Non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with program for controlling external apparatus configured to communicate with liquid ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12427765-B2
Application number	US-202318180956-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2023
Priority date	Mar 25, 2022
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with a program for controlling an external apparatus which has a memory and which is configured to communicate with a liquid ejecting apparatus is provided. The program allows a computer to acquire nozzle information from the liquid ejecting apparatus so that the nozzle information is stored in the memory. The program allows the computer to execute the nozzle information acquiring process at a first timing if the nozzle information, which is stored in the memory, fulfills a first condition, or the program allows the computer to execute the nozzle information acquiring process at a second timing having a frequency lower than that of the first timing if the nozzle information, which is stored in the memory, fulfills a second condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with a program for controlling an external apparatus including a memory and being configured to communicate with a liquid ejecting apparatus including a head having a plurality of nozzles wherein
the program allows a computer to execute:
acquiring nozzle information to indicate states of the plurality of nozzles from the liquid ejecting apparatus so that the nozzle information is stored in the memory;
acquiring the nozzle information at a first timing at which an elapsed time T is longer than a first time T 1 in a case that the nozzle information stored in the memory fulfills a first condition, the elapsed time T being a time elapsed after receiving the nozzle information previously; and
acquiring the nozzle information at a second timing at which an elapsed time T is longer than a second time T 2 (T 2 >T 1 ) in a case that the nozzle information stored in the memory fulfills a second condition being different from the first condition, a frequency of the second timing is lower than the frequency of the first timing.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein
the nozzle information includes information relating to whether or not an abnormal nozzle, which involves abnormality to eject the liquid, is present in the plurality of nozzles of the head,
the first condition is a condition that the nozzle information stored in the memory indicates that the abnormal nozzle is present in the plurality of nozzles of the head, and
the second condition is a condition that the nozzle information stored in the memory indicates that the abnormal nozzle is absent in the plurality of nozzles of the head.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein
the nozzle information includes information relating to the number of abnormal nozzles having abnormality to eject the liquid of the plurality of nozzles of the head,
the first condition is a condition that the nozzle information stored in the memory indicates that the number of abnormal nozzles is not less than a predetermined number, and
the second condition is a condition that the nozzle information stored in the memory indicates that the number of abnormal nozzles is less than the predetermined number.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein
the liquid ejecting apparatus includes a recovery mechanism configured to perform a recovery action to recover abnormal nozzles in the plurality of the nozzles,
the nozzle information includes information relating to the number of abnormal nozzles having abnormality to eject the liquid of the plurality of nozzles of the head and the number of unrecoverable nozzles which are the abnormal nozzles incapable of being recovered by the recovery action,
the first condition is a condition that the nozzle information stored in the memory indicates that a number, which is obtained by subtracting the number of unrecoverable nozzles from the number of abnormal nozzles, is not less than a predetermined number, and
the second condition is a condition that the nozzle information stored in the memory indicates that the number, which is obtained by subtracting the number of unrecoverable nozzles from the number of abnormal nozzles, is less than the predetermined number.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Arakane Satoru

Classifications

• B41J2/04586

  controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type · CPC title

• B41J2/16579

  Detection means therefor, e.g. for nozzle clogging · CPC title

• B41J2/16517

  Cleaning of print head nozzles (B41J2/16505, B41J2/1707 take precedence) · CPC title

• B41J2/0451 Primary

  for detecting failure, e.g. clogging, malfunctioning actuator · CPC title

• B41J2/16511 Primary

  Constructions for cap positioning (B41J2/16547 takes precedence) · CPC title