Patent Publication Number: US-2023139498-A1

Title: Printing device

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-178172 filed on Oct. 29, 2021. The entire content of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In a printing device, a technique has been proposed for shortening a first print out time (FPOT), which is a time from when a printing instruction is given until a first sheet is discharged from the printing device. For example, a related art provides a printing device in which the FPOT is shortened by spooling print data and performing a warm-up processing of the printing device in parallel. In the printing device of the related art, the warm-up processing is started by using start-up data received prior to the print data as a trigger. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     Here, there is a printing device capable of performing accumulation printing in which printing is not performed immediately after a print job is received, and printing of the print job is started in a case where information for permitting the printing of the print job is input. When the technique of the related art is applied to such a printing device, there is a problem that the warm-up processing is unnecessarily continued from the time when the print job is received until the printing is started, and thus a user feels uncomfortable and an energy saving performance deteriorates. 
     The present disclosure is made to solve the problem described above, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a printing device that improves energy saving and user comfort. 
     In the present disclosure, a controller is configured to determine whether or not printing is set to accumulation printing, based on received print setting information. The accumulation printing is a printing method in which the controller is configured to store print job data in a printing device and to print the print job data stored in the printing device in response to receipt of a print instruction. The controller is configured to perform a print preparation processing of performing a predetermined preparation operation before printing, in a case where it is determined that the printing is not set to the accumulation printing. The controller is configured to accumulate the print job data without performing the print preparation processing, in a case where it is determined that the printing is set to the accumulation printing. 
    
    
     
       According to one aspect of the present disclosure, energy saving and user comfort can be improved. 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing system including a printing device according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a diagram showing an example of an internal configuration of the printing device in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of the printing device in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a flowchart showing an example of a processing flow of an external device in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  5    is a flowchart showing an example of a control flow of the printing device in  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  6    is a flowchart showing an example of an image accumulation processing in  FIG.  5   . 
         FIG.  7    is a flowchart showing an example of a print preparation processing in  FIG.  5   . 
         FIG.  8    is a flowchart showing an example of a print processing in  FIG.  5   . 
         FIG.  9    is a flowchart showing an example of a print end processing in  FIG.  5   . 
         FIGS.  10 A and  10 B  in combination are a timing chart showing an operation of each unit of the printing device in  FIG.  3   . 
         FIG.  11    is a diagram showing a display screen of a display when accumulation printing is set. 
         FIG.  12    is a diagram showing a transition of a display screen of an operation panel when the accumulation printing is performed. 
         FIG.  13    is a diagram showing a transition of a display screen of the operation panel when secure printing is performed. 
     
    
    
     Hereinafter, a printing device  1  according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to  FIGS.  1  to  13   . 
     [Configuration of Printing System] 
       FIG.  1    is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing system  10  including the printing device  1  according to the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG.  1   , the printing system  10  includes the printing device  1  and an external device  50 . The printing device  1  is a device for printing an image on a sheet, and is, for example, a multi-function peripheral (MFP). 
     The external device  50  is, for example, a personal computer (PC) and includes a display  51  and an external terminal  52 . The display  51  is a device for displaying various settings of the printing device  1  or the like. The external device  50  is communicably connected to the printing device  1  via the external terminal  52 . The external device  50  is used to instruct the printing device  1  to print on a sheet P. 
     The printing system  10  shown in  FIG.  1    shows a configuration including one external device  50 , but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the printing system  10  may include two or more external devices  50 . In addition, the printing system  10  may include the external device  50  other than the PC, such as a smartphone or a tablet. 
     [Configuration of Printing Device] 
     Next, an internal configuration of the printing device  1  will be described in detail with reference to  FIG.  2   .  FIG.  2    is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the printing device  1 . As shown in  FIG.  2   , the printing device  1  includes feed trays  21 , a discharge tray  22 , a conveying unit  3 , and a print engine  4 , in a housing  2 . 
     Each feed tray  21  is detachably attached to a lower part of the housing  2  and supports the sheet P by a pressing plate  20 . The discharge tray  22  is provided on an upper part of the housing  2  and supports the sheet P printed by the print engine  4 . The sheet P is, for example, A 4  size plain paper. 
