Information processing device, recording device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To improve convenience of a user when the type of a recording medium is selected.SOLUTION: The characteristics of a recording medium for performing recording are measured by an optical sensor 201. The result of measurement is stored by being linked to the type of the recording medium determined to be used by a recording apparatus 100. Switching between modes for selecting the recording medium is promoted on the basis of the stored types of the plurality of recording media and the stored result of the measurement.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, a recording device, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] It is known that when recording is performed in a recording apparatus, control parameters according to the type of recording medium are used to perform the recording.

[0003] A known method for selecting the type of recording medium is for the user to select it from a screen.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 discloses that in order to perform recording using appropriate control parameters, multiple characteristic values ​​of the recording medium to be recorded on are measured and compared with reference values ​​to determine the type of recording medium. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-215591 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the user-selected method requires the user to select the type of recording medium every time recording is performed, which is time-consuming.

[0007] On the other hand, in the method of Patent Document 1, the measured values ​​are affected by errors in the sensor that measures the characteristic values ​​of the recording medium, individual differences in the recording medium, differences in the measurement environment, etc. Therefore, when a prepared standard is used, the type of recording medium cannot be determined with sufficient accuracy, and there is a risk that the type of recording medium that the user wants to select will not be selected.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to improve user convenience when selecting a type of recording medium. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention is an information processing device comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring measurement results obtained by measuring the characteristics of a recording medium used in a recording device, a type acceptance means for accepting input of information indicating a type of recording medium selected by a user as the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device; a mode acceptance means for accepting input of a mode selected from a plurality of modes for determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device; and a notification control means for causing a notification means for notifying a user of information to issue a notification, wherein the information processing device is capable of executing a designation mode in which the type of recording medium indicated by the information accepted by the type acceptance means is determined as the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device, and an automatic determination mode in which the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device can be determined without the user inputting information on the type of recording medium to the type acceptance means, and further comprises a storage means for storing the measurement results measured in the past by the measurement means in association with the type of the recording medium, and a judgment means for judging whether the mode for determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device can be changed from the designation mode to the automatic determination mode based on the measurement results stored in the storage means, and when the judgment means judges that the mode can be changed from the designation mode to the automatic determination mode, the notification control means causes the notification means to issue a notification encouraging the user to change the mode. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the convenience for the user when selecting the type of recording medium. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a carriage according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical sensor according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating display forms of an input / output unit in the embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing a recording medium determination process in the embodiment. [Figure 7] 5 is a flowchart showing a mode determination process in the embodiment. [Figure 8] 5 is a flowchart showing a mode change determination in the embodiment. [Figure 9] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating display forms of an input / output unit in the embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an estimated manual mode in an embodiment. [Figure 11] 4 is a table showing characteristic values ​​stored in an EEPROM in an embodiment. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing a process for extracting a recording medium according to an embodiment. [Figure 13] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing other forms of the input / output unit. [Figure 14] 1 is a table showing examples of measurements taken in an embodiment. [Figure 15] 11 is a table showing a determination result in a recording medium determination process according to the embodiment. [Figure 16] 1 is a table showing the ranking of embodiments. [Figure 17] 11 is a table for explaining a method for calculating characteristic values ​​in the embodiment. [Figure 18] 10 is a flowchart showing an automatic estimation mode in the embodiment. [Figure 19] 10 is a flowchart showing a manual mode in the embodiment. [Figure 20] 10 is a flowchart showing a fixed mode in the embodiment. [Figure 21] 11 is a flowchart showing a barcode mode in the embodiment. [Figure 22] 5A and 5B are diagrams showing a barcode recorded on a recording medium in the embodiment. [Figure 23] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing past measurement data in the embodiment. [Figure 24] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a result of determination of an estimation range in the embodiment. [Diagram 25] 1 shows all the determination results in the embodiment. [Figure 26] 13 is an example of a display that prompts a user to switch modes in the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] (First embodiment) <Overall composition> FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the recording device 100, and casters and a basket for paper ejection are attached. FIG. 1(a) shows the overall appearance, and FIG. 1(b) shows the state in which the upper cover is opened and the internal structure can be seen. The recording device 100 in this embodiment performs recording by applying ink droplets as a recording material onto a recording medium using an inkjet recording method. The recording medium is transported with the Y direction as the transport direction. An inkjet recording device equipped with a so-called serial type recording head in which a carriage 101 carrying a recording head 102 moves back and forth in the X direction intersecting with the Y direction to perform recording will be described. However, an inkjet recording device equipped with a so-called line type recording head in which a nozzle row is configured across the recording width in the transport direction of the recording medium may be used. In addition, it may be a multi-function peripheral device (MFP) in which not only a recording function but also a scanning function, a FAX function, a transmission function, etc. are integrated. It may also be an electrophotographic recording device using powder toner as a recording material. In this embodiment, the function of an information processing device for performing a process of determining a recording medium to be used, which will be described later, is installed in the recording device 100.

[0013] An input / output unit 406 is provided on the top of the recording device 100. The input / output unit 406 is an operation panel that displays the remaining ink level and possible types of recording media on a display, and allows the user to select the type of recording media and configure recording settings by operating keys.

[0014] The carriage 101 has an optical sensor 201 (FIG. 2) and a print head 102 having an ejection port surface with ejection ports for ejecting ink. The carriage 101 is configured to be able to move back and forth in the X direction (carriage movement direction) along a shaft 104 via a carriage belt 103 by driving a carriage motor 415 (FIG. 4). In this embodiment, the printing apparatus 100 is able to obtain diffuse reflection characteristic values ​​and regular reflection characteristic values ​​on the surface of a printing medium 105 by the optical sensor 201, and to measure the distance between the carriage 101 and the printing medium 105.

[0015] A recording medium 105 such as roll paper is transported in the Y direction on a platen 106 by a transport roller (not shown). A recording operation is performed by ejecting ink droplets from the print head 102 while the carriage 101 moves in the X direction over the recording medium 105 transported onto the platen 106 by the transport roller. When the carriage 101 moves to the edge of the printing area on the recording medium 105, the transport roller transports the recording medium 105 a fixed amount and moves the area for the next printing scan to a position where the print head 102 can print. An image is recorded by repeating the above operations.

[0016] <Carriage configuration> 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the carriage 101. The carriage 101 is configured to include a translator 202 and a head holder 203. The head holder 203 includes the print head 102 and an optical sensor 201, which is a reflective sensor. As shown in FIG. 2, the optical sensor 201 is configured so that its bottom surface is at the same position as the bottom surface of the print head 102 or higher.

[0017] <Optical sensor configuration> 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the optical sensor 201. The optical sensor 201 includes a first LED 301, a second LED 302, a third LED 303, a first photodiode 304, a second photodiode 305, and a third photodiode 306 as optical elements. The first LED 301 is a light source having an irradiation angle of a normal (90°) to the surface (measurement surface) of the recording medium 105. The first photodiode 304 receives light irradiated from the first LED 301 and reflected from the recording medium 105 at an angle of 45° in the Z direction. In other words, an optical system is formed that detects the so-called diffuse reflection component of the light reflected from the recording medium 105.

[0018] The second LED 302 is a light source having an irradiation angle of 60° in the Z direction with respect to the surface (measurement surface) of the recording medium 105. The first photodiode 304 receives the light irradiated from the second LED 302 and reflected from the recording medium 105 at an angle of 60° in the Z direction. In other words, the angles of emission and reception are equal, forming an optical system that detects the so-called regular reflection component of the light reflected from the recording medium 105.

