Patent Publication Number: US-6209985-B1

Title: Recording apparatus and memory medium

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a recording apparatus, represented by a facsimile apparatus, and to a memory medium storing a computer program for controlling the recording apparatus, which solve problems associated with a recording head whose monochrome recording speed is lower than that of a monochrome recording-dedicated head, for example, a color recording-dedicated head. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A known facsimile apparatus has a color printer function to perform color recording on a recording sheet by using, for example, an ink jet head. 
     Such a facsimile apparatus employs a black recording-dedicated head for recording only in black ink and a color recording-dedicated head unit for recording in color inks, that is, cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks. Either black recording using the black recording-dedicated head or color recording using the color recording-dedicated unit can be selected. 
     The aforementioned color recording-dedicated head unit has separate heads for the individual color inks, where each nozzle is allotted specifically to one of the color inks. Therefore, the color recording-dedicated head has fewer nozzles for ejecting black ink than the black recording-dedicated head, in which all the nozzles are provided for ejecting black ink. 
     As a result, the color recording-dedicated head has a lower recording speed in black recording than the black recording-dedicated head. 
     If the facsimile apparatus receives facsimile data when the color recording-dedicated head has been mounted, the facsimile data recording speed is naturally lower than the speed achievable when the black recording-dedicated head has been mounted, so that the recording may become unable to keep up with the communication speed, resulting in a transmission error in the sender facsimile apparatus. The cause of the transmission error is difficult to recognize by a person on the sender side. 
     The transmission error can be prevented by increasing the memory capacity for storing facsimile data. However, this measure considerably increases the production cost of the facsimile apparatus. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a recording apparatus and a memory medium that solve the aforementioned problem by determining whether a recording head having a low black recording speed has been set. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a recording apparatus including a first recording head capable of recording in black on a recording medium, and a second recording head capable of recording in black on the recording medium at a recording speed that is lower than a recording speed of the first recording head. The second recording head and the first recording head are interchangeably mountable in the recording apparatus. The recording apparatus further includes a detection device that detects which one of the first recording head and the second recording head is set, and an indication device that indicates a detection result provided by the detection device. 
     The detection device detects which one of the first recording head for recording in black on a recording medium and the second recording head for recording in black on a recording medium at a recording speed that is lower than a recording speed of the first recording head is set in the recording apparatus. The result of the detection performed by the detection device is indicated by the indication device. 
     Therefore, on the basis of the indication made by the indication device, a user of the recording apparatus can realize which one of the first recording head and the second recording head is mounted in the recording apparatus. If the second recording head is mounted in a facsimile apparatus to which the invention is applied, the indication device indicates to a user that the second recording head is mounted, so that when the facsimile apparatus is about to receive facsimile transmissions, the user can replace the second recording head to use the first recording head. In this manner, the recording apparatus of the invention avoids the problem that use of a recording head of a low recording speed to record received facsimile data causes the external device to have a transmission error, the cause of which is unknown to a user of the external device. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a memory medium storing a computer program for controlling a recording apparatus including a first recording head capable of recording in black on a recording medium, and a second recording head capable of recording in black on the recording medium at a recording speed that is lower than a recording speed of the first recording head, the second recording head and the first recording head being interchangeably mountable in the recording apparatus. The computer program stored in the memory medium includes a recording head detection program for detecting which one of the first recording head and the second recording head has been mounted and for indicating a result of detection. 
     Because the memory medium stores a computer program including the recording head detection program for detecting which one of the first recording head and the second recording head has been mounted and for indicating the detection result, the memory medium can realize the recording apparatus described above. 
     More specifically, the recording apparatus is controlled by a CPU provided in the recording apparatus or a computer connected to the recording apparatus as described later in conjunction with a preferred embodiment of the invention. Therefore, the recording apparatus can be realized by providing the above-described memory medium, in the form of a ROM or CD, for example for the CPU, or installing the computer program from the memory medium into the computer. 
     According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a recording apparatus including a first recording head capable of recording in black on a recording medium, and a second recording head capable of recording in black on the recording medium at a recording speed that is lower than the recording speed of the first recording head, the second recording head and the first recording head being interchangeably mountable in the recording apparatus. The recording apparatus further includes a reception device that receives information via a communication device, so that the information received is recorded on the recording medium by using one of the first recording head and the second recording head, a detection device that detects which one of the first recording head and the second recording head is mounted, and a storage device that, if the detection device detects that the second recording head is mounted, stores the information received by the reception device. 
