Information processing device, printer, information processing system, and printer maintenance method

Abstract

To detect requirement for a printer maintenance work at an appropriate timing.SOLUTION: An information processor capable of communicating with a printer includes: a first acquisition part for acquiring first printer information indicating a degree of consumption of a printing head of the printer from the printer; a second acquisition part for acquiring second printer information indicating a conveyance distance of a printing medium by the printer, from the printer; a determination part for determining whether or not the first printer information and / or the second printer information satisfies a maintenance condition requiring a printer maintenance work; and an adjustment part for adjusting the maintenance condition on the basis of use environment information indicating use environment of the printer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device, a printer, an information processing system, and a method for maintaining a printer. [Background technology]

[0002] Printers that are configured to be able to detect breaks in the heating resistor of a print head (thermal head) have been known for some time. Patent Document 1 describes a label printer in which a resistance measurement unit measures the resistance of the heating element, a comparison unit compares the resistance of the heating element with a threshold value that serves as a criterion for determining whether the thermal head is broken, and a notification unit notifies the user of the comparison result. This label printer further has a threshold change unit that accepts changes to the threshold value from the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-061622 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, because printer usage environments vary depending on the printer user, it is not appropriate to set the same threshold value for determining whether a print head heating resistor has been disconnected or whether an abnormal resistance value has been detected for all users. If a print head heating resistor is disconnected at a time unexpected by the user, for example, labels cannot be printed, resulting in downtime and reduced production efficiency for the user. Furthermore, if labels cannot be printed, the printer maintenance service provider must respond to sudden calls from the printer user. Therefore, it is necessary to be able to detect, at an appropriate time, when a printer needs maintenance work, such as a print head failure.

[0005] In the conventional printers described above, the threshold value used to determine whether the thermal head is broken is changed in response to a user request. However, this change in threshold value is implemented by the user increasing the threshold value based on their subjective judgment of the label printing status and the color development status of a test label, rather than the printer's own judgment of whether the head is broken. This method of changing the threshold value cannot deal with cases where a head break occurs due to, for example, a sudden increase in resistance in a short period of time in the operating environment.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to make it possible to detect at an appropriate time that a printer requires maintenance work. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is an information processing device capable of communicating with a printer, comprising: a first acquisition unit that acquires from the printer first printer information indicating the degree of wear of a print head of the printer; a second acquisition unit that acquires from the printer second printer information indicating a distance a print medium is transported by the printer; a determination unit that determines whether the first printer information and / or the second printer information meets maintenance conditions that require maintenance work on the printer; and an adjustment unit that adjusts the maintenance conditions based on usage environment information that indicates the usage environment of the printer. the determination unit determines whether the maintenance condition is satisfied each time the transport distance of the print medium by the printer indicated by the second printer information reaches a predetermined distance, and the predetermined distance is set based on the usage environment information. It is an information processing device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to detect at an appropriate time that a printer requires maintenance work. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration of a printer maintenance system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a method for setting a threshold value. [Figure 3]3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a user management database in the printer maintenance system according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a maintenance history database. [Figure 5] 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of each device constituting a printer maintenance system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] 4 is a sequence chart showing the operation of the printer maintenance system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the maintenance necessity determination process of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 7 is a flowchart showing another example of the maintenance necessity determination process of FIG. 6. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of each device constituting a printer maintenance system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data configuration of a user management database in a printer maintenance system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 11] 11A and 11B each show an example of training data for machine learning. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a maintenance necessity determination process using a trained model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In the management server (an example of an information processing device) according to an embodiment, in consideration of the fact that the printer usage environment varies depending on the printer user, the maintenance conditions requiring printer maintenance work, such as the resistance threshold of the print head's heating resistor, are adjusted according to the user's usage environment. For example, when a printer is used in an environment with a lot of foreign matter such as dust and dirt, such as in the steel industry, print head breaks are likely to occur frequently, but when used in the medical industry or in clean rooms, the frequency of print head breaks tends to be extremely low. Therefore, it is preferable to adjust the maintenance conditions requiring printer maintenance work according to the printer's usage environment. The printer usage environment includes the type of industry the printer user is in, such as the steel or medical industry, as well as the time and date the printer is used, the season and climate of the location where the printer is used, and the surrounding environment of the location, such as the temperature and humidity of the location. For example, in the relatively dry winter, static electricity can easily increase the resistance of the print head. When a printer is used in a humid location, such as a manufacturing site without air conditioning, condensation around the print head can affect the print head. The printer's operating environment also includes supplies such as roll paper used in the printer. For example, the degree of print head wear differs between genuine printer roll paper and non-genuine roll paper (third-party product) due to differences in smoothness. Therefore, if non-genuine roll paper is used in the printer, the print head may deteriorate more quickly. Therefore, in one embodiment of the printer maintenance system, by adjusting the printer maintenance conditions according to the printer usage environment, which differs for each user, it is possible to detect at the appropriate time when a situation requiring printer maintenance work may occur and notify the user.