[0019] The third LED 303 is a light source having an irradiation angle normal (90°) to the surface (measurement surface) of the recording medium 105. The second photodiode 305 and the third photodiode 306 receive light irradiated from the third LED 303 and reflected from the recording medium 105. The second photodiode 305 and the third photodiode 306 measure the distance between the optical sensor 201 and the recording medium 105 by changing the amount of light received by each of them depending on the distance between the optical sensor 201 and the recording medium 105.

[0020] In this embodiment, the optical sensor is installed on the carriage, but it may be in another form, for example, it may be fixed to the recording device, or it may be a measuring device that is separate from the recording device and measures characteristic values ​​such as diffuse reflection and regular reflection of the recording medium, and transmits the measured characteristic values ​​to the recording device.

[0021] <Block diagram> FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control system of the recording device 100. The ROM 402 is a non-volatile memory, and stores, for example, a control program for controlling the recording device 100 and a program for implementing the operation of the present embodiment. The operation of the present embodiment is implemented, for example, by the CPU 401 reading the program stored in the ROM 402 into the RAM 403 and executing it. The RAM 403 is also used as a working memory for the CPU 401. The EEPROM 404 stores data that should be retained even when the power supply of the recording device 100 is turned off. At least the CPU 401 and the ROM 402 realize the function of an information processing device for performing a recording medium determination process, which will be described later. The EEPROM 404 also stores characteristic values ​​of each recording medium used as a predetermined criterion and the category of each recording medium. The category is a broad classification of the types of recording media, and in this embodiment, five categories are set: glossy paper, plain paper, coated paper, film paper, and special. For example, if the recording medium is standard glossy paper, it is classified into the glossy paper category, and if it is premium plain paper, it is classified into the plain paper category. Although the recording medium includes media other than paper media, in this embodiment, the user is notified using the term "paper." The characteristic values ​​of each recording medium may be stored in an external memory such as the ROM of the host computer or a server, rather than in a storage medium within the recording device.

[0022] An interface (I / F) circuit 410 connects the recording device 100 to an external network such as a LAN. The recording device 100 transmits and receives various jobs and data to and from an external device such as a host computer via the I / F circuit 410.

[0023] The input / output unit 406 includes an input unit and an output unit. The input unit receives instructions from the user to turn on the power, to execute recording, and to set various functions. The output unit displays various device information such as power saving modes, and a setting screen for various functions that the recording device 100 can execute. In this embodiment, the input / output unit 406 is an operation panel provided in the recording device 100, and is connected to the system bus 416 via the input / output control circuit 405 so as to be able to send and receive data. In this embodiment, the CPU 401 controls the notification of information from the output unit.

[0024] Alternatively, the input unit may be a keyboard of an external host computer, and may be capable of accepting user instructions from an external host computer. The output unit may be an LED display, an LCD display, or a display connected to the host device. If the input / output unit is a touch panel, it may be capable of accepting instructions from the user through software keys. The input / output unit 406 may be a speaker and a microphone, and input from the user may be voice input, and notifications to the user may be voice output.

[0025] An information processing device that is equipped with a CPU and ROM having functions similar to those of CPU 401 and ROM 402 and is externally connected to recording device 100 may perform a recording medium determination process described later and determine the recording medium to be used by recording device 100.

[0026] When performing measurement using the optical sensor 201, the CPU 401 drives an LED control circuit 407, which controls to light up a specific LED in the optical sensor 201. Each photodiode in the optical sensor 201 outputs a signal according to the received light, which is converted into a digital signal by an A / D conversion circuit 408 and temporarily stored in the RAM 403. Data that should be saved even when the recording device 100 is powered off is stored in the EEPROM 404.

[0027] The printhead control circuit 411 supplies a drive signal corresponding to the print data to a nozzle drive circuit including a selector and a switch mounted on the printhead 102, and controls the print operation of the printhead 102, such as the nozzle drive sequence. For example, when print data is sent from the outside to the I / F circuit 410, the print data is temporarily stored in the RAM 403. Then, the printhead control circuit 411 drives the printhead 102 based on the print data converted from the print data to print data for printing. At that time, the LF (line feed) motor drive circuit 412 drives the LF motor 413 based on the bandwidth of the print data, etc., and the conveying roller connected to the LF motor 413 rotates to convey the print medium. The CR (carriage) motor drive circuit 414 drives the CR (carriage) motor 415 to scan the carriage 101 via the carriage belt 103.

[0028] The data sent from the I / F circuit 410 includes not only the data to be printed, but also data set by the printer driver. The data to be printed may be received from the outside via the I / F circuit 410 and stored in a storage unit, or may be stored in advance in a storage unit such as a hard disk. The CPU 401 reads image data from the storage unit and controls the image processing circuit 409 to convert the image data into print data for use with the print head 102 (binarization process). In addition to the binarization process, the image processing circuit 409 performs various image processing such as color space conversion, HV conversion, gamma correction, and image rotation.

[0029] <How to select the type of recording medium> By specifying the type of recording medium 105 to be recorded on, parameters such as the maximum amount of ink used, the height of the recording head, the adhesive force of the recording medium to the platen, the degree of correction of the conveyance amount of the recording medium, etc. Other parameters may be used as long as they are control parameters that affect the characteristics of the recording medium.

[0030] In this embodiment, there are five modes for selecting the type of recording medium: fixed mode, manual mode, estimated manual mode, estimated automatic mode, and barcode mode. Of these modes, the manual mode and estimated manual mode are designated modes that have a step in which the user selects the type of recording medium. In addition, the estimated automatic mode and fixed mode are designated automatic determination modes that can determine the type of recording medium without the user selecting the type of recording medium. Another mode is the barcode mode.

[0031] In the fixed mode, the type of recording medium preset by the user is automatically determined as the type of recording medium to be recorded.

[0032] In the manual mode, the categories of recording media are displayed in the input / output section 406, and the user selects a category and then selects the type of recording media from within the selected category, thereby determining the type of recording media to be recorded.

[0033] In the estimated manual mode, the optical sensor 201 measures the characteristics of the recording medium 105 to be recorded on, and based on the measurement results, candidates for the type of recording medium are displayed on the input / output unit 406. The user selects the type of recording medium from the input / output unit 406 to determine the type of recording medium to be recorded on.

[0034] In the automatic estimation mode, the optical sensor 201 measures the characteristics of the recording medium 105 to be recorded on, and displays candidates for the type of recording medium on the input / output unit 406 based on the measurement results. If no operation is performed by the user for a predetermined period of time, the type of recording medium displayed as the top candidate is determined as the type of recording medium to be recorded on. If a type of recording medium is selected by the user, the selected type is determined as the type of recording medium to be recorded on.

[0035] In the barcode mode, information indicating the type of recording medium is recorded in advance as a barcode on the recording medium, and the type of recording medium to be recorded on is determined by reading the barcode.

[0036] The user can switch between the above five modes. Fig. 5(a) shows the home screen displayed on the input / output unit 406. Fig. 5(a) shows the state when "Main unit settings" is selected from the items displayed on the home screen. When an item is selected, the selected item is highlighted and the next screen is displayed. In Fig. 5, the item is highlighted by making the background color of the item different from the other items and by making the frame of the item thicker.

