communication port; and a step of analyzing the device-specific data acquired at the application layer, determines the device to which the device-specific data, and outputs the device-specific data to the communication port to which the device is connected.

Distribution processing method, distribution processing device, print data processing method, print data processing device, and recording medium

Expanding application functionality without changing the existing application

A method of printing an indication of defective printing can print a defective printing mark indicating that printing was not completed normally on a printout containing unprinted or missing dots. When printing one page of print data on recording paper is completed but before a paper discharge command indicating a page break (step ST) is executed, the operation printing the one page of print data is interrupted and whether or not ink droplets are being discharged normally from the ink nozzles of the inkjet head is detected. If the ink droplets are not being discharged normally, the recording paper is conveyed in reverse direction and print data for the defective printing mark is printed on the recording paper as part of the interrupt process. Therefore, if the recording paper contains unprinted (missing) dots, a defective printing mark is printed on the recording paper and printing the one page of print data then ends.

Method of printing an indication of defective printing, an inkjet printer, a printer driver, and a defective printing notification method

A device management apparatus is adapted to be connected to devices which constitute at least one device group. An application is running in the device management apparatus. Each of the device managers is associated with one of the devices and is operable to create usage information of the associated one of the devices. A device group manager is associated with the at least one device group and coupled to the device managers to receive the usage information from each of the device managers. The device group manager is operable to notify the usage information in response to an inquiry from the application.

Device management apparatus and device management method

Systems and methods for reliably canceling a DMA transfer mode and accelerating printer initialization. A host devicefor controlling a printer having a DMA transfer mode for printing by transferring image data associated with a received image print command to a print buffer. The host devicehas a print data generating unitfor generating the image print command, memoryfor storing the data size of the image data associated with the image print command generated by the print data generating unit, and a printer control unitfor sending to the printeran initialization command having null data of the data size stored in memoryadded to the beginning of the initialization command.

Print control apparatus and printing system

A color reduction processing apparatus and method that is simple to configure and adjust produces two-color print image data reflecting the impression of the original full-color image. Each pixel in a full-color image is converted to binarized principal and secondary color print data by principal and secondary color processors respectively using respective threshold value matrices. The threshold values of these matrices, which are calculated from a reference threshold value matrix stored in memory, can be adjusted, via adjustment values, to control the overall density of the principal and secondary colors. The adjustment values can be set in a matrix configuration unit. The binarized principal and secondary color print data can also be further corrected by correction and/or filtering operations performed by a correction processor.

Color reduction processing apparatus and color reduction method

A POS terminal apparatus is adapted to be connected to an external device. With an application running in the POS terminal apparatus, a device manager determines whether the external device is capable of counting a first value indicating a usage amount of the external device, and if so, the device manager acquires the first value from the external device in response to a first command from the application. A counter retains a second value indicating the usage amount of the external device and notifies the second value to the application in response to a second command from the application. If it is determined that the external device is not capable of counting the first value, the counter virtually counts the second value in accordance with a third command sent from the application to the external device. An updater updates the second value with a third value which is obtained by a fourth command from the application. The first value is retained even when the second value is updated with the third value.

Growing community of inventors

Matsumoto, Japan

Tomohiro Kodama