     In the recording apparatus, the detection device detects which one of the first recording head and the second recording head is mounted in the recording apparatus. If the detection device detects that the second recording head has been mounted, the storage device stores the information received by the reception device. 
     Therefore, the recording apparatus does not record information received from the external device but stores the information into the storage device when the second recording head has been mounted. After the second recording head is replaced by the first recording head having a higher black recording speed, the recording apparatus can record the information, for example, facsimile data, stored in the storage device. 
     The recording apparatus may further include a recording device that, if the detection device detects that the first recording head is mounted, reads the information from the storage device and records the information by using the first recording head. 
     Therefore, if the information received by the reception device is not recorded but stored in the storage device because the second recording head has been mounted, the provision of the recording device avoids an undesired event that a user forgets to record the received and stored information. That is, when the detection device detects that the second recording head is replaced with the first recording head, the recording device automatically reads the information from the storage device and records the information by using the first recording head. 
     According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a recording apparatus including a first recording head capable of recording in black on a recording medium, and a second recording head capable of recording in black on the recording medium at a recording speed that is lower than a recording speed of the first recording head, the second recording head and the first recording head being interchangeably mountable in the recording apparatus. The recording apparatus further includes a reception device that receives information via a communication device, so that the information received is recorded on the recording medium by using one of the first recording head and the second recording head, and a detection device that detects which one of the first recording head and the second recording head is mounted, and a changing device that causes an external device transmitting the information to the recording apparatus to change an information transmitting performance of the external device in accordance with the recording speed of a recording head that is detected by the detection device. 
     In the recording apparatus, the detection device detects which one of the first recording head and the second recording head is mounted in the recording apparatus. The changing device causes an external device transmitting the information to the recording apparatus to change an information transmitting performance of the external device in accordance with the recording speed of a recording head that is detected by the detection device. 
     In the conventional art, if the transmitting performance of a sender-side apparatus, that is, an external device, is high in comparison with the recording speed of a recording head in a receiver-side apparatus, the receiver-side recording head fails to keep up with the sender-side transmitting performance, thereby causing the sender-side facsimile apparatus to have a transmission error whose cause is unknown to an operating person on the sender side. However, in this invention, the changing device eliminates this problem by changing the transmitting performance of the sender-side apparatus. 
     The changing device may cause the external device to change a least information transmitting speed of the external device in accordance with the recording speed of the recording head detected by the detection device. 
     Therefore, the aforementioned problem arising in a case where the recording speed of a receiver-side recording head cannot keep up with the least information transmitting speed of a sender-side apparatus, that is, an external device, can be solved by the changing device changing the least information transmitting speed of the sender-side apparatus in accordance with the receiver-side recording speed. 
     The changing device may also cause the external device to change an information transmitting speed of the external device in accordance with the recording speed of the recording head detected by the detection device. 
     Therefore, the aforementioned problem arising in a case where the recording speed of a receiver-side recording head cannot keep up with the information transmitting speed of a sender-side apparatus, that is, an external device, can be solved by the changing device changing the information transmitting speed of the sender-side apparatus in accordance with the receiver-side recording speed. 
     In the above-described recording apparatuses and the memory medium of the invention, the second recording head may record by ejecting a color ink and a black ink to the recording medium, and the first recording head may record by ejecting a black ink to the recording medium. 
     The aforementioned conventional problem arises typically in a recording apparatus that interchangeably uses a black recording-dedicated head and a color recording-dedicated head, the latter having a black recording speed that is lower than that of the black recording-dedicated head, as described above. The problem of such a recording apparatus using a black recording-dedicated head and a color recording-dedicated head in an interchangeable manner can be suitably solved by applying the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a recording apparatus according a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an illustration of mechanisms disposed in the recording apparatus, showing a portion for recording on a recording sheet while omitting the image scanner; 
     FIG. 3A is an exploded perspective view of a 6-color recording head, taken from the recording surface side; 
     FIG. 3B shows a reverse face of a color head shown in FIG. 3A; 
     FIG. 3C shows a reverse face of a carriage; 
     FIG. 3D is an exploded perspective view of a 4-color recording head, taken from the recording surface side; 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a main control system of the recording apparatus shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a communication procedure performed between the recording apparatus and an external facsimile; 
     FIG. 6 is a main flowchart illustrating a main control performed by a CPU; 
     FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a head replacement display operation performed during a display control in step  400  in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a data storing operation performed during a communication control in step  200  in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a communication speed changing operation performed in the communication control in step  200  in FIG. 6; and 
     FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a stored data recording operation performed during a recording control in step  300  in FIG.  6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     The embodiment will be described with reference to, as a representative recording apparatus, a multi-function type recording apparatus having the various functions of, for example, a facsimile, an image scanner, and a printer. 