[0037] When "Main unit settings" is selected on the home screen, a main unit settings screen as shown in FIG. 5(b) is displayed. When the button 40 displayed in FIG. 5(b) is touched, the screen display can be scrolled down. When "STOP" is touched, the display of FIG. 5(b) is switched to the home screen display of FIG. 5(a). When "Paper-related settings" is selected from the main unit settings screen, the "Paper-related settings" item is highlighted as shown in FIG. 5(b), and a paper-related settings screen as shown in FIG. 5(c) is displayed. Note that FIG. 5(c) shows a state when "Paper type selection method" is selected on the settings screen. The paper-related settings screen displays items for setting the recording medium information set in the recording device 100, such as an item for setting the height of the recording head 102 when recording and an item for setting the cutting speed when cutting roll paper. When "Paper type selection method" is selected on the paper-related settings screen of FIG. 5(c), a setting screen for the paper type selection method as shown in FIG. 5(d) is displayed. From this screen, the user can set the mode for selecting the above-mentioned recording medium type. At this time, the input / output unit 406 functions as a mode receiving unit. When "automatic selection from estimated result" displayed in Fig. 5(d) is selected, the estimated automatic mode is executed, and when "manual selection from estimated result" is selected, the estimated manual mode is executed.

[0038] <Common flow for all modes> 6 is a flowchart showing a recording medium selection process for selecting the type of recording medium to be recorded on. The recording medium selection process is performed after the user has set a mode for selecting the type of recording medium.

[0039] In the following recording medium selection process, the measured values ​​of the characteristic values ​​of the type of recording medium selected by the user as the type of recording medium to be recorded on are obtained as new information, and based on this, the predetermined characteristic values ​​are changed so as to approach the measured values. Through this learning, characteristic values ​​that allow the type of recording medium to be selected with greater accuracy are acquired.

[0040] In the fixed mode, manual mode, and barcode mode, the measurement results of the characteristics of the recording medium measured by the optical sensor 201 are not used when displaying information on the input / output unit 406. However, in all modes, the characteristics of the recording medium are measured by the optical sensor 201 and learning is performed based on the measurement. By performing measurements and learning even in modes other than those requiring measured values, it becomes easier to obtain characteristic values ​​that allow the type of recording medium to be accurately identified. In this embodiment, learning of the characteristic values ​​of the recording medium is performed in all modes, but learning may be performed only in the barcode mode, in which the probability of the correct recording medium being selected is high, for example.

[0041] The processing of each step from S101 to S107 in FIG. 6 is realized, for example, by the CPU 401 shown in FIG. 4 reading out the program stored in the ROM 402 to the RAM 403 and executing it. The recording medium determination process may also be executed by software of the host device. In this embodiment, the input / output unit 406 is an operation panel provided in the recording device, and notification of the candidates for recording medium is performed by displaying the names of the recording medium on the operation panel. Then, the type of recording medium is determined by the user selecting the type of recording medium to be recorded from the displayed ones. At this time, the input / output unit 406 functions as a type receiving means. The input / output unit 406 may be a display connected to the host device and the host device. In addition, if the input / output unit 406 is a speaker with a microphone function capable of inputting and outputting voice, notification of the candidates for recording medium is performed by the speaker, and the selection of the recording medium is performed by the user inputting the name of the recording medium or a corresponding code into the microphone by voice.

[0042] When the CPU 401 receives an instruction to start paper feeding from the operation panel, which is the input / output unit 406, from the user, the paper feeding process of the recording medium 105 is carried out. Fig. 9(a) is an example of a display of the operation panel that receives input of an instruction to start paper feeding. The operation panel is a touch panel that allows the user to input by touch. When the "Yes" item is touched, paper feeding starts.

[0043] When the "Yes" item is selected in FIG. 9(a) and paper feeding is started, the recording medium 105 is conveyed by the conveying roller to a position where the optical sensor 201 on the platen 106 can detect it. When the recording medium 105 is conveyed, the carriage 101 moves in the X direction above the recording medium 105, and the optical sensor 201 acquires the diffuse reflection value, specular reflection value, and thickness value of the recording medium (hereinafter, paper thickness) of the recording medium 105 (step S101). The diffuse reflection value corresponds to the whiteness of the recording medium, and the specular reflection value corresponds to the glossiness of the recording medium. The recording medium determination process may be performed using the width of the recording medium in the X direction as the characteristics of the recording medium. The position for measuring the characteristics of the recording medium may be one position, or the average of the measurement results of multiple positions may be taken. In addition, the characteristics may be measured while the optical sensor 201 is stopped, or while moving. The measured values ​​are temporarily stored in a memory such as the RAM 403.

[0044] Next, in step S102, the CPU 401 determines the mode to be used when determining the type of recording medium. The mode is determined based on the mode selected by the user and information and measurement values ​​of previously selected media.

[0045] The process proceeds to one of steps S103 to S107 according to the mode determined in the process of step S102, and the type of recording medium is determined according to each mode.

[0046] In step S108, the measurement values ​​measured in steps S103 to S107 are stored in a table in the EEPROM 404.

[0047] The processing in steps S103 to S107 according to each mode will be described below.

[0048] <Estimated manual mode> In the estimation manual mode, the measured values ​​of the characteristic values ​​of the type of recording medium selected by the user are obtained as new information, and based on this, the predetermined characteristic values ​​are changed so as to approach the measured values. Through this learning, characteristic values ​​that allow the type of recording medium to be selected with greater accuracy are acquired.

[0049] FIG. 10 shows a flow chart of the estimated manual mode in step S103.

[0050] In step S201, CPU 401 reads out from memory the measurement values ​​acquired in step S101 in Fig. 6, compares them with predetermined characteristic values ​​of each recording medium stored in EEPROM 404, and extracts candidates for the type of recording medium. A flowchart of the process of extracting the type of recording medium in step S201 is shown in Fig. 12.

[0051] A type of recording medium that corresponds to the characteristics indicated by the measured value to a higher degree than a predetermined degree is extracted. The details are as follows. FIG. 11(a) shows the characteristic values ​​for each type of recording medium stored in EEPROM 404. If the current characteristic value is the initial value, the characteristic value is T0. This value is used as a reference value and compared with the measured value to determine the type of recording medium. The range of this reference value is the extraction range. The diffuse reflection value and regular reflection value are values ​​obtained by A / D converting the output voltage output by the optical sensor 201 upon receiving light in 10 bits. The extraction range is the range from the min value to the max value, centered on the middle value of each characteristic value of the recording medium.

[0052] In step S701, the type of recording medium is extracted whose acquired paper thickness is within the extraction range of the paper thickness stored in the storage unit EEPROM 404. In this embodiment, the extraction range of the paper thickness is ±50 μm from the central value.

[0053] Then, it is determined whether or not the extracted type of recording medium exists (step S702).

[0054] If the type of recording medium has not been extracted, information indicating that no type of recording medium has been extracted is stored in the RAM 403, and the recording medium extraction process ends.

[0055] If a recording medium type is extracted in step S702, a recording medium type whose acquired diffuse reflection value is within the extraction range of the diffuse reflection value stored in the storage means EEPROM 404 is extracted (step S703). As shown in FIG. 11(a), the extraction range of the diffuse reflection value is a range of ±5 from the center value. Here, it is determined whether or not there is an extracted recording medium type (step S704). If there is no corresponding recording medium type, information indicating that there is no extracted recording medium type is stored in RAM 403, and the recording medium extraction process ends.

