Information processing program and printing system

Abstract

To transmit information on the remaining amount of a printing consumable material of a printer to a service management server without requiring a complicated system configuration for connecting the printer to multiple networks.SOLUTION: A mobile terminal 300 is capable of communicating with a printer 200 and a service management server 100 that are operable based on a contract of a delivery service. The mobile terminal 300 is configured to execute the processes of steps S20 and S25 for acquiring server communication state information indicating whether the service management server 100 is in a normal state in which information transmission / reception with the printer 200 is possible or in an interrupted state in which information transmission / reception with the printer 200 is impossible, the processes of steps S40 and S45 for acquiring consumable remaining quantity information in the printer 200 from the printer 200, and the process of a step S50 for transmitting the acquired consumable remaining quantity information to the service management server 100 when server communication state information indicating the interrupted state is acquired.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing program and a printing system that perform processing in relation to a delivery service contract for printing consumables used in a printing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] For example, as described in Patent Document 1, by configuring an image forming apparatus to be connectable to a plurality of networks, when a communication failure occurs between the image forming apparatus and a management server, the network is switched and the information of the image forming apparatus is transmitted to the management server. A technology has been disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, there is a problem that a complicated system configuration for making an image forming apparatus connectable to a plurality of networks is required in advance.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing program and a printing system that can transmit the remaining amount information of printing consumables of a printing apparatus to a service management server without requiring a complicated system configuration for connecting the printing apparatus to a plurality of networks.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an information processing program for a terminal device capable of communicating with a printing apparatus and a service management server. The printing apparatus includes a printing unit that prints an image on a printing medium using printing consumables, and a communication unit capable of communicating with the service management server that manages a delivery service of the printing consumables. The terminal device is capable of communicating with the printing apparatus and the service management server that can operate based on a contract for the delivery service. The information processing program causes an arithmetic unit of the terminal device to execute a state information acquisition process of acquiring communication state information indicating whether the service management server is in a normal state where information can be transmitted and received with the communication unit of the printing apparatus or in an interrupted state where information cannot be transmitted and received with the communication unit, a remaining amount acquisition process of acquiring remaining amount information of the printing consumables in the printing apparatus from the printing apparatus, and a remaining amount transmission process of transmitting the remaining amount information of the printing consumables acquired in the remaining amount acquisition process to the service management server when the communication state information indicating the interrupted state is acquired in the state information acquisition process.

[0007] When the information processing program of the present invention is executed by the arithmetic unit, the state information acquisition process, the remaining amount acquisition process, and the remaining amount transmission process are performed in the terminal device. In the state information acquisition process, communication state information is acquired. The communication state information indicates whether the service management server is in a normal state where information can be transmitted and received with the printing apparatus or in an interrupted state where information cannot be transmitted and received. In the remaining amount acquisition process, remaining amount information of the printing consumables in the printing apparatus is acquired from the printing apparatus. In the remaining amount transmission process, when the communication state information indicates the interrupted state, the remaining amount information of the printing consumables acquired from the printing apparatus in the remaining amount acquisition process is transmitted to the service management server.

[0008] In the present invention, when a communication failure occurs between a printing device and a service management server, the remaining amount information of printing consumables is transmitted along the path of printing device → terminal device → service management server in a mode relayed by the terminal device originally connected to the printing device. According to the present invention, it is possible to transmit the remaining amount information of the printing consumables of the printing device to the service management server without requiring a complicated system configuration for connecting the printing device to a plurality of networks.

[0009] Further, the present invention is premised on the fact that order management of printing consumables is performed on the service management server side, and does not perform order management of printing consumables on the user side. Correspondingly, the information sent to the service management server is not an order instruction for printing consumables from the user, but the remaining amount information of the printing consumables in the printing device. Therefore, by using the remaining amount of the printing consumables obtained by the service management server from the printing device before the communication failure and the remaining amount of the printing consumables newly obtained through the above path during the communication failure, there is also an effect that the delivery timing of the printing consumables can be accurately determined.