     The conveying unit  3  includes feed rollers  31 , conveying rollers  32 , a registration roller  33 , conveying rollers  34 , and discharge rollers  35 . The printing device  1  is provided with a conveyance path R for conveying the sheet P. The conveyance path R is a path from the feed tray  21  to the discharge tray  22  via the print engine  4  and a fixing device  6 . 
     The feed roller  31  is provided on the feed tray  21 . The feed roller  31  picks up the sheets P brought to the feed roller  31  one by one from the feed tray  21  as the pressing plate  20  rises, and feeds the sheets P to the conveyance path R. 
     The conveying rollers  32  convey the sheets P toward the registration roller  33 . The registration roller  33  aligns positions of leading ends of the sheets P, and then conveys the sheets P toward the print engine  4 . The print engine  4  prints on the sheets P conveyed by the conveying unit  3 , based on print job data. The printed sheets P are discharged onto the discharge tray  22  by the conveying rollers  34  and the discharge rollers  35 . 
     The print engine  4  is a device for printing on the sheet P by an electrophotographic method. The print engine  4  includes a photosensitive drum  40 , a charger  41 , an exposure device  42 , a developer  43 , a transfer roller  44 , and the fixing device  6 . 
     The photosensitive drum  40  is driven by a driving force from a motor that is not shown. The charger  41  is, for example, a scorotron charger, and is disposed facing the photosensitive drum  40 . A charging bias is applied to the charger  41  by a charging bias application unit that is not shown. Thus, the charger  41  uniformly charges a surface of the photosensitive drum  40 . 
     The exposure device  42  includes a polygon motor  420 , a polygon mirror  421 , a scanning lens  422 , a reflecting mirror  423 , a laser light source that is not shown, and the like. The polygon motor  420  is driven by the motor that is not shown and causes the polygon mirror  421  to rotate. The polygon mirror  421  deflects a laser beam L emitted from the laser light source to the surface of the photosensitive drum  40 , via the scanning lens  422  and the reflecting mirror  423 . 
     The exposure device  42  scans and exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum  40  with the laser beam L to form an electrostatic latent image based on the print job data on the surface of the photosensitive drum  40 . 
     The developer  43  includes a toner accommodating portion  430  and a developing roller  431 . The toner accommodating portion  430  accommodates toner. The developing roller  431  supplies the toner in the toner accommodating portion  430  to the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum  40 . Accordingly, a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum  40 . 
     The transfer roller  44  is disposed facing the photosensitive drum  40 . A transfer forward bias is applied to the transfer roller  44  by a transfer bias application unit that is not shown. The transfer roller  44  transfers the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum  40  to the sheet P by conveying the sheet P while sandwiching the sheet P with the photosensitive drum  40 . 
     The fixing device  6  includes a heating roller  61 , a pressurizing roller  62 , and a heater  63 . The heating roller  61  heats the sheet P. The pressurizing roller  62  sandwiches the sheet P with the heating roller  61 . The heater  63  is implemented by, for example, a halogen heater, is disposed inside the heating roller  61 , and heats the heating roller  61 . 
     The fixing device  6  causes the toner image formed on the sheet P to fix on the sheet P by conveying the sheet P, on which the toner image is formed, while sandwiching and heating the sheet P between the heating roller  61  and the pressurizing roller  62 . Accordingly, the printing is performed with respect to the sheet P based on the print job data. 
     [Electrical Configuration of Printing Device] 
     Next, an electrical configuration of the printing device  1  will be described with reference to  FIG.  3   .  FIG.  3    is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the printing device  1 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , the printing device  1  includes a controller  100 , the print engine  4 , the fixing device  6 , an operation panel  110 , and a communication interface (I/F)  150 . 
     The controller  100  includes an application specification integrated circuit (ASIC)  102 , a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM)  103 , and a random access memory (RAM)  104 . The ASIC  102  includes a built-in central processing unit (CPU)  101 . The ASIC  102 , the NVRAM  103 , the RAM  104 , the print engine  4 , the operation panel  110 , and the communication I/F  150  are electrically connected to each other by a bus. 
