Recording device, recording method, recording system, and program

Abstract

To provide a technique that can reduce burdens on a user in recording after changing a contract condition.SOLUTION: A recording device to / from which consumable supplies filled with recording materials can be attached and detached, and which performs recording in accordance with settings of color modes using recording materials filled into different kinds of consumable supplies according to a contract, comprises: setting means that sets a contract condition on the basis of information concerning the contract; first obtaining means that obtains a set color mode; second obtaining means that obtains kinds of the consumable supplies attached thereto corresponding to the contract condition; and recording control means that controls recording by permitting or restricting the recording, on the basis of the contract condition set by the setting means, the color mode obtained by the first obtaining means, and the kind of the consumable supplies obtained by the second obtaining means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus, a recording method, a recording system, and a program that perform recording using a recording material.

Background Art

[0002] In a recording apparatus that performs recording using a recording material such as ink, for example, a flat-rate service is provided according to a contract. The flat-rate service is a service in which a user pays a fixed fee at regular intervals and can receive consumables such as a toner cartridge or an ink tank filled with a recording material without paying the cost of the consumables. When the flat-rate service is not provided, the user purchases the consumables by paying the cost of the consumables each time.

[0003] Therefore, in such a recording apparatus, according to the contract, the contract state switches between a flat-rate state in which the flat-rate service is provided and a non-flat-rate state in which the flat-rate service is not provided. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for determining whether recording is possible according to the mounting state of consumables and the contract state.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the contract state switches from the flat-rate state to the non-flat-rate state, it is necessary to replace the consumables corresponding to the flat-rate state with general-purpose consumables used in the non-flat-rate state. As a result, there is a risk that the operation load on the user increases.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a technology that can reduce the burden on users. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, one embodiment of the present invention is a recording device in which a plurality of consumables filled with recording materials of different colors are detachable, and when a predetermined service is contracted, recording is performed using the recording material filled in the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, and when the predetermined service is not contracted, recording is performed using recording material filled in a consumable of a different type than the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, thereby preventing recording using the recording material filled in the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, and an information is acquired indicating whether or not the predetermined service is contracted. 1 The recording control means is characterized by comprising: an acquisition means; a second acquisition means for acquiring the color or monochrome setting set for the input print job; a third acquisition means for acquiring the types of a plurality of consumables installed in the recording device; and a recording control means that, if the information acquired by the first acquisition means indicates that the contract is not for the predetermined service, and the type of consumable corresponding to the color used for recording the print job based on the setting acquired by the second acquisition means is a different type of consumable from the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, allows recording based on the print job even if the type of consumable corresponding to the color not used for recording the print job is the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the burden on the user can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Internal configuration diagram of the recording device. [Figure 2] A block diagram of the ordering system, focusing on the control configuration of the recording device. [Figure 3]A schematic diagram of the recording system. [Figure 4] A diagram showing the transitions in the contract status of the recording device. [Figure 5] A flowchart illustrating the process of the update operation. [Figure 6] A table showing combinations of contract start and end dates that are considered to fall within the fixed-rate period. [Figure 7] A diagram showing the display screen shown on the control panel. [Figure 8] A flowchart illustrating the process of recording data. [Figure 9] A flowchart illustrating the processing steps for other forms of recording. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, examples of embodiments of the recording device, recording method, recording system, and program will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention, and not all combinations of features described in these embodiments are essential to the solutions of the present invention. Furthermore, the positions and shapes of the components described in the embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention to them alone.

[0011] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is an internal configuration diagram of the inkjet recording device 1 (hereinafter referred to as recording device 1) used in this embodiment. In the figure, the x direction is the horizontal direction, the y direction (perpendicular to the paper surface) is the direction in which the ejection ports of the recording head 8, which will be described later, are arranged, and the z direction is the vertical direction.

[0012] The recording device 1 is a multifunction device equipped with a printing unit 2 and a scanner unit 3, and various processes related to recording and reading operations can be performed individually or in conjunction with the printing unit 2 and the scanner unit 3. The scanner unit 3 is equipped with an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder) and an FBS (Flatbed Scanner), and can read documents automatically fed by the ADF and read (scan) documents placed on the FBS platen by the user. In this embodiment, the recording device 1 is a multifunction device equipped with a printing unit 2 and a scanner unit 3, but it may also be configured without a scanner unit 3. Figure 1 shows the recording device 1 in a standby state when neither recording nor reading operations are being performed.

[0013] In the printing unit 2, a first cassette 5A and a second cassette 5B for housing recording media (cut sheets) S are detachably installed at the bottom of the housing 4 in the vertical direction. The first cassette 5A houses relatively small recording media up to A4 size, and the second cassette 5B houses relatively large recording media up to A3 size, stacked flat. Near the first cassette 5A, a first feeding unit 6A is provided for separating and feeding the stored recording media one by one. Similarly, a second feeding unit 6B is provided near the second cassette 5B. When a recording operation is performed, the recording media S is selectively fed from either cassette.

[0014] The transport roller 7, discharge roller 12, pinch roller 7a, spur 7b, guide 18, inner guide 19, and flapper 11 are a transport mechanism for guiding the recording medium S in a predetermined direction. The transport roller 7 is a driven roller located upstream and downstream of the recording head 8 (platen 9) and driven by a transport motor (not shown). The pinch roller 7a is a driven roller that nips and rotates the recording medium S together with the transport roller 7. The discharge roller 12 is a driven roller located downstream of the transport roller 7 and driven by a discharge motor (not shown). The spur 7b, located downstream of the recording head 8 (platen 9), grips and transports the recording medium S together with the transport roller 7 and discharge roller 12.

