Information Processing Apparatus, Control Method, and Program

Abstract

To properly notify an error that occurs in a printer.SOLUTION: A program for executing a notification step is provided. The notification step executes notification processing for notifying that an error occurs in a printer on the basis of error information in the case that initialization processing executed when a user turns on the power of the printer for the first time after the arrival of the printer has not been completed in the printer and also that the error occurs in the printer while a program is started up in an information processing device, and does not execute the notification processing in the case that the initialization processing has been completed in the printer and also that an error occurs in the printer while the program is started up in the information processing device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] There is known a printing device that executes an initial setting process when a user turns on the power of the printing device for the first time after delivery of the printing device, and there is also known an information processing device that notifies an error that has occurred in the printing device.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes an information processing device that notifies a user of an error that occurs in a printing device while the printing device is executing an initial setting process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3880243 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, as information processing devices that notify of errors occurring in printing devices become more widespread, there is a demand for more appropriate notification methods for notifying of errors occurring in printing devices.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to provide a method for appropriately notifying an error occurring in a printing device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The program of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is A computer of an information processing device that communicates with the printing device an acquiring step of acquiring error information relating to an error occurring in the printing device if an error occurs in the printing device; a notification step of executing a notification step for notifying an error occurring in the printing device based on the error information when an initial setting process executed when a user turns on the power of the printing device for the first time after the delivery of the printing device has not been completed in the printing device and an error has occurred in the printing device while the program is running in the information processing device, and not executing the notification step when the initial setting process has been completed in the printing device and an error has occurred in the printing device while the program is running in the information processing device; The present invention is characterized in that the above-mentioned is executed. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately notify an error occurring in a printing device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of each device included in the communication system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of a communication device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing processes executed by each device and a user during initial setting of the communication device. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing an initial setting process executed by the information processing device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a screen displayed by the information processing device. [Figure 6] 11 is a flowchart showing a state confirmation process executed by the information processing device. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a solution method screen displayed by the information processing device. [Figure 8] 5 is a flowchart showing a test printing process executed by the information processing apparatus. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing an initial setting process executed by the information processing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention, and not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the present invention.

[0011] (First embodiment) An information processing device and a communication device included in the communication system of the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, a personal computer (PC) is exemplified as the information processing device, but is not limited thereto. Various devices such as a mobile terminal, a notebook PC, a tablet terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and a digital camera can be applied as the information processing device. In addition, in the present embodiment, a printer is exemplified as the communication device, but is not limited thereto, and various devices that can perform wireless communication with the information processing device can be applied. For example, the printer can be applied to an inkjet printer, a full-color laser beam printer, a monochrome printer, and the like. In addition to printers, the present invention can also be applied to copiers, facsimile machines, mobile terminals, smartphones, notebook PCs, tablet terminals, PDAs, digital cameras, music playback devices, televisions, and the like. In addition, the present invention can also be applied to multifunction machines having multiple functions such as a copying function, a FAX function, and a printing function.

[0012] 1 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of each device included in a communication system in this embodiment. The communication system in this embodiment includes a personal computer A100 and a personal computer B130, which are information processing devices, and a printer 110, which is a communication device. Note that, in this embodiment, a form in which two information processing devices included in the communication system are both personal computers will be described, but this is not limiting. For example, one may be a personal computer and the other a smartphone.

[0013] The personal computer A 100 includes a CPU 101 , a ROM 102 , a RAM 103 , a display device 104 , an input interface (I / F) 105 , a USB I / F 106 , and a network I / F 107 .

[0014] The CPU 101 is a system control unit that controls the entire personal computer A100.

[0015] ROM 102 stores fixed data such as control programs and data tables executed by CPU 101, and embedded operating system (hereinafter referred to as OS) programs. In this embodiment, each control program stored in ROM 102 performs software execution control such as scheduling, task switching, and interrupt processing under the management of the embedded OS stored in ROM 102. Also, in this embodiment, ROM 102 holds an initial setting program 108 for performing initial setting of printer 110.

[0016] The RAM 103 is composed of a static random access memory (SRAM) that requires a backup power source. Since the RAM 103 holds data using a primary battery (not shown) for data backup, it can store important data such as program control variables without volatilizing the data. The RAM 103 also has a memory area for storing setting information for the personal computer A100 and management data for the personal computer A100. The RAM 103 is also used as the main memory and work memory for the CPU 101.

[0017] The display device 104 is composed of an LED (light emitting diode) and an LCD (liquid crystal display), and displays data and notifies the status of the personal computer A 100. Note that a soft keyboard equipped with keys such as numeric input keys, a mode setting key, a decision key, a cancel key, and a power key may be provided on the display device 104 to accept input from the user via the display device 104.

[0018] The input I / F 105 is an interface for receiving data input and operation instructions from a user, and is composed of a physical keyboard, buttons, a touch panel, etc. Note that the display device 104 and the input I / F 105 may have the same configuration, and the display output and the reception of operations from the user may be performed by the same configuration.

[0019] The USB I / F 106 is an interface for communicating with other devices via a USB (Universal Serial Bus). In this embodiment, the USB I / F 106 can be connected to a USB I / F 117 included in the printer 110 via a USB cable 150.

[0020] The network I / F 107 is an interface for communicating with other devices via a network. In this embodiment, Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) (registered trademark) is used as the wireless communication method of the network I / F 107, but Bluetooth Classic (registered trademark) or the like may also be used. Also, a wired network may be used instead of a wireless network. In this embodiment, the network I / F 107 is connected to a LAN 152 via a network connection 151 by a wired network or a wireless network, and communicates with the personal computer B 130 and the printer 110. Note that, when an information processing device or a communication device other than the personal computer B 130 or the printer 110 is connected to the LAN 152, the network I / F 107 can also communicate with the information processing device or the communication device other than the personal computer B 130 or the printer 110.