     The controller  100  performs overall control of each unit of the printing device  1 . The NVRAM  103  stores various control programs for controlling the printing device  1 , various settings, and the like. The controller  100  controls the charger  41 , the exposure device  42 , and the developer  43  of the print engine  4 , the fixing device  6 , and the like based on the control programs stored in the NVRAM  103 . 
     The RAM  104  is used as a work area in which the various control programs are read and a storage area in which image data is temporarily stored. The RAM  104  is provided with a buffer  104 A and a page memory  104 B. 
     The buffer  104 A is a storage area for temporarily storing various commands and various pieces of data received by the communication I/F  150 . For example, the print job data, a preceding command, and the like received from the external terminal  52  by the communication I/F  150  are temporarily stored in the buffer  104 A. 
     The page memory  104 B is a storage area for temporarily storing data generated by the controller  100 . For example, accumulation job data generated from the print job data and the like are temporarily stored in the page memory  104 B 
     The communication I/F  150  is connected to a network such as a local area network (LAN), and enables the printing device  1  to connect with the external terminal  52  of the external device  50  in which a driver for the printing device  1  is incorporated. The printing device  1  receives the various commands and the various pieces of data from the external terminal  52  via the communication I/F  150 . The printing device  1  receives, for example, the preceding command and the print job data via the communication I/F  150 . 
     The operation panel  110  is a configuration for accepting an operation of a user. The operation panel  110  includes a touch panel  111  and a push button  112 . The touch panel  111  includes a display and an icon, displays an operation screen acquired from the controller  100  on the display, and outputs, to the controller  100 , a signal representing a touch operation detected by the icon. The push button  112  includes a plurality of push buttons, and outputs, to the controller  100 , a signal representing a push operation detected by each push button. 
     [Processing Performed by External Device] 
     Next, a flow of processing performed by the external device  50  will be described with reference to  FIG.  4   .  FIG.  4    is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the processing performed by the external device  50  shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     In the flowchart shown in  FIG.  4   , first, the external device  50  determines whether a print button is selected by the user (step Si). The print button is displayed on the display  51  of the external device  50  and is a button for determining that the user performs desired printing. 
     The external device  50  returns to step Si if the print button is not selected (step S 1 : NO), and creates option information (step S 2 ) if the print button is selected (step S 1 : YES). In step S 2 , the external device  50  creates the option information indicating a specific print method in a print processing described later. The option information includes print setting information related to printing such as secure printing and accumulation printing, information specifying a size of the sheet P, information specifying a type of the sheet P, and the like. 
     After step S 2 , the external device  50  transmits the preceding command (step S 3 ). In step S 3 , the external device  50  transmits the preceding command including the option information created in step S 2  to the printing device  1  via the LAN that is not shown. It is assumed that the option information of the preceding command is described by, for example, a printer job language (PJL). 
     After step S 3 , the external device  50  generates the print job data (step S 4 ). In step S 4 , the external device  50  generates the print job data including a print content and a print method in the print processing. It is assumed that the print content of the print job data is described by a page description language (PDL). In addition, it is assumed that the print method of the print job data is described in the printer job language. 
     Subsequently, the external device  50  transmits the print job data (step S 5 ). In step S 5 , the external device  50  transmits the print job data generated in step S 4  to the printing device  1  via the LAN. 
     Then, the external device  50  determines whether the generation of all pieces of the print job data is completed (step S 6 ). The external device  50  repeats step S 4  and step S 5  for each page if the generation of all pieces of the print job data is not completed (step S 6 : NO), and ends the flow shown in  FIG.  4    if the generation of all pieces of the print job data is completed (step S 6 : YES). 