     The recording apparatus  1  has a box-shaped housing  2 . An operating panel  3  is provided in an upper forward portion of the housing  2 . The operating panel  3  has, for example, “0” to “9” numerical keys  3   a , a start button  3   b  for instructing start of facsimile data transmission or copying operation, a stop button  3   c  for instructing stop of facsimile data transmission or stop of copying operation, speed call buttons  3   d  for using an abbreviated facsimile number in transmission of facsimile data, mode buttons  3   e  for changing between a facsimile mode and a printer mode, setting buttons  3   f  for setting, for example, a document scanning precision and a copy density. 
     Provided rearward of the operating panel  3  is a liquid crystal display  4  for displaying a receiver&#39;s facsimile number, an operation status, such as a transmission status, a reception status, and a copy status, an indication as to which one of a 4-color recording head and a 6-color recording head has been set, and an indication of received facsimile data being in storage. Formed rearward of the liquid crystal display  4  is a document setting portion  5  for setting a document to be transmitted or copied. A document set in the document setting portion  5  is fed into the housing  2  by a sheet conveying mechanism (not shown) that is provided in the housing  2 . A record portion of the document being conveyed is read by an image scanner  45  (see FIG.  4 ). After the image reading, the document is discharged onto a tray  6   a  in a stackable manner, via a document discharge opening  6  formed below the operating panel  3 . 
     Formed rearward of the document setting portion  5  is a recording sheet setting portion  7  for setting recording sheets on which received facsimile data or print data will be recorded. A recording sheet cassette (not shown) capable of housing a stack of recording sheets is removably attached to the recording sheet setting portion  7 . A recording sheet is fed from the recording sheet cassette set in the recording sheet setting portion  7 , into the housing  2  by the aforementioned sheet conveying mechanism. During conveyance in the housing  2 , the recording sheet is subjected to ink recording performed by a recording head  20  (see FIG.  2 ). After the recording operation, the recording sheet is discharged via a recording sheet discharge opening  8  formed below the tray  6   a.    
     A power switch  9  for turning the recording apparatus  1  on and off is disposed in a lower portion of a right side face of the housing  2 . A video input terminal  10  for inputting video signals is provided in a lower right-side portion of a front face of the housing  2 . 
     A handset (not shown) for talking to a facsimile receiver or other receiver is disposed on the left side of the housing  2 . A terminal (not shown) for connecting to a communication line is provided in a back face of the housing  2 . 
     The internal structure of the recording apparatus  1  will be described with reference to FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 2 is an illustration of mechanisms disposed in the recording apparatus  1 , showing a portion for recording on a recording sheet while omitting the image scanner. 
     The recording apparatus  1  has a platen roller  12  for receiving a recording sheet  11  fed in a direction indicated by arrow F 1  and conveying it in a direction indicated by arrow F 2 . A carriage shaft  13  extends below the platen roller  12  and parallel to a shaft of the platen roller  12 . The carriage shaft  13  supports a carriage  29  on which a recording head  20  is mounted. A carriage motor  14  is disposed below a left-side portion of the carriage shaft  13 , and a pulley  16  is disposed below a right-side portion of the carriage shaft  13 . A pulley  15  is connected to a rotating shaft of the carriage motor  14 . The pulley  15  and the pulley  16  are interconnected by an endless belt  17 . 
     The belt  17  is connected to the carriage  29 , so that the carriage  29  is slid along the carriage shaft  13  in directions indicated by arrows F 7 , F 8  when the carriage motor  14  is operated. 
     The structure of the recording head  20  will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A through 3D. 