[0011] (1) First embodiment The system configuration of the printer maintenance system of the first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. The printer maintenance system 1 shown in Fig. 1 has a management server 5 that manages the status of each printer for printer users U1, U2, ..., and a help desk terminal 6. For example, user U1 has a user terminal 2-1 and a printer 3-1, and user U2 has a user terminal 2-2 and a printer 3-2. In the example shown in Fig. 1, each user has one printer, but this is not limited to this and each user may have multiple printers. The user terminal 2 and the help desk terminal 6 are, for example, desktop, laptop, or tablet computers, or information processing terminals such as smartphones. In the following description, when referring to matters common to the user terminals 2-1, 2-2, ..., they will be referred to as "user terminal 2." Similarly, when referring to matters common to the printers 3-1, 3-2, ..., they will be referred to as "printer 3."

[0012] The user terminal 2 and the printer 3 are connected to the network NW via, for example, the access points AP1 and AP2 of the respective users, and are capable of communicating with the management server 5 and the help desk terminal 6. The printer 3 periodically or irregularly notifies the management server 5 of information required for maintaining the printer (maintenance data). There is no limitation on the maintenance data, but examples include data on the resistance value of each heating resistor in the thermal head of the printer 3 and data on the transport distance of the platen roller. When the maintenance data is notified periodically, it is notified, for example, at intervals of 30 minutes to 2 hours.

[0013] The resistance value of each heating resistor in the thermal head is converted into a head wear rate by the management server 5. Alternatively, the printer 3 may convert the resistance value of each heating resistor in the thermal head into a head wear rate, and then transmit maintenance data including the head wear rate data to the management server 5.

[0014] The head wear rate is a value that indicates the degree of wear of the thermal head of the printer 3. The head wear rate is a percentage (%) of the resistance value of the heating resistor of the thermal head, where the resistance value of the heating resistor at the start of use is 0% and the resistance value when the heating resistor is determined to have an error (disconnection) is 100%. The resistance value when the heating resistor is determined to have an error is, for example, so high that the heating resistor does not perform its intended dot printing function. For example, the head wear rate is determined based on the highest resistance value of the multiple heating resistors in the thermal head. If the head wear rate reaches 100%, the printer 3 will be unable to print normally, which would disrupt the distribution of finished products if the printer 3 were printing labels to be affixed to them, for example. Therefore, a threshold value of less than 100% is set for the head wear rate so that the thermal head can be replaced before the head wear rate reaches 100%. The help desk terminal 6 then monitors whether the head wear rate has reached the threshold value, and is configured to notify the user terminal 2, etc., when the head wear rate has reached the threshold value.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the resistance value and the head wear rate of each heating resistor of an exemplary thermal head. In the example of Figure 2, the initial resistance value (initial value) for each of 5,000 heating resistors (heating resistors for 5,000 dots) is shown. In the example of Figure 2, if the initial resistance value of the heating resistor is around 90 Ω and the resistance value at which the heating resistor is determined to be in error is 165 Ω, the resistance value at a threshold of 50% is approximately 135 Ω.

[0016] The conveyance distance of the platen roller means the total conveyance distance from the start of use of the platen roller. As the conveyance distance increases, the surface of the platen roller wears and the diameter decreases. If the diameter of the platen roller decreases too much, normal function will be impaired, so it is preferable that the help desk terminal 6 monitors whether the conveyance distance has reached a threshold and notifies the user terminal 2 when the conveyance distance has reached the threshold.

[0017] The management server 5 stores a user management database and a maintenance history database. Figures 3 and 4 show examples of the data configuration of each database.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, each record in the user management database includes values ​​for the fields "User ID," "Address," "Industry," "Printer ID," "Supply ID," "Transport distance," and "Head wear rate." The user ID is identification information that identifies the user of the printer 3. The printer ID is identification information that identifies the printer 3. The user's industry is an example of user attribute information. The user's address is an example of location information of the user's printer 3. The supply ID (an example of information indicating the type of print medium) is identification information that identifies the supply product that is applied to the corresponding printer. The supply ID is not limited to one, and multiple supply IDs may be included. For example, each record in the user management database may include a supply ID that corresponds to each of the label (an example of print medium) and ink ribbon (if printer 3 is a thermal transfer printer) that are applied to the corresponding printer 3. The transport distance value included in the user management database is the transport distance value included in the maintenance data acquired from the printer 3, and is updated each time the management server 5 acquires the maintenance data. The head wear rate value included in the user management database is the head wear rate value included in the maintenance data acquired from the printer 3, and is updated each time the management server 5 acquires the maintenance data.

[0019] The maintenance history database is a database in which the details of maintenance work performed on a user's printer are recorded. As shown in FIG. 4, in one embodiment, each record in the maintenance history database includes values ​​for the fields "User ID," "Maintenance Date and Time," "Printer ID," and "Maintenance Details." The "Maintenance Details" field includes multiple subfields for each specific maintenance work. For example, it includes subfields such as "Head Replacement" and "Platen Replacement." Here, the printer ID is identification information that identifies the printer on which maintenance work was performed. The value of the "Head Replacement" field contains the value of the head wear rate when the thermal head is replaced (referred to as "wear rate at replacement"). The value of the "Platen Replacement" field contains the value of the platen roller transport distance when the platen roller is replaced (referred to as "replacement distance").

[0020] Each user can view information about their own printer in the user management database and maintenance history database by executing the printer management application on the user terminal 2. A help desk staff member can view information about all users' printers contained in the user management database and maintenance history database by executing the printer management application on the help desk terminal 6.

[0021] When each user determines that maintenance work on the printer 3 is necessary, the user can request the help desk terminal 6 to dispatch a maintenance service provider by performing a predetermined operation on the printer management application on the user terminal 2. For example, when the user recognizes on the printer management application that the head wear rate has exceeded a threshold, the user requests the help desk terminal 6 to dispatch a maintenance service provider to replace the thermal head. For example, when a maintenance service provider replaces a part (such as a thermal head) in a user's printer, the maintenance history information (user ID, maintenance date and time, printer ID, and maintenance details) is entered into the printer management application. The maintenance history database is updated based on this input information.

[0022] In one embodiment, the management server 5 determines printer maintenance conditions, such as a threshold for head wear rate, based on the user management database and / or the maintenance history database. In other words, the printer maintenance conditions are not determined uniformly for all users, but are determined based on the user's printer usage environment.

[0023] Next, the configuration of the printer maintenance system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of each device that makes up the printer maintenance system 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the user terminal 2 has a control unit 21, an operation input unit 22, a display unit 23, and a communication unit 24.

[0024] The control unit 21 includes a microprocessor, memory, image buffer memory, etc., and executes the printer management application, displaying the execution results on the display unit 23. The operation input unit 22 includes input devices such as a mouse and keyboard, and accepts input from the user to the printer management application. The display unit 23 includes a display panel such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and a display drive circuit, and displays the execution results of the printer management application sent from the control unit 21. The communication unit 24 includes a communication interface circuit for communicating with the management server 5 and the help desk terminal 6. The printer management application communicates with the management server 5 and the help desk terminal 6 via the communication unit 24 using, for example, HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure). For example, the printer management application acquires from the management server 5 information on the transport distance and head wear rate of one or more printers corresponding to a user ID that identifies the user of the user terminal 2, and displays the information in a predetermined display format on the display unit 23. The printer management application sends and receives messages to and from the help desk terminal 6.

[0025] 5, the printer 3 of this embodiment includes a control unit 31, an operation input unit 32, a display unit 33, a transport unit 34, a printing unit 35, a communication unit 36, and a storage unit 37 (an example of a storage unit). The control unit 31 is mainly configured with a microprocessor, and executes firmware to control the entire printer 3. For example, the control unit 31 converts print data stored in the storage unit 37 into drawing data, and sequentially sends line data, which is data for each line of the drawing data, to the printing unit 35.

[0026] The transport unit 34 and printing unit 35 perform printing based on line data sent sequentially from the control unit 31. The transport unit 34 includes a platen roller (not shown) and a motor drive circuit and motor (not shown), and transports the continuous paper within the printer 3. The continuous paper is, for example, a sheet of paper with multiple labels temporarily attached to a strip-shaped backing. Based on a transport request from the firmware, the motor drive circuit drives the motor that controls the rotation of the platen roller, thereby transporting the continuous paper. The printing unit 35 includes a thermal head (an example of a print head) and a head drive circuit (both not shown). The head drive circuit selectively passes current through each heating resistor of the thermal head based on line data, thereby printing on the continuous paper label.

[0027] The communication unit 36 ​​is a communication interface that communicates with the management server 5. The communication unit 36 ​​communicates with the management server 5 in accordance with a predefined communication protocol. Maintenance data (i.e., information on the resistance value of each heating resistor in the thermal head, the transport distance of the platen roller, etc.) is transmitted to the management server 5 via the communication unit 36, for example, periodically.

[0028] The storage 37 is a non-volatile memory, such as a solid state drive (SSD) such as a flash memory. The storage 37 stores print data, firmware for controlling the printing operation, and the like, as well as the resistance values ​​of each heating resistor in the thermal head and information on the transport distance of the platen roller calculated by the control unit 31. The control unit 31 successively updates the information on the resistance values ​​of each heating resistor and the transport distance of the platen roller stored in the storage 37.

[0029] The management server 5 of this embodiment includes a control unit 51, a storage 52, and a communication unit 53. The control unit 51 is mainly configured with a microprocessor, and executes a predetermined server program to control the entire management server 5. The storage 52 is a non-volatile memory, such as a large-capacity storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The storage 52 stores a user management database (user management DB; see FIG. 3) and a maintenance history database (maintenance history DB; see FIG. 4). The communication unit 53 is a communication interface that communicates with the printer 3. The communication unit 53 communicates between the management server 5 and the printer 3 in accordance with a predefined communication protocol. The communication unit 53 also communicates with the user terminal 2 and the help desk terminal 6, for example, using HTTPS.

[0030] By executing the server program, the control unit 51 functions as a first acquisition unit, a second acquisition unit, a determination unit, and an adjustment unit, which will be described later. Note that the usage environment information in the user management database (usage environment information indicating the usage environment of the printer 3) can be input by, for example, an administrator of the management server 5 when registering the printer 3.

[0031] In one embodiment, the usage environment information refers to at least one of the user's address, business type, and supply ID information in the user management database shown in FIG. 3. As described above, depending on the user's address, static electricity, condensation, and other issues are more likely to occur in relation to the surrounding environment of the printer 3, such as the season, weather, temperature, and humidity at each time of day, which affects the lifespan of the thermal head. Depending on the user's business, the amount of foreign matter such as dust and dirt in the environment where the printer 3 is used varies, making the thermal head more likely to break. In addition, the degree of thermal head wear varies depending on the supplies that come into contact with the thermal head. Therefore, in one embodiment, at least one of the user's address, business type, and supply ID is used as usage environment information, and maintenance conditions are adjusted based on the usage environment information.

[0032] (I) A first acquisition unit that acquires information on the resistance value of each heating resistor of the thermal head of the printer 3 (an example of first printer information indicating the degree of wear of the print head) from the printer 3. For example, the first acquisition unit calculates the resistance value of each heating resistor by acquiring the voltage or current value of each heating resistor from the thermal head.

[0033] (II) A second acquisition unit that acquires information indicating the transport distance of the print medium by the printer 3, that is, the transport distance of the platen roller (an example of second printer information) from the printer 3. For example, the second acquisition unit calculates the transport distance of the platen roller by counting the number of drive pulses of a stepping motor that drives the platen roller.

[0034] (III) A determination unit that determines whether information on the resistance value of each heating resistor of the thermal head and / or information indicating the transport distance of the platen roller satisfies a maintenance condition that requires maintenance work on the printer 3. Here, satisfying the maintenance condition means, for example, that the thermal head of the printer 3 needs to be replaced. The maintenance condition is, for example, that the resistance value of each heating resistor in the thermal head and / or the conveyance distance of the platen roller exceeds a predetermined threshold. If the resistance value of a heating resistor exceeds the predetermined threshold, this means that the resistance value of the heating resistor is abnormally high or that the heating resistor is broken, and maintenance work to replace the thermal head is required.

[0035] (IV) an adjustment unit that adjusts maintenance conditions based on information about the operating environment; Maintenance conditions are set according to the user's usage environment by referring to the user management database and maintenance history database and adjusting the maintenance conditions according to usage environment information, etc. If the maintenance condition is "the resistance value of each heating resistor in the thermal head and / or the conveyance distance of the platen roller exceeds a predetermined threshold value," the maintenance conditions are adjusted by, for example, determining the threshold value, etc.

[0036] In one embodiment, the maintenance condition is that "the head wear rate is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold." In other words, the maintenance condition is that "the amount of change in the thermal head resistance value from its initial value is equal to or greater than a certain threshold value (an example of a first threshold value)." Here, the adjustment unit adjusts the threshold value based on usage environment information. Since the maintenance data sent from the printer 3 to the management server 5 includes the resistance value of each heating resistor, it is possible to easily determine whether the maintenance condition is met by comparing the resistance value with the threshold value.

[0037] The control unit 51 may execute the server program