     [Flow of Control Performed by Printing Device] 
     Next, a control flow of the printing device  1  will be described with reference to  FIGS.  5 ,  10 A, and  10 B .  FIG.  5    is a flowchart showing an example of the control flow of the printing device  1 .  FIGS.  10 A and  10 B  are a timing chart showing an operation of each unit of the printing device  1  shown in  FIG.  3   . In  FIGS.  10 A and  10 B , the printing device  1  is divided into the communication I/F  150 , a PJL analysis unit, a RIP processing unit, an engine control unit, a motor control unit, and the fixing device  6 , and processing performed by each unit is shown. The PJL analysis unit, the RIP processing unit, the engine control unit, and the motor control unit are functional blocks implemented by the controller  100 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , first, the controller  100  determines whether the preceding command is received via the communication I/F  150  (step S 11 ). The preceding command is transmitted from the external terminal  52  prior to the print job data. 
     The controller  100  repeats step S 11  if the preceding command is not received (step S 11 : NO), and determines whether the printing is secure printing (step S 12 ) if the preceding command is received (step S 11 : YES). Here, the “secure printing” refers to a print setting in which the printing is started in a case where authentication information such as a password is input to the printing device  1 . 
     In step S 12 , as shown in  FIG.  10 A , the controller  100  performs PJL analysis for analyzing a printer job description language, and determines that the printing is the secure printing in a case where the option information of the preceding command includes a secure printing flag. 
     In a case where some pieces of the information indicating the secure printing are included, in place of the secure printing flag, in the option information of the preceding command, it may be determined that the printing is the secure printing. For example, in a case where the password is included in the option information of the preceding command, it may be determined that the printing is the secure printing. 
     The preceding command is divided into a so-called command and the option information, and may be a command divided into a plurality of pieces of data transmitted from the external device  50 . 
     If the controller  100  determines that the printing is the secure printing (step S 12 : YES), the processing proceeds to step S 14 . Meanwhile, if the controller  100  determines that the printing is not the secure printing (step S 12 : NO), the controller  100  determines whether the printing is accumulation printing (step S 13 ). Here, the “accumulation printing” is a print setting in which the printing is not performed immediately after the print data job is received, and the printing of the print data job is started in a case where information permitting the printing of the print job data is input to the printing device  1 . 
     In step S 13 , the controller  100  determines whether the print setting information indicating that the accumulation printing is ON is stored in the NVRAM  103  to determine whether the printing is accumulation printing. Here, as shown in  FIG.  11   , the user sets the accumulation printing ON on a display screen  110 X of the operation panel  110 . In a case where the operation panel  110  instructs that the accumulation printing is enabled, the controller  100  causes the NVRAM  103  of the printing device  1  to store the print setting information indicating that the accumulation printing is enabled. The method for setting the accumulation printing ON is not limited to the above. For example, the user may access a Web server included in the printing device  1  by using a browser included in the external device  50 , and set the accumulation printing ON by an operation to a Web page provided by the Web server. 
     If the controller  100  determines that the printing is the accumulation printing (step S 13 : YES), the controller  100  performs an image accumulation processing (step S 14 ) shown below. 
     &lt;Image Accumulation Process&gt; 
     Next, the image accumulation processing step S 14  shown in  FIG.  5    will be described with reference to  FIG.  6   .  FIG.  6    is a flowchart showing an example of the image accumulation processing shown in  FIG.  5   . As shown in  FIG.  6   , in a case where the controller  100  receives the print job data transmitted in step S 5  after step S 3  from the external device  50 , the controller  100  analyzes the received print job data (step S 21 ). By analyzing the print job data, the controller  100  acquires a user name included in the print job data (step S 22 ) and acquires a password (step S 24 ). In a case where the print job data does not include the user name, the user name is not acquired in step S 23 . In a case where the print job data does not include the password, the password is not acquired in step S 24 . 
     After step S 24 , the controller  100  performs a RIP processing (step S 25 ). In step S 25 , the controller  100  analyzes a PJL format data portion and a PDL format data portion of the print job data, and rasterizes the PDL format data to generate raster format accumulation job data representing an image to be printed on the sheet P. 
     The controller  100  stores the generated accumulation job data in the page memory  104 B of the RAM  104 . The accumulation job data is data for each page, and in a case where the print job data includes data of a plurality of pages, the controller  100  performs the RIP processing for all pieces of the print job data including data of the plurality of pages. 