[0010] Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a printing system including a printing device operable based on a contract for a delivery service of printing consumables, a service management server for the delivery service, and a terminal device, wherein the service management server includes a state information acquisition unit that acquires communication state information indicating whether it is a normal state in which information can be transmitted and received with the printing device or an interrupted state in which information transmission and reception are impossible, a remaining amount acquisition unit that acquires the remaining amount information of the printing consumables in the printing device from the printing device, and a remaining amount transmission unit that transmits the remaining amount information of the printing consumables acquired by the remaining amount acquisition unit to the service management server when the communication state information indicating the interrupted state is acquired by the state information acquisition unit.

[0011] The printing system of the present invention includes a status information acquisition unit, a remaining amount acquisition unit, and a remaining amount transmission unit. The status information acquisition unit acquires communication status information. The communication status information indicates whether the service management server is in a normal state where information can be transmitted and received with the printing device or in a disconnected state where information transmission and reception are impossible. The remaining amount acquisition unit acquires the remaining amount information of the printing consumables in the printing device from the printing device. The remaining amount transmission unit transmits the remaining amount information of the printing consumables acquired by the remaining amount acquisition unit from the printing device to the service management server when the communication status information represents the disconnected state.

[0012] In the present invention, when a communication failure occurs between the printing device and the service management server, the remaining amount information of the printing consumables is transmitted through the path of printing device → remaining amount acquisition unit → remaining amount transmission unit → service management server. According to the present invention, it is possible to transmit the remaining amount information of the printing consumables of the printing device to the service management server without requiring a complicated system configuration for connecting the printing device to multiple networks.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to transmit the remaining amount information of the printing consumables of the printing device to the service management server without requiring a complicated system configuration for connecting the printing device to multiple networks.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] <Overview of the Printing Service Providing System> An example of the system configuration of a printing service providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The printing service providing system 1 provides a consumable automatic delivery service that automatically delivers the consumables to the user's delivery destination when the remaining amount of the consumables runs out during printing by the printer 200. In FIG. 1, the printing service providing system 1 includes a service management server 100, a printer 200, a mobile terminal 300, and a transaction server 400. These service management server 100, printer 200, mobile terminal 300, and transaction server 400 are connected to a network NT including a plurality of types of communication lines such as optical cables and mobile phone wireless communication lines, and can communicate with each other. Note that the printing service providing system 1 is an example of a printing system, the printer 200 is an example of a printing device, and the mobile terminal 300 is an example of a terminal device.

[0017] <Service Management Server> The service management server 100 is, for example, a server installed and managed by the manufacturer of the printer 200. As shown in FIG. 1, the service management server 100 has a processor 110, a storage device 115, and a communication interface 190. These processor 110, storage device 115, and communication interface 190 are connected to each other via a bus 105 so as to be able to transmit and receive data.

[0018] The storage device 115 includes a volatile storage device 120 and a non-volatile storage device 130. The volatile storage device 120 is, for example, a DRAM, and stores various programs and data to be processed. The non-volatile storage device 130 is, for example, a hard disk drive or a solid state drive, and has a program storage area 131 and a data storage area 132.

[0019] Various programs are stored in the program storage area 131. The various programs include a consumable automatic ordering program described later. In the data storage area 132, various information related to users who have contracted the prepaid printing service and various information related to the printer 200 in use, including the consumable remaining amount information described later, are stored.

[0020] The processor 110 is a device that performs data processing, such as a CPU, and executes various programs including the consumable automatic ordering program stored in the program storage area 131. The processor 110 performs various processes including data communication with the mobile terminal 300, the printer 200, and the trading server 400 connected to the network NT. The processor 110 executes automatic ordering of consumables by the printing service providing system 1 of the present embodiment.

[0021] The communication interface 190 is a wired LAN interface or a wireless interface for communicating with other devices, and is connected to the network NT.

[0022] Note that the memory device 115 is not limited to the configuration of the above-described device elements. For example, it may be configured by a RAM, a ROM, an EEPROM, an HDD, a removable recording medium such as a USB memory detachable from the service management server 100, a buffer provided in the processor 110, or a combination thereof. Note that the memory device 115 may be a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium is a non-transitory medium. Non-transitory media include, in addition to the above examples, recording media such as CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs. Also, non-transitory media are tangible media. The same applies to the memory device 215 of the printer 200 described later.