[0015] The guide 18 is provided in the conveyance path of the recording medium S and guides the recording medium S in a predetermined direction. The inner guide 19 is a member extending in the y direction and having a curved side surface, and guides the recording medium S along the side surface. The flapper 11 is a member for switching the direction in which the recording medium S is conveyed during the double-sided recording operation. The discharge tray 13 is a tray for stacking and holding the recording medium S that has completed the recording operation and is discharged by the discharge roller 12.

[0016] The recording head 8 of the present embodiment is a full-line type color inkjet recording head, and a plurality of ejection ports for ejecting ink according to recording data are arranged along the y direction in FIG. 1 corresponding to the width of the recording medium S. When the recording head 8 is in the standby position, the ejection port surface 8a of the recording head 8 is capped by the cap unit 10 as shown in FIG. 1. When performing the recording operation, the orientation of the recording head 8 is changed by a print controller 202, which will be described later, so that the ejection port surface 8a faces the platen 9. The platen 9 is composed of a flat plate extending in the y direction and supports the recording medium S on which the recording operation is performed by the recording head 8 from the back.

[0017] The ink tank unit 14 has a configuration in which an ink tank 224 (see FIG. 2) filled with ink supplied to the recording head 8 is detachable. In the present embodiment, four ink tanks 224 storing inks of different colors are mounted on the ink tank unit 14. Specifically, an ink tank storing cyan (C) ink, an ink tank storing magenta (M) ink, an ink tank storing yellow (Y) ink, and an ink tank storing black (B) ink are mounted on the ink tank unit 14.

[0018] The ink tank 224 includes a non-volatile memory 225 (see FIG. 2) that stores ink tank information and imparted information as information regarding consumables. The ink tank information is information indicating the type of ink tank corresponding to information regarding a contract (described later). The imparted information is, for example, a serial number for identifying the ink tank 224 and information regarding the color of the ink. Note that in this specification, the “non-volatile memory” is also referred to as a “non-volatile memory”.

[0019] The ink supply unit 15 is provided in the middle of a flow path that connects each ink tank 224 mounted on the ink tank unit 14 and the recording head 8, and adjusts the pressure and flow rate of the ink in the recording head 8 to an appropriate range. In the present embodiment, a circulation type ink supply system is adopted, and the ink supply unit 15 adjusts the pressure of the ink supplied to the recording head 8 and the flow rate of the ink recovered from the recording head 8 to an appropriate range. The maintenance unit 16 includes a cap unit 10 and a wiping unit 17, and operates these at a predetermined timing to perform a maintenance operation on the recording head 8.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration in the recording apparatus 1. The control configuration mainly includes a print engine unit 200 that controls the print unit 2, a scanner engine unit 300 that controls the scanner unit 3, and a controller unit 100 that controls the entire recording apparatus 1. The print controller 202 controls various mechanisms of the print engine unit 200 according to an instruction from the main controller 101 of the controller unit 100. Various mechanisms of the scanner engine unit 300 are controlled by the main controller 101 of the controller unit 100. Details of the control configuration will be described below.

[0021] In the controller unit 100, the main controller 101, which is composed of a CPU, controls the entire recording device 1 using the RAM 106 as the work area, according to the program and various parameters stored in the ROM 107. For example, when a print job is input from the host device 400 via the host I / F 102 or wireless I / F 103, the image processing unit 108 performs predetermined image processing on the received image data according to the instructions of the main controller 101. Then, the main controller 101 transmits the processed image data to the print engine unit 200 via the print engine I / F 105. In this embodiment, the print job can be set to a color mode, that is, to "monochrome" or "color".

[0022] The recording device 1 may acquire image data from the host device 400 via wireless or wired communication, or it may acquire image data from an external storage device (such as a USB memory stick) connected to the recording device 1. The communication method used for wireless or wired communication is not limited. For example, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be used as communication methods for wireless communication. For example, USB (Universal Serial Bus) can be used as a communication method for wired communication. Also, when a read command is input from the host device 400, the main controller 101 transmits this command to the scanner unit 3 via the scanner engine I / F 109.

[0023] The operation panel 104 is a mechanism for the user to perform input and output to the recording device 1. The user can instruct operations such as copying and scanning, set the print mode, and recognize information on the recording device 1 via the operation panel 104. In addition, the controller unit 100 is equipped with a server I / F 110 that connects to the contract server 111 and the billing server 112. The contract server 111 is a server that manages information related to the contract for the recording device 1 (hereinafter referred to as "contract information"). The contract information includes the contract start date and time, the contract end date and time, and the monthly closing date. The billing server 112 is a server that manages the amount of charges to be billed to the user according to the usage of the recording device 1. In this embodiment, the contract server 111 functions as a management device that manages contract information.

[0024] In the print engine unit 200, the print controller 202, which is composed of a CPU, controls the various mechanisms of the print unit 2, using the RAM 204 as the work area, according to the program and various parameters stored in the ROM 203. When various commands and image data are received via the controller I / F 201, the print controller 202 temporarily stores them in the RAM 204. To make the recording head 8 available for recording, the print controller 202 instructs the image processing controller 205 to convert the stored image data into recording data. Once the recording data is generated, the print controller 202 instructs the recording head 8 to perform a recording operation based on the recording data via the head I / F 206. At this time, the print controller 202 drives the feed units 6A and 6B, the transport roller 7, the discharge roller 12, and the flapper 11 shown in Figure 1 via the transport control unit 207 to transport the recording medium S. In accordance with the instructions of the print controller 202, the recording operation by the recording head 8 is executed in conjunction with the transport operation of the recording medium S, and the recording process is performed.