     After step S 25 , the controller  100  stores the accumulation job data after the RIP processing in the page memory  104 B of the RAM  104 , in association with the user name and a print job name (step S 26 ). In this way, the controller  100  ends the image accumulation processing. 
     &lt;Accumulation Printing&gt; 
     Next, an operation flow of the operation panel  110  in a case where the user performs the accumulation printing will be described with reference to  FIG.  12   .  FIG.  12    is a diagram showing a transition of a display screen of the operation panel  110  in a case where the accumulation printing is performed. 
     As shown in  FIG.  12   , the user touch-operates an icon  113  for performing the accumulation printing, on a display screen  110 A of the operation panel  110 . Subsequently, the display screen is transited to a display screen  110 B, and the user selects his/her user name on the display screen  110 B. Accordingly, only the accumulation job data stored in association with the selected user name can be extracted, and a list of job names of the extracted accumulation job data is displayed on a display screen  110 C. 
     After that, the display screen is transited to the display screen  110 C, and the user selects, on the display screen  110 C, print job name  116  to be printed. Here, the user name and the print job name correspond to identification information of the accumulation job data. The user selects an icon  115  in a case of selecting all pieces of the accumulation job data displayed on the display screen  110 C. 
     Then, the user selects an icon  117  for performing the printing. Accordingly, the identification information of the accumulation job data and a print instruction are input from the operation panel  110  to the controller  100 . In response to this, the controller  100  copies the selected accumulation job data to a print queue. In a case where the accumulation job data is copied to the print queue, the print engine  4  performs a print preparation processing. Then, the controller  100  cause the print engine  4  to performs the print processing of printing the accumulation job data, and then performs a print end processing. 
     The controller  100  may copy, to the print queue, all pieces of the accumulation job data extracted by selecting the user name on a display screen B without displaying the extracted accumulation job data on the display screen  110 C. 
     &lt;Print Preparation Process&gt; 
       FIG.  7    is a flowchart showing an example of the print preparation processing. In the flowchart shown in  FIG.  7   , first, the controller  100  causes a motor  60  to start driving (step S 31 ), causes the heating roller  61  to start rotating, and sets a rotation speed of the heating roller  61  to a predetermined rotation speed. 
     After step S 31 , the controller  100  cause the heater  63  to heat the heating roller  61  to start raising a temperature of the fixing device  6  (step S 32 ). Then, the controller  100  determines whether the temperature rise of the fixing device  6  is completed (step S 33 ). Specifically, the controller  100  determines, in step S 33 , whether the temperature of the fixing device  6  detected by a temperature sensor that is not shown reaches a predetermined temperature, for example, 150° C., or higher. 
     If the temperature rise of the fixing device  6  is not completed (step S 33 : NO), the controller repeats step S 33 , and if the temperature rise of the fixing device  6  is completed (step S 33 : YES), the controller  100  ends the print preparation processing shown in  FIG.  7   . 
     In the print preparation processing step S 15 , the controller  100  may perform, as print preparation operations, a cleaning operation of collecting the toner adhering to the photosensitive drum  40  by a cleaner that is not shown, and an operation of stirring the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion  430  by an agitator that is not shown. 
     &lt;Print Process&gt; 
       FIG.  8    is a flowchart showing an example of the print processing. In the flowchart shown in  FIG.  8   , the controller  100  determines whether the accumulation job data is stored in the page memory  104 B of the RAM  104  (step S 41 ). 
     If the accumulation job data is stored in the page memory  104 B (step S 41 : YES), the controller  100  determines whether the sheet P can be fed (step S 42 ). If the controller  100  determines that the sheet P can be fed (step S 42 : YES), the controller  100  cause the print engine  4  to print, on the sheet P, an image expressed by the accumulation job data of one page (step S 43 ). 
     After step S 43 , the controller  100  deletes the accumulation job data whose printing is completed from the page memory  104 B, returns to step S 41 , and determines whether the accumulation job data is left in the page memory  104 B. 
