JP6084325B2 - Information processing apparatus, method, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for performing a maintenance operation using a next-generation printer driver architecture.

  Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 1, a printer driver based on a legacy architecture (hereinafter referred to as a legacy driver) may transmit a maintenance command instructing execution of a maintenance operation such as nozzle cleaning to a printer as a print job. It was possible.

  In the legacy driver, a maintenance command transmission button is provided on a user interface (hereinafter referred to as UI), and the user transmits a maintenance command as a print job by pressing the button. Alternatively, when an external application is used, the user selects an arbitrary printer on the graphical user interface (hereinafter, GUI) of the external application, and then transmits a maintenance command as a print job by pressing a button for instructing transmission of the maintenance command. Was.

JP 2006-12037 A

  In recent years, a new operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) that supports not only desktop PCs but also mobile PCs has been announced. Applications, printer drivers, and the like are required to support next-generation architectures installed in these new OSs. As a matter of course, some restrictions are assumed in the new OS, and the above-described conventional maintenance method may not be appropriately executed by an application or printer driver operating on the OS.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism capable of appropriately realizing a maintenance operation execution instruction for a printer even when such restrictions are imposed.

  An information processing apparatus according to the present invention for solving the above-described problem has display control means for displaying a first screen provided by an application associated with a printer driver based on identification information, and the printer driver performs print settings. In response to an instruction on the first screen, a second screen for instructing maintenance processing in the printing apparatus is displayed, and an instruction for maintenance processing is displayed on the second screen. Is received, and a command for maintenance is transmitted to the printing apparatus in accordance with the instruction received on the second screen.

  According to the present invention, even in the next generation architecture, it is possible to appropriately instruct the printer to execute a maintenance operation and execute the maintenance process.

Block diagram showing a printing system configured by connecting a printing apparatus and an information processing apparatus Block diagram showing module configuration related to printer driver with legacy architecture Diagram for explaining the flow of maintenance processing in a printer driver based on the legacy architecture Block diagram showing the module configuration related to the printer driver based on the next generation architecture Diagram for explaining the flow of maintenance processing in a printer driver based on the next-generation architecture Figure showing an example of a UI screen of a utility application based on the next generation architecture Flowchart for explaining application processing in the first embodiment Flowchart for explaining processing based on the port monitor extended file in the first embodiment The figure which shows the maintenance command data stored in the database used with the next generation driver in Embodiment 1. Flowchart for explaining application processing in the second embodiment Flowchart for explaining processing based on a port monitor extended file in the second embodiment The figure which shows the maintenance command data stored in the database used with the next-generation driver in Embodiment 2. Flowchart for explaining application processing in embodiment 3 Flowchart for explaining processing based on a port monitor extended file in the third embodiment Flowchart for explaining processing based on port monitor extended file in embodiment 4 Flowchart for explaining processing of printing apparatus in embodiment 4

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments do not limit the present invention according to the claims, and all combinations of features described in the present embodiments are essential to the solution means of the present invention. Not exclusively.

  FIG. 1 is an example of a block diagram illustrating an overall configuration of a printing system that includes an information processing apparatus 110 and a printing apparatus 120 connected to the information processing apparatus 110. The information processing apparatus 110 includes an input I / F 111, a CPU 112, a ROM 113, an output I / F 114, an external storage device 115, a RAM 116, an input device 117, an output device 118, and an input / output I / F 119. The ROM 113 stores an initialization program, and the external storage device 115 stores programs such as an OS, a printer driver, an application, and various other data. The RAM 116 is used as a work memory by various programs stored in the external storage device 115. The input device 117 includes a touch panel in addition to a mouse and a keyboard, and is used for data input and operation instructions and is connected to the input I / F 111. The output device 118 is used for data display and status notification, and is connected to the output I / F 114.

  The printing apparatus 120 includes a RAM 121, a ROM 122, a print engine 123, a CPU 124, and an input / output I / F 125. The information processing apparatus 110 and the printing apparatus 120 are connected by a USB (Universal Serial Bus) (TM) cable 130. The RAM 121 is used as a work memory for the CPU 124, and is also used as a temporary storage buffer for received data. The ROM 122 stores control commands. The print engine 123 performs printing based on the data stored in the RAM 121. The CPU 124 controls the printing apparatus 120 according to control commands stored in the ROM 122.

  In the present embodiment, the process sharing of the information processing apparatus 110 and the printing apparatus 120 is shown as described above, but the process sharing form does not depend on this.

  Here, FIGS. 2 and 3 are used to explain the flow of print data using a printer driver (hereinafter referred to as a legacy driver) based on the legacy architecture, which is a conventional printing system, and the flow of maintenance execution processing realized on the architecture. To do.

FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually showing a module configuration related to a legacy driver which is a conventional printing system applicable to the information processing apparatus 110.
The print data created by the application 201 is added with print setting information returned from the UI module 211 via the OS print support function 202, and is temporarily stored in the print queue 204 of the spooler 203 as spool data 205. The spool data 205 is converted to a print command that can be interpreted by the printing device 207 (components are the same as those of the printing device 120) by the legacy driver 210, and then output to the USB port monitor 206. Here, the legacy driver 210 includes modules of a graphics driver 213 and a language monitor 214 described later in addition to the UI module 211 described above. The USB port monitor 206 transmits the input print command to the printing apparatus 207. Here, the UI module 211 can include a maintenance processing instruction unit 212 that instructs the printing apparatus 207 to perform a maintenance operation. The user instructs the maintenance operation to the printing apparatus 207 by selecting a maintenance operation from the UI screen provided by the UI module 211.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the flow of maintenance processing in the legacy driver.
A maintenance processing instruction unit 301 (212 in FIG. 2) included in the UI module 211 creates a maintenance command that can be interpreted by the printing apparatus 308 in accordance with an instruction from the user, and transmits the maintenance command to the spooler 302. The spooler 302 temporarily stores the received maintenance command as spool data 304 in the print queue 303. The spool data 304 is output to the USB port monitor 307 via the graphics driver 305 and the language monitor 306. Here, the maintenance command has a format that can be already interpreted by the printing apparatus 308 when it is input to the graphics driver 305. For this reason, the graphics driver 305 does not need to perform the above-described conversion process for the input maintenance command.

  The maintenance processing instruction unit 301 sets information indicating that the conversion processing is not necessary for a job passed to the spooler 302 by the maintenance command issuing processing. The graphics driver 305 controls not to perform the conversion operation according to the information indicating that the implementation is not necessary. Thereafter, the USB port monitor 307 transmits the input maintenance command to the printing apparatus 308, thereby executing a maintenance operation.

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, a case where a database used in a printer driver (hereinafter referred to as a next generation driver) based on a next generation architecture described later stores a maintenance command group for one model will be described as an example.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram conceptually showing a configuration related to a next-generation driver applicable to the information processing apparatus 110, which is a printing system having a configuration different from that of the legacy driver. This figure specifically describes an example of a module configuration that operates as a main component of each function provided when a program such as an application, a printer driver, and an OS is executed by the CPU.

  The print data created by the application 401 is temporarily stored in the print queue 404 of the spooler 403 as spool data 405 via the print support function 402 of the OS. The spool data 405 is converted into a print command that can be interpreted by the printing apparatus 120 by the graphics driver 411.

  A database 412 used in the next-generation driver is a database that can be referred to by the graphics driver 411 or a port monitor described later, and can store various information and maintenance commands depending on the model of the printing apparatus.

  The graphics driver 411 acquires model-dependent information necessary for generating a print command from the database 412 used in the next-generation driver. Here, the file group 410 is a file group constituting the next generation driver.

  In response to a print request from a general application, the graphics driver 411 obtains image processing parameters specialized for the printing apparatus to be printed from the database 412 and generates a print command. Thereafter, the generated print command reaches the printing apparatus 407 via the USB port monitor 406. Thereby, the printing process in the printing system including the next generation driver is realized.

  Here, the vendor of the printing apparatus is a next-generation driver for installing together the above-described graphics driver 411 and the port monitor extended file 413, and management information as described later with reference to FIGS. Provide an installer program. As a result, processing by a USB port monitor described later and printing control by a next-generation driver can be realized on the next-generation architecture.

  The port monitor extended file 413 is described in this embodiment as being prepared for the USB port monitor 406. However, it is also possible to prepare an extension file for extending the same function for port monitoring for communicating with the printing apparatus by other connection forms, and to realize processing characteristic of the present invention as described later. Is possible.

  The component of the next generation driver of the new OS (for example, Windows (TM) 8) assumed in the present invention does not include the UI module 211 included in the component of the legacy driver. That is, the next generation driver cannot have a GUI for performing various settings such as print settings. However, it is possible to provide a GUI for performing various settings by an external application (hereinafter, a next generation application) corresponding to a next generation driver described later. The next generation application and the next generation driver are associated with each other by information for identifying the driver.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the flow of maintenance processing realized in the printing system shown in FIG.
The next-generation application 501 transmits a command ID (identifier) indicating a desired maintenance operation for the printing apparatus to the spooler 502 in accordance with an instruction from the user. The spooler 502 passes the received command ID directly to the USB port monitor 504 (hereinafter, port monitor 504) without storing it in the print queue 503. Thereafter, the port monitor 504 passes the command ID to the port monitor extended file 505.