[0021] The personal computer A100 may have only one of the USB I / F 106 and the network I / F 107 as an interface for communicating with other devices, or may further have other interfaces. The other interfaces are, for example, interfaces for communicating by wireless communication methods such as NFC (Near Field Communication) and Bluetooth Low Energy (registered trademark).

[0022] The personal computer B130 has a similar configuration to the personal computer A 100, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. It is assumed that the personal computer B130 is also connected to the LAN 152 via the network connection 154 using the network I / F.

[0023] The printer 110 includes a CPU 111 , a ROM 112 , a RAM 113 , a display device 114 , an input I / F 115 , a printing unit 116 , a USB I / F 117 , and a network I / F 118 .

[0024] The CPU 111 is a system control unit that controls the entire printer 110 .

[0025] The ROM 112 stores fixed data such as control programs, data tables, and embedded OS programs executed by the CPU 111. In this embodiment, each control program stored in the ROM 112 performs software execution control such as scheduling, task switching, and interrupt processing under the management of the embedded OS stored in the ROM 112.

[0026] The RAM 113 is composed of an SRAM or the like that requires a backup power source. Since the RAM 113 holds data using a primary battery for data backup (not shown), it can store important data such as program control variables without volatilizing the data. The RAM 113 also has a memory area for storing setting information for the printer 110, management data for the printer 110, and the like. The RAM 113 is also used as the main memory and work memory for the CPU 111.

[0027] The display device 114 is composed of an LED, an LCD, etc., and displays data and notifies the status of the printer 110. Note that by providing a soft keyboard on the display device 114 that has keys such as numeric input keys, a mode setting key, a decision key, a cancel key, and a power key, input from the user may be accepted via the display device 114.

[0028] The input I / F 115 is an interface for receiving data input and operation instructions from a user, and is composed of a physical keyboard, buttons, a touch panel, etc. Note that the display device 114 and the input I / F 115 may have the same configuration, and the display output and the reception of operations from the user may be performed by the same configuration.

[0029] The printing unit 116 forms an image on a recording medium such as paper using a recording agent such as ink, based on a print job received from the personal computer A100 or the personal computer B130 via the USB cable 150 or the LAN 152, and outputs the print result. In this embodiment, the printing unit 116 executes printing by an inkjet method. For that reason, the printing unit 116 includes a print head that ejects ink.

[0030] The USB I / F 117 is an interface for communicating with other devices via USB.

[0031] The network I / F 118 is an interface for communicating with other devices via a network. In this embodiment, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) is used as the wireless communication method of the network I / F 118, but Bluetooth Classic (registered trademark) or the like may also be used. Also, a wired network may be used instead of a wireless network. In this embodiment, the network I / F 118 is connected to the LAN 152 via a network connection 153 and communicates with the personal computer A100 and the personal computer B130. Note that, when an information processing device other than the personal computer A100 and the personal computer B130 is connected to the LAN 152, the network I / F 107 can also communicate with the information processing device other than the personal computer A100 and the personal computer B130.

[0032] The personal computer A100 may have only one of the USB I / F 117 and the network I / F 118 as an interface for communicating with other devices, or may further have other interfaces. The other interfaces are, for example, interfaces that communicate using wireless communication methods such as NFC and Bluetooth Low Energy (registered trademark).

[0033] 2(a) is a diagram showing the external appearance of the printer 110. The printer 110 includes a housing 200, a power button 201, a start button 202, a paper feed tray 203, a paper output tray 204, an access cover 205, and an opening 206. The access cover 205 is rotatable (movable) between a closed position that covers the opening 206 and an open position that opens the opening 206.

[0034] Fig. 2(b) is a diagram showing the inside of the opening 206 in Fig. 2(a). A user can operate the inside of the opening 206 by moving the access cover 205 to the open position and opening the opening 206. The inside of the opening 206 contains an ink holder 210, a shaft 211, a paper feed roller 212, and a fixed member 221.

[0035] Ink holder 210, which holds the ink cartridges, performs printing by moving left and right along shaft 211. Paper on which printing is performed is sent out by paper feed roller 212. Fixing member 221 is a member for fixing ink holder 210 so that ink holder 210 does not move left and right during transportation of printer 110.

[0036] 2(c) is a diagram showing the state of the printer 110 immediately after it has been removed from the packaging box. Packaging tape 220 is attached to the access cover 205 so that the access cover 205 is not opened or closed during transportation of the printer 110.

[0037] <Printer 110 Initial Settings> After the printer 110 is removed from the packaging box (after arrival), the printer 110 needs to perform initial settings to be in a state where it can execute printing. Therefore, the initial setting process of the printer 110 in this embodiment will be described.

[0038] 3 shows the process (S300-S308) executed by the user for the initial setting process of the printer 110, and the initial setting process (S310-S317) executed by the printer 110. FIG. 3 also shows the notification process (S320-S330) executed by the personal computer A100 using the initial setting program 108 while the printer 110 is executing the initial setting process. Note that the process executed by the printer 110 is actually realized, for example, by the CPU 111 reading a program stored in the ROM 112 into the RAM 113 and executing it. Note that the process executed by the personal computer A100 is actually realized, for example, by the CPU 101 reading the initial setting program 108 stored in the ROM 102 into the RAM 103 and executing it.