[0025] The head carriage control unit 208 changes the orientation and position of the recording head 8 according to the operating status of the recording device 1, such as the maintenance status and recording status. The ink supply control unit 209 controls the ink supply unit 15 so that the pressure of the ink supplied to the recording head 8 is within an appropriate range. The maintenance control unit 210 controls the operation of the cap unit 10 and the wiping unit 17 in the maintenance unit 16 when performing maintenance operations on the recording head 8. The print engine unit 200 also includes a non-volatile memory 222 that can store, for example, the contract status determined based on contract information transmitted from the contract server 111.

[0026] In the scanner engine unit 300, the main controller 101 controls the hardware resources of the scanner controller 302, using the RAM 106 as the work area, according to the program and various parameters stored in the ROM 107. This controls the various mechanisms of the scanner unit 3. For example, the main controller 101 controls the hardware resources in the scanner controller 302 via the controller I / F 301, so that the document placed in the ADF by the user is transported via the transport control unit 304 and read by the sensor 305. The scanner controller 302 then stores the read image data in the RAM 303. The print controller 202 converts the acquired image data into recording data as described above, so that the recording head 8 can perform a recording operation based on the image data read by the scanner controller 302.

[0027] Furthermore, a program for realizing one or more functions of the recording device 1 (controller unit, print engine unit, scanner engine unit) or the host device 400 may be supplied to the system or device via a network or various recording media. In this case, the computer (CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or device reads the program and executes the function, or causes various mechanisms to execute it. This program may be executed by a single computer or realized through the cooperation of multiple computers. Moreover, it is not necessary to realize all of the above processes in software; some or all of the processes may be realized by hardware such as ASICs. Furthermore, it is not limited to a configuration in which a single CPU performs all processes; a configuration in which multiple CPUs cooperate as appropriate to perform the processes may be used, or a configuration in which one CPU executes one of the processes and multiple CPUs cooperate to perform the other processes.

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a recording system equipped with a recording device 1. In the recording system 310 of Figure 3, the recording device 1 is connected to a contract server 111 and a billing server 112 via the Internet 312. The contract server 111 manages the contract information of the recording device 1, which is connected via the Internet 312. The contract server 111 then transmits the contract information of the recording device 1 to the recording device 1 in response to a request from the recording device 1. Specifically, the main controller 101 periodically requests contract information from the contract server 111 via the server I / F 110. The contract server 111 then transmits the contract information to the recording device 1 based on this request from the main controller 101. The billing server 112 periodically receives information from the recording device 1, such as the number of recording media used, and calculates the billing amount based on the received information.

[0029] In the recording system 310, the contract state of the recording device 1 transitions between a fixed-rate state and a non-fixed-rate state. In this embodiment, the fixed-rate state is a state in which a fixed-rate contract is concluded in which a fixed fee is paid at regular intervals to receive a fixed-rate service without incurring costs for consumables, and the non-fixed-rate state is a state in which no fixed-rate contract is concluded and costs for consumables are incurred. Figure 4 is a diagram showing the transition of the contract state of the recording device. The recording device 1 in the fixed-rate state periodically receives contract information from the contract server 111 via the server I / F 110. Based on the received contract information, it determines whether the contract state is fixed-rate or non-fixed-rate. If it is determined that the contract state is fixed-rate, it maintains the fixed-rate state. On the other hand, if it is determined that the contract state is non-fixed-rate, it transitions to the non-fixed-rate state. Also, in the non-fixed-rate state of the recording device 1, if it is determined that the contract state is fixed-rate based on the contract information obtained from the contract server 111, it transitions to the fixed-rate state. On the other hand, if it is determined that the contract state is non-fixed-rate, it maintains the non-fixed-rate state.

[0030] Incidentally, in a known recording device, when the recording device 1 is in a fixed-rate state, recording is possible by installing ink tanks dedicated to the fixed-rate service in the ink tank unit 14 for all available inks. Hereinafter, "ink tanks dedicated to the fixed-rate service" will be referred to as "fixed-rate ink tanks." Note that fixed-rate ink tanks can only be used when the user is in a fixed-rate state and can receive the fixed-rate service, and cannot be used when the user is not in a fixed-rate state. Therefore, when the contract period expires and the contract state changes from a fixed-rate state to a non-fixed-rate state, all ink tanks 224 installed in the ink tank unit 14 must be changed to general-purpose ink tanks that are sold outright and used when the user is not in a fixed-rate state. Hereinafter, "general-purpose ink tanks sold outright" will be referred to as "sold-out ink tanks." In other words, when the user is not in a fixed-rate state, if even one fixed-rate ink tank is installed in the ink tank unit 14, recording will be restricted and will not be possible. This prevents the misuse of fixed-rate ink tanks. However, the process of changing all Ink Tank 224s from fixed-rate ink tanks to one-time-sale ink tanks after the contract status has shifted from a fixed-rate to a non-fixed-rate status is burdensome for the user.

[0031] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the system is not in a fixed-price state, if the ink tank corresponding to the ink used in the set color mode is a sold-out ink tank, recording in that color mode is permitted to a limited extent, even if other ink tanks are fixed-price ink tanks. In other words, the recording system 310 allows or restricts recording in the recording device 1 based on the contract status of the recording device 1, the color mode set for the print job, and the installed ink tanks 224. This will be explained in detail below.

[0032] The recording system 310 performs an update process to update the contract status of the recording device 1 at predetermined timings. These predetermined timings may include, for example, regular intervals or when instructed to do so by an operation from the control panel 104 or the like. Figure 5 is a flowchart detailing the update process. The series of processes shown in the flowchart of Figure 5 are performed by the main controller 101 loading the program code stored in the ROM 107 into the RAM 106 and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the steps in Figure 5 may be performed by hardware such as an ASIC or electrical circuit. Note that the symbol S in the description of each process indicates a step in the flowchart (the same applies hereafter in this specification).

