Media processing device and method of controlling a media processing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9643433-B2
Application number	US-201514981456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	Sep 28, 2011
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

Maintenance requirements are reduced by using only a subset of the functions of a media processing device having plural function units for processing processed media. When a control unit of the media processing device receives a command from a host computer to disable a function of an inkjet printer unit disposed to a conveyance path for the processed media or to disable a function of a contact image sensor unit disposed to the conveyance path, a function-disabled mode is entered that disables the specified function. While in the function-disabled mode, detected operating errors related to the disabled function are not reported to the host computer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A media processing device comprising:
a conveyance roller configured to convey media through a media path;
a reader disposed at the media path configured to read the media conveyed through the media path, including a contact image sensor;
a print mechanism disposed at the media path configured to print on the media conveyed through the media path, including an inkjet head configured to eject ink and an ink cartridge configured to store the ink;
an ink cartridge holder in which the ink cartridge is installed; and
a controller configured to control the conveyance roller, the reader, and the print mechanism, to determine whether an error occurs, and to monitor installation of the ink cartridge in the cartridge holder, wherein the media processing device has an operating mode that is changed based on a command received by an external device,
wherein when the operating mode is a first mode wherein the media conveyed by the conveyance roller is read by the reader and is printed by the print mechanism, the controller is configured to report an error that the ink cartridge is not installed in the ink cartridge holder and/or an error related to the reader,
wherein when the operating mode is a second mode wherein the media conveyed by the conveyance roller is read by the reader and is not printed by the print mechanism, the controller is configured to report the error related to reader and does not report the error that the ink cartridge is not installed in the ink cartridge holder, and
wherein when the ink cartridge is installed in the ink cartridge holder and the ink supplied to the inkjet head, the controller ignores the command which changes the operating mode to the second mode, and sets the operating mode to the first mode.

2. The media processing device described in claim 1 , wherein the reader further comprises a magnetic ink character recognition.

3. The media processing device described in claim 1 , wherein when the operating mode is in the first mode, the controller discharges the print command.

4. The media processing device described in claim 1 , wherein the controller goes off-line after reporting the error to the external device.

5. A method of controlling a media processing device that includes a print unit disposed to a conveyance path and a reading unit disposed to the conveyance path, the print unit having a function that prints on a processed media, and a reading unit having a function that reads the processed media, the method comprising:
receiving a command from an external device to operate the media processing device in an operating mode that is either a first mode or a second mode;
when operating in a first mode, when an error is detected, reporting an error relating to the print unit and/or an error related to the reading unit;
when operating in a second mode:
disabling at least one of the function of the print unit;
when an error related to the disabled function of the print unit, not reporting the error relating to the print unit to the external device, and
executing specific maintenance operations related to the print unit,

wherein the print unit includes an inkjet recording head that records by ejecting ink stored in an ink storage unit onto the processed media, and when a command to disable the function of the print unit is received after the ink storage unit is enabled to supply ink, the command being based on ink levels, toner levels, or ink cartridge presence, the command is ignored, whereby the second mode is not entered and the media processing device is set to operate in the first mode.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein when operating in a second mode, when an error related to the reading unit, reporting the error relating to the reading unit to the external device.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the error related to the print unit is an indication that that an ink cartridge is not installed in the ink cartridge holder.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the reading unit further comprises a magnetic ink character recognition configured for reading the processed media.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
entering the second mode and enabling executing specific maintenance operations related to the print unit when the command to disable the function of the print unit is received after the ink storage unit is enabled to supply ink.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein:
a subset of errors related to the function disabled in the second mode are not reported, but other errors related to the disabled function are reported, to the external device.

11. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
monitoring installation of the ink cartridge with a controller; and
discharging a command to set the operating mode to the first mode if the ink cartridge is installed in the ink cartridge holder.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein when the operating mode is in the first mode, the controller discharges the print command.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein a controller goes off-line after reporting the error to the external device.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Komiyama Takahisa

Classifications

• H04N1/32609

  Fault detection or counter-measures, e.g. original mis-positioned, shortage of paper · CPC title

• G06Q20/042

  characterized in that the payment protocol involves at least one cheque · CPC title

• H04N1/00925

  Inhibiting an operation · CPC title

• H04N1/32673

  Adjusting or controlling an operating mode, e.g. from paper reception to memory reception (H04N1/32678 takes precedence; inhibiting an operation H04N1/00925) · CPC title

• B41J3/445

  Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras · CPC title