[0039] First, the user starts the installation work of the printer 110 (S300), and removes the ink holder fixing member 221 and the packing tape 220 from the printer 110 (S301). After that, the user presses the power button 201 of the printer 110 to turn on the printer 110 (S302). Next, the user opens the access cover 205 of the printer 110 (S303), installs an ink cartridge in the printer 110 (S304), and then closes the access cover 205 (S305). After that, the user sets paper in the paper feed tray 203 in preparation for the print head registration adjustment process (S306), and presses the start button 202 (S307). This causes the printer 110 to start the print head registration adjustment. When the print head registration adjustment is completed, the user ends the installation work of the printer 110 (S308).

[0040] When the printer 110 is turned on in S302, the printer 110 starts the initial setting process (S310). Specifically, when the printer 110 is turned on, the printer 110 determines whether or not the initial setting process flag is OFF. When the printer determines that the initial setting process flag is not OFF, the printer starts the initial setting process, and when the printer determines that the initial setting process flag is OFF, the printer does not start the initial setting process. The initial setting process flag is a flag that is turned ON when the printer 110 is turned on with the initial setting process flag not OFF. Also, when the printer 110 completes the initial setting process, the initial setting process flag is turned OFF. Therefore, even if the printer 110 is turned on with the initial setting process completed, the initial setting process is not executed. That is, the initial setting process flag is also information indicating whether or not the initial setting of the printer 110 is completed. Since the initial setting process is executed under such control, the initial setting process is, in other words, executed when the user turns on the printer 110 for the first time after the printer 110 arrives. When the initial setting process is started, the printer 110 turns on an initial setting process flag stored and managed in the RAM 113 or the like (S311).

[0041] Next, the printer 110 prepares to connect to the personal computer A 100 (S312). Specifically, the printer 110 enables various interfaces and prepares to connect to the personal computer A 100 via the USB cable 150 or the network connection 153.

[0042] Next, the printer 110 starts the initialization process. In the initialization process, the printer 110 executes a process to move the ink holder 210 to a fixed position, but if an error occurs in the printer 110, the initialization process cannot be completed. Therefore, when the printer 110 starts the initialization process, it detects various errors occurring in the printer 110. If the printer 110 is already connected to the personal computer A100, the printer 110 transmits error information on the detected error to the personal computer A100 in response to an information acquisition request by the initial setting program 108. When the personal computer A100 receives the error information, it displays a notification screen on the display device 104 to notify the user of various errors occurring in the printer 110 based on the error information. An example of an error that may occur in the printer 110 at this time is an ink holder fixing member not removed error that occurs when the ink holder fixing member 221 is not removed in S301. Also, for example, a cover open error that occurs when the access cover 205 remains open (remains in the open position). Therefore, if an ink holder fixing member not removed error occurs in the printer 110, the personal computer A100 notifies the user of the ink holder fixing member not removed error via a notification screen (S321). Also, if a cover open error occurs in the printer 110, the personal computer A100 notifies the user of the cover open error via a notification screen (S322). If no error has occurred, or if the error that has occurred has been resolved by user operation, the printer 110 completes the initialization process (S313).

[0043] After the initialization process is completed, the printer 110 starts a print head cleaning process. The print head cleaning process includes, for example, a process of filling the print head with ink from an ink cartridge installed in the printer 110, a process of cleaning the ink ejection ports of the print head, and the like. However, if an error occurs in the printer 110, the printer 110 cannot complete the cleaning process. Therefore, when the printer 110 starts a cleaning process, it detects various errors occurring in the printer 110. Then, if the printer 110 is already connected to the personal computer A100, it transmits error information on the detected error to the personal computer A100 in response to an information acquisition request by the initial setting program 108. At this time, errors that may occur in the printer 110 include, for example, a cover open error and a no-ink error (no ink error) in which an ink cartridge is not installed in the printer 110. Therefore, if a cover open error occurs in the printer 110, the personal computer A100 notifies the user of the cover open error by a notification screen (S323). Furthermore, if an ink not installed error occurs in the printer 110, the personal computer A100 notifies the user of the ink not installed error by a notification screen (S324). Note that the printer 110 takes several minutes to complete the cleaning process. Therefore, the printer 110 transmits notification information to the personal computer A100 to notify that the cleaning process is being performed. The personal computer A100 then displays a notification screen on the display device 104 to notify that the printer 110 is performing the cleaning process (S325). If no error has occurred, or if the error that has occurred has been resolved by a user operation, the printer 110 completes the print head cleaning process (S314).

[0044] If an error occurs in the printer 110, the printer 110 cannot complete the registration adjustment process that adjusts the position where the ink discharged from the print head is fixed on the paper. Therefore, the printer 110 detects various errors that have occurred in the printer 110 after completing the cleaning process. Then, if the printer 110 is already connected to the personal computer A100, the printer 110 transmits error information on the detected error to the personal computer A100 in response to an information acquisition request by the initial setting program 108. At this time, errors that may occur in the printer 110 include, for example, a cover open error, a no ink error, and a no paper error where no paper is set in the paper feed tray 203. Therefore, if a cover open error occurs in the printer 110, the personal computer A100 notifies the user of the cover open error by a notification screen (S326). Also, if a no ink error occurs in the printer 110, the personal computer A100 notifies the user of the no ink error by a notification screen (S327).

[0045] Thereafter, the printer 110 waits for the user to press the start button 202. If the printer 110 is already connected to the personal computer A100, the printer 110 transmits notification information to the personal computer A100 to notify that the printer 110 is in this state, in order to notify the personal computer A100 that the printer 110 is in this state, and the personal computer A100 then displays a notification screen on the display device 104 to notify the personal computer A100 that the printer 110 is in this state (S328).