[0023] <Printer> The printer 200 is, for example, owned by a user who receives the above-described consumable automatic delivery service. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 200 includes a processor 210, a memory device 215, a display unit 240, an operation unit 250, various sensors 260, a communication interface 270, and a printing unit 290. These processor 210, memory device 215, display unit 240, operation unit 250, various sensors 260, communication interface 270, and printing unit 290 are connected to each other via a bus 205 so as to be able to transmit and receive data.

[0024] The memory device 215 includes a volatile memory device 220 and a non-volatile memory device 230. The volatile memory device 220 is, for example, a DRAM, and includes an image data storage area 221 for storing image data to be printed. The non-volatile memory device 230 is, for example, a flash memory, and includes a program storage area 232 and a data storage area 233. Various programs are stored in the program storage area 232 as firmware, for example. In the data storage area 233, various parameters related to printing, remaining amount information of consumables detected by various sensors 260 described later, and the like are stored.

[0025] The processor 210 is a device that performs data processing and is, for example, a CPU. The processor 210 executes various programs stored in the program storage area 232.

[0026] The display unit 240 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and can display various information. The operation unit 250 is a device that accepts operations by the user. The user can input various instructions into the printer 200 by operating the operation unit 250. The communication interface 270 is a wired or wireless network interface for communicating with other devices and is connected to the network NT.

[0027] The various sensors 260 are sensors for detecting the remaining amount status of various consumables inside the printer 200. For example, there are many sensors such as sensors for detecting the remaining amount of ink or toner in an ink cartridge or toner cartridge (not shown) and the remaining amount of paper in the paper feed tray.

[0028] The printing unit 290 takes out and conveys the paper in the paper feed tray by a conveyance mechanism (not shown), and prints an image on the conveyed paper in a predetermined manner. The printing method is not particularly limited, but for example, printing is performed by an inkjet method or a laser method. The printing unit 290 forms an image on the paper using, in particular, the ink of an ink cartridge or the toner of a toner cartridge (not shown) in response to a print job transmitted from the mobile terminal 300 or a print job generated by itself based on an operation at the operation unit 250. Note that the above paper is an example of a printing medium, the communication interface 270 is an example of a communication unit, and consumables such as ink, toner, and paper are examples of printing consumables.

[0029] <Mobile Terminal> An example of the system configuration of the mobile terminal 300 is shown in FIG. 2. The mobile terminal 300 is a portable terminal such as a smartphone owned by a user, and is connected to the network NT via wireless communication. As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal 300 includes a CPU 310, a memory 320, a communication control unit 330 for connecting to the network NT via wireless communication, a touch panel 340, and a mass storage device 350.

[0030] The mass storage device 350 is, for example, a flash memory, and includes a program storage area 351 and a data storage area 352. In the program storage area 351, various programs such as the program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9 described later are stored as applications, for example. The CPU 310 executes various programs stored in the program storage area 351. The CPU 310 executes various processes including data communication with the service management server 100 connected to the network NT. In the data storage area 352, identification information such as a user ID and a printer ID corresponding to the mobile terminal 300 issued based on the above program or the above printing service, and access information such as a URL and an IP address for accessing the service management server 100 are stored. Note that the mass storage device 350 is an example of a storage unit, and the CPU 310 and the program stored in the program storage area 351 are examples of an arithmetic unit.

[0031] The mobile terminal 300 also uses a touch panel 340 that integrally combines a liquid crystal display and a touch pad to display various information and receive various operations by the user. The user can input various instructions to the mobile terminal 300 by operating the touch panel 340.

[0032] Note that, instead of the portable terminal, other information terminals such as a tablet computer or a desktop PC may be used as the mobile terminal 300.

[0033] <Transaction Server> As shown in FIG. 1, the transaction server 400 is a server for performing online settlement via the network NW. The transaction server 400 has a processor, a storage device, and a communication interface for connecting to the network NT (not shown).

[0034] <Consumable Automatic Delivery Service> FIG. 3 shows a specific example of the consumable automatic delivery service provided by the printing service providing system 1 of the present embodiment during normal use.

