Seiko Epson Corporation

Tsutomu Nobutani

Masahiro Minowa

Kazuyuki Yokoyama

Toshiro Horikawa

Atsushi Yamaji

Masaki Hoshina

Michael Joseph Mannion

Tsuyoshi Wasamoto

Koichi Ebina

Makoto Ikeda

Daniel Adolf Lehotsky

Tamotsu Kimura

Kazuhiko Koizumi

Tadashi Ohtsuka

A printing system can easily configure a data terminal when a POS application running on a server is used from a data terminal. A POS system has a server that runs a POS application, a data terminal, and a printer communicatively connected through the Internet to the server. The printer has a local communication unit that establishes communication with the data terminal, a communication relay unit that communicatively connects the data terminal and the server, a configuration settings acquisition unit that gets configuration settings to configure the POS application from the server, and an application configuring unit that configures the POS application based on the configuration settings to use the POS application from the data terminal.

Printing system and printer

To reliably read settings information PD (network settings PD, printer settings PD) from memory and correctly set the settings information PD in a printer, a wireless tagstoring the settings information PD is disposed to a cover memberthat is removably installable to a network-connectable printing unit, a reading devicethat reads the settings information PD from the wireless tagis disposed to the printing unit, and a configuratorconfigures settings based on the read settings information PD.

Printer and printer control method enabling consistently reading settings information

A network device that can be used without requiring a device driver dependent upon the environment of an external device, a network printer, and a control method of a network device are provided. A file server has a management unit configured to manage a folder and information; a folder creation unit configured to create on the file server the folder to receive a process request from a client terminal; a process execution unit configured to execute a specific process when the process request is received in the folder; and a process result reporting unit configured to report the process result of the process execution unit to the folder.

Network device for handling process request in a folder

A speech output device, a control method for a speech output device, a printer, and an interface board can improve the productivity of foreign language speaking workers in industries such as retailing and food services. A data communication unitacquires print data. A data interpreteranalyzes and converts to text data at least part of the data acquired by the data communication unit. A language converterconverts the text data to one or more preset languages. A speech synthesizergenerates one or more units of synthesized speech data corresponding to the language-converted text data from the language converter. A speech data output unitoutputs the one or more units of synthesized speech data generated by the speech synthesizerto a headphone

Speech output device, control method for a speech output device, printing device, and interface board

A network system for operating multiple printers in different locations includes an RFID tag or print information that is arranged at a location where the printer is used and stores location information for identifying the location. The system further includes a printer provided with location information read capability for electromagnetically reading the location information stored in the RFID tag or optically reading the location information stored in the print information. The system associates the read location information with a network address and assigns the associated network address to the printer that has the location information.

Network system, cable set, and method and program for controlling network system

A network system is provided with a cable set having a nonvolatile memory module mounted thereon, and a printer connected by the cable set. The printer is provided with a set information read means for reading set information for performing initial setting of itself from a nonvolatile memory module of the connected cable set, and an initial setting means for performing initial setting based on the read set information.

A method and system for automatically configuring a plurality of wireless peripheral devices within a network environment. The method includes identifying a plurality of wireless peripheral devices, including one existing networked wireless device. The existing networked wireless device is configured to function as a master device. The master device identifies one of the remaining wireless peripheral devices that has yet to be configured. The master device replicates itself by wirelessly transmitting the configuration data to the identified wireless peripheral device. The configuration data enables the identified peripheral wireless device to assume network operation and to assume functionality of the master device so as to be capable of automatically causing the configuration of additional peripheral devices.

System, apparatus and method for automated wireless device configuration

An interface module connected to a host device for generating print data and to a printing device for printing the print data, comprises a reception unit having at least two interfaces for receiving print data from the host devices connected to the interfaces, a parameter data acquisition unit for analyzing the received print data and acquiring parameter data for calculating the printing cost incurred by printing the print data, a parameter data storage unit for storing the acquired parameter data in predetermined categories including a category for each interface.

Interface module, printing device, program, and printer maintenance method

A POS system and method having a POS terminal, at least one input device for providing input data such as product sale information to said POS terminal, a POS server to enable the POS terminal to complete a POS transaction based upon such product sale information, a display device and a printing device further including an input/output control apparatusand at least one function adding serverto enable the POS system to perform at least one new functional application without requiring any change in the POS system terminal or server. At least one of connection portstoof an input/output control apparatusis connected to at least one the connection portstoof an existing POS terminalhaving at least a POS printera input deviceor a displayconnected thereto. The input devicestoconventionally connected to the portstoof the POS terminalare connected to the corresponding ports of the I/O control apparatusA function-adding serveris also connected to the I/O control apparatusThe I/O control apparatusperforms an identification operation to determine if input information from the input devices meet specific conditions (identification criteria) and if so additional data is provided by the function-adding serverfor performing additional functionality.

POS system, input/output control apparatus for use in a POS system, and method

A POS system and method having a POS terminal, at least one input device for providing input data such as product sale information to said POS terminal, a POS server to enable the POS terminal to complete a POS transaction based upon such product sale information, a display device and a printing device further including an input/output control apparatusand at least one function adding serverto enable the POS system to perform at least one new functional application without requiring any change in the POS system terminal or server. At least one of connection portstoof an input/output control apparatusis connected to at least one the connection portstoof an existing POS terminalhaving at least a POS printer, a input device, or a displayconnected thereto. The input devicestoconventionally connected to the portstoof the POS terminalare connected to the corresponding ports of the I/O control apparatus. A function-adding serveris also connected to the I/O control apparatus. The I/O control apparatusperforms an identification operation to determine if input information from the input devices meet specific conditions (identification criteria) and if so additional data is provided by the function-adding serverfor performing additional functionality.

A POS system is made up of: a POS terminal having a printing apparatus for printing on a receipt based on printing data, and a terminal apparatus for obtaining input information inputted by a user and for generating receipt printing information; a POS server connected to the POS terminal through a network, for controlling the POS terminal; a memory card for providing advertising information; and printing data generating part for generating printing data by adding the advertising information provided by the memory card to the receipt printing information obtained by the terminal apparatus. The printing data generating part is constituted by an additional apparatus connectable to the printing apparatus.

POS system, network system, method of generating printing data for POS system, and method of managing sales and advertisement information in network system

A printer having a physical connection port and a wireless communication module for sending and receiving data by wireless communication, a received data processor controlling the received data, and a printing mechanism for running a printing process is provided, as is a POS system having such a printer, a wireless communication control method, and a computer readable medium carrying a program for implementing the method. A virtual port emulator on a host system receives display output requests from a POS application running on the host, finds data for a wired connection port on a printer of a stand-alone system linked to the virtual port for the display data, and sends the display data with the connection port data through a physical port on the host to a printer of the host system. Data received by the host printer is then allocated by a first received data processor and sent by wireless communication through a wireless communication device of the host to the stand-alone system printer. The wirelessly transmitted data received through a wireless communication device of the stand-alone system is then distributed by a second received data processor to a display of the stand-alone system through a wired connection port. That display then displays the received information, that is, the display data from the POS application.

Printer, POS system, wireless communication control method, and data storage medium

An interface module waits for the arrival of data to be received from a host computer and decides whether the received data is journal print data. If the received data is journal print data, the interface module causes flash memory to store the data and if the received data is print data (e.g., receipt print data) other than the journal print data, the interface module transmits the fact to a printer. The interface module is fitted in the interface board slot of the printer.

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Nagano-ken, Japan

Tsutomu Nobutani