     FIG. 3A is an exploded perspective view of a recording head  20  for use in 6-color ink recording (hereinafter, referred to as “6-color recording head”) taken from the recording surface side. FIG. 3B shows a reverse face of a color head  21  shown in FIG.  3 A. FIG. 3C shows a reverse face of the carriage  29 . FIG. 3D is an exploded perspective view of a recording head  24  for use in 4-color ink recording (hereinafter, referred to as “4-color recording head”) taken from the recording surface side. 
     In FIGS. 3A and 3D, the number of nozzles shown is less than the actual number of nozzles (for example, 760 nozzles), for easy comparison in the number of nozzles. 
     The recording head  20  and the recording head  24  are drop-on-demand type ink jet heads, more specifically, shear mode type heads employing, for example, piezoelectric ceramics (e.g., heads described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. SHO 63-247051). 
     The 6-color recording head  20  includes a color head  21  and a color head  22 . The color head  21  is made up of a cyan head  21 C for ejecting cyan ink, a magenta head  21 M for ejecting magenta ink, and a yellow head  21 Y for ejecting yellow ink. The color head  22  is made up of a light cyan head  22 Cl for ejecting light cyan ink, a light magenta head  22 Ml for ejecting light magenta ink, and a black head  22 K for ejecting black ink. 
     The color head  21  has a nozzle plate  21   b  having a plurality of nozzles  21   a  arranged in vertical directions. The nozzles  21   a  are separated for the cyan head  21 C, the magenta head  21 M and the yellow head  21 Y. The color head  22  has a nozzle plate  22   b  having a plurality of nozzles  22   a  arranged in vertical directions. The nozzles  22   a  are separated for the light cyan head  22 Cl, the light magenta head  22 Ml and the black head  22 K. 
     An electrode  25  is provided on the reverse surface of the color head  21  as shown in FIG. 3B. A head detecting switch  53  formed by a pair of electrodes that is turned on (short-circuited) by the electrode  25  is provided at a site on an upper surface of the carriage  29 , the site facing the electrode  25  when the 6-color recording head  20  is mounted on the carriage  29 . 
     That is, when the 6-color recording head  20  is mounted on the carriage  29 , the head detecting switch  53  is turned on. A switching signal from the head detecting switch  53  is detected by a CPU  40 . In this manner, the CPU  40  determines that the 6-color recording head  20  has been mounted on the carriage  29 . 
     The head detecting switch  53  and the electrode  25  correspond to a detection device in the invention. 
     Although the embodiment employs the electrode  25  and the head detecting switch  53  as a head detecting device, the head detecting device may also be provided by forming a recess or a protrusion at a predetermined site in the 6-color recording head  20  and disposing on the carriage  29  a switch that is operated by the recess or protrusion of the 6-color recording head  20 . Such a detecting device may also be applied to a combination of the 4-color recording head  24  and the carriage  29  so that it can be determined whether the 4-color recording head  24  has been mounted on the carriage  29 , that is, whether the 6-color recording head  20  has been removed from the carriage  29 . 
     The 4-color recording head  24  includes a black-dedicated head  23  and a color head  21  that is substantially identical to the color head  21  of the 6-color recording head  20 . The black-dedicated head  23  is a black ink-dedicated head that ejects only black ink from each nozzle. The black-dedicated head  23  has a nozzle plate  23   b  having a plurality of nozzles  23   a  arranged in vertical directions. 
     In the 6-color recording head  20  shown in FIG. 3A, the number of nozzles for ejecting black ink, that is, the number of nozzles provided in the black head  22 K, is represented as four (although in reality there are many more). In the 4-color recording head  24  shown in FIG. 3D, the number of nozzles for ejecting black ink, that is, the number of nozzles provided in the black head  23 , is represented as twelve. 
     As indicated by the different representative numbers of the nozzles for ejecting black ink, the 4-color recording head  24  has a greater recording speed in black ink jet recording than the 6-color recording head  20 . 
     Each of the nozzles  21   a ,  22   a ,  23   a  is in communication with an ink chamber formed in the head. Upon a drive signal from a head driver IC  58  (see FIG.  4 ), walls of an ink chamber formed from a piezoelectric material are deformed so as to change the capacity of the ink chamber, an ink droplet is ejected from the nozzle connected to the ink chamber. As shown in FIG. 2, ink cartridges  21   d ,  22   d  for supplying inks to the ink chambers are replaceably connected to rear portions of the color heads  21 ,  22 . 