[0035] In the present embodiment, the consumable automatic delivery service is a service that automatically delivers a predetermined consumable to the delivery destination of a user when the remaining amount of a specific consumable runs out during printing by the printer 200, for a user who has previously concluded a delivery contract for consumables with a service providing company. For this reason, the printer 200, while executing printing while consuming consumables such as ink and paper for a print job instructed by the user via, for example, the mobile terminal 300, constantly monitors the remaining amount of specific consumables such as ink and paper via the various sensors 280. Then, the service management server 100 periodically transmits a command to request the printer 200 for consumable remaining amount information summarizing the detected remaining amount of specific consumables via the network NT at a predetermined interval, and the printer 200 that has received this returns the consumable remaining amount information at that time.

[0036] The consumable automatic ordering program executed by the service management server 100 places an order with the distribution center 600 for consumables for which a shortage is predicted to occur soon or for which a shortage has already been detected based on the acquired consumable remaining amount information, and the consumables are delivered to the user's delivery destination via a delivery company. Then, by the user himself / herself replenishing and replacing the delivered consumables, the printer 200 can continue to be in a printable state. In this way, in the consumable automatic delivery service, since the consumables are automatically delivered to the location (delivery destination) such as the user's home when the consumables run out, the trouble of the user purchasing them at a store or through online shopping can be omitted, so the convenience is high.

[0037] Furthermore, in the consumable automatic delivery service, the consumable automatic ordering program of the service management server 100 can appropriately adjust the ordering timing to the delivery center 600 so as to more effectively replenish and replace consumables for the printer 200. As a specific example, for instance, when the consumable is ink, an optimization method for the ink ordering timing based on the prediction of the ink shortage period as shown in FIG. 4 has been proposed. Note that the ordering timing is an example of the delivery timing.

[0038] Specifically, assume a configuration in which an ink cartridge storing ink as a consumable is mounted on the printer 200, and this ink is once stored in an ink tank provided on the printer 200 main body side and then circulated to the print head (the above is not shown in the figure). In such a configuration, the ratio of the total ink remaining amount in the ink cartridge and in the ink tank (the value on the vertical axis in the figure) starts to decrease from 100% at the initial mounting to the first printing use time T1, becomes the CTG shortage remaining amount ratio (%) at the time when the cartridge runs out first, and finally becomes 0% when the ink tank runs out.

[0039] Here, in the general usage form of the printer 200, it is assumed that the total remaining amount ratio decreases approximately linearly between P1% at the first printing use time T1 and 0% at the time of ink tank shortage. Therefore, regarding the total remaining amount ratio of the cartridge remaining amount and the ink tank remaining amount, the change over time of the total remaining amount ratio can be approximately derived as a function such as a linear function based on the measurement points obtained at a predetermined cycle from P1% at the printing use time T1 to P2% at the current date and time. Then, based on this linear function, the CTG shortage date corresponding to the CTG shortage remaining amount ratio (%) and the tank shortage date corresponding to 0% can be predicted. And the ink cartridge is ordered at the ordering date obtained by subtracting the period required for delivery so that it arrives at the user's delivery destination at a date in the middle of these CTG shortage dates and tank shortage dates.

[0040] As a result, it is possible to automatically place an order so that ink arrives between the predicted CTG depletion date and time and the tank depletion date and time without waiting for the ink shortage to be actually detected by the ink cartridge or ink tank. As a result, when the user replaces the ink cartridge immediately when the ink arrives, the user can make the most of the remaining ink amount in the cartridge before replacement and minimize or avoid the period during which printing becomes impossible due to ink shortage. In order to realize the above automatic ordering process with high accuracy, it is important for the service management server 100 to acquire as many measurement points of the remaining ink amount in the printer 200 as possible at regular intervals so that a function for predicting the tank depletion date and time can be derived with as high accuracy as possible.

[0041] <Information transmission / reception mode during communication failure> However, for example, due to causes such as accidents or maintenance in a wired communication line, or malfunctions of specific devices, a communication failure may occur between the service management server 100 and the printer 200. Therefore, if the service management server 100 cannot acquire the consumable remaining amount information from the printer 200 even for a certain period, the processing accuracy of automatic ordering by the above-described consumable automatic ordering program will be reduced.

