CN107223109B

CN107223109B - Practical timer in food freshness printer

Info

Publication number: CN107223109B
Application number: CN201480082617.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: M·S·莫罗; G·E·麦克穆勒; L·C·利特美尔; D·M·钱德勒
Original assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC
Current assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC
Priority date: 2014-10-13
Filing date: 2014-10-13
Publication date: 2022-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2034-10-13
Also published as: CN107223109A; CA2963880C; WO2016060638A1; BR112017007482B8; BR112017007482A2; CA2963880A1; EP3206955B1; EP3206955A1; BR112017007482B1; EP4091949A1; CN114779609A

Abstract

A method of adding a plurality of customizable event timers to a food freshness printer or intelligent printer (1) is disclosed. A customizable event timer is added by the operator for issuing an alarm at predetermined intervals to indicate the passage of time and/or to print a label. When the event timer expires and the user confirms the audible tone, the user may select to restart the timer for the next event or delete the timer. Further, the event timer enables a user to display a message or print a set of labels when the timer expires.

Description

Practical timer in food freshness printer

Technical Field

The present invention generally relates to a food freshness barcode printer or smart printer that includes a plurality of customizable timers. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method of adding a plurality of customizable timers by an operator for issuing an alarm to indicate the passage of time.

Background

Barcode printers are computer-external devices used to print barcode labels or tags that can be attached to or printed directly onto physical objects. Bar code printers are commonly used to mark cartons prior to shipment, or to mark retail items with UPCs or EZN. The most common barcode printers employ one of two different printing techniques. Direct thermal printers use a print head to generate heat that causes a chemical reaction in specially designed paper that blackens the paper. Thermal transfer printers also use heat, but instead of reacting the paper, the heat melts the wax or resin substance on a belt that is stretched over the label or label material. The heat causes the ink to transfer from the belt to the paper.

Barcode printers are designed for different markets. Industrial bar code printers are used in large warehouses, manufacturing plants, and food plants. They have a large paper capacity, operate faster and have a longer useful life. Desktop barcode printers are most common for retail and office environments.

Furthermore, in traditional food preparation or other suitable fields, there are several functions, operations, tasks, etc. that occur in a timed or periodic manner. Thus, employees tend to lose time waiting for tasks or become overwhelmed when trying to record all functions, operations, tasks, and the like.

Accordingly, there is a need for a food freshness barcode printer or intelligent printer that includes a plurality of customizable timers. A method for adding a plurality of customizable timers by an operator for issuing an alarm to indicate the passage of time is disclosed. When the timer expires and the user confirms the audible tone, the user may choose to restart the timer for the next event or delete the timer.

Disclosure of Invention

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one aspect thereof, includes a method of adding a plurality of customizable event timers to a food freshness printer or a smart printer. Specifically, a customizable event timer is added by the operator for sounding an alarm to indicate the passage of time.

In a preferred embodiment, when the event timer expires and the user acknowledges the audible tone, the user may choose to restart the timer for the next event or delete the timer. Further, the event timer enables the user to display a message or print a set of labels when the timer expires.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

Drawings

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a bar code printer according to the disclosed configuration.

FIG. 2A illustrates a flow chart of an item selection form process pre-installed in a food freshness printer or intelligent printer according to the disclosed configuration.

FIG. 2B illustrates a flow chart of a reference timer event process preinstalled in a food freshness printer or intelligent printer according to the disclosed configuration.

FIG. 2C illustrates a flow chart of a timer form removal timer process preinstalled in a food freshness printer or intelligent printer according to the disclosed configuration.

FIG. 2D illustrates a flow chart of a validation timer process preinstalled in a food freshness printer or intelligent printer according to the disclosed configuration.

Detailed Description

The subject innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof.

A method of adding a plurality of customizable event timers to a food freshness printer or an intelligent printer is disclosed. The operator adds a customizable event timer for sounding an alarm to indicate the passage of time. When the event timer expires and the user confirms the audible tone, the user may choose to restart the timer for the next event or delete the timer. Further, the event timer enables the user to display a message or print a set of labels when the timer expires.

Referring first to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a barcode printer 1 according to the present invention, however any suitable barcode printer may be used as is known in the art. The barcode printer 1 includes a thermal print head 2 for printing a barcode and alphanumeric information on a recording member web such as a label, a tag, or the like. The supply of the recording member web may be of a direct printing type such that the recording member comprises paper coated with a thermally responsive material. Alternatively, the supply used with the barcode printer 1 may be of the transfer type in which a carbon ribbon is thermally activated by the print head 2 to print on a recording member. The print head 2 is gated to control the energy applied to the print head for printing. More specifically, a current is applied to the print head 2 during the gate time so as to print one line on the recording member.

The barcode printer 1 further comprises a stepper motor 3 or the like responsive to a periodic drive signal 4, the period 6 of the periodic drive signal 4 being defined by the time between leading edges of successive or adjacent pulses of the drive signal. The stepper motor 3 is responsive to drive signals 4 to advance the recording member web past the print head 2 for printing. The drive signal 4 controls the speed of the stepper motor 3, and the stepper motor 3 in turn controls the print speed of the barcode printer 1.