  Here, the port monitor extension file 505 is a script file for extending an OS function described in JavaScript (registered trademark).

  The port monitor extended file 505 acquires a maintenance command corresponding to the received command ID by referring to the database 506 used by the next generation driver. Thereafter, the port monitor extended file 505 instructs the port monitor 504 to transmit the acquired maintenance command to the printing apparatus 507.

  In the legacy architecture, as shown in FIG. 3, the spooler handles the maintenance command as a print job. On the other hand, in the next generation architecture, the spooler 403 is restricted from handling a maintenance command as a print job, and cannot adopt the same configuration as the legacy architecture. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt the process shown in FIG. 5 as an alternative method.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the UI screen configuration of the next-generation application 501 for instructing the printing apparatus 120 to perform maintenance processing. This application is provided, for example, as an application bundled with the OS, for example, to provide a status display of the printing apparatus 120 and a link (shortcut) of applications for performing printing-related settings. May be.

  FIG. 6A shows a main screen 610 displayed immediately after the next-generation application 501 is activated. The main screen 610 has a link button 611 to the status display screen, a link button 612 to the utility function display screen, and a link button 613 to the manual display screen. When the user selects a link button to each screen, the next generation application 501 displays the screen selected by the user.

  FIG. 6B shows a screen configuration of the utility function selection screen 620 displayed after selecting the link button 612 in FIG. On the screen 620, instruction buttons for maintenance processing such as a nozzle cleaning button 621, a roller cleaning 622, an ink wiping button 623, and the like are arranged. The user instructs the printing apparatus 507 to execute a maintenance process by selecting a button related to the maintenance to be performed.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining command ID transmission processing of the next-generation application 501.
When this process is started, in S701, an input from the user through the screen 620 for selecting the above-described utility function is accepted. In step S <b> 702, the next generation application 501 acquires a command ID corresponding to the maintenance command specified by the user specified based on the input information. In step S703, the acquired command ID is passed to the spooler 502, and this process ends.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining maintenance command transmission processing of the port monitor 504 that operates based on the port monitor extended file 505. Here, the port monitor 504, which is a module provided by the OS or the like, uses a port monitor extended file 505 provided by the vendor of the printing apparatus together with the next-generation driver, thereby performing special processing as described in this figure. Execute.

  In step S <b> 801, the port monitor 504 acquires a command ID via the spooler 502. In step S802, the port monitor 504 refers to the database 506 used by the next-generation driver according to the port monitor extended file 505, and acquires a maintenance command corresponding to the acquired command ID. In step S <b> 804, the port monitor 504 controls transmission of the acquired maintenance command to the printing apparatus 507 in accordance with the port monitor extended file 505, and then ends this processing.

  FIG. 9 conceptually shows maintenance command data stored in the database 506 used in the next generation driver. The maintenance command data 901 is associated with one command ID 902 and stored in the database 506. The port monitor extended file 505 describes processing for specifying a maintenance command to be transmitted based on the command ID by referring to the database 506.

  Here, information that associates the maintenance command data 901 with the command ID 902 is provided by the vendor of the printing apparatus. In addition to an integer value, a character string can be used as the command ID.

  With the above processing, it is possible to appropriately instruct execution of the maintenance operation to the printing apparatus even in an OS environment in which a restriction is imposed that a maintenance command cannot be transmitted as a print job.

  Further, in the present embodiment, even when the contents of the port monitor extended file are viewed, the maintenance command itself is not directly described. The maintenance command itself is described in the database 506. As a result, it is possible to improve the confidentiality of the command itself rather than holding the maintenance command in the port monitor extended file which is a text file.

<Embodiment 2>
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, processing when maintenance command data corresponding to each of a plurality of models is managed in the database 506 used by the next generation driver will be described. In the present embodiment, the configuration and processing flow shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 described in the first embodiment are the same.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining command ID and model ID transmission processing of the next-generation application 501 in the second embodiment.
When this process is started, in S1001, an input from the user via the screen 620 for selecting the above-described utility function is accepted. In S1002, the next-generation application 501 acquires a command ID corresponding to the maintenance command specified by the user, which is specified based on the input information. In step S <b> 1003, the next-generation application 501 transmits a request to the printing apparatus 120 connected to the information processing apparatus 110, and acquires a model ID that identifies the model from the printing apparatus 120. In step S1004, the acquired command ID and model ID are passed to the spooler 502, and this process ends.