[0042] On the other hand, in the printing service providing system 1 according to the example of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the mobile terminal 300 periodically accesses the service management server 100 directly in a process separate from the transmission of the printing job and requests the server communication state information. This is because the mobile terminal 300 is connected to the network NT via a wireless telephone line and has a different connection path from the printer 200, so the mobile terminal 300 may be able to connect to the service management server 100 regardless of the above communication failure. The server communication state information in the present embodiment is information indicating whether the service management server 100 is in a normal state where information transmission and reception with the printer 200 that is the contract target is possible, or in a disconnected state where information transmission and reception is impossible.

[0043] When a communication failure occurs between the service management server 100 and the printer 200, the mobile terminal 300 will obtain communication interruption status information from the service management server 100. In this case, the mobile terminal 300 will obtain the remaining amount information of the printer 200's consumables on behalf of the service management server 100 and send it to the service management server 100. That is, the mobile terminal 300 requests the remaining amount information of the consumables from the printer 200, and the printer 200 responds to it and returns the remaining amount information of the consumables to the mobile terminal 300 which is the requester. The mobile terminal 300 directly sends the received remaining amount information of the consumables to the service management server 100, so that the service management server 100 can obtain the remaining amount information of the printer 200's consumables almost without interruption, and the processing accuracy of the automatic ordering of the above consumables by the consumables automatic ordering program can be maintained.

[0044] <Control Procedure> To realize the above processing in this embodiment, an example of the control procedure executed by the CPU 310 of the mobile terminal 300 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6. When an application program for using the printing service providing system 1 is started on the mobile terminal 300, the flow in FIG. 6 starts, and thereafter, it is continuously executed as a separate back-end process from the processing of the print job that can be operated by the user.

[0045] First, in step S5, a timer linked to a timing function (not particularly shown) of the mobile terminal 300 is reset.

[0046] Proceed to step S10 to determine whether the timing content of the timer has reached a predetermined check cycle, in other words, whether it is the timing for the mobile terminal 300 to periodically check the communication status of the service management server 100. If the timing content of the timer has not reached the check cycle, the determination is not satisfied (S10: NO), and the process proceeds to step S15.

[0047] In step S15, it is determined whether a predetermined operation for the user to end the periodic check process has been input via the touch panel 340. If an end operation has been input, the determination is satisfied (S15: YES), and this flow ends. On the other hand, if no end operation has been input, the determination is not satisfied (S15: NO), and the process returns to step S10.

[0048] On the other hand, in the determination of step S10 above, if the timing content of the timer has reached the check period, the determination is satisfied (S10: YES), and the process proceeds to step S20. In step S20, a command to request server communication status information is sent to the service management server 100, for example, in the form of an inquiry signal. This inquiry signal includes information for identifying the printer 200 or user information associated with the printer 200, etc., and server communication status information indicating the communication status with the printer 200 specified by the service management server 100 is prepared. Then, in the next step S25, the server communication status information returned in response to the above inquiry signal is received from the service management server 100. At this time, the CPU 310 of the mobile terminal 300 may access the service management server 100 based on the access information stored in advance in the data storage area 352. In the next step S30, it is determined whether the content of the received server communication status information represents a communication interruption state. If it is not in a communication interruption state but in a normal communication state, the determination is not satisfied (S30: NO). After resetting the timer in the next step S35, the process proceeds to step S15.

[0049] On the other hand, if the content of the received server communication status information represents a communication interruption state, the determination is satisfied (S30: YES), and the process proceeds to step S40. In step S40, a command to request consumable remaining amount information is sent to the printer 200, and in the next step S45, the consumable remaining amount information returned in response from the printer 200 is received. Next, in step S50, the received consumable remaining amount information is directly sent to the service management server 100, and the process proceeds to step S35.

[0050] Through the above processing, the mobile terminal 300 can periodically monitor the communication state between the service management server 100 and the printer 200, and acquire and transmit the remaining amount information of the consumables of the printer 200 on behalf of the service management server 100 while the communication between them is interrupted.