[0056] If a recording medium type is extracted in step S704, a recording medium type whose acquired specular reflection value is within the extraction range of the specular reflection value stored in the storage means EEPROM 404 is extracted (step S705). As shown in FIG. 11(a), the extraction range of the specular reflection value is a range of ±5 from the center value. Here, it is determined whether or not an extracted recording medium type is present (step S706). If there is no corresponding recording medium type, information indicating that there is no extracted recording medium type is stored in RAM 403, and the recording medium extraction process ends.

[0057] If the type of recording medium extracted in step S706 is found, information indicating the extracted type of recording medium is stored in the RAM 403, and the storage medium extraction process ends.

[0058] When the recording medium extraction process ends in step S201, it is determined in step S202 whether any recording medium has been extracted. This determination is made by having the CPU 401 read out the information stored in the RAM 403 in the recording medium extraction process of FIG.

[0059] If there are types of recording media extracted in step S202, the extracted types of recording media are prioritized in order of their characteristic values ​​being closest to the measured values ​​(step S203). The method of determining the display order will be described in detail later.

[0060] The names of the types of recording media are displayed from top to bottom in the order of priority determined in step S203, as shown in FIG. 9(d) (step S204).

[0061] In FIG. 9(d), the names of the recording media are displayed in order of priority with symbols 1 to 3 next to them. The type of recording media is selected by touching the displayed item of the name of the recording media. In this example, standard semi-gloss paper, numbered 1, has the highest priority. The symbols may be any symbol that indicates the level of priority, and may be symbols other than numbers. The display method is not limited to this, and may be any method that allows the user to recognize the order of priority.

[0062] In FIG. 9(d), up to three candidate recording media can be displayed from the top, but since there are two types of extracted recording media, only two recording media are displayed in FIG. 9(d). In the third column, "No selection candidates" is displayed lightly (or darkly) so as to be less noticeable than the names of the two recording media, and the user is notified that there is no third candidate. For example, when the background color of the operation panel is black, the two recording media are displayed in white, and the content "No selection candidates" is displayed in gray, which is a color with a lower brightness than white. Below the display of the content "No selection candidates", the paper category is displayed. In this way, when the recording medium desired by the user is not among the recording media displayed in the input / output unit 406, individual recording media can be selected to select other types of recording media. In this embodiment, the category to which the first-ranked recording medium type belongs is displayed at the top. By displaying categories with similar characteristics at the top to make it easier to select, even if the recording medium desired by the user is not among the candidate recording media, the effort required to select the category of the desired recording medium can be reduced.

[0063] FIG. 13 shows another method of displaying candidates of recording medium types in the input / output unit 406. As shown in FIG. 13(a), when the extracted candidates of recording medium types cannot be displayed on the operation panel, lower candidates may be displayed by scrolling or the like. Also, the candidates do not have to be displayed in order from the top, as long as the user can recognize the priority. The name of the highest priority recording medium may be displayed in the center of the operation panel, or the priority may be expressed by increasing the size of the characters displaying the name of the recording medium with the highest priority or by making it bold, as shown in FIG. 13(b). Also, although categories are displayed under the display of "paper category", categories may be displayed without a display meaning "paper category". Also, instead of categories, types of recording media other than the candidates may be displayed under the candidate recording media.

[0064] Also, as shown in Fig. 13(c), only the recording medium with the highest priority may be displayed. If the user wishes to select another extracted recording medium, he or she can select the recording medium item displayed as "standard plain paper" in Fig. 13(c). When this selection is accepted, a screen such as that shown in Fig. 9(d) is displayed, and a display method that allows the user to select another recording medium may also be used.

[0065] If it is determined in step S202 that there are no extracted recording media, categories are displayed on the operation panel as shown in FIG. 9(b) (step S205). When input of a category selected by the user is accepted, the types of recording media within the category are displayed as shown in FIG. 9(c). Then, input is received for the type of recording media selected from the displayed types of recording media. Input is made by touching the item displaying the name of the recording media. In FIG. 9(b), in addition to the recording media categories, an item called "All" is displayed at the bottom. When this "All" is selected, all recording media are displayed in a predetermined order. It may also be arranged to display them in order starting from the most recently used recording media, i.e., the recording media closest to the most recently used.

[0066] In step S206, when the user selects the type of recording medium from the input / output unit 406, in step S207, it is determined whether the measured value is within the learning range of the selected recording medium. Here, the learning range will be described. By changing the characteristic value of the type of recording medium selected by the user based on the measured value, it is possible to obtain a characteristic value that improves the accuracy of extraction. However, if learning is performed based on a measured value that is far from a predetermined characteristic value (or changed through a learning process), an incorrect value will be learned, so a learning range, which is the range of the measured value to be learned, is set. In this embodiment, the learning range is a range that is twice the range of the extraction range. The learning range is a range for changing the characteristic value. If the measured value falls within the learning range of the selected recording medium, the characteristic value is changed based on the measured value. In this embodiment, the learning range is a range of a predetermined value from the center value of the characteristic value, which is a range of twice the difference between the min value and the center value, or the difference between the max value and the center value. For example, the extraction range of the specular reflection value of the standard glossy paper in FIG. 11(a) is 95 to 105, which is ±5 from the center value. The learning range is 90 to 110, since the range is ±10 from the center value, which is twice ±5. Similarly, the range for the diffuse reflection value and paper thickness is twice the extraction range, so the learning range for the diffuse reflection value of standard glossy paper is 90 to 100, and the learning range for the paper thickness is 90 to 290. The learning range is not limited to this, and may be the same as the extraction range, or a different learning range may be set for each characteristic and type of recording medium. If the measured value is within the learning range for the selected type of recording medium, proceed to step S208, and update the characteristic value of the type of recording medium selected in step S206 to a value changed based on the measured value and store it in EEPROM 404. This ends the recording medium determination process in the estimated manual mode. If the measured value is not within the learning range, the characteristic value of the type of selected recording medium is not updated, and the recording medium determination process in the estimated manual mode ends. The update of the characteristic value will be described in detail later.

[0067] When the recording medium determination process is finished and recording preparation is completed, the device becomes ready to accept a recording job from the user, and recording starts when a recording job is received. A recording job may be accepted before recording preparation is completed, stored in RAM 403, and recording starts when recording preparation is completed. In addition, if the type of recording medium selected and input by the user via input / output unit 406 differs from the type of recording medium in the job transmitted to the recording device 100 from the host computer, the characteristic values ​​of the recording medium stored in EEPROM 404 may not be updated.

[0068] 12, the type of recording medium having the corresponding paper thickness is extracted in step S701, the type of recording medium having the corresponding diffuse reflection value is extracted in step S703, and the type of recording medium having the corresponding specular reflection value is extracted in step S705. The order of extraction is not limited to this, and for example, the type of recording medium having the corresponding diffuse reflection value may be extracted first.

[0069] When the optical sensor 201 is provided in a measuring device separate from the recording device, the characteristics of the recording medium set in the measuring device are measured first, and the obtained measured values ​​are then transmitted to the recording device, where the recording medium is extracted by the CPU 401 of the recording device, and the input / output unit 406 is notified of the candidates.

[0070] The method for determining the display order in step S203 of the recording medium selection process and the updating of characteristic values ​​in step S208 are described below with specific examples. The characteristics of the recording medium acquired in step S101 are (diffuse reflection value, regular reflection value, paper thickness) = (103, 98, 225), as shown in FIG. 14. FIG. 15 is a table showing the judgment results of the process in step S201. Recording media whose measured values ​​fall within the extraction range are indicated with an "O", and recording media whose measured values ​​do not fall within the extraction range are indicated with an "X". Recording media with characteristic values ​​that do not fall within the extraction range will not be judged in the next process. This is displayed as "not judged" in FIG. 15.