[0046] When the user presses the start button 202, the printer 110 starts the registration adjustment process for the print head. Even after starting the registration adjustment process, the printer 110 detects any errors that occur in the printer and sends error information to the personal computer A100. At this time, for example, if an out-of-paper error occurs in the printer 110, the personal computer A100 notifies the user of the out-of-paper error via a notification screen (S329). If no error has occurred, or if the error that has occurred has been resolved by a user operation, the printer 110 completes the registration adjustment process (S315).

[0047] When the registration adjustment process is completed, the printer 110 turns off the initial setting process flag stored and managed in the RAM 113 or the like (S316) and ends the initial setting process (S317). After this, the printer 110 becomes capable of printing based on a print job received from another device or a print job directly input via the display device 114.

[0048] <Initial settings for PC A100> In order to use the printer 110, the personal computer A100 must perform initial settings to be able to instruct printing to the printer 110. The initial setting process of the personal computer A100 in this embodiment will now be described.

[0049] Generally, the initial settings of the personal computer A100 are performed after the initial settings of the printer 110 have been completed. Specifically, for example, a manual prepared by the vendor of the printer 110 recommends the user to perform the initial settings of the personal computer A100 after completing the initial settings of the printer 110. However, depending on the user, a situation may occur in which the initial settings of the personal computer A100 are started before the initial settings of the printer 110 have been completed.

[0050] When the initial settings of the printer 110 are not complete, that is, the printer 110 is executing the initial settings process, and an error such as that described in Fig. 3 may occur in the printer 110. Therefore, if the initial settings of the personal computer A100 are started in a state in which the initial settings of the printer 110 are not complete, error information may be sent from the printer 110 to the personal computer A100.

[0051] Incidentally, the situation in which the printer 110 transmits error information to the personal computer A100 during the initial setup of the personal computer A100 is not limited to a situation in which the initial setup of the printer 110 is started before the initial setup of the printer 110 is completed. For example, even in a situation in which the initial setup of the printer 110 is started after the initial setup of the printer 110 is completed, the printer 110 may transmit error information to the personal computer A100. Specifically, for example, assume that an error occurs in the printer 110 due to printing instructed by the personal computer B130 to the printer 110 whose initial setup has been completed. In this situation, when the initial setup of the personal computer A100 is started, the printer 110 may transmit error information to the personal computer A100.

[0052] In a situation where the initial settings of the personal computer A100 are started before the initial settings of the printer 110 are complete, the user of the personal computer A100 should resolve the error state of the printer 110 and complete the initial settings of the printer 110. In other words, in a situation where the initial settings of the personal computer A100 are started before the initial settings of the printer 110 are complete, the user should be notified of the error occurring in the printer 110 by the personal computer A100.

[0053] On the other hand, in a situation where the initial setting of the personal computer A100 is started in a state where the initial setting of the printer 110 is completed, the user of the personal computer A100 does not necessarily need to resolve the error state of the printer 110. In other words, in a situation where the initial setting of the personal computer A100 is started in a state where the initial setting of the printer 110 is completed, the user of the personal computer A100 is not necessarily required to notify the user of an error occurring in the printer 110 by the personal computer A100. This is because, in a situation where the initial setting of the printer 110 is completed, the user of the personal computer A100 is likely to prioritize completing the initial setting of the personal computer A100 over resolving the error. In addition, in this embodiment, the initial setting process of the personal computer A100 is executed by the initial setting program 108, but the initial setting program 108 does not have a function of instructing the printer 110 to perform normal printing other than the test printing described later. Note that the test printing is the printing of an image that is predetermined for the test printing (not arbitrarily selected by the user), whereas the normal printing other than the test printing is the printing of an image based on image data arbitrarily selected by the user. That is, the initial setting program 108 is a program for completing the initial setting of the printer 110 and the initial setting of the personal computer A100, and is not a program for instructing the printer 110 to perform normal printing. Therefore, as a user of the personal computer A100 executing the initial setting program 108, as long as the initial setting of the printer 110 is completed, it is acceptable for an error to occur in the printer 110, and the user does not necessarily need to quickly resolve the error. Also, since the initial setting program 108 running on the personal computer A100 instructs only test printing (not normal printing), it does not instruct the printer 110 to print before the timing of acquiring the status information of the printer 110. Therefore, an error that occurs when the initial setting of the printer 110 is completed is unlikely to be an error caused by the personal computer A100. That is, an error that occurs when the initial setting of the printer 110 is completed is likely to be an error caused by the personal computer B130 instructing the printer 110 to perform normal printing.If the error occurring in the printer 110 is an error caused by the personal computer B 130, the user of the personal computer B 130 is likely to eliminate the error state of the printer 110, and the personal computer A 100 does not need to make a notification.

[0054] In this embodiment, therefore, a form will be described in which whether or not an error occurring in the printer 110 is notified by the personal computer A 100 is controlled depending on whether or not the initial settings of the printer 110 have been completed.

[0055] 4 is a flowchart showing the initial setting process executed by the personal computer A100 using the initial setting program 108. The process shown in this flowchart is realized, for example, by the CPU 101 reading the initial setting program 108 stored in the ROM 102 into the RAM 103 and executing it. The process shown in this flowchart is started when the initial setting program 108 is started in the personal computer A100.

[0056] First, in S401, the CPU 101 connects the printer 110 to the personal computer A100. Specifically, the CPU 101 searches for the printer 110 connected to the personal computer A100 via USB or LAN. Alternatively, the CPU 101 searches for a Wi-Fi beacon emitted by the printer 110 and discovers the printer 110. Then, the CPU 101 connects the discovered printer 110 to the personal computer A100. Therefore, the personal computer A100 may connect to the printer 110 via USB or Wi-Fi. After that, the CPU 101 notifies the user that the printer 110 has been discovered, and displays on the display device 104 a confirmation screen 500 (FIG. 5(a)) asking whether to set the discovered printer 110 so that it can be used by the personal computer A100. Then, when the next button 501 on the confirmation screen 500 is pressed, the CPU 101 connects the printer 110 to the personal computer A100 and proceeds to S402.