[0051] Note that, in the above, the entire control procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 is an example of an information processing program, steps S20 and S25 are examples of a state information acquisition process and a state information acquisition unit, steps S40 and S45 are examples of a remaining amount acquisition process and a remaining amount acquisition unit, and step S50 is an example of a remaining amount transmission process and a remaining amount transmission unit.

[0052] <Effects of the Embodiment> As described above, in the mobile terminal 300 included in the print service providing system 1 of the present embodiment, the control procedure of the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 is executed by the CPU 310, so that the processes of steps S20 and S25, the processes of steps S40 and S45, and the process of step S50 are executed. In the processes of steps S20 and S25, server communication state information is acquired. The server communication state information indicates whether the service management server 100 is in a normal state where information can be transmitted and received with the printer 200 or in an interrupted state where information transmission and reception are impossible. In the processes of steps S40 and S45, the remaining amount information of the consumables in the printer 200 is acquired from the printer 200. In the process of step S50, when the server communication state information represents the interrupted state, the remaining amount information of the consumables acquired from the printer 200 is transmitted to the service management server 100.

[0053] In this embodiment, when a communication failure occurs between the printer 200 and the service management server 100, the remaining amount information of consumables is transmitted along the path of printer 200 → mobile terminal 300 → service management server 100 in a mode relayed by the mobile terminal 300 originally connected to the printer 200. According to this embodiment, it is possible to transmit the remaining amount information of the consumables of the printer 200 to the service management server 10 without requiring a complex system configuration in which the printer 200 is connected to a plurality of networks.

[0054] Further, this embodiment is premised on the fact that the order management of consumables is performed on the service management server 100 side, and does not perform the order management of consumables on the user side. Correspondingly, the information sent to the service management server 100 is not an order instruction for consumables from the user, but the remaining amount information of the consumables in the printer 200. Therefore, by using the remaining amount information of the consumables that the service management server 100 obtained from the printer 200 before the communication failure and the remaining amount information of the consumables newly obtained through the above path during the communication failure, there is also an effect that the delivery timing of the consumables can be accurately determined.

[0055] In particular, in this embodiment, in the processes of steps S20 and S25, server communication status information is obtained from the response status of the service management server 100 to the inquiry signal sent to the service management server 100. Thereby, by the mobile terminal 300 outputting an inquiry signal to the service management server 100, the server communication status information can be obtained by itself.

[0056] In particular, in this embodiment, in the processes of steps S20 and S25, the server communication status information is obtained at predetermined intervals. Thereby, the latest server communication status information can be automatically obtained at predetermined intervals, and the communication status of the service management server 100 can be checked at appropriate time intervals.

[0057] In particular, in this embodiment, the mobile terminal 300 stores in advance the access information of the service management server 100 in the data storage area 352 of the mass storage device 350. In the process of step S50, the access information stored in the data storage area 352 is used to transmit the consumable remaining amount information to the service management server 100.

[0058] As described above, in this embodiment, the mobile terminal 300 is provided with the mass storage device 350, and the access information of the service management server 100 is stored in advance. By using the access information stored in the mass storage device 350 in the process of step S50, the consumable remaining amount information can be smoothly transmitted to the service management server 100.

[0059] In particular, in this embodiment, the service management server 100 executes a consumable automatic ordering program that determines the ordering timing of consumables based on the consumable remaining amount information transmitted from the mobile terminal 300 and the information on the delivery period, which is the period required for the delivery of consumables.

[0060] This embodiment is premised on the fact that the service management server 100 manages the ordering of consumables, and the user does not manage the ordering of consumables. Correspondingly, the information sent to the service management server 100 is not an instruction to order consumables from the user, but the remaining amount information of consumables in the printer 200. Then, the service management server 100 can determine the ordering timing of consumables based on the consumable remaining amount information transmitted from the mobile terminal 300 (or the printer 200) and the delivery period of consumables.

[0061] In particular, the service management server 100 can accurately determine the ordering timing of consumables by using the consumable remaining amount information obtained from the printer 200 before the occurrence of a communication failure and the consumable remaining amount information newly obtained through the above-mentioned path during the communication failure.