[0071] In step S701, standard glossy paper, standard semi-glossy paper, premium glossy paper, and heavy glossy paper are extracted, which are types of recording media whose acquired paper thickness 190 falls within the paper thickness extraction range shown in Fig. 11(a). Since the extracted recording media types exist, step S702 becomes Yes, and the process proceeds to step S703.

[0072] In step S703, standard glossy paper, standard semi-glossy paper, and thick glossy paper are extracted from the recording media extracted in step S701, as these are types of recording media whose measured diffuse reflection value 103 falls within the diffuse reflection value extraction range shown in Fig. 11(a). Since there are extracted types of recording media, step S704 becomes Yes, and the process proceeds to step S107.

[0073] In step S705, from the recording media extracted in step S703, recording media whose measured specular reflection values ​​fall within the extraction range of specular reflection values ​​shown in Fig. 11(a) are extracted. In this example, standard glossy paper, standard semi-glossy paper, and thick glossy paper are extracted. Since there are extracted recording media, step S706 becomes Yes, and the process proceeds to step S707. In step S707, information indicating the type of the extracted recording media is stored in RAM 403.

[0074] In step S202, since the types of recording media have been extracted, the process proceeds to step S203. In step S203, the recording media whose characteristic values ​​are closest to the measured values ​​are ranked as recording media with higher priority. Then, in step S204, the names of the extracted types of recording media are displayed from the top in order of priority.

[0075] 16 is a diagram for explaining the method of determining the ranking in step S203. In this embodiment, the closeness of the measured value to the median value of each characteristic is calculated by the following calculation method.

[0076] |(Measured value - Center value of characteristic) / (Maximum value of characteristic - Center value of characteristic)| A property's min value may be used instead of its max value.

[0077] For example, the specular reflection value of standard glossy paper is calculated as |(103-100) / (105-95)|=0.6. The above calculation is performed for the type of recording medium extracted in step S201, and the value of the closeness of each characteristic to the measured value is summed up. The smaller the sum value, the closer the recording medium is to the measured value. The recording medium with the smaller sum value is determined to be a higher-ranked recording medium type, and this is displayed on the input / output unit 406. Here, as shown in FIG. 9(e), standard glossy paper, heavy glossy paper, and standard semi-glossy paper are displayed in that order.

[0078] The process of step S207 when standard semi-gloss paper, which is ranked third in the display order, is selected by the user in step S206 will be described.

[0079] In step S207, it is determined whether the measurement value acquired in step S101 is within the learning range of the standard semi-gloss paper, which is the type of recording medium selected. If the measurement value is within the learning range of all the characteristics of the diffuse reflection value, specular reflection value, and paper thickness, it is determined that the measurement value is within the learning range of the standard semi-gloss paper. As shown in FIG. 11(a), the extraction range of the specular reflection value of the standard semi-gloss paper is 94 to 104, which is a range of ±5 with the middle value being 99. As described above, the learning range is set to a range twice as large as the extraction range from the same middle value as the extraction range. The learning range of the specular reflection value of the standard semi-gloss paper is 89 to 109, which is a range of ±10 with the middle value being 99. Similarly, the learning range of the diffuse reflection value of the standard semi-gloss paper is 85 to 105, and the learning range of the paper thickness is 90 to 290. Since all of the measurement values ​​(diffuse reflection value, specular reflection value, paper thickness) = (103, 98, 225) are included in the above learning range, the process proceeds to step S208.

[0080] In step S208, the characteristic value of the type of recording medium selected based on the measured value is updated. The characteristic value shown in FIG. 11(a) is the characteristic value before updating, and FIG. 14 shows the measured value. In this embodiment, the characteristic value of the type of recording medium is made to approach the measured value at a constant rate. Here, since the measured value contains measurement error, it is better to gradually eliminate the difference between the measured value and the characteristic value by learning multiple times so that the difference decreases by a constant rate, rather than replacing the measured value as the characteristic value all at once. An example of this is expressed as a generalized formula as follows:

[0081] Characteristic value after update (Tn+1) = (Measured value (R) - Characteristic value (Tn)) × α + Characteristic value before update (Tn) Here, α is a value that indicates the rate at which the characteristic value approaches the measured value. If the rate of approach is 25%, the center value of the regular reflection value will be as follows. For example, if Tn = T0 (initial value), T1 is found by the first update.

[0082] If R=103 and Tn=T0=99, T1 can be calculated as follows: T1 = (103-99) x 0.25 + 99 = 100 The characteristic values ​​of the diffuse reflection value and paper thickness are updated in the same manner. The updated result is shown in Figure 11 (b). The extraction ranges remain unchanged - ±5 from the central value for the specular reflection value and diffuse reflection value, and ±50 from the central value for the paper thickness - but the min and max values ​​are also updated to match the central value. The updated characteristic values ​​are stored in EEPROM 404 as the characteristic values ​​of standard semi-gloss paper, replacing the original characteristic values, and will be used for the next and subsequent recording medium selection processes. This completes the recording medium selection process.

[0083] In the above example, when updating the characteristic value, the characteristic value is brought closer to the measured value by 25%, but the rate of approach is not limited to this and may be any rate greater than 0% and less than or equal to 100%. The rate of approach may be set for each type of recording medium or for each characteristic.

[0084] With the characteristic values ​​updated as shown in FIG. 11(b), standard semi-gloss paper, whose recording medium characteristics are (diffuse reflection value, specular reflection value, paper thickness) = (103, 98, 225), is measured again. The result of ranking the characteristic values ​​in order of closeness to the measured values ​​is shown in FIG. 16(b). By updating the characteristic values ​​of the standard semi-gloss paper, the standard semi-gloss paper is now ranked first. Therefore, in step S204, the input / output unit 406 displays the measured recording medium, that is, the standard semi-gloss paper, as the top recording medium, making it easier for the user to select.

[0085] Also, although the characteristic values ​​are notified in the order of their closeness to the measured values, other methods may be used. When usage history information of the recording media used is stored in the EEPROM 404 or the like, the history information may be used. For example, the types of recording media extracted by the recording medium extraction process of Fig. 12 may be displayed in order of priority, with the names of recording media with higher priority being displayed from top to bottom, with the recording media being higher in priority as they were used more recently than indicated by the history information.

[0086] As another method of reflecting the measured value in the characteristic value of the type of recording medium, the average value of the past N measured values ​​may be set as the characteristic value. FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining a method of setting the characteristic value based on the measured values ​​of the past three times. Here, the specular reflection value of standard semi-gloss paper is used as an example. FIG. 17(a) shows a case where standard semi-gloss paper has not been selected even once in step S206. In FIG. 17(a), the initial setting value of 99 is input as the value of the past three times, and the average value is also 99, so the characteristic value is 99. In FIG. 17(b), when standard semi-gloss paper is selected, a measured value of 103 is input as the previous measured value. The average value 100.3 when the measured value 103 is input is set as the characteristic value to be used from the next time onwards. FIG. 17(c) shows a case where standard semi-gloss paper is further selected, and 104 is input as the measured value from the previous time. The average value 102 at this time is set as the characteristic value to be used from the next time onwards. Figure 17(d) shows the case where standard semi-gloss paper is selected from the state shown in Figure 17(c), and 102 is entered as the previous measurement value. The average value at this time, 103, is set as the characteristic value to be used from the next time onwards.