[0057] In S402, the CPU 101 installs a printer driver compatible with the printer 110. The CPU 101 may obtain and install the printer driver from the printer 110, or may obtain and install the printer driver from the Internet. The CPU 101 displays an installation screen 510 (FIG. 5(b)) on the display device 104 while the printer driver is being installed. The installation screen 510 includes a progress bar 511 that indicates the progress of the installation process. When the installation is complete, the CPU 101 proceeds to S403. At this time, for example, programs such as a status monitor that notifies the user of the status of the printer 110 and a utility for performing maintenance on the printer 110 may also be installed in the personal computer A 100 together with the printer driver.

[0058] In S403, the CPU 101 executes a printer status confirmation process to confirm the status of the printer 110. Details of this process will be described later with reference to Fig. 6. When the printer status confirmation process is completed, the CPU 101 proceeds to S404.

[0059] In S404, the CPU 101 executes a test printing process to instruct the printer 110 to perform a test printing to check whether the printer 110 can perform printing correctly in response to an instruction from the personal computer A 100. In this embodiment, in the test printing process, the CPU 101 first displays on the display device 104 an instruction screen 530 (FIG. 5(d)) for receiving an instruction to perform a test printing. Then, when the CPU 101 receives a press of the Next button 532 from the user, it ends the processing by the initial setting program 108 without instructing the printer 110 to perform a test printing. On the other hand, when the CPU 101 receives a press of the Execute button 531, it instructs the printer 110 to perform a test printing via the connection established in S401. If the processing of S401 and S402 has been completed correctly, the instruction to perform the test printing is sent correctly to the printer 110. When the test printing is instructed, the printer 110 performs printing based on print data predetermined for the test printing. Completion of the test printing allows the user to recognize that the personal computer A100 and the printer 110 are correctly connected. At this time, if an error occurs in the printer 110, the test printing is not executed, and the printer 110 transmits error information to the personal computer A100. The CPU 101 may execute the notification based on this error information by the initial setting program 108, or may execute it by a status monitor or the like installed together with the printer driver in S402. When the CPU 101 receives a notification from the printer 110 that the test printing is completed, the CPU 101 displays a completion screen 540 (FIG. 5(e)) on the display device 104. That is, the CPU 101 notifies the user that the installation work of the printer 110 is completed and the printer 110 can be controlled by the personal computer A100. Then, when the end button 541 on the completion screen 540 is pressed, the CPU 101 ends the processing by the initial setting program 108.

[0060] 6 is a flowchart showing a status confirmation process executed by the personal computer A100 using the initial setting program 108. The process shown in this flowchart is realized, for example, by the CPU 101 reading the initial setting program 108 stored in the ROM 102 into the RAM 103 and executing it. That is, the process shown in this flowchart is executed in a state where the initial setting program 108 is running in the personal computer A100. The process shown in this flowchart corresponds to the process of S403.

[0061] First, in S601, the CPU 101 acquires printer 110 status information from the printer 110. The printer 110 status information may include error information related to an error occurring in the printer 110, notification information for notifying the printer 110 of a process being executed, information related to the status of an initial setting processing flag, and the like. The status information acquired at this time may include the error information and notification information described in FIG. 3. Furthermore, if the initial settings of the printer 110 have been completed, the status information acquired at this time includes information indicating that the initial setting processing flag is in an OFF state. Furthermore, if the initial settings of the printer 110 have not been completed, the status information acquired at this time includes information indicating that the initial setting processing flag is in an ON state.

[0062] Next, in S602, CPU 101 determines whether or not at least one of error information and notification information is included in the received status information. If the determination is YES, CPU 101 proceeds to S603, and if the determination is NO, CPU 101 ends the processing of this flowchart and proceeds to S404.

[0063] In S603, the CPU 101 determines whether the initial setting of the printer 110 is complete. Specifically, if the initial setting processing flag is OFF (after the flag OFF processing 316), the CPU 101 determines that the initial setting of the printer 110 is complete. On the other hand, if the initial setting processing flag is ON (between the flag ON processing 311 and the flag OFF processing 316), the CPU 101 determines that the initial setting of the printer 110 is not complete. If the determination is YES, the CPU 101 ends the processing of this flowchart and proceeds to S404. That is, in this embodiment, if the initial setting of the printer 110 is complete, the CPU 101 does not notify the printer 110 even if an error occurs in the printer 110. If the determination is NO, the CPU 101 proceeds to S604. Note that the determination in S603 may be performed before the determination in S602. In this embodiment, if it is determined in S603 that the initial setting of the printer 110 is complete, the processing in S602 may not be performed and S604 may be performed.

[0064] In S604, the CPU 101 displays a notification screen 520 (FIG. 5C) on the display device 104 to notify the user of an error occurring in the printer 110 or a process being executed by the printer 110 based on the information received in S601. The notification screen 520 includes a countermeasure button 521, a skip button 522, and a next button 523. The countermeasure button 521 is a button for displaying a countermeasure for an error occurring in the printer 110. The skip button 522 is a button for proceeding to the next process without solving the error occurring in the printer 110. The next button 523 is a button for proceeding to the next process after solving the error occurring in the printer 110. The "support number" in the notification screen 520 differs depending on the type of error occurring in the printer 110 and the type of process being executed in the printer 110. The notification screen 520 may be in a form that simply notifies the user that an error has occurred in the printer 110 without notifying the user of the type of error occurring in the printer 110.