     Meanwhile, if the accumulation job data is not stored in the page memory  104 B (step S 41 : NO), the controller  100  determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed (step S 44 ). If the predetermined time has not elapsed (step S 44 : NO), the controller  100  returns to step S 41 , and if the predetermined time has elapsed (step S 44 : YES), the controller  100  ends the print processing step S 16  without printing on the sheet P. 
     If the controller  100  determines that the sheet P cannot be fed (step S 42 : NO) and an error state is not detected (step S 45 : NO), the controller  100  returns to step S 42 , and if the error state is detected (step S 45 : YES), the controller  100  ends the print processing step S 16  without printing on the sheet P. 
     &lt;Print End Process&gt; 
       FIG.  9    is a flowchart showing an example of the print end processing. In the flowchart shown in  FIG.  9   , the controller  100  causes the heater  63  to stop (step S 51 ), stops heating of the fixing device  6 , causes the motor  60  to stop driving (step S 52 ), and causes the heating roller  61  to stop rotating. 
     &lt;Secure Printing&gt; 
     Next, an operation flow of the operation panel  110  in a case where the user performs the secure printing will be described with reference to  FIG.  13   .  FIG.  13    is a diagram showing a transition of a display screen of the operation panel  110  in a case where the secure printing is performed. 
     As shown in  FIG.  13   , the user first touch-operates an icon  118  for performing the secure printing on a display screen  110 D of the operation panel  110 . Subsequently, the display screen is transited to a display screen  110 E, and the user selects, on the display screen  110 E, the print job name  116  to be printed. Here, the user name and the print job name correspond to the identification information of the accumulation job data. 
     Next, the user inputs a password to the icon  119  on a display screen  110 F. Then, in a case where the input password matches the password of the selected accumulation job data, the controller  100  displays a display screen  110 G. Meanwhile, in a case where the input password does not match the password of the selected accumulation job data, the controller  100  displays an error on the operation panel  110  and accepts the password input again. 
     After that, the display screen is transited to the display screen  110 G, and the user confirms the print job name  116  to be printed, and selects the icon  117  for performing the printing, on the display screen  110 G. Accordingly, the identification information and the authentication information of the accumulation job data, and the print instruction are input from the operation panel  110  to the controller  100 . 
     In response to this, the controller  100  copies the selected accumulation job data to the print queue. In a case where the accumulation job data is copied to the print queue, the controller  100  cause the print engine  4  to performs the print preparation processing. Then, the controller  100  cause the print engine  4  to performs the print processing of printing the accumulation job data, and then performs the print end processing. 
     Meanwhile, if the controller  100  determines that the printing is not the accumulation printing (step S 13 : NO), the controller  100  performs the print preparation processing (step S 15 ), performs the print processing (step S 16 ), and then performs the print end processing (step S 17 ). Here, in the print processing (step S 16 ), the controller  100  cause the print engine  4  to print the print job data transmitted by the external device  50  in step S 5  after step S 3 . That is, the controller  100  replaces the accumulation job data in the description of the above-described &lt;Print Process&gt; with the print job data, and performs the same processing as the above-described &lt;Print Process&gt;. 
     According to the printing device  1  of the present disclosure described above, if the printing is set to the secure printing (step S 12 : YES), or set to the accumulation printing (step S 13 : YES), the print preparation processing (step S 15 ) is not performed, and thus an unnecessary print preparation operation (step S 15 ) can be prevented and energy can be saved. The print preparation operation is prevented from being unnecessarily continued, and the user comfort can be improved. 
     Other Embodiments 
     In the above-described embodiment, the print engine  4  prints by an electrophotographic method, but the printing is not limited thereto, and the printing may be performed by an inkjet method. 
     In the above-described embodiment, the data in which the print content is described in the PDL format is targeted, but examples of the PDL format include a portable document format (PDF), a printer control language (PCL) format, an XML, paper specification (XPS) format, and a post script (PS) format. In addition, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and data described in a format different from the PDL format may be targeted. 
     The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical methods disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.