[0087] <Estimated automatic mode> FIG. 18 shows a flowchart of the estimation automatic mode in step S104.

[0088] Steps S301 to S303 and S305 are similar to steps S201 to S205 in the estimated manual mode shown in FIG.

[0089] In step S304, the names of the recording medium types are displayed from top to bottom in the order of priority determined in step S303, as shown in Fig. 9(f). In order to inform the user that no operation is required when selecting the recording medium type with the highest priority, together with the candidate recording medium types, "Paper 1 will be fed automatically" is displayed. In addition, in order to inform the user that recording medium types other than the recording medium type with the highest priority can also be selected, "Can also be selected from the list" is displayed.

[0090] In step S306, if the user does not operate input / output unit 406 within a predetermined time, the type of recording medium with the highest priority among the types of recording medium displayed in step S304 is determined to be the type of the target recording medium 105. Then, the process proceeds to step S310.

[0091] If the input / output unit 406 is operated within a predetermined time in step S306, the type of recording medium selected by the user is determined to be the type of the target recording medium 105 in step S308. Once the type of recording medium is selected in step S308, it is determined in step S309 whether the measurement value is within the learning range of the selected recording medium. Steps S309 and S310 perform the same processing as steps S207 and S208 in Fig. 10. If the measurement value is not within the learning range, the characteristic value is not updated and the recording medium determination processing in the estimated automatic mode is terminated. If the measurement value is within the learning range, the process proceeds to step S310.

[0092] In step S310, the characteristic values ​​of the selected type of recording medium are updated to values ​​changed based on the measured values ​​and stored in the EEPROM 404. This completes the recording medium determination process in the automatic estimation mode.

[0093] <Manual mode> FIG. 19 shows a flow chart of the manual mode in step S105.

[0094] In step S401, the categories of recording media as shown in Fig. 9(b) are displayed on the input / output unit 406. In this embodiment, the categories are displayed in a predetermined order. In addition, when usage history information of the used recording media is stored in the EEPROM 404 or the like, the category to which the recently used recording media indicated by the history information belongs may be displayed at the top. Also, the type of recording media indicated by the history information that has been recently used may be displayed at the top, and the categories may be displayed below it. Also, all types of recording media may be displayed instead of categories.

[0095] When the user selects a category, the types of recording media belonging to the user-selected category are displayed as shown in Fig. 9(c). When the user selects a recording medium from the displayed types of recording media (step S402), in step S403 it is determined whether the measurement value is within the learning range of the selected recording medium. Steps S403 and S404 perform the same processing as steps S207 and S208 in Fig. 10. If the measurement value is not within the learning range, the characteristic value is not updated and the recording medium selection process in the manual mode is terminated. If the measurement value is within the learning range, in step S404, the characteristic value of the type of recording medium selected in step S402 is updated to a value changed based on the measurement value and stored in EEPROM 404. This ends the recording medium selection process in the manual mode.

[0096] <Fixed mode> When using the fixed mode, the user selects the fixed mode and presets the type of recording medium to be used before the recording medium selection process is started. The set type of recording medium is stored in EEPROM 404. In this example, the description will be given assuming that standard glossy paper has been set in advance.

[0097] FIG. 20 shows a flowchart of the fixed mode in step S106.

[0098] In step S501, the name of the type of recording medium that has been set in advance is displayed on the input / output section 406 as shown in FIG.

[0099] In step S502, if the user does not operate the input / output unit 406 within a specified time period or selects the "OK" item in FIG. 9(g), the pre-set standard glossy paper is determined to be the recording medium 105 to be recorded on, and the process proceeds to step S504.

[0100] In step S502, if the "Paper type" item is selected within a predetermined time, the recording medium categories are displayed as shown in Fig. 9(b), and the user can select a recording medium type that has not been set in advance. When the recording medium type is selected in step S503, the process proceeds to step S504.

[0101] Steps S504 and S505 are similar to steps S207 and S208 in Fig. 10. In step S504, it is determined whether the measurement value is within the learning range of the selected recording medium. If the measurement value is not within the learning range, the characteristic value is not updated and the recording medium determination process in fixed mode is terminated. If the measurement value is within the learning range, in step S505, the characteristic value of the selected recording medium type is updated to a value changed based on the measurement value and stored in EEPROM 404. This ends the recording medium determination process in fixed mode.

[0102] <Barcode mode> The barcode mode is a mode that is mainly used with roll paper. In the following description, it is assumed that the recording medium to be recorded on is roll paper. The recording medium is attached to the recording device 100 and used when recording. When the user has specified the barcode mode and the recording medium is removed from the recording device 100, or when use is discontinued and a different recording medium is used, a barcode as shown in FIG. 22(a) is recorded on the recording medium. The type of recording medium in FIG. 22 is standard plain paper. The barcode is divided into area A1 where a pattern for adjusting the reading position is recorded, area A2 where information on the type of recording medium is recorded as a barcode, and area A3 where the name of the type of recording medium is recorded. It does not have to be a barcode, as long as the type of recording medium can be identified by the information recorded on the recording medium, such as a QR code (registered trademark), for example.

[0103] FIG. 21 shows a flow chart for the barcode mode in step S107.

[0104] In step S601, a barcode recorded on the recording medium 105 to be recorded, as shown in Fig. 22(a), is read by the optical sensor 201. Fig. 22(b) is a schematic diagram showing the reading process. While the carriage 101 moves, the first LED of the optical sensor 201 is irradiated onto the recording medium, and the diffuse reflection component is detected by the first photodiode 304 to read the barcode.

[0105] In step S602, it is determined whether or not the barcode can be read. If the barcode can be read, in step S604, the recording medium 105 to be recorded on is determined to be the type of recording medium that was read. If the barcode cannot be read, in step S603, the manual mode of FIG. 19 is executed.

[0106] If the type of recording medium is determined in step S604, steps S605 and S606 are the same as steps S207 and S208 in Fig. 10. In step S605, it is determined whether the measurement value is within the learning range of the selected recording medium. If the measurement value is not within the learning range, the characteristic value is not updated and the recording medium determination process in the barcode mode is terminated. If the measurement value is within the learning range, in step S606, the characteristic value of the selected recording medium type is updated to a value changed based on the measurement value and stored in EEPROM 404. This ends the recording medium determination process in the barcode mode.

[0107] 7 is a flow chart showing the mode determination process in step S102. When the mode selection is performed, the mode set by the user is read from EEPROM 404 in step S110.

[0108] In step S111, if the mode read in step S110 is the fixed mode, the barcode mode, or the estimated automatic mode, the user does not need to select the type of recording medium himself, as described below, so the process proceeds to step S118 and the set mode is not changed.

[0109] In the case of the estimated manual mode or the manual mode, the process proceeds to step S112, where past measurement data is read from the EEPROM 404. The EEPROM 404 can store a plurality of past measurement data in association with the type of recording medium, and the past measurement data is formed as shown in FIG. 23. Specifically, past measurement data of each parameter, which is a parameter used to determine the type of recording medium, such as specular reflection, diffuse reflection, and paper thickness, is stored in a table for each type of recording medium. When the type of recording medium is finally determined in step S108 in FIG. 6, the data is stored in the table for the determined type of recording medium. The number of data that can be stored is a fixed number (6 in this embodiment), and when the number of data exceeds the amount that can be stored, the values ​​in the table are updated by replacing the oldest data with the newest data.