[0033] When the update process begins, the main controller 101 first obtains contract information from the contract server 111 (S502). In S502, the main controller 101 first requests the contract server 111 to send the contract information for the recording device 1. Based on this request, the contract server 111 sends the requested contract information for the recording device 1 to the recording device 1. The recording device 1 receives the contract information sent from the contract server 111 via the server I / F 110.

[0034] Next, it is determined whether or not the contract information could be obtained (S504). In S504, for example, if the contract information could not be obtained even after a predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined that the contract information could not be obtained. If it is determined in S504 that the contract information could not be obtained, this update process is terminated. If the update process fails, a notification function such as that of the operation panel 104 may be used to notify the user that the contract status could not be updated. The obtained contract information may be stored in a storage area such as the non-volatile memory 222.

[0035] Furthermore, in S504, if it is determined that contract information has been acquired, the main controller 101 determines, based on the contract information, whether or not the recording device 1 is within the fixed-rate period for which it is receiving the fixed-rate service (S506). The contract information for the recording device 1 includes the start date and time of the contract for which the fixed-rate service is received (contract start date and time) and the end date and time of the contract (contract end date and time). The controller unit 100 is also equipped with a clock (not shown) that can acquire the current date and time. Therefore, in S506, it is determined whether or not the recording device 1 is within the fixed-rate period based on the contract start date and time of the contract information, the contract start date and time, and the current date and time based on the above clock.

[0036] Let's explain the determination in S506 in detail. The contract is determined to be within the contract period when the date and time the update process is being performed (the current time) is after the contract start date and time, and before the contract end date and time, that is, when contract start date and time ≤ current time < contract end date and time. Figure 6 is a table showing the combinations of contract start date and time and contract end date and time that are determined to be within the fixed-rate period. In Figure 6, the contract start date and time and contract end date and time are shown as "past" and "future" with respect to the current time, and "undecided" is shown if they are not set or are set as undecided. In Figure 6, the contract start date and time and contract end date and time are shown as "past" if they are before the current time, and as "future" if they are after the current time.

[0037] In S506, the main controller 101 determines whether the date and time it is executing this update process is after the contract start date and before the contract end date and time. If it is determined that the date and time it is executing the update process is after the contract start date and before the contract end date and time, it is determined that it is within the fixed-rate period. In other words, it is determined that it is within the fixed-rate period when the contract start date and time is in the past and the contract end date and time is in the future (see reference numeral 602 in Figure 6).

[0038] On the other hand, if the date and time the renewal process is performed is determined to be before the contract start date and time (date and time the renewal process is performed < contract start date and time), or after the contract end date and time (contract end date and time ≤ date and time the renewal process is performed), it will be determined that the contract is not within the fixed-rate period. In other words, if the contract start date and time is in the future, it will be determined that the contract is not within the fixed-rate period regardless of the contract end date and time. Also, if the contract end date and time is in the past, it will be determined that the contract is not within the fixed-rate period regardless of the contract start date and time.

[0039] Furthermore, the contract start date and contract end date may be undetermined. In this case, if the contract start date is undetermined, it will be determined that the contract is not within the fixed-rate period, regardless of the contract end date. Also, if the contract start date is in the past and the contract end date is undetermined, it will be determined that the contract is within the fixed-rate period (see reference numeral 604 in Figure 6).

[0040] Returning to Figure 5, in S506, if it is determined that the recording device 1 is within the fixed-rate period, it transitions to the fixed-rate state (S508) and terminates this update process. In S508, if the recording device 1 is in the fixed-rate state at the time this update process is being performed, it maintains the fixed-rate state; if it is not in the fixed-rate state, it transitions to the fixed-rate state. Specifically, "fixed-rate state" is stored in the non-volatile memory 222 as the contract state. Also, in S506, if it is determined that the recording device 1 is not within the fixed-rate period, it transitions to the non-fixed-rate state (S510) and terminates this update process. In S510, if the recording device 1 is in the fixed-rate state at the time this update process is being performed, it transitions to the non-fixed-rate state; if it is not in the fixed-rate state, it maintains the non-fixed-rate state. Specifically, "non-fixed-rate state" is stored in the non-volatile memory 222 as the contract state. Thus, in this embodiment, the main controller 101 functions as a setting means for setting the contract state based on contract information.

[0041] In the non-volatile memory 222, the stored contract status is updated to the new contract status. As a result, the recording device 1 is periodically updated to the latest contract status. In addition, based on the contract status held in the non-volatile memory 222, a portion of the display screen on the operation panel 104 of the recording device 1 changes. Figure 7 shows the display screen on the operation panel, where (a) shows an example of the display screen in a non-fixed-rate state and (b) shows an example of the display screen in a fixed-rate state.

[0042] On the non-subscription screen 702, it is shown that the subscription ink tanks are unavailable. When the start button 704 on screen 702 is pressed, the update process begins. The corresponding fields for "Server Communication" (indicating the communication status with the server), "Monochrome Page Count" (indicating the number of monochrome pages recorded this month), and "Color Page Count" (indicating the number of color pages recorded this month) are hidden and show "-". On the other hand, on the subscription screen 706, it is shown that the subscription ink tanks are available, that server communication is in progress, and the specific number of monochrome pages recorded and the specific number of color pages recorded. When the update button 708 on screen 706 is pressed, the update process begins.