  In the second embodiment, in order to use a maintenance command for a specific model in the database 506 in a process to be described later, the next generation application 501 acquires a model ID from the printing apparatus in addition to the command ID. Note that either the command ID acquisition or the model ID acquisition processing order by the next-generation application 501 may be performed first. Further, the acquisition of the model ID in S1003 may be realized by manual input by the user, in addition to the acquisition from the printing apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining maintenance command transmission processing of the port monitor 504 that operates based on the port monitor extended file 505 according to the second embodiment.
In step S <b> 1101, the port monitor 504 acquires a command ID and a model ID via the spooler 502. In step S1102, the port monitor 504 refers to the database 506 according to the port monitor extended file 505, and acquires a corresponding maintenance command from the acquired command ID and model ID. In step S <b> 1104, the port monitor 504 controls transmission of the acquired maintenance command to the printing apparatus 507 in accordance with the port monitor extended file 505, and then ends this processing.

  FIG. 12 conceptually shows maintenance command data for a plurality of models stored in the database 506 used by the next generation driver. The maintenance command data 1201 is associated with one model ID 1202 and one command ID 1203 and stored in the database 506. The port monitor extended file 505 describes processing for specifying a maintenance command to be transmitted from the model ID and the command ID by referring to the database 506.

  Here, the information that associates the maintenance command data, the model ID, and the command ID is provided by the vendor of the printing apparatus. An integer value or a character string can be arbitrarily used as the model ID and the command ID.

  Further, when maintenance command data for a plurality of models is stored in one database 506, a situation in which the maintenance operation corresponding to each model is different can be assumed. Therefore, in FIG. 12, for a maintenance operation that is not supported by a certain model, the corresponding column is represented by a blank or the like, indicating that the maintenance operation is not supported. As an example, in FIG. 12, the model corresponding to the model ID “B” has a blank maintenance command indicated by the command ID “3”, indicating that it is not supported. In FIG. 12, the non-corresponding command is indicated by a blank, but a reserved character indicating a non-corresponding command such as “None” may be indicated.

  Through the above processing, even under an OS environment in which a restriction that a maintenance command cannot be transmitted as a print job is imposed, a maintenance operation execution instruction can be appropriately given to the printing apparatus in consideration of the model. It becomes possible.

<Embodiment 3>
Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14. The present embodiment is an extension of the second embodiment, and the configuration and processing contents are almost common. The difference is that it is determined whether or not the maintenance command data stored in the database 506 corresponds to a plurality of models, and the subsequent processing is switched according to the result.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining the command ID and model ID transmission processing of the next-generation application 501 in the third embodiment. The same processes as those in FIG. 10 are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted here.

  In step S1301, the next generation application 501 determines whether the database 506 supports a plurality of models. In this determination, information indicating whether or not maintenance command data for a plurality of models is stored in advance is stored in the database 506, and the determination is performed by the application referring to the information. If it is determined from the determination result of S1301 that the device is supported, the process proceeds to S1003. After that, the information (command ID only, or command ID and model ID) acquired in S1302 is passed to the spooler 502, and this process ends.

  Here, for the determination of S1304, a method for determining the information for a plurality of models from the file name by providing a naming rule for the database 506 can be applied, and the determination method is not limited to these examples.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining maintenance command transmission processing of the port monitor 504 that operates based on the port monitor extended file 505 according to the third embodiment.
In step S <b> 1401, the port monitor 504 acquires a command ID via the spooler 502. In step S1402, the port monitor 504 determines whether the model ID has been acquired via the spooler 502. If it is determined that the model ID has also been acquired, in step S1403, the port monitor 504 refers to the database 506 according to the port monitor extended file 505, and responds from the acquired command ID and model ID. Get maintenance commands. On the other hand, if it is determined in S1402 that the model ID could not be acquired, in S1404, the port monitor 504 refers to the database 506 according to the port monitor extended file 505, and responds only from the acquired command ID. Get the maintenance command to be executed. After that, in step S1405, the port monitor 504 controls transmission of the acquired maintenance command to the printing apparatus 507 in accordance with the port monitor extended file 505, and then ends this processing.

<Embodiment 4>
Hereinafter, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. The present embodiment relates to processing when the port monitor 504 fails to acquire a maintenance command from the database 506 in maintenance execution processing. As described above, since the next-generation driver does not have a GUI screen display function, a maintenance command acquisition failure occurs in response to a maintenance execution instruction input from the user via the screen 620 for selecting the utility function. Cannot notify. In the present embodiment, exception processing that takes this point into account is specifically described.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart for explaining maintenance command transmission processing of the port monitor 504 that operates based on the port monitor extended file 505.
In step S1501, a maintenance command is acquired from the database 506 executed by the port monitor 504. Specifically, one of the processes described in the first to third embodiments is executed. In step S1502, the port monitor 504 determines whether the maintenance command has been successfully acquired. If the maintenance command has been successfully acquired, the process proceeds to S1503, and if it has failed, the process proceeds to S1504.

