Printing Device, Printing System, and Control Method of a Printing System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016004486-A1
Application number	US-201414768550-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 25, 2014
Priority date	Mar 26, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The configuration of printing devices can be changed in a system that controls printing devices without changing the configuration of the control device.
A first printer 30 has a first printer print unit 60 ; a USB interface 40 that connects to a host computer 10 ; and a device information storage unit 54 B that stores device information including the type of a print unit different from the first printer print unit 60 ; the device control unit 51 outputting device information stored in the device information storage unit 54 B to the host computer 10 when the host computer 10 is connected.

First claim

1 . A printing device comprising:
a print unit configured to print; a connection unit configured to connect to a host device; a storage unit configured to store device information including a type of a different print unit than the print unit; and a controller configured to output the device information stored in the storage unit to the host device when the host device is connected to the connection unit.

2 . The printing device described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a device connection unit configured to connect to a device having a different print unit than the print unit; and an information acquisition unit configured to acquire from the device connected to the device connection unit device information including a type of print unit disposed to the device; wherein the storage unit is configured to store the device information acquired by the information acquisition unit; and the controller is configured to output the device information acquired by the information acquisition unit and stored in the storage unit.

3 . The printing device described in claim 2 , wherein
when the host device outputs data that is processed by the print unit disposed to the device, the printing device is configure to output the data to the device connected to the device connection unit.

4 . The printing device described in claim 1 , wherein
the storage unit is configured to store first device information including the type of the print unit, and second device information that is the device information including the type of a different print unit than the print unit; and the controller is configured to output the device information previously specified from among the first device information and second device information stored in the storage unit to the host device when the host device is connected to the connection unit.

5 . The printing device described in claim 4 , wherein
the storage unit is configured to store third device information including the type of a print unit different from the first device information and the second device information, and the controller is configured to output the device information previously specified from among the first device information, second device information, and third device information stored in the storage unit.

6 . The printing device described in claim 4 , further comprising:
an input unit whereby selection of the first device information or the second device information is input.

7 . A printing system comprising:
a host device configured to output data; a first printing device including a first a print unit configured to print, a connection unit configured to connect to the host device, and a first storage unit configured to store first device information including a type of the first print unit; and a second printing device including a communication unit configured to connect to and to communicate with the first printing device, a second a print unit configured to print, and a second storage unit configured to store second device information including a type of the second print unit; the first storage unit storing the second device information, and sending the second device information stored in the first storage unit to the host device when the host device requests device information from the first printing device.

8 . The printing system described in claim 7 , wherein
the first printing device has an information acquisition unit configured to acquire the second device information through the communication unit of the second printing device;
the first storage unit is configured to store the second device information acquired by the information acquisition unit; and
the first printing device sends the second device information acquired by the information acquisition unit and stored in the first storage unit to the host device when the host device requests device information from the first printing device.

9 . The printing system described in claim 8 , wherein
the host device is configured to send print data processed by the second printing device to the connection unit of the first printing device; the first printing device is configured to receive the print data sent from the host device through the connection unit, and to send the received print data to the second printing device; and the second printing device is configured to receive the print data sent from the first printing device by the communication unit, and to print the received print data by the second print unit.

10 . The printing system described in claim 8 , wherein
the first printing device has a print data storage unit configured to store predetermined information and print data corresponding to the predetermined information; and the first printing device has a data interpreting unit configured to interpret the print data sent from the host device and to determine if the predetermined information is included in the print data; and the first print unit is configured to print print data corresponding to the predetermined information when the data interpreting unit determines the predetermined information is included.

11 . The printing system described in claim 7 , wherein
the controller is configured to output device information previously specified from among the first device information and second device information stored in the storage unit when the host device requests device information from the first printing device.

12 . The printing system described in claim 11 , wherein
when the second device information is sent from the first printing device, the host device is configured to send print data for processing by the second printing device to the connection unit of the first printing device; the first printing device is configured to receive the print data sent from the host device by the connection unit, and to send the received print data to the second printing device; and the second printing device is configured to receive the print data sent from the first printing device, and to print the received print data by the second print unit.

13 . The printing system described in claim 11 , wherein
the first printing device has a print data storage unit configured to store predetermined information and print data corresponding to the predetermined information; and
a data interpreting unit configured to interpret print data sent from the host device and to determine if the predetermined information is included in the print data; and
the first print unit is configured to print print data corresponding to the predetermined information when the data interpreting unit determines the predetermined information is included.

14 . The printing system described in claim 7 , wherein
the host device is a POS terminal configured to process transaction information; and the second printing device is configured to print a receipt related to the transaction information sent from the POS terminal.

15 . A control method of a printing system wherein a first printing device storing first device information and a second printing device storing second device information are connected, and
a host device and the first printing device are connected, the control method comprising: requesting the first printing device for device information by the host device; and sending stored device information to the host device by the first printing device from which the device information was requested.

16 . The control method of a printing system described in claim 15 , further comprising:
storing first device information by the first printing device;

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Terashima Katsutoshi
• Furuhata Tadashi
• Takamoto Akio

Classifications

• G06F3/1229

  Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels · CPC title

• G06F3/1284

  Local printer device · CPC title

• G06F3/1291

  Pool of printer devices: self-managing printing devices in a network, e.g. without a server · CPC title

• G06F3/1209 Primary

  resulting in adapted or bridged legacy communication protocols, e.g. emulation, protocol extension · CPC title

• G06F3/1205 Primary

  resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets · CPC title