[0043] In the recording device 1, when a print job is input and a recording start command is issued, the recording process begins. Specifically, when a recording start command is input from the operation panel 104 or the like, the main controller 101 receives the command and instructs the print controller 202 to start the recording process. Figure 8 is a flowchart detailing the recording process. The series of processes shown in the flowchart of Figure 8 are performed by the print controller 202 loading the program code stored in the ROM 203 into the RAM 204 and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps in Figure 8 may be performed by hardware such as an ASIC or electrical circuit.

[0044] When the recording process begins, the print controller 202 first determines whether the contract status is a fixed-rate status (S802). In S802, it determines whether the latest contract status stored in the non-volatile memory 222 is a fixed-rate status. If it is determined in S802 that the status is a fixed-rate status, the print controller 202 performs recording based on the print job (S804) and terminates this recording process. Note that various known techniques can be applied to the recording performed in S804, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0045] Furthermore, in S802, if it is determined that the system is not in a fixed-rate state, the print controller 202 determines whether or not fixed-rate ink tanks and limited-time ink tanks are installed in the ink tank unit 14 (S806). The non-volatile memory 225 of the ink tank 224 stores ink tank information indicating the type of ink tank (fixed-rate ink tank or limited-time ink tank) corresponding to the contract information. Therefore, in S806, the print controller 202 obtains the ink tank information of each ink tank 224 via the ink supply control unit 209 and makes the determination. In S806, if it is determined that fixed-rate ink tanks and limited-time ink tanks are installed, the print controller 202 issues a notification prompting the system to enter into a fixed-rate contract (S808). In S808, the print controller 202 requests the main controller 101 via the controller I / F 201 and the print engine I / F 105 to issue a notification prompting the system to enter into a fixed-rate contract, that is, to transition to a fixed-rate state. In response to the request, the main controller 101 issues a notification prompting the user to enter into a fixed-rate contract, using a configuration that includes a notification function, such as the host device 400 or the operation panel 104. In this embodiment, the configuration that includes a notification function, such as the host device 400 or the operation panel 104, functions as a notification means capable of notifying various types of information.

[0046] Next, the print controller 202 determines whether the first condition is met, that a sold-out ink tank is installed for the K ink and the color mode is set to monochrome (S810). The non-volatile memory 225 of the ink tank 224 stores the ink tank information along with annotated information, including information about the ink color. Therefore, in S810, the print controller 202 obtains the annotated information for each ink tank 224 via the ink supply control unit 209 to identify the K ink tank 224. Then, it obtains the ink tank information of the identified ink tank 224 and determines whether it is a sold-out ink tank. In addition, the print job has either monochrome or color set as the color mode. Therefore, in S810, the print controller 202 refers to the color mode setting of the print job and determines whether the color mode is set to "monochrome". Thus, in this embodiment, the print controller 202 functions as an acquisition means for obtaining the set color mode and as an acquisition means for obtaining the type of ink tank corresponding to the contract status.

[0047] In S810, if it is determined that the first condition is met—that a sold-out ink tank is installed for the K ink and the color mode setting is monochrome—the process proceeds to S804, where recording based on the print job is performed. In other words, recording based on the print job is permitted. If it is determined in S810 that the first condition is not met, it is determined whether the second condition is met—that a sold-out ink tank is installed for the C ink, M ink, and Y ink, and the color mode setting is color (S812). In S812, the print controller 202 obtains the assigned information for each ink tank 224 via the ink supply control unit 209 to identify the respective ink tanks 224 for C ink, M ink, and Y ink. The print controller 202 then obtains the ink tank information for each ink tank 224 identified via the ink supply control unit 209 and determines whether each ink tank 224 is a sold-out ink tank. It also refers to the color mode setting of the print job to determine whether the color mode setting is "color".

[0048] In S812, if it is determined that the second condition is met—that the C ink, M ink, and Y ink are each equipped with a one-time purchase ink cartridge and the color mode is set to color—the process proceeds to S804, and recording based on the print job is performed. In other words, recording based on the print job is permitted. If it is determined in S812 that the second condition is not met, the print controller 202 notifies that it cannot perform recording based on the input print job (S814), and terminates this recording process. In other words, recording based on the print job is restricted. In S814, the print controller 202 requests the main controller 101 via the controller I / F 201 and print engine I / F 105 to notify that it cannot perform recording based on the input print job. In response to this request, the main controller 101, in a configuration equipped with a notification function such as the operation panel 104, notifies that it cannot perform recording based on the input print job.

[0049] Thus, in this embodiment, the print controller 202 functions as a recording control means that controls recording by allowing or restricting recording based on the contract status, the set color mode, and the type of ink tank 224.

[0050] On the other hand, if it is determined in S806 that the condition that both fixed-price ink tanks and limited-time ink tanks are installed is not met, it is determined that only one type of ink tank is installed. The print controller 202 then determines whether all installed ink tanks are fixed-price ink tanks or not (S816). If it is determined in S816 that all installed ink tanks are fixed-price ink tanks, it issues a notification prompting the replacement of the installed ink tanks with fixed-price ink tanks (S818) and proceeds to S814. In S818, the print controller 202 requests the main controller 101 to issue a notification prompting the replacement of the fixed-price ink tanks installed in the ink tank unit 14 with limited-time ink tanks. In response to this request, the main controller 101 issues a notification prompting the replacement with limited-time ink tanks in a configuration equipped with a notification function such as an operation panel 104.

[0051] Furthermore, in S816, if it is determined that all installed ink tanks are not fixed-price ink tanks, that is, all are sold-out ink tanks, a notification is issued prompting the user to enter into a fixed-price contract (S820). Then, the print controller 202 performs recording based on the print job (S822) and terminates this recording process. The specific processing content of S820 is the same as that of S808, and the specific processing content of S822 is the same as that of S804.