     The recording head  24  corresponds to a first recording head in the invention, and the recording head  20  corresponds to a second recording head. 
     Referring back to FIG. 2, a linear-type timing slit array  63  extends below and parallel to the carriage shaft  13 . An encoder sensor  59  (see FIG. 4) for detecting intervals between slits formed in the timing slit array  63  and outputting a pulse signal corresponding to the position of the carriage  29  is disposed in a lower portion of a front face of the carriage  29 . Based on the pulse signal from the encoder sensor  59 , the CPU  40  controls the moving speed of the carriage  29 . 
     An ink absorbing pad  30  for absorbing ink ejected from the color heads  21 ,  22  at a time of flushing, performed in order to recover the ink ejecting function of the nozzles, is disposed near the left-side end of the platen roller  12 . A purge device  31  for recovering the ink ejecting function by sucking degraded inks from the nozzles of the color heads  21 ,  22  is disposed near the right-side end of the platen roller  12 . The purge device  31  has a suction cap  32  for covering the nozzle plates  21   b ,  22   b  of the heads  21 ,  22 , a cam  33  for moving the suction cap  32  in a direction indicated by arrow F 3 , and a pump  34  for achieving a negative pressure in the suction cap  32 . 
     A wiper member  35  for wiping ink or foreign objects from the nozzle plates  21   b ,  22   b  of the color heads  21 ,  22  after a purging operation is disposed to the left of the suction cap  32 . A capping device  36  for preventing the nozzles  21   a ,  22   a  from drying is disposed to the right of the suction cap  32 . When the recording head  20  is returned to the home position, the capping device  36  moves a cap  37  in a direction indicated by arrow F 5  and to cover the nozzle plates  21   b ,  22   b  of the color heads  21 ,  22  of the recording head  20 . The above description has used the second record head  20 , however the operation is the same if the first recording head  24  is mounted on the carriage  20 . 
     Although not shown in FIG. 2, the recording apparatus  1  further has an image scanner  45  for reading image information from a document, an image scanner motor (IS motor)  48  for feeding a document to and conveying it from the image scanner  45 , a communication modem  60  for demodulating facsimile data from an external facsimile apparatus  61  and modulating data read by the image scanner  45  and sending the modulated data to the external facsimile apparatus  61 , as indicated in the block diagram in FIG. 4, which illustrates the control system of the recording apparatus  1 . 
     The structure of the main control system of the recording apparatus  1  will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.  4 . 
     The recording apparatus  1  is equipped with the CPU  40  for controlling the communication with the external facsimile  61 , detecting replacement of a recording head, and performing various other controls (described below) based on the detection of recording head replacement. 
     The recording apparatus  1  further has a gate array  42  for developing facsimile data received via the communication modem  60 , facsimile data stored in a RAM  44 , or print data inputted from a host computer  64  via an interface  41 . 
     An address bus and a data bus connecting the CPU  40  and the gate array  42  are also connected to a ROM  43  storing various control programs executed by the CPU  40 , and to the RAM  44  for storing receiver&#39;s facsimile numbers, record data and/or facsimile data inputted to the gate array  42 . Therefore, the CPU  40  outputs necessary data to and inputs such data from the RAM  44  or the ROM  43 . 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the gate array  42  is connected to an image memory  54  for temporarily storing received data as image data, and to the encoder sensor  59  for measuring the moving speed of the carriage  29  and determining the recording timing. The gate array  42  generates a record clock  57  based on a signal inputted from the encoder sensor  59  as the carriage  29  moves. The gate array  42  is also connected to the head driver IC  58 . The head driver IC  58  operates to drive the recording head  20 , on the basis of the record clock  57 , a transfer clock  56  and record data  55  inputted from the gate array  42 . 
     The CPU  40  is also connected to a recording sheet sensor  50  for detecting the presence or absence of a recording sheet  11 , an image scanner document sensor  51  for detecting the presence of a document adjacent to a reader portion of the image scanner  45 , a carriage origin sensor  52  for detecting the presence of the carriage  29  at the home position, the head detecting switch  53  for detecting the 6-color recording head  20  mounted on the carriage  29 , a first motor driver  50  for driving the carriage motor  14 , a second motor driver  46  for driving a line feed motor  47  that rotates the platen roller  12 , a third motor driver  49  for driving an image scanner motor  48 , the operating panel  3  for inputting various signals to the CPU  40 , and the liquid crystal display  4 . 