[0110] When the past measurement data is read out in step S112, a mode change determination is performed in step S113. The mode determination is a sequence that determines whether or not it is possible to change to a mode in which the final selection of the type of recording medium is currently made by the user, but which automatically makes the final selection, based on previously saved information about the recording medium and data obtained by measuring the recording medium.

[0111] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the mode change judgment. In step S120, the stored past data is referenced to judge whether or not there is a recording medium with a history number (number of past measurement data) of 5 or more. If there is no such recording medium, it is judged that the change to the estimated automatic mode is not possible, and the process proceeds to step S125. If the history number is 5 or more, there is a possibility of changing to the estimated automatic mode, so the process proceeds to step S121. In this embodiment, the history number is set to 5. This is set as the number of times required to estimate the measurement data of the recording medium measured in the past and the stability of the recording medium type determined by the user. Depending on the configuration for measuring the characteristics of the recording medium and the type of recording medium expected to be used, the number may be changed, such as decreasing it when the stability is high and increasing it when the stability is low in the system.

[0112] Next, in step S121, it is determined whether there are two or more types of recording medium data with a history count of 5 or more. If there are two or more types, the process proceeds to step S122. In the case of the data shown in FIG. 23, the history counts of standard glossy paper and standard plain paper are 5 or more, so the process proceeds to step S122. On the other hand, if the number of recording media is 1, it is determined that the user has used only one type of recording medium up to now, and therefore there is a possibility that a fixed recording medium will be used in the future, and the process proceeds to step S124, with the mode being changed to a mode in which recording medium selection is performed automatically. The mode change is determined in step S117 in FIG. 7, which will be described later, but if the history count is 5 or more and there is only one type of recording medium, it is assumed that the user continues to use a single paper, so the mode may be changed to "fixed mode" rather than to "estimated automatic mode".

[0113] If there are multiple recording media with five or more histories, in step S122, the estimated range of the recording media is calculated from past measurement values. The estimated range is the range that each characteristic is estimated to be able to take based on past measurement values. In other words, it is the value that is estimated to fall within the range of the characteristic value when the same type of recording media is fed and the type is determined from the next time onwards. For a recording medium with one history, the estimated range value is the history value of each characteristic ± learning range / 2, and if the history number is two or more, the estimated range is the average value of all history data for each characteristic ± 3σ / 2. Parts for which no history exists are not processed. The maximum and minimum values ​​of the calculated estimated range are shown in Figure 23.

[0114] Next, in step S123, the estimated ranges for each characteristic of the recording medium with at least one past history are compared. FIG. 24 shows the judgment result of the estimated range for each characteristic, and indicates "0" if there is an overlapping area between the recording media, and "1" if there is not. For example, in the specular reflection characteristic, "standard glossy paper" has a range of 93.6 to 101.4, and "standard plain paper" has a range of 85.1 to 94.9, so the range of 93.6 to 94.9 is a region where there is a possibility of overlap, so it is judged as "0". On the other hand, the range of "premium glossy paper" is 99.0 to 103.6, so it is judged as "1" because there is no possibility of overlap with "standard plain paper". Judgment is performed for all characteristics in the same way. After the judgment of all characteristics is completed, the "or" of all characteristics is taken for each item of the result. For example, in the items "standard plain paper" and "standard glossy paper", specular reflection is "0", diffuse reflection is "1", and paper thickness is "1", so the "or" of all of these is "1". The results for all recording media are judged in the same way. In other words, if there is no overlap between the recording media in any of the characteristics, the "or" item in the overall judgment result will be "1." Figure 25 shows the results of the "or" of the overall judgment result. As all results in Figure 25 are "1," this indicates that some of the characteristics of the recording media differ from other recording media, and there is a possibility of automatic recording media judgment.

[0115] When the judgment for each item is completed, the "and" of all judgment results for which data exists is taken and the result is determined as the final judgment result. In this embodiment, since all items with results in FIG. 25 are "1", the final judgment is "1". This result indicates that for all recording media with history, all recording media used in the past have no overlapping areas in any of the characteristics with all recording media of the same type, and it is determined that the recording media can be estimated with sufficient accuracy even when switching to the estimation automatic mode.

[0116] If the final determination result in step S123 is "1", the process proceeds to step S124, where the mode change determination result indicates that the mode change is possible, and if it is "0", the process proceeds to step S125, where the mode change is not possible.

[0117] When the mode change determination is completed, the process proceeds to step S114 shown in Fig. 7, where it is determined whether the mode can be changed. If the mode change determination is not possible, the process proceeds to step S118, where the mode selected by the user and read out in step S110 is determined as the mode for determining the type of recording medium. Then, the process proceeds to the step of the determined mode (one of steps S103 to S107).

[0118] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S114 that the mode can be changed, the process proceeds to step S115, where a notification is given to the user to prompt the user to change the mode, as shown in FIG. 26(a). If the user selects "change mode" in step S116, the process proceeds to step S117, where the mode for determining the type of recording medium is changed to "estimated automatic mode". Also, as described above, if only one type of recording medium was used in all the histories in step S121 of FIG. 8, the user may be prompted to switch to "fixed mode" as shown in FIG. 26(b). If the user selects "do not change" in step S116, the process proceeds to step S118, where the mode for determining the type of recording medium is set to the mode previously set by the user. At this time, the user may be notified of which mode the process for determining the type of recording medium will be performed.

[0119] Although a change is suggested to the user in step S115, the mode may be changed automatically without prompting the user to change. In this case, too, it is possible to notify the user that the mode has been changed.

[0120] Once the mode for determining the type of recording medium has been determined, the process proceeds to step S119, where the determined mode setting information is stored in the EEPROM.

[0121] When the mode determination process in step S102 ends as described above, processing according to the set mode is performed. In the case of the estimated manual mode, the process proceeds to step S103, in the case of the estimated automatic mode, the process proceeds to step S104, in the case of the manual mode, the process proceeds to step S105, in the case of the fixed mode, the process proceeds to step S106, and in the case of the barcode mode, the process proceeds to step S107. In steps S103 to S107, the type of recording medium to be recorded on is determined, and the recording medium determination process ends.

[0122] In this embodiment, the estimation range in step S112 is calculated based on all previously obtained and stored measurement data, but it may be calculated using data from the past measurement data excluding the maximum and minimum values. This is because the type of recording medium in which the past measurement data is stored is based on information selected by the user, but it is assumed that the user may select the wrong recording medium, and outlying values ​​are excluded in consideration of this.

[0123] In addition to the above modes, there may be a mode in which there is no step in which the user can select, and the most highly ranked recording medium among the extracted candidates is automatically selected. In that case, when changing to the automatic selection mode, the mode to be changed to may be the above-mentioned mode, not the estimated automatic mode.

[0124] As described above, when it is determined that the type of recording medium can be automatically determined, the user is prompted to automatically select the type of recording medium without a step of the user selecting it. When the user selects automatic selection, the user operation in selecting the type of recording medium can be reduced, and the user convenience can be improved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 100 Recording device 105 Recording media 201 Optical Sensor 401 CPU 404 EEPROM 406 Input / output section

Claims

1. an acquisition means for acquiring a measurement result obtained by measuring the characteristics of a recording medium used in the recording device by a measurement means; a type receiving means for receiving an input of information indicating a type of recording medium selected by a user as a type of recording medium to be used in the recording device; a mode receiving means for receiving an input of a mode selected from a plurality of modes for determining a type of recording medium to be used in the recording device; A notification control means for causing a notification means for notifying a user of information to perform a notification; An information processing device comprising: a designation mode in which the type of recording medium indicated by the information received by the type receiving means is determined as the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device; an automatic determination mode capable of determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device without a user inputting information on the type of recording medium to the type receiving means; It is possible to execute a storage means for storing the measurement results previously measured by the measurement means in association with the type of the recording medium; a determination unit that determines whether a mode for determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device can be changed from the designated mode to the automatic determination mode based on the measurement result stored in the storage unit, When the determination means determines that the specified mode can be changed to the automatic determination mode, the notification control means causes the notification means to issue a notification urging the user to change the mode.

