Image printing apparatus and method for controlling an image printing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9614991-B2
Application number	US-201615152845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2016
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

An image printing apparatus including a communication interface, a printer, a user interface including an operation panel, a controller configured to control the printer and the user interface is provided. The controller is configured to receive preliminary data sent from an information processing apparatus through the communication interface; control the printer to perform a warm-up action; receive job data including image data through the communication interface; control the user interface to perform a receipt-notification and control the printer to start printing based on the image data; during a period from the receipt of the preliminary data until start of receiving the job data, withhold from accepting a cancellation command sent in response to user entering a cancellation operation; and after the start of receiving the job data, accept the cancellation command and cancel printing of the image based on the job data associated with to the entered cancellation command.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image printing apparatus comprising:
a communication interface configured to communicate with an information processing apparatus;
a printer;
a user interface configured to notify a user of information, the user interface including an operation panel configured to accept a user operation; and
a controller configured to control the printer and the user interface;
wherein the controller is configured to:
receive preliminary data sent from the information processing apparatus through the communication interface;
in response to receipt of the preliminary data, control the printer to perform a warm-up action for warming up the printer;
receive job data including image data through the communication interface, the job data being sent after the preliminary data from the information processing apparatus;
based on the receipt of the job data, control the user interface to perform a receipt-notification to notify the user of the receipt and control the printer to start printing based on the image data included in the job data;
during a period from the receipt of the preliminary data until start of receiving the job data, withhold from accepting a cancellation command, which is sent from the operation panel in response to user entering a cancellation operation; and
after the start of receiving the job data, accept the cancellation command and cancel printing of the image based on the job data associated with to the entered cancellation command.

2. The image printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to, in response to receipt of a sufficient amount of the image data included in the job data, control the user interface to perform the receipt-notification, the sufficient amount of the image data corresponding to an amount of the image data required for the printer to start printing the image.

3. The image printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the receipt of the preliminary data, control the user interface to perform a predetermined notification to the user.

4. The image printing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the receipt-notification and the predetermined notification are different manners.

5. The image printing apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the user interface comprises at least one of a display and a lamp; and
wherein the controller is configured to, in the receipt-notification, operate the at least one of the display and the lamp.

6. The image printing apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the user interface comprises the display and the lamp;
wherein the controller is configured to, in the predetermined notification, operate the lamp; and
wherein the controller is configured to, in the receipt-notification, operate the display.

7. The image printing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to, in the predetermined notification, operate the lamp to blink or steadily turn on.

8. The image printing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to, in the receipt-notification, operate both the lamp and the display.

9. The image printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to determine an occurrence of an error to interrupt the printing of the image in the printer; and
wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the receipt of the preliminary data and to the determination of the occurrence of the error, control the user interface to perform an error notification to the user.

10. The image printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a consumable item required for the printing of the image is insufficient; and
wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the receipt of the preliminary data and to the determination of the consumable item being insufficient, control the user interface to perform an error notification to the user.

11. The image printing apparatus according to claim 10 ,
wherein the printer is configured to print the image on the sheet in ink; and
wherein the consumable item is at least one of the ink and the sheet.

12. The image printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the receipt of the job data before completion of the warm-up action, control the user interface to perform the receipt-notification in parallel with the warm-up action.

13. The image printing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a scanner,
wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to accepting a scan command from the operation panel before the receipt of the job data, control the scanner to read an image of an original document placed in the scanner, the scan command being sent from the operation panel in response to the user entering a scan operation.

14. The image printing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to, based on completion of the reading of the image of the original document, control the printer to print the image read by the scanner.

15. The image printing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to, based on receipt of a plurality of units of the job data, control the user interface to perform the receipt-notification for an earlier one of the plurality of units of the job data which is received earlier antecedently over the receipt-notification for the other of the plurality of units of the print job data received later.

16. The image printing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to, after the start of receiving the earlier one of the plurality of units of the job data, accept the cancellation command and cancel the printing of the image based on the image data included in the earlier one of plurality of units of the job data associated with to the entered cancellation command.

17. The image printing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the receipt of a plurality of units the preliminary data, control the printer to perform the warm-up action for the earlier one of the plurality of units of the preliminary data.

18. The image printing apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to, in response to receipt of a new unit of the preliminary data while the warm-up action is in progress, continue the warm-up action for the earlier one of plurality of units of the preliminary data.

19. A method for controlling an image printing apparatus, comprising:
receiving preliminary data through a communication interface of the image printing apparatus, the preliminary data being sent from an information processing apparatus communicated through the communication interface;
in response to receipt of the preliminary data, controlling a printer of the image printing apparatus to perform a warm-up action for warming up the printer;
receiving job data including image data through the communication interface, the job data being sent after the preliminary data from the information processing apparatus;
based on the receipt of the job data, controlling a user interface of the image printing apparatus to perform a receipt-notification to notify the user of the receipt and controlling the printer to start printing based on the image data included in the job data;
during a period from the receipt of the preliminary data until start of receiving the job data, withholding from acce

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Oguchi Tomoya

Classifications

• G06F3/1207

  resulting in the user being informed about print result after a job submission · CPC title

• G06F3/1204 Primary

  resulting in reduced user or operator actions, e.g. presetting, automatic actions, using hardware token storing data · CPC title

• G06F3/1259

  Print job monitoring, e.g. job status · CPC title

• G06F3/121

  Facilitating exception or error detection and recovery, e.g. fault, media or consumables depleted · CPC title

• G06K15/1821

  Sending feedback on the reception process to the data source, e.g. indication of full buffer · CPC title