     Various controls performed by the CPU  40  will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 through 10. 
     FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a communication procedure performed by the recording apparatus  1  and the external facsimile  61  when the recording apparatus  1  receives facsimile data from the external facsimile  61 . FIG. 6 is a main flowchart illustrating the content of a main control performed by the CPU  40 . FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the content of a head replacement display operation performed during display control in step  500  in the flowchart of FIG.  6 . FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the content of a data storing operation performed during communication control in step  200  in FIG.  6 . FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the content of a communication speed changing operation performed during the communication control in step  200  in FIG.  6 . FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the content of a stored data recording operation performed during recording control in step  300  in FIG.  6 . 
     The content of the main control performed by the CPU  40  will first be described with reference to FIG.  6 . 
     When the power switch  9  of the recording apparatus  1  is turned on and the CPU  40  detects the powered-on state, the CPU  40  performs initial setting in step  100 . After the initial setting, the CPU  40  performs communication control with regard to telephone communication, facsimile communication with the external facsimile  61 , or other communications functions incorporated into the recording apparatus in step  200 ; performs recording control, such as the recording of facsimile data from the external facsimile  61  onto a recording sheet  11  or the recording of print data from the host computer  64  onto a recording sheet  11  in step  300 ; and then performs display control for displaying the aforementioned various pieces of information in the liquid crystal display  4  in step  400 , in accordance with the present needs. 
     The computer programs necessary for the CPU  40  to perform the aforementioned controls are stored in the ROM  44 . The ROM  44  corresponds to a memory medium in the invention. 
     The head replacement display operation performed by the CPU  40  will be described with reference to FIG.  7 . 
     In step  402 , the CPU  40  determines whether the 6-color recording head  20  has been mounted on the carriage  29 , on the basis of whether the head detecting switch  53  provided in the carriage  29  has been turned on by the electrode  25  provided on the reverse surface of the color head  21 . If the determination in step  402  is affirmative (YES), the operation proceeds to step  404 , in which the CPU  40  sets a head detection flag to indicate that the 6-color recording head  20  has been mounted on the carriage  29 . Subsequently in step  406 , the CPU  40  displays a message, for example, “6-COLOR RECORDING HEAD PRESENTLY SET”, on the liquid crystal display  4 . 
     Through the head replacement display operation, the CPU  40  is able to indicate whether the 6-color recording head  20  has been set. Therefore, it is possible to remind a user to replace the 6-color recording head  20  with the 4-color recording head  24  before the recording apparatus  1  receives facsimile data from the external facsimile  61 . 
     Consequently, the recording apparatus  1  avoids an undesired event that the 6-color recording head  20  having a slow black recording speed fails to keep up with the transmission speed of the external facsimile  61  so that the external facsimile  61  has a communication error whose cause is unknown to the operator of the external facsimile  61 . 
     The aforementioned message may also be displayed on a display device (not shown), such as a CRT, that is connected to the host computer  64 . 
     It is also possible to provide a light-emitting diode (LED) that turns on, if the 6-color recording head is mounted, at a predetermined location on a surface of the recording apparatus  1 . 
     Furthermore, it is also possible to indicate that the 6-color recording head has been mounted, by outputting a sound, for example, a “piii” sound, or a voice message “The 6-color recording head is presently set”. 
     The operation performed in step  402  by the CPU  40  functions as a detection device, and the operation in step  406  functions as an indication device. 
     The data storing operation performed by the CPU  40  will be described with reference to FIG.  8 . 
     In step  202 , the CPU  40  determines whether a CALL signal (see FIG. 5) has been received from the external facsimile  61 . If the determination is affirmative (YES), the operation proceeds to step  204 , in which the CPU  40  determines whether the head detection flag has been set by the operation in step  404  in FIG.  7 . If it is determined that the head detection flag has been set (YES in step  204 ), the CPU  40  receives facsimile data (indicated by PIX in FIG. 5) from the external facsimile  61 , and stores the received facsimile data into the RAM  44  in step  206 . Conversely, if it is determined in step  204  that the head detection flag has not been set (NO in step  204 ), the CPU  40  performs the recording control for immediately recording the received facsimile data in step  208 . 