[0052] As explained above, the recording system 310 periodically updates the contract status of the recording device 1. Before recording, the recording device 1 allows limited recording in a non-fixed-rate state, even if a fixed-rate ink tank is installed, based on the contract status, color mode, and type of ink tank 224. Specifically, in a non-fixed-rate state, if the ink tank corresponding to the ink used for recording in the set color mode is a sold-out ink tank, recording is allowed even if the ink tanks corresponding to other inks are fixed-rate ink tanks. Furthermore, if the above conditions are not met, recording is restricted.

[0053] As a result, the recording system 310 no longer needs to replace all inks with corresponding ink tanks 224 when the contract status is changed from a fixed-rate state to a non-fixed-rate state. Therefore, the burden on the user when recording after a contract status change is reduced. In addition, recording can be performed with the minimum necessary ink tank 224 replacement, improving user convenience.

[0054] (Second Embodiment) Next, a recording device according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 9. In the following description, components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the recording device according to the first embodiment described above will be referred to with the same reference numerals as those used in the first embodiment, and their detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0055] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that, when the system is not in a fixed-price state and both a fixed-price ink tank and a limited-time ink tank are installed, recording is restricted if the system has not previously installed a fixed-price ink tank in a fixed-price state.

[0056] In this embodiment, the print controller 202 stores ink tank information acquired via the ink supply control unit 209, that is, the type of ink tank corresponding to the contract information (fixed-price ink tank, sold-out ink tank) and the assigned information, in a storage area such as ROM 203. The stored information is retained as a history of the types of ink tanks that have been installed in the past. In this embodiment, the storage area such as ROM 203 functions as a retention means for retaining the history of the types of ink tanks that have been installed in the past.

[0057] Figure 9 is a flowchart detailing the recording process in the recording device according to the second embodiment. The series of processes shown in the flowchart of Figure 9 are performed by the print controller 202 loading the program code stored in the ROM 203 into the RAM 204 and executing it. Alternatively, some or all of the functions of the steps in Figure 9 may be performed by hardware such as an ASIC or electrical circuit.

[0058] When the recording process begins, the print controller 202 first determines whether the contract status is fixed-rate (S902). If it is determined in S902 that the contract status is fixed-rate, the print controller 202 performs recording based on the print job (S904) and then terminates the recording process. If it is determined in S902 that the contract status is not fixed-rate, the print controller 202 determines whether the ink tank unit 14 is equipped with fixed-rate ink tanks and sold-out ink tanks (S906). The specific processing details for S902, S904, and S906 are the same as those for S802, S804, and S806, respectively.

[0059] In S906, if it is determined that both a fixed-price ink tank and a limited-time ink tank are installed, it is determined whether the third condition, that a fixed-price ink tank was installed in the past under a fixed-price condition, is met (S908). In S908, the print controller 202 makes the determination by referring to the history of previously installed ink tank types stored in a memory area such as the ROM 203.

[0060] If, in S908, it is determined that the third condition, that a fixed-rate ink tank was previously installed under a fixed-rate agreement, is not met, the print controller 202 issues a notification prompting the user to enter into a fixed-rate contract (S910), and proceeds to S918, which will be described later. If, in S908, it is determined that the third condition is met, the print controller 202 issues a notification prompting the user to enter into a fixed-rate contract (S912). The specific processing details of S910 and S912 are the same as those of S808.

[0061] Subsequently, the print controller 202 determines whether the first condition is met, namely that a sold-out ink tank is installed for the K ink and the color mode is set to monochrome (S914). If the first condition is met in S914, the process proceeds to S904. If the first condition is not met in S914, the process proceeds to determine whether the second condition is met, namely that a sold-out ink tank is installed for the C ink, M ink, and Y ink, and the color mode is set to color (S916). If the second condition is met in S916, the process proceeds to S904. If the second condition is not met in S916, the print controller 202 notifies that it cannot perform recording based on the input print job (S918) and terminates this recording process. The specific processing details from S914 to S916 are the same as those described in S808 to S812 above.

[0062] Furthermore, if it is determined in S906 that the condition of having both fixed-price ink tanks and sold-out ink tanks installed is not met, it is determined that only one of the ink tanks is installed. The print controller 202 then determines whether all installed ink tanks are fixed-price ink tanks or not (S920). If it is determined in S920 that all installed ink tanks are fixed-price ink tanks, it issues a notification prompting the user to replace the installed ink tanks with fixed-price ink tanks (S922) and proceeds to S918.

[0063] Furthermore, in S920, if it is determined that all installed ink tanks are not fixed-price ink tanks, i.e., all are sold-out ink tanks, a notification is issued prompting the user to enter into a fixed-price contract (S924). Then, the print controller 202 performs recording based on the print job (S926) and terminates this recording process. The specific processing details from S920 to S926 are the same as those from S816 to S822.

[0064] As described above, in the recording system 310 of this embodiment, in addition to the configuration of the recording system 310 of the first embodiment, a history of the types of ink tanks that have been installed in the past is created in the storage area. Then, it is determined whether or not the third condition, that a fixed-rate ink tank was installed in the past under a fixed-rate contract, is met, and when the third condition is met, the permission and restriction of recording are controlled based on the first and second conditions. This makes it possible to restrict the use of fixed-rate ink tanks whose acquisition route is unknown in a recording device that has never installed a fixed-rate ink tank under a fixed-rate contract, that is, has never received a fixed-rate service. Therefore, in this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, it becomes possible to suppress the fraudulent use of fixed-rate ink tanks.

[0065] (Other embodiments) The embodiments described above may be modified as shown in (1) to (8) below.