[0062] Note that the service management server 100 may determine whether to apply the consumable remaining amount information transmitted from the mobile terminal 300 based on predetermined determination material information. Thereby, when the service management server 100 acquires the consumable remaining amount information transmitted from the mobile terminal 300, it is possible to determine whether to adopt the consumable remaining amount information for the management of the consumables of the printer 200 based on the determination material information related to the consumable remaining amount information. According to the present embodiment, when the consumable remaining amount information transmitted from the mobile terminal 300 is inappropriate for the management of consumables, the consumable remaining amount information can be prevented from being adopted.

[0063] Further, as the above determination material information, at least one of the printer ID, which is the identification information of the printer 200 related to the consumable remaining amount information, and the acquisition date and time information of the consumable remaining amount information by the mobile terminal 300 (T1, T2 in FIG. 4 above) is included. Thereby, based on the printer ID of the printer 200 related to the consumable remaining amount information transmitted from the mobile terminal 300 to the service management server 100 and the acquisition date and time information of the consumable remaining amount information, it is possible to determine whether to adopt the consumable remaining amount information for the management of the consumables of the printer 200.

[0064] Thereby, for example, when the printer ID of the printer 200 related to the consumable remaining amount information is different from that of the printer 200 managed by the service management server 100, or when the acquisition date and time of the consumable remaining amount information is too old and exceeds the allowable range, the consumable remaining amount information can be not adopted.

[0065] Note that the acquisition of the server communication status information in the service management server 100 is not limited to being performed by the mobile terminal 300 itself. As shown in FIG. 7, the mobile terminal 300 may also acquire it from a health check server 500 provided separately. In this case, a health check server 500 having a communication function equivalent to that of the service management server 100 is connected to the mobile terminal 300 and the service management server 100 via the network NT. Then, when the mobile terminal 300 transmits a signal requesting the server communication status information of the service management server 100 to the health check server 500, the health check server 500 checks the communication status of the printer 200 of the service management server 100 in response thereto, and returns the server communication status information to the mobile terminal 300 according to the result. Note that this health check server 500 is an example of a communication monitoring server.

[0066] As described above, when a health check server for monitoring the external communication status in the service management server 100 is provided separately, the mobile terminal 300 can acquire the server communication status information from the health check server 500 in the processes of steps S20 and S25.

[0067] In addition to the mobile terminal 300 itself and the above-mentioned health check server 500, as shown in FIG. 8, the printer 200 may also acquire the server communication status information. In this case, the mobile terminal 300 periodically transmits a signal requesting the server communication status information to the printer 200. Then, in response to this, the printer 200 transmits a signal such as a so-called Ping to the service management server 200, and checks the communication status between the printer 200 and the service management server 100 from the response. Thereby, the printer 200 can return the server communication status information indicating whether information can be normally transmitted and received or is in an interrupted state between the printer 200 and the service management server 100 to the mobile terminal 300. Thereby, the printer 200 is configured to be able to detect the communication status with the service management server 100, and the mobile terminal 300 can acquire the server communication status information from the printer 200 in the processes of steps S20 and S25.

[0068] And as described above, when the mobile terminal 300 acquires server communication status information from the health check server 500 or the printer 200 itself, it may acquire access information for accessing the service management server 100 from these health check server 500 or printer 200. That is, the CPU 310 of the mobile terminal 300 is caused to execute a process of acquiring in advance access information of the service management server 100 from the health check server 500 or the printer 200. Then, in the process of step S50, using the access information acquired by the above process, the consumable remaining amount information is transmitted toward the service management server 100. Note that the process of acquiring access information in this case is an example of the access information acquisition process.

[0069] Thereby, even if the mobile terminal 300 does not store the access information in the large-capacity storage device 350 in advance, the access information of the service management server 100 can be acquired from the health check server 500 or the printer 200. In the process of step S50, by using the acquired access information, the consumable remaining amount information can be smoothly transmitted toward the service management server 100.

[0070] Also, in the above, the flowchart shown in FIG. 6 does not limit the present invention to the procedures shown in the flowchart, and procedures may be added, deleted, or the order may be changed within a range not departing from the gist and technical idea of the invention.

[0071] Also, in addition to what has already been described above, the methods according to the above embodiments and each modification example may be appropriately combined and used.