     Through the above-described data storing operation, the CPU  40  can store facsimile data from the external facsimile  61  into the RAM  44  without recording the data, if the 6-color recording head  20  is mounted. Therefore, the facsimile data stored in the RAM  44  can be recorded after the 6-color recording head  20  is replaced with the 4-color recording head  24  having a high black recording speed. 
     The facsimile data received from the external facsimile  61  may also be stored by using a hard disk drive, a CD-RAM drive or other recordable memory device built in the host computer  64 , or an external recordable storage device connected to the host computer  64 , for example, a hard disk drive, a CD-RAM drive, or a MO drive. 
     The RAM  44 , the hard disk drive, the CD-RAM drive, or the MO drive corresponds to a storage device in the invention. The operation performed in step  204  by the CPU  40  functions as a detection device, and the operation performed in step  206  functions as a storage device. 
     The stored data recording operation performed by the CPU  40  will be described with reference to FIG.  10 . 
     In step  302 , the CPU  40  determines whether the head detection flag has been reset, that is, whether the 6-color recording head  20  has been replaced with the 4-color recording head  24 . If the determination in step  302  is affirmative (YES), the CPU  40  determines in step  304  whether facsimile data has been stored in the RAM  44 . If it is determined that facsimile data has been stored (YES in step  304 ), the CPU  40  reads the facsimile data from the RAM  44  in step  306 , and records the facsimile data on a recording sheet  11  using the 4-color recording head  24  in step  308 . 
     Through the above-described stored data recording operation, facsimile data received from the external facsimile  61  and stored in the RAM  44 , if any is received and stored, is automatically recorded onto a recording sheet  11  by the 4-color recording head  24  when the 6-color recording head  20  is replaced with the 4-color recording head  24 . 
     Therefore, the operation avoids an undesired event that a user forgets to record the facsimile data stored in the RAM  44  onto a recording sheet  11  in a case where the recording apparatus  1  performs a control operation of temporarily storing received facsimile data into the RAM  44  instead of immediately recording the facsimile data onto a recording sheet  11  while the 6-color recording head  20  is set. 
     The operation performed in steps  302  through  308  by the CPU  40  functions as a recording device in the invention. 
     The communication speed changing operation performed by the CPU  40  will be described with reference to FIG.  9 . 
     In step  220 , the CPU  40  determines whether the CALL signal (see FIG. 5) is received from the external facsimile  61 . If the determination in step  220  is affirmative (YES), the operation proceeds to step  222 , in which the CPU  40  determines whether the head detection flag has been set by the operation of step  404  in FIG.  7 . If it is determined that the head detection flag has been set (YES in step  222 ), the CPU  40  sends a data change indicating a communication speed among the data constituting a DIS signal, that is, a signal for indicating the communication ability or performance of the recording apparatus  1  to the external facsimile  61  in step  224 . 
     If the communication speed has been set to, for example, 14.4 Kpbs, the communication speed is changed to 9.6 Kbps. 
     After receiving the DIS signal from the recording apparatus  1 , the external facsimile  61  detects the communication speed indicated in the DIS signal, and transmits to the recording apparatus  1  a DCS signal to indicate that the external facsimile  61  is going to transmit facsimile data at the detected communication speed. Subsequently, the external facsimile  61  transmits to the recording apparatus  1  a TCF signal to check the status of a transmission path. Upon receiving from the recording apparatus  1  a CFR signal that permits transmission, the external facsimile  61  transmits the facsimile data (indicated as PIX in FIG. 5) to the recording apparatus  1 . In step  226 , the recording apparatus  1  receives the thus-transmitted facsimile data. 
     Therefore, if the CALL signal is received from the external facsimile  61  when the 6-color recording head  20  has been set, the above-described communication speed changing operation reduces the speed of transmission by the external facsimile  61 , by changing the communication speed-indicating data among the data in the DIS signal to data indicating a reduced communication speed. 
     Consequently, the recording apparatus  1  is able to avoid an undesired event that the 6-color recording head  20  having a low black recording speed fails to keep up with the transmission speed of the external facsimile  61  and therefore causes the external facsimile  61  to have a communication error whose cause is unknown to an operator of the external facsimile  61 . 