[0065] In S605, CPU 101 determines whether or not any button has been pressed on notification screen 520. If the determination is YES, CPU 101 proceeds to S606, and if the determination is NO, executes S605 again.

[0066] In S606, CPU 101 determines the type of button pressed on notification screen 520. If the button pressed on notification screen 520 is solution button 521, CPU 101 proceeds to S607. If the button pressed on notification screen 520 is skip button 522, CPU 101 ends the processing of this flowchart and proceeds to S404. If the button pressed on notification screen 520 is next button 523, CPU 101 returns to S601 to check whether the error that occurred in printer 110 has been resolved or whether the processing being executed in printer 110 has been completed.

[0067] In S607, the CPU 101 starts a Web browser and displays a countermeasure screen 700 (FIG. 7A) which is Web content describing a countermeasure for solving an error occurring in the printer 110 on the display device 104 by the Web browser. The countermeasure screen 700 shown in FIG. 7A is a screen describing a countermeasure for solving a cover open error occurring in the printer 110. Therefore, an image 701 for urging the user to close the cover as a countermeasure for solving the cover open error is displayed on the countermeasure screen 700. The content of the countermeasure screen 700 displayed at this time differs depending on the error occurring in the printer 110. This is because the URL entered in the Web browser differs depending on the error occurring in the printer 110. Note that in S607, as shown in FIG. 7B, a countermeasure screen 710 showing a more detailed countermeasure procedure to the user by video content 711 may be displayed. Furthermore, CPU 101 may display the solution screen on a screen displayed by initial setting program 108, rather than on a screen displayed by a Web browser. When the Web browser on which the solution screen is displayed is closed, the screen displayed by display device 104 returns to notification screen 520. Therefore, CPU 101 proceeds to S605 and waits for a user operation on notification screen 520.

[0068] Thus, in this embodiment, when the personal computer A100 executes the initial settings of the printer 110 in a state where the initial settings of the printer 110 have not been completed (when the printer 110 is executing the initial settings), an error of the printer 110 is notified at the personal computer A100. On the other hand, when the personal computer A100 executes the initial settings in a state where the initial settings of the printer 110 have been completed, an error of the printer 110 is not notified at the personal computer A100. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to notify the user of the personal computer A100 of information that is highly necessary to be notified to the user. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the user from feeling annoyed by being notified of information that is less necessary to be notified to the user of the personal computer A100.

[0069] It is assumed that an error occurs in the printer 110 when the initial setting of the printer 110 is completed, but the personal computer A100 does not notify the error during the initial setting due to the application of the process in this embodiment. Then, assume that the user of the personal computer A100 executes normal printing using the printer 110 immediately after the initial setting of the personal computer A100 is completed. In this case, since the error still occurs in the printer 110, the user of the personal computer A100 cannot execute normal printing using the printer 110. However, the program for executing normal printing (for example, the program installed in S402) has a normal error notification function. The normal error notification function is a function that executes a notification process when an error occurs in the printer 110, regardless of whether the initial setting of the personal computer A100 is completed or not. Therefore, in the above-mentioned situation, the initial setting program 108 does not notify the error, but the program for executing normal printing notifies the error, so that the user can recognize the error occurring in the printer 110.

[0070] In this embodiment, an initial setting processing flag exists separately from various error information, which allows the printer 110 to use various error information during and outside of the initial setting.

[0071] <Second embodiment> In the above-described embodiment, in the test printing process, the personal computer A100 sends a test printing instruction to the printer 110 without checking the status of the printer 110. In this embodiment, an embodiment will be described in which the status of the printer 110 is checked in the test printing process, and then a test printing instruction is sent to the printer 110.

[0072] Unless otherwise specified, the communication system of this embodiment is assumed to be similar to the communication system of the first embodiment.

[0073] 8 is a flowchart showing the test printing process executed by the personal computer A100 using the initial setting program 108. The process shown in this flowchart is realized, for example, by the CPU 101 reading the initial setting program 108 stored in the ROM 102 into the RAM 103 and executing it. The process shown in this flowchart is executed in place of the process of S404 in the first embodiment.

[0074] First, in S801, the CPU 101 displays on the display device 104 an instruction screen 530 (FIG. 5D) for receiving an instruction to execute a test print.

[0075] Next, in S802, the CPU 101 determines whether or not any button has been pressed on the instruction screen 530. If the determination is YES, the CPU 101 proceeds to S803, and if the determination is NO, the CPU 101 executes S802 again.

[0076] Next, in S803, CPU 101 determines the type of button pressed on instruction screen 530. If the button pressed on instruction screen 530 is execute button 531, CPU 101 proceeds to S804. If the button pressed on instruction screen 530 is next button 532, CPU 101 ends the processing of this flowchart.

[0077] Next, in step S804, the CPU 101 acquires printer 110 status information from the printer 110.

[0078] Next, in S805, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the received status information includes at least one of error information and notification information. If the determination is YES, the CPU 101 proceeds to S806, and if the determination is NO, the CPU 101 proceeds to S810.

[0079] In S806, based on the information received in S804, the CPU 101 displays a notification screen 550 (FIG. 5(f)) on the instruction screen 530 to notify the user of an error occurring in the printer 110 or a process being executed by the printer 110. The notification screen 550 includes a solution button 551 for displaying a solution to the error occurring in the printer 110, and an OK button 552. Unlike the notification screen 520, the notification screen 550 does not include a skip button. This is because the printer 110 cannot perform test printing unless the error occurring in the printer 110 is resolved. The notification screen 550 may notify the user of the type of error occurring in the printer 110, or may simply notify the user that an error has occurred in the printer 110.

[0080] In S807, CPU 101 determines whether or not any button has been pressed on notification screen 550. If the determination is YES, CPU 101 proceeds to S808, and if the determination is NO, executes S807 again.