The controller 5 includes a microprocessor 7 or the like, and the microprocessor 7 operates according to software routines stored in a memory 8 to control the operation of the barcode printer 1. Several sensors, monitors, detectors, etc., such as depicted at 9, 11, 12 and 14, monitor the operating conditions of the barcode printer 1, including the resistance of the printhead 2, the contrast settings of the barcode printer, the temperature of the heat sink 13 on which the printhead 2 is mounted, and the voltage of the battery powering the barcode printer 1. Measurements of printhead resistance, contrast settings, heat sink temperature, battery voltage and other operating variables can be used by the microprocessor 7 if desired when implementing print speed control.

Referring generally to fig. 2A-2D, the disclosed food freshness barcode printer or any other suitable barcode printer or smart printer includes at least one customizable event timer. The event timer(s) enable the user to display a message or print a set of labels when the timer expires. Further, when the timer expires and the user confirms that the tone is audible, the user may choose to restart the timer for the next event or delete the timer.

In the field of food preparation, there are several functions that occur in a timed or periodic manner. For example, if the frozen roll needs to be thawed before being placed on a food ready stand to be sold, the user may set a timer that expires at the end of the thawing period and then will print a freshness date label. Thus, setting the function of the timer will enable food preparation staff to attend to other tasks before the thawing period of the roll has expired. Once the roll's unfreezing period has expired, the timer will make an audible noise, and then the printer will automatically print the required freshness date label (i.e., the labor saving step of printing the freshness label without additional interaction will be performed).

For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, entry point 10 is where the user enters a button process (or an item selection form process). At 20, it is determined whether the button is a label. If the button is a label, then the label batch (i.e., print job) is printed at 30 and the process exits at 40. If the button is not a label (i.e., a non-print job), then a valid event timer is added at 50. The event timer is then added to the list of active timers at 60. At 70, it is determined whether the one second reference timer is running. If the one-second reference timer is not running, the one-second reference timer is started at 80. If the one second reference timer is running, the process is complete at 90 and exits at 100.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the reference timer event process begins at 110. At 120, the one-second reference timer has expired. At 130, the list of valid timers is checked. At 140, it is determined whether the timer screen is visible. If the timer screen is visible, the user updates the active timer countdown display at 150. If the timer screen is not visible, then a determination is made at 160 as to whether there are any expired timers. If there are not any expired timers, then a determination is made at 190 whether to raise an alarm. If there is an expired timer, then at 170 it is determined whether the timer form is visible to the user. If the timer form is visible to the user, then a determination is made at 190 whether to issue an alarm. If the timer form is not visible to the user, the timer form is displayed to the user at 180. Then, at 190, it is determined whether an alarm is to be raised. If an alarm is raised, the process exits at 210. If no alarm is raised, the process proceeds to 200 where an alarm is raised. The process is then complete and exits at 210.

As shown in fig. 2C, a timer form removal timer process begins at 220. At 230, the process continues with removing the timer button. At 240, the process removes the selected timer from the list of active timers. At 250, it is determined whether there are any remaining timers on the active timer list. If there are no remaining timers on the active timer list, the one second reference timer is stopped at 260. The process is then exited at 270. If there are remaining timers on the active timer list, then those timers are processed and the process is completed and exits at 270.

As shown in fig. 2D, the acknowledgement timer process begins at 280. At 290, the user presses the back button. At 300, it is determined whether there are any expired timers on the active timer list. If no timer has expired on the active timer list, the process exits at 350. If there are expired timers on the list of active timers, then the expired timers are removed from the list of active timers at 310. At 320, the alarm is silenced. At 330, it is determined whether there are any remaining timers on the active timer list. If there are remaining timers on the active timer list, then these timers are processed and the process is complete and exits at 350. If there are no remaining timers on the active timer list, the one second reference timer is stopped (or expired) at 340. The process then exits at 350.

What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term "includes" is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprising" as "comprising" is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

Claims

1. A method for adding a plurality of customizable event timers to a smart printer for issuing an alarm to indicate the passage of time and further enabling a user to print a set of labels upon expiration of the timers, comprising the steps of:

entering a button process in the intelligent printer;

determining whether a button selected in the button process is a label;

printing the batch of labels if the selected button corresponds to a label; and

enabling addition of a valid event timer if the selected button does not correspond to a label, for further enabling printing of the set of labels upon expiration of the valid event timer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding the active event timer to a list of active timers pre-installed in the intelligent printer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

checking the list of active timers to determine if a one second reference timer is running;

starting the one-second reference timer if the one-second reference timer is not running; and

if the one-second reference timer is running, the button process is completed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein completing the button process comprises:

checking the remaining timers of the list of active timers,

if there is a remaining timer, processing the remaining timer; and exits the process.