[0066] (1) In the above embodiment, if it is determined that the second condition is not met, a notification is given that it is not possible to perform recording based on the input print job, and the recording process is terminated. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, after giving the above notification, a notification is given prompting the user to replace the ink tank 224 used for recording in color mode in the print job with a sold-out ink tank. Once the replacement with the sold-out ink tank is completed, the process returns to determining whether or not the user is in a fixed-price state, and the subsequent processes are executed.

[0067] (2) In the above embodiment, when the color mode is set to "monochrome," recording is performed when the K ink tank is a sold-out ink tank, but it is not limited to this. It is also possible to represent and record "monochrome" with C ink, M ink, and Y ink. Therefore, when the color mode is set to "monochrome," recording may be performed not only when the K ink tank is a sold-out ink tank, but also when the C ink, M ink, and Y ink tanks are each sold out ink tanks.

[0068] (3) In the above embodiment, in a non-fixed-rate state, if the ink tank used for recording in the set color mode is a sold-out ink tank, recording is permitted even if the ink tanks for other inks are fixed-rate ink tanks, but the system is not limited to this. Note that sold-out ink tanks can be used in both non-fixed-rate and fixed-rate contract states. For this reason, in a fixed-rate state, if the ink tank used for recording in the set color mode is a fixed-rate ink tank, recording may be permitted, and if it is a sold-out ink tank, the system may recommend replacing it with a fixed-rate ink tank.

[0069] (4) In the above embodiment, the recording device 1 is configured to be able to be equipped with a fixed-rate ink tank that can be used only when the contract is in a fixed-rate state, and a limited-time ink tank that can be used when the contract is in a fixed-rate state or a non-fixed-rate state, but it is not limited to this. For example, it may be configured to be able to be equipped with a fixed-rate ink tank, a limited-time ink tank, and a predetermined ink tank that can be used only when the contract is in a non-fixed-rate state. Alternatively, as a configuration in which the contract state is a predetermined state that is neither a fixed-rate state nor a non-fixed-rate state, in addition to the fixed-rate ink tank and the limited-time ink tank, it may be configured to be able to be equipped with a specific ink tank that corresponds only to the predetermined state. In this case, in the recording process, first, it is determined what kind of contract state it is. Then, recording is permitted only if the ink tank filled with the ink used for recording the set color mode is the type of ink tank that corresponds to the contract state.

[0070] (5) Although not specifically described in the above embodiments, in the recording process, when the non-fixed-rate state is reached, the system may be configured to allow and restrict recording, as in the above embodiments, and to allow and restrict recording, respectively. In the mode in which recording is not allowed or restricted, as in the above embodiments, for example, when the non-fixed-rate state is reached, if there is at least one fixed-rate ink tank installed in the ink tank unit 14, recording is restricted. Furthermore, the setting of such modes may be performed using an input mechanism such as the operation panel 104, or it may be set in the print job.

[0071] (6) In the second embodiment described above, when determining in S908 whether or not a fixed-price ink tank was installed in the past under a fixed-price condition, the history of the types of ink tanks installed in the past is referred to, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, each time the contract state stored in the non-volatile memory 222 is updated to a new contract state, the contract state before the update is added, and the history of past contract states is maintained in a storage area such as the non-volatile memory 222. Then, the determination of whether or not a fixed-price ink tank was installed in the past under a fixed-price condition may be made based on the history of past contract states in the storage area. Alternatively, the determination may be made based on both the history of the types of ink tanks installed in the past and the history of past contract states. In other words, if there is a fixed-price condition in the history of past contract states and there is a fixed-price ink tank in the history of the types of ink tanks installed in the past, it is determined that a fixed-price ink tank was installed in the past under a fixed-price condition.

[0072] Furthermore, if the history of previously installed ink tanks includes a fixed-price ink tank, the system may determine whether or not that fixed-price ink tank has been attached to or detached from the ink tank unit 14 after transitioning to a non-fixed-price state. In this case, the print controller 202 monitors whether or not a fixed-price ink tank has been attached to or detached after transitioning to a non-fixed-price state, based on ink tank information and assigned information obtained via the ink supply control unit 209, and retains the history of such attachment and detachment. If there has been no attachment or detachment of a fixed-price ink tank, the system proceeds to S912. If there has been an attachment or detachment of a fixed-price ink tank, the system proceeds to S910, and recording is restricted. As a result, even in recording device 1 with a past fixed-price contract, illegally acquired fixed-price ink tanks cannot be used.

[0073] (7) In the above embodiment, the main controller 101 and print controller 202 of the recording device 1 control the permission and restriction of recording, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, an external device such as a general-purpose personal computer may be connected to the recording device 1, and the permission and restriction of recording may be controlled by the external device. Also, in the above embodiment, the recording device 1 is a recording device that uses ink for recording, and an ink tank filled with ink as a recording material is used as a consumable, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. For example, the recording device may use toner for recording, and a toner cartridge filled with toner as a recording material may be used as a consumable.

[0074] (8) The above embodiments and the various forms shown in (1) to (7) above may be combined as appropriate. The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of the system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more functions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1. Recording device 101 Main Controller 202 Print Controller

Claims

1. A recording device having multiple consumables filled with recording materials of different colors that can be attached and detached, which, when a contract for a predetermined service is made, performs recording using the recording material filled in the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, and when a contract for the predetermined service is not made, controls the device to prevent recording using the recording material filled in the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, thereby performing recording using recording material filled in a consumable of a different type than the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, A first acquisition means for acquiring information indicating whether or not the person has contracted for the aforementioned specified service, A second acquisition means for obtaining the color or monochrome setting set for the input print job, A third acquisition means for acquiring the types of multiple consumables attached to the recording device, A recording device characterized by having recording control means that, if the information acquired by the first acquisition means indicates that the user is not subscribed to the predetermined service, and the type of consumable corresponding to the color used to record the print job based on the settings acquired by the second acquisition means is a different type of consumable from the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, allows recording based on the print job even if the type of consumable corresponding to the color not used to record the print job is the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service.