[0081] In S808, CPU 101 determines the type of button pressed on notification screen 550. If the button pressed on notification screen 550 is solution button 551, CPU 101 proceeds to S809. If the button pressed on notification screen 550 is OK button 552, CPU 101 returns to S803 to check whether the error that occurred in printer 110 has been resolved or whether the process being executed in printer 110 has been completed.

[0082] In S809, CPU 101 starts a Web browser and displays, on display device 104, a solution screen 700 (FIG. 7(a)), which is Web content describing solutions for resolving the error that has occurred in printer 110, by the Web browser. When the Web browser displaying the solution screen is closed, the screen displayed on display device 104 reverts to notification screen 550. Therefore, CPU 101 proceeds to S807 and waits for a user operation on notification screen 550.

[0083] If no error has occurred in the printer 110 or if the printer 110 is not executing any process, in S810 the CPU 101 instructs the printer 110 to perform test printing. If the processes in S401, S402, etc. have been completed correctly, the instruction to perform test printing is sent correctly to the printer 110, and the printer 110 executes the test printing. When the CPU 101 receives a notification from the printer 110 that the test printing by the printer 110 has been completed, the process proceeds to S811.

[0084] In S811, the CPU 101 displays a completion screen 540 (FIG. 5(e)) on the display device 104 to notify the user that the installation work of the printer 110 is completed. Then, when an end button 541 on the completion screen 540 is pressed, the CPU 101 ends the processing by the initial setting program 108.

[0085] In this manner, in this embodiment, the test printing process is executed after checking the status of the printer 110. This makes it possible to notify the user if an error occurs in the printer 110. In turn, it makes it possible to prevent the printer 110 from being unable to complete the test printing due to the occurrence of an error.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, unlike the status confirmation process, the test printing process notifies the printer 110 of an error regardless of whether the initial settings of the printer 110 have been completed (whether the initial settings processing flag is OFF or not). This makes it possible to further prevent the printer 110 from being unable to complete test printing due to the occurrence of an error.

[0087] In the initial setting process executed by the personal computer A100, the personal computer A100 instructs test printing, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if a device that the personal computer A100 becomes available to use through the initial setting process has a scanner function, the personal computer A100 may instruct test scanning instead of test printing. Furthermore, if the skip button 522 is selected on the notification screen 520 displayed in S903, the personal computer A100 may not execute the test scanning process instructing a test scan.

[0088] <Third embodiment> In the above embodiment, the test printing process was executed even when the skip button 522 was selected on the notification screen 520. When the skip button 522 was selected, an error occurred in the printer 110, and therefore even if a test printing was instructed by the test printing process, the printer 110 is likely not able to complete the test printing. Therefore, in this embodiment, a form will be described in which whether or not to execute the test printing process is switched depending on whether or not the skip button 522 was selected on the notification screen 520.

[0089] Unless otherwise specified, the communication system of this embodiment is assumed to be similar to the communication system of the first embodiment.

[0090] 9 is a flowchart showing an initial setting process executed by the personal computer A100 using the initial setting program 108. The process shown in this flowchart is realized, for example, by the CPU 101 reading the initial setting program 108 stored in the ROM 102 into the RAM 103 and executing it. The process shown in this flowchart is started when the initial setting program 108 is started in the personal computer A100. The process shown in this flowchart is executed in place of the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4 in the first embodiment.

[0091] The processing in S901 to S903 is similar to the processing in S401 to S403, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

[0092] In S904, CPU 101 determines whether or not skip button 522 was selected on notification screen 520 displayed in S903. If the determination is YES, CPU 101 ends the processing of this flowchart and ends processing by initial setting program 108. That is, if the determination is YES, CPU 101 does not execute test printing processing. On the other hand, if the determination is NO, CPU 101 proceeds to S905.

[0093] In S905, the CPU 101 executes a test printing process. The test printing process executed here may be the one described in the first embodiment or the one described in the second embodiment.

[0094] A user who selects the skip button 522 on the notification screen 520 is generally a user who wants to complete the initial settings quickly. In consideration of such a user's intention, in this embodiment, when the skip button 522 is selected on the notification screen 520, the initial settings can be completed without executing the test printing process. Also, in a situation where the printer 110 is highly likely to be unable to complete the test printing, it is possible to prevent a test printing instruction from being issued to the printer 110.

[0095] (Other embodiments) In the above embodiment, the flag information (initial setting processing flag) used to determine whether the printer 110 is in the initial setting state is transmitted to the personal computer A100 as information separate from the error information and notification information, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the error information and notification information themselves may contain information for determining whether the printer 110 is in the initial setting state. Specifically, for example, the error information and notification information may be bit information, and whether the printer 110 is in the initial setting state may be indicated by turning on / off an unused bit in the error information and notification information. Also, information indicating whether the printer 110 is in the initial setting state may be combined with the error information and notification information.

[0096] The above-described embodiment can also be realized by supplying a program that realizes one or more functions of the above-described embodiment to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and having one or more processors in a computer of the system or device execute the program. The above-described embodiment can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that realizes one or more functions.

Claims

1. A program, A computer of an information processing device that communicates with the printing device an acquiring step of acquiring error information relating to an error occurring in the printing device if an error occurs in the printing device; a notification step of executing a notification step for notifying an error occurring in the printing device based on the error information when an initial setting process executed when a user turns on the power of the printing device for the first time after the delivery of the printing device has not been completed in the printing device and an error has occurred in the printing device while the program is running in the information processing device, and not executing the notification step when the initial setting process has been completed in the printing device and an error has occurred in the printing device while the program is running in the information processing device; A program characterized by executing the above.