     The operation performed in step  222  by the CPU  40  functions as a detection device in the invention. The operation performed in step  224  by the CPU  40  functions as a changing device in the invention. 
     Although in the above-described communication speed changing operation, the communication speed of the external facsimile  61  is reduced, it is also possible to reduce a least transmission speed, that is, a speed for transmitting a line of facsimile data, of the external facsimile  61 , by changing the data indicating the least transmission speed among the data constituting the DIS signal to data indicating a reduced least transmission speed. 
     Although in the foregoing embodiment, the controls and operations illustrated by the flowcharts of FIGS. 6 through 10 are performed by the CPU  40  contained in the recording apparatus  1 , the controls and operations may also be performed by the host computer  64  if a CD-ROM or a floppy disk storing the computer programs for the controls and operations is driven by the host computer  64  so that the computer programs are installed in the host computer  64 . In this case, the CD-ROM or the floppy disk functions as a memory medium in the invention. 
     As understood from the foregoing description, the detection device of a recording apparatus according to the invention detects which one of the first recording head for recording in black on a recording medium and the second recording head for recording in black on a recording medium at a recording speed that is lower than a recording speed of the first recording head is set in the recording apparatus. The result of the detection performed by the detection device is indicated by the indication device. By the indication provided by the indication device, a user of the recording apparatus can recognize which one of the first and second recording heads is mounted. In the application of the invention to a facsimile apparatus, as for example, if a user knows through the indication device that the second recording head has been set when the facsimile apparatus is about to receive facsimile data, the user can replace the second recording head with the first recording head. Therefore, the invention solves the conventional problem that a low recording speed recording head records facsimile data being received but fails to keep up with the transmission speed, thereby causing the sender facsimile apparatus to have a transmission error whose cause is unknown to an operator of the sender facsimile apparatus. 
     The memory medium of the invention stores a computer program including a recording head detecting program for detecting which one of the first and second recording heads is set and for indicating the detection result. Therefore, the recording apparatus of the invention can be realized by providing the memory medium in the form of a ROM or the like in the recording apparatus, or installing the computer program from the memory medium into a computer connected to the recording apparatus. 
     In a recording apparatus according to the invention, the detection device detects which one of the first recording head for recording in black and the second recording head for recording in black on a recording medium is mounted in the recording apparatus. If the detection device detects that the second recording head has been set, the storage device stores the information received by the reception device. Therefore, after the second recording head is replaced with the first recording head having a higher black recording speed, the recording apparatus can record the facsimile data stored in the storage device. 
     The recording apparatus further includes a recording device that, if the detection device detects that the first recording head is mounted, reads the information from the storage device and records the information by using the first recording head. Therefore, if received information is not recorded but stored in the storage device because the second recording head has been mounted, the recording device automatically records the information by using the first recording head when the detection device detects that the second recording head is replaced with the first recording head. Thus, the provision of the recording device avoids an undesired event that a user forgets to record the received and stored information. 
     In a recording apparatus according to the invention, the detection device detects which one of the first recording head and the second recording head is mounted in the recording apparatus. The changing device causes an external device transmitting the information to the recording apparatus to change an information transmitting performance of the external device in accordance with the recording speed of a recording head that is detected by the detection device. Therefore, even if the transmitting performance of the external device, that is, a sender-side apparatus, is high in comparison with the recording speed of the recording head mounted in the receiver-side apparatus, the changing device eliminates the problem that the receiver-side recording head fails to keep up with the sender-side transmitting performance and therefore causes the sender-side facsimile apparatus to have a transmission error whose cause is unknown to an operating person on the sender side. 
     In an embodiment, the changing device causes the external device to change a least information transmitting speed of the external device in accordance with the recording speed of the recording head detected by the detection device. In another embodiment, the changing device causes the external device to change an information transmitting speed of the external device in accordance with the recording speed of the recording head detected by the detection device. 
     The invention can be suitably applied to a recording apparatus including a second recording head that records by ejecting a color ink and a black ink to the recording medium, and a first recording head that records by ejecting a black ink to the recording medium, since in that combination of recording heads, the second recording head normally has a lower black recording speed that the first recording head. 
     It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular forms shown in the foregoing embodiments. Various modifications and alterations can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.