[0072] In addition, although not exemplified one by one, the present invention is implemented with various changes within a range not departing from its gist.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0073] 1 Printing service providing system 100 Service Management Server 200 Printer (an example of a printing device) 270 Communication Interface (an example of a communication unit) 300 Mobile Terminal (an example of a terminal device) 310 CPU (an example of a computing unit) 350 Mass Storage Device (an example of a storage unit) 400 Transaction Server 500 Health Check Server (an example of a communication monitoring server) NT Network

Claims

1. An information processing program for a terminal device capable of communicating with a printing device and a service management server, wherein the printing device includes a printing unit that prints an image on a printing medium using printing consumables and a communication unit capable of communicating with the service management server that manages a delivery service of the printing consumables, the terminal device is capable of communicating with the printing device and the service management server operable based on a contract of the delivery service, and the information processing program causes an arithmetic unit of the terminal device to perform a state information acquisition process of acquiring communication state information indicating whether the service management server is in a normal state in which information can be transmitted and received with the communication unit of the printing device or in an interrupted state in which information cannot be transmitted and received with the communication unit, perform a remaining amount acquisition process of acquiring remaining amount information of the printing consumables in the printing device from the printing device, perform a remaining amount transmission process of transmitting the remaining amount information of the printing consumables acquired in the remaining amount acquisition process to the service management server when the communication state information indicating the interrupted state is acquired in the state information acquisition process, An information processing program configured to execute the above processes.

2. In the state information acquisition process, the communication state information is acquired from a response status of the service management server to an inquiry signal transmitted to the service management server. The information processing program according to claim 1, configured as described above.

3. In the state information acquisition process, the communication state information is acquired from a communication monitoring server that monitors an external communication status in the service management server. The information processing program according to claim 1, configured as described above.

4. In the state information acquisition process, the communication state information is acquired from the printing device that has detected a communication status with the service management server. The information processing program according to claim 1, configured as described above.

5. In the state information acquisition process, the communication state information is acquired at predetermined intervals. The information processing program according to any one of claims 2 to 4, configured as described above.

6. The terminal device has a storage unit that stores access information of the service management server in advance, and in the remaining amount transmission process, the remaining amount information is transmitted to the service management server using the access information stored in the storage unit. The information processing program according to claim 1, configured as described above.

7. Furthermore, to the arithmetic unit of the terminal device, Execute an access information acquisition process for acquiring access information of the service management server from the communication monitoring server or the printing device. In the remaining amount transmission process, Using the access information acquired in the access information acquisition process, transmit the remaining amount information to the service management server. The information processing program according to claim 3 or claim 4, configured as described above.

8. A printing system including a printing device operable based on a contract for a printing consumable delivery service, a service management server for the delivery service, and a terminal device, wherein the service management server includes a status information acquisition unit that acquires communication status information indicating whether it is in a normal state where information can be transmitted and received with the printing device or in an interrupted state where information transmission and reception are impossible; a remaining amount acquisition unit that acquires remaining amount information of the printing consumables in the printing device from the printing device; a remaining amount transmission unit that, when the communication status information indicating the interrupted state is acquired by the status information acquisition unit, transmits the remaining amount information of the printing consumables acquired by the remaining amount acquisition unit to the service management server. A printing system having the above components.

9. The terminal device includes the status information acquisition unit, and is the printing system according to claim 8.

10. The printing system further includes a communication monitoring server that monitors the external communication status of the service management server, wherein the communication monitoring server includes the status information acquisition unit, and is the printing system according to claim 8.

11. The printing device includes the status information acquisition unit, and is the printing system according to claim 8.

12. The service management server determines the delivery timing of the printing consumables based on the remaining amount information transmitted from the remaining amount transmission unit and the period required for delivering the printing consumables. The printing system according to claim 8, configured as described above.

13. The service management server determines whether to apply the remaining amount information transmitted from the remaining amount transmission unit based on predetermined determination material information. The printing system according to any one of claims 8 to 12, configured as described above.

14. The determination material information includes at least one of the identification information of the printing device related to the remaining amount information and the acquisition date and time information of the remaining amount information by the remaining amount acquisition unit. The printing system according to claim 13.

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