2. The notification control means can cause the notification means to notify information indicating a type of recording medium, The information processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the designation modes include a first designation mode, in which the measurement results are acquired by the acquisition means, the notification control means extracts candidates for the type of measured recording medium based on the measurement results and pre-stored reference characteristic values ​​of the recording medium, causes the notification means to notify information indicating the type of the candidate recording medium, and determines the type of recording medium indicated by the information accepted by the type accepting means as the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device.

3. The notification control means can cause the notification means to notify information indicating a type of recording medium, An information processing device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the designation mode includes a second designation mode, in which the notification control means causes the notification means to notify of types of recording media that can be selected as types of recording media to be used in the recording device, and the information received by the type receiving means is determined to be the type of recording media to be used in the recording device.

4. The notification control means can cause the notification means to notify information indicating a type of recording medium, The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the automatic determination mode includes a first automatic determination mode, in which the measurement results are acquired by the acquisition means, and the notification control means notifies the notification means of a plurality of types of recording media extracted based on the measurement results and characteristic values ​​of a pre-stored reference recording medium, and if no operation is performed within a predetermined time from the notification, the type of recording medium notified at the highest level is determined to be the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device, and if operation is performed within the predetermined time from the notification, the type of recording medium indicated by the information received by the type receiving means is determined to be the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device.

5. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the automatic determination mode includes a second automatic determination mode, in which the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device is preset, and the preset type of recording medium is determined to be the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device.

6. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the automatic determination mode includes a third automatic determination mode, which is a mode in which a type of recording medium determined based on the measurement results and characteristic values ​​of a pre-stored reference recording medium is determined as the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device.

7. An information processing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the information processing device is capable of executing a mode different from the designated mode and the automatic determination mode, in which a user records information for identifying the type of recording medium on the recording medium as information for determining the type of recording medium, the measurement means reads the information for identification to obtain the type of recording medium, and the obtained type of recording medium is determined as the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device.

8. the storage means is capable of storing a plurality of measurement results previously measured by the measurement means for each type of recording medium; An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the determination means determines whether or not a mode for determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device can be changed to the automatic determination mode based on the number of measurement results previously measured by the measurement means and stored in the memory means.

9. The information processing device according to claim 8, characterized in that the determination means determines that the mode for determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device can be changed to the automatic determination mode when the measurement results measured in the past by the measurement means and stored in the memory means in association with the type of recording medium are greater than a predetermined number for only one type of recording medium.

10. the automatic determination mode includes a second automatic determination mode, which is a mode in which a type of recording medium to be used in the recording device is preset, and the preset type of recording medium is determined as the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device; 10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the notification control means causes the notification means to issue a notification urging the user to change to the second automatic determination mode.

11. an estimation unit that estimates a characteristic value of a recording medium for each type of recording medium based on the measurement results previously measured by the measurement unit and stored in the storage unit; An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the determination means determines whether or not a mode for determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device can be changed to the automatic determination mode based on the characteristic values ​​estimated for each type of recording medium estimated by the estimation means.

12. The information processing device according to claim 11, characterized in that when the measurement results measured in the past by the measurement means and stored in the memory means in association with the type of recording medium are greater than a predetermined number for a plurality of recording media, the determination means determines whether or not the mode for determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device can be changed to the automatic determination mode based on the estimated characteristic values ​​for each type of recording medium estimated by the estimation means.

13. the characteristic value is a value having a maximum value and a minimum value, The information processing device according to claim 12, characterized in that the determination means determines that the mode for determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device can be changed to the automatic determination mode when the ranges formed by the maximum and minimum values ​​of the characteristic values ​​estimated by the estimation means for each type of recording medium do not overlap.

14. the acquiring means acquires a first characteristic value indicating a first characteristic of the recording medium and a second characteristic value indicating a second characteristic of the recording medium; the estimation means estimates a maximum value and a minimum value of the estimated first characteristic value and a maximum value and a minimum value of the estimated second characteristic value for each type of recording medium; The information processing device according to claim 13, characterized in that the determination means determines that the mode for determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device can be changed to the automatic determination mode when, for any type of recording medium, the range formed by the maximum and minimum values ​​of the estimated first characteristic value does not overlap with either the range formed by the maximum and minimum values ​​of the estimated second characteristic value.

15. The notification control means can cause the notification means to notify information indicating a type of recording medium, The automatic determination mode includes a first automatic determination mode, in which the measurement result is acquired by the acquisition means, the notification control means notifies the notification means of a plurality of types of recording media extracted based on the measurement result and a characteristic value of a recording medium serving as a reference stored in advance, and if no operation is performed within a predetermined time from the notification, the type of recording medium notified at the highest level is determined as the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device, and if operation is performed within the predetermined time from the notification, the type of recording medium indicated by the information received by the type receiving means is determined as the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device, 15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the notification control means causes the notification means to issue a notification urging a change to the first automatic determination mode.

16. An information processing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it has a change means for changing a pre-stored reference characteristic value of a recording medium corresponding to the type of recording medium determined to be used in determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device based on the measurement results.

17. 17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the change unit performs correction so that a characteristic value of a reference recording medium corresponding to the recording medium determined to be used in the recording apparatus approaches the measurement result.

18. The information processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that the notification control means determines a type of recording medium whose measurement results fall within a first range from a central value of a characteristic value of a standard recording medium corresponding to the type of recording medium as the candidate type of recording medium, and causes the notification means to notify information indicating the type of the candidate recording medium.

19. 20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said notification control means causes said notification means to notify said information indicating the type of said candidate recording media in the order of proximity of said measurement result to a median value of said characteristic value.

20. An information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 19; a recording means for applying a recording material to the recording medium; A conveying means for conveying the recording medium to a position where recording is performed, a conveying means for conveying the recording medium to a position where the recording means can perform recording, and the recording means performs recording on the conveyed recording medium, the recording apparatus comprising:

21. the recording device has a movable carriage carrying the recording means, 21. The recording apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said measuring means is mounted on said carriage and measures the characteristics of said recording medium that has been transported by said transport means to a position where said measuring means can perform measurements.

22. Measure the characteristics of a recording medium used in the recording device; selecting a mode from a plurality of modes for determining the type of recording medium to be used with the recording device; inputting information indicating the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device; An information processing method for a recording device that notifies a user of information, comprising the steps of: a designation method for accepting input of information indicating a type of recording medium selected by a user as a type of recording medium to be used in the recording device, and determining the type of recording medium indicated by the information as the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device; an automatic determination method for determining the type of recording medium to be used in said recording device without a user specifying the type of recording medium; Select storing the results of the characteristics measured in the past in association with the type of the recording medium; determining whether or not a method for determining the type of recording medium to be used in the recording device can be changed to the automatic determination method based on the stored past measurement results when the specified method is being executed; When it is determined that the method can be changed to the automatic determination method, a notification is given to prompt the user to change the method for determining the type of recording medium.

23. A program for causing a computer to function as each of the means of the information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

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