Non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with program and liquid ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12558906-B2
Application number	US-202318183303-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2023
Priority date	Mar 25, 2022
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

An external apparatus communicates with a liquid ejecting apparatus provided with a head and a memory for storing nozzle-information. A program for controlling the external apparatus allows a computer to execute a procedure for acquiring first information corresponding to the nozzle-information from the liquid ejecting apparatus, and a procedure for judging whether or not second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus on the basis of the first information, the second information being information corresponding to the nozzle-information and the second information having a data amount larger than that of the first information. If it is judged that the second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus, a procedure for acquiring the second information from the liquid ejecting apparatus is executed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with a program for controlling an external apparatus configured to communicate with a liquid ejecting apparatus including a head having a plurality of nozzles and a memory configured to store nozzle-information relevant to a state of abnormality of a nozzle in the plurality of nozzles, wherein
the program allows the external apparatus to execute:
acquiring first information corresponding to the nozzle-information from the liquid ejecting apparatus;
judging whether or not second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus based on the first information, the second information being information corresponding to the nozzle-information and the second information having a data amount larger than that of the first information; and
in a case that it is judged that the second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus, acquiring the second information from the liquid ejecting apparatus;
wherein the first information is information relevant to whether or not an abnormal nozzle, which has abnormality to eject the liquid, is present in the plurality of nozzles of the head, and
in a case that it is judged whether or not the second information is to be acquired, and in a case that the first information indicates that the abnormal nozzle is present, then it is judged that the second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus.

2 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of nozzles includes a plurality of first nozzles, and a plurality of second nozzles configured to eject the liquid of a type different from that ejected by the plurality of first nozzles, and the first information resides in individual pieces of information in relation to the plurality of first nozzles and the plurality of second nozzles.

3 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein
the second information is information to indicate whether or not each of the plurality of nozzles of the head is the abnormal nozzle.

4 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein
in response that an instruction signal to instruct the liquid ejecting apparatus to execute ejection of the liquid onto a medium is received, the program allows the computer to execute:
generating ejection data in order to allow the liquid ejecting apparatus to eject the liquid onto the medium; and
transmitting the generated ejection data to the liquid ejecting apparatus,
the program allows the computer to execute acquiring the first information and judging whether or not the second information is to be acquired before transmitting the generated ejection data after receiving the instruction signal,
in a case that it is judged that the second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus, the program allows the computer to execute acquiring the second information before the ejection data is generated, and
the ejection data is generated based on the second information, and
in a case that it is judged that the second information is not to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus, the program does not allow the computer to execute acquiring the second information before generating the ejection data and transmitting the ejection data.

5 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 4 , wherein
in a case that it is judged that the second information is not to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus, the program allows the computer to execute acquiring the second information after completion of transmitting ejection data.

6 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 4 , wherein
in a case that it is judged that the second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus, the program allows the computer to execute generating the ejection data after allowing the computer to execute acquiring the second information, and the ejection data is generated based on the second information such that a dot, which corresponds to an abnormal nozzle having abnormality to eject the liquid, is complemented so that the dot is formed by ejecting the liquid from the nozzle which is not the abnormal nozzle.

7 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein
in response that an instruction signal to instruct the liquid ejecting apparatus to execute ejection of the liquid onto a medium is received, the program allows the computer to execute:
generating ejection data in order to allow the liquid ejecting apparatus to eject the liquid onto the medium; and
transmitting data including the ejection data to the liquid ejecting apparatus, and
the program allows the computer to execute acquiring the first information after completion of transmitting the ejection data.

8 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 1 , wherein
the program allows the external apparatus to execute acquiring the first information in a predetermined cycle.

9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with a program for controlling an external apparatus configured to communicate with a liquid ejecting apparatus including a head having a plurality of nozzles and a memory configured to store nozzle-information relevant to a state of abnormality of a nozzle in the plurality of nozzles, wherein
the program allows the external apparatus to execute:
acquiring first information corresponding to the nozzle-information from the liquid ejecting apparatus;
judging whether or not second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus based on the first information, the second information being information corresponding to the nozzle-information and the second information having a data amount larger than that of the first information; and
in a case that it is judged that the second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus, acquiring the second information from the liquid ejecting apparatus, wherein
the first information is information relevant to the number of abnormal nozzles each having abnormality to eject the liquid, of the plurality of nozzles of the head, and in a case that it is judged whether or not the second information is to be acquired, and in a case that the first information indicates that the number of the abnormal nozzles is not less than a threshold value, then it is judged that the second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein
the plurality of nozzles includes a plurality of first nozzles, and a plurality of second nozzles configured to eject the liquid of a type different from that ejected by the plurality of first nozzles, the first information resides in individual pieces of information in relation to the plurality of first nozzles and the plurality of second nozzles, and in a case that it is judged whether or not the second information is to be acquired, the threshold values are individually set for the first nozzles and the second nozzles to judge whether or not the second information is to be acquired from the liquid ejecting apparatus.

11 . A non-transitory computer readable medium recorded with a program for controlling an external apparatus configured to communicate with a liquid ejecting apparatus including a head having a plurality of nozzles and a memory configured to store nozzle-information relevant to a state of abnormality of a nozzle in the plurality of nozzles, wherein
the program allows the external apparatus to execute:

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Arakane Satoru

Classifications

• G06F13/38

  Information transfer, e.g. on bus (G06F13/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F13/14

  Handling requests for interconnection or transfer · CPC title

• B41J2/205

  for printing a discrete number of tones (B41J2/21 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B41J2/2139

  Compensation for malfunctioning nozzles creating dot place or dot size errors (generating single droplets or particles on demand by pressure, e.g. electromechanical transducers B41J2/045) · CPC title

• G06F13/102

  where the program performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver (G06F13/105 takes precedence; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52) · CPC title