  In step S1503, the port monitor 504 stores the acquired maintenance command in the transmission buffer. On the other hand, in S1504, the port monitor 504 stores the error occurrence data in the transmission buffer instead of the maintenance command. Thereafter, in step S1505, the port monitor 504 controls transmission of the information in the buffer to the printing apparatus 507, and then ends this processing.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the printing apparatus 120 that has received the data transmitted from the port monitor 504 in FIG.
In step S <b> 1601, the printing apparatus 120 receives data transmitted from the port monitor 504. In S1602, it is determined whether the received data is error occurrence data. If the received data is error occurrence data, the process advances to step S1603; otherwise, the process advances to step S1605.

  In step S1603, the printing apparatus 507 transitions to an error state according to the error occurrence data. At this timing, the user is notified that an error has occurred in the printing apparatus by an error output via the operation unit of the printing apparatus or the network. In addition, regarding the error according to the specific error occurrence data, a notification that the maintenance execution has failed may be performed. In S1604, error processing is continued until the error state is resolved. An example of the error state canceling means is a method of providing an error cancel button on the printing apparatus 507 and eliminating the error state of the printing apparatus 507 when the user presses the button. In step S1605, the printing apparatus 507 executes processing according to the received data. Here, an operation corresponding to the maintenance command data is executed. Thereafter, this process ends.

  With the above configuration, even when using the next-generation driver that does not have the UI module described above, if the maintenance cannot be executed due to failure to acquire the maintenance command, the user is notified of the error. Is possible.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program. It is a process to be executed.

Furthermore, the present invention includes a system configured by appropriately combining the above-described embodiments and functions thereof.

Claims (20)

Display control means for displaying a first screen provided by an application associated with the printer driver based on identification information;
The printer driver cannot have a graphical user interface for performing print settings, and displays a second screen for instructing maintenance processing in the printing apparatus in response to an instruction on the first screen.
An instruction for maintenance processing is accepted on the second screen,
An information processing apparatus that transmits a maintenance command to a printing apparatus in accordance with an instruction received on the second screen.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the application instructs transmission of the command.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a manual can be displayed in accordance with an instruction on the first screen.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the status of the printing apparatus can be displayed in accordance with an instruction on the first screen.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the application acquires a command identifier for specifying a maintenance operation corresponding to an instruction received on the second screen. A port monitor for communicating with the printing device;
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the command is transmitted by the port monitor.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second screen is a screen for selecting a content of maintenance processing executed in the printing apparatus.   The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance process includes cleaning. A processing method in an information processing apparatus connected to a printing apparatus,
The printer driver of the information processing apparatus cannot have a graphical user interface for performing print settings,
Displaying a first screen provided by an application associated with the printer driver according to identification information;
In response to the instruction on the first screen, a second screen for instructing maintenance processing in the printing apparatus is displayed.
Accepting an instruction for maintenance processing on the second screen,
A processing method for transmitting a maintenance command corresponding to an instruction received on the second screen to a printing apparatus.   The processing method according to claim 9, wherein the application instructs transmission of the command.   The processing method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a manual is displayed in response to an instruction on the first screen.   The processing method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein a status of the printing apparatus is displayed in response to an instruction on the first screen.   13. The processing method according to claim 9, wherein the second screen is a screen for selecting a content of maintenance processing executed in the printing apparatus.   The processing method according to claim 9, wherein the maintenance process includes cleaning. Computer
Function as display control means for displaying the first screen provided by the application associated with the printer driver by the identification information;
The printer driver cannot have a graphical user interface for print settings,
In response to the instruction on the first screen, a second screen for instructing maintenance processing in the printing apparatus is displayed.
Accepting an instruction for maintenance processing on the second screen,
A program for causing a printing apparatus to transmit a maintenance command according to an instruction received on the second screen. The program according to claim 15, wherein transmission of the command is instructed by the application.   The program according to claim 15 or 16, wherein a manual is displayed in response to an instruction on the first screen.   The program according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein a status of the printing apparatus is displayed in accordance with an instruction on the first screen.   The program according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the second screen is a screen for selecting contents of maintenance processing executed in the printing apparatus. The program according to any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein the maintenance process includes cleaning.

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