2. The recording device according to claim 1, wherein the recording control means restricts recording based on the print job when the information acquired by the first acquisition means indicates that the contract is not for the predetermined service, and the type of consumable corresponding to at least one color used for recording the print job based on the setting acquired by the second acquisition means is a consumable corresponding to the predetermined service.

3. The system further includes a holding means for holding a first history, which is a history of the information acquired by the first acquisition means. The recording control means is characterized in that, if it is determined based on the first history that there is a history of having previously subscribed to the predetermined service, and the information acquired by the first acquisition means indicates that there is no contract for the predetermined service, and the type of consumable corresponding to the color used to record the print job based on the setting acquired by the second acquisition means is a different type of consumable from the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, then even if the type of consumable corresponding to the color not used to record the print job is the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, the recording device according to claim 1 is characterized in that the recording control means determines based on the first history that there is a history of having previously subscribed to the predetermined service, and the information acquired by the first acquisition means indicates that there is no contract for the predetermined service, and the type of consumable corresponding to the color not used to record the print job is the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, then the recording device according to claim 1 is characterized in that the recording control means allows recording based on the print job.

4. The holding means further holds a second history, which is a history of the types of the plurality of consumables acquired by the third acquisition means. The recording control means determines, based on the first history and the second history, that a consumable corresponding to the predetermined service was installed while the predetermined service was previously contracted, and the information acquired by the first acquisition means indicates that the predetermined service is not contracted, and based on the settings acquired by the second acquisition means, the type of consumable corresponding to the color used to record the print job is a different type of consumable from the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, and even if the type of consumable corresponding to the color not used to record the print job is the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, the recording device according to claim 3, wherein the recording control means determines, based on the first history and the second history, that a consumable corresponding to the predetermined service was installed while the predetermined service was previously contracted, and the information acquired by the first acquisition means indicates that the predetermined service is not contracted, and the type of consumable corresponding to the color used to record the print job is a different type of consumable from the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, the recording device according to claim 3, wherein the recording control means allows recording based on the print job.

5. The retaining means further retains a third history, which is a history of the attachment and detachment of consumables corresponding to the predetermined service. The recording control means determines, based on the first history and the second history, that consumables corresponding to the predetermined service were installed while the predetermined service was previously contracted, and based on the third history, that the consumables corresponding to the predetermined service have not been attached or detached after the state in which the predetermined service is not contracted, and the information acquired by the first acquisition means indicates that the predetermined service is not contracted, and based on the settings acquired by the second acquisition means, the type of consumables corresponding to the color used to record the print job is a different type of consumable from the consumables corresponding to the predetermined service, and even if the type of consumables corresponding to the color not used to record the print job is the consumables corresponding to the predetermined service, the recording device according to claim 4, wherein the recording control means allows recording based on the print job.

6. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the aforementioned specified service is a fixed-rate contract service in which no costs are incurred for consumables by paying a fixed fee at regular intervals.

7. The information indicating whether or not a contract has been made for the specified service includes the contract start date and end date and the contract end date for the specified service. The recording device according to claim 6, characterized in that, starting from the timing of recording, it is determined that the user is subscribed to the specified service only when the contract start date and time is in the past and the contract end date and time is in the future, and when the contract start date and time is in the past and the contract end date and time is undetermined.

8. The recording device is connected to a management device that manages the predetermined service, The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first acquisition means acquires the information from the management device periodically or based on an update instruction.

9. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, if the information acquired by the first acquisition means indicates that the user is not subscribed to the predetermined service, and the type of consumable corresponding to the color used to record the print job based on the settings acquired by the second acquisition means is a different type of consumable from the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, even if the type of consumable corresponding to the color not used to record the print job is the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, the recording device can select a mode in which it performs recording control that allows recording based on the print job, and a mode in which it does not perform such recording control.

10. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the plurality of consumables are ink tanks or toner cartridges.

11. It also has a notification means capable of notifying various types of information, The recording device according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the notification means makes a notification prompting the user to subscribe to the predetermined service when the information acquired by the first acquisition means indicates that the user is not subscribed to the predetermined service, and when it is determined that the user was previously subscribed to the predetermined service and consumables corresponding to the predetermined service are not installed.

12. A recording device in which multiple consumables filled with recording materials of different colors are removable, and when a contract for a predetermined service is made, recording is performed using the recording material filled in the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, and when a contract for the predetermined service is not made, the device controls the device so that recording is not performed using the recording material filled in the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, and recording is performed using recording material filled in a consumable of a different type than the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, wherein multiple consumables filled with recording materials of different colors are removable, and a recording method is performed. A first acquisition step of acquiring information indicating whether or not the person has contracted for the aforementioned specified service, A second acquisition step involves obtaining the color or monochrome setting configured for the input print job. A third acquisition step involves acquiring the types of multiple consumables attached to the recording device, A recording method characterized by comprising: a recording control step that, if the information obtained in the first acquisition step indicates that the user is not subscribed to the predetermined service, and the type of consumable corresponding to the color used to record the print job based on the settings obtained in the second acquisition step is a different type of consumable from the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service, allows recording based on the print job even if the type of consumable corresponding to the color not used to record the print job is the consumable corresponding to the predetermined service.

13. A recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The recording device has a management device that manages information indicating whether or not it has a contract for the predetermined service, The recording system is characterized in that the recording device acquires the information from the management device.

14. A program for causing a computer to execute the recording method of claim 12.

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