2. 2. The program according to claim 1, further causing the computer to execute an installation step of installing at least one program including a printer driver corresponding to the printing device into the information processing device.

3. The program according to claim 2, characterized in that the at least one program has a function of executing a process to notify an error occurring in the printing device when an error occurs in the printing device, regardless of whether the initial setting process has been completed in the printing device.

4. a sending step of sending a print instruction to the printing device to execute printing; 4. The program according to claim 1, wherein when the print instruction is received by the printing device, printing is executed by the printing device.

5. a step of receiving an input from a user for transmitting the print instruction to the printing device; 5. The program according to claim 4, wherein the print instruction is transmitted to the printing device based on receipt of an input for transmitting the print instruction to the printing device.

6. The program according to claim 5, characterized in that when input for sending the print instruction to the printing device is accepted and an error occurs in the printing device, the notification process is executed regardless of whether the initial setting process has been completed in the printing device.

7. an input receiving step of receiving an input from a user indicating that the user will not resolve the error occurring in the printing device after the notification process is executed; The program according to any one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising a control step of controlling the computer so that the print instruction is not sent to the printing device when an input indicating that the user will not resolve the error occurring in the printing device is received.

8. 8. The program according to claim 4, wherein the printing executed by the printing device based on the print instruction is test printing executed based on predetermined print data.

9. 9. The program according to claim 8, wherein the program does not instruct the printing device to perform any printing other than the test printing.

10. 10. The program according to claim 9, wherein the printing other than the test printing is printing of an image based on image data selected by a user.

11. The printing device executes printing by moving a printing unit included in the printing device; 11. The program according to claim 1, wherein the initial setting process includes a process of moving the printing unit.

12. The printing device executes printing by ejecting ink from a printing unit included in the printing device; 12. The program according to claim 1, wherein the initial setting process includes a process for filling the printing unit with ink.

13. The printing device executes printing by ejecting ink from a printing unit included in the printing device; 13. The program according to claim 1, wherein the initial setting process includes a registration adjustment process for adjusting a position of ink ejected from the printing unit.

14. A program according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the initial setting process is executed when the power of the printing device is turned on while specific flag information managed by the printing device indicates that the initial setting process has not been completed in the printing device.

15. 15. The program according to claim 1, wherein the notification process displays a screen for notifying an error occurring in the printing device.

16. 16. The program according to claim 1, wherein the notification process includes a process for notifying a user of a method for solving an error occurring in the printing device.

17. The program according to claim 16, characterized in that the process for notifying a user of a method for resolving an error occurring in the printing device is a process for displaying a button for displaying, by a browser, a screen for notifying a user of a method for resolving an error occurring in the printing device.

18. 18. The program according to claim 1, wherein the notification process includes a process for notifying a user that the initial setting process has not been completed in the printing device.

19. further causing the computer to execute an information acquisition step of acquiring initial setting information indicating whether the initial setting process has been completed in the printing device; A program as described in any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that if the acquired initial setting information indicates that the initial setting process has not been completed in the printing device and an error has occurred in the printing device, the notification process is executed, and if the acquired initial setting information indicates that the initial setting process has been completed in the printing device and an error has occurred in the printing device, the notification process is not executed.

20. A program as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that an error that occurs in the printing device when the initial setting process is completed in the printing device is an error that occurs due to a device other than the information processing device instructing the printing device to print.

21. 21. The program according to claim 1, wherein the state in which the initial setting process is not completed in the printing device is a state in which the printing device is executing the initial setting process.

22. The program described in any one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the error that occurs in the printing device is at least one of a paper-out error in which no paper is set in the printing device, a ink-out error in which an ink cartridge is not set in the printing device, a cover-open error in which a cover that can move between a closed position that covers an opening that exposes the inside of the printing device and an open position that opens the opening is in the open position, and a fixed member not removed error in which a fixed member for fixing a printing unit provided in the printing device has not been removed from the printing device.

23. A method for controlling an information processing device that communicates with a printing device, comprising: an acquiring step of acquiring error information relating to an error occurring in the printing device if an error occurs in the printing device; A control method characterized by having a notification step of executing a notification process to notify of an error that has occurred in the printing device based on the error information when the program is running on the information processing device and the initial setting process, which is executed when a user turns on the power of the printing device for the first time after the printing device arrives, has not been completed on the printing device and an error has occurred on the printing device, and not executing the notification process when the program is running on the information processing device and the initial setting process has been completed on the printing device and an error has occurred on the printing device.

24. An information processing device that communicates with a printing device, an acquisition means for acquiring, when an error occurs in the printing device, error information relating to the error occurring in the printing device; The information processing device is characterized by having a notification means which, when the program is running on the information processing device, if the initial setup process executed when the user turns on the power of the printing device for the first time after the printing device arrives has not been completed on the printing device and an error has occurred on the printing device, executes a notification process to notify of the error that has occurred on the printing device based on the error information, and, when the program is running on the information processing device, if the initial setup process has been completed on the printing device and an error has occurred on the printing device, does not execute the notification process.

25. A computer of an information processing device that communicates with the printing device acquiring information about the printing device; a notification step of executing the notification process when the acquired information about the printing device indicates that an initial setup process executed when a user turns on the power of the printing device for the first time after the printing device arrives has not been completed on the printing device and when the acquired information about the printing device indicates that an error has occurred on the printing device, and a notification step of not executing the notification process when the acquired information about the printing device indicates that the initial setup process has not been completed on the printing device and when the acquired information about the printing device indicates that an error has occurred on the printing device.

26. The program according to claim 25, characterized in that the information regarding the printing device includes error information indicating an error occurring in the printing device and initial setting information indicating whether the initial setting process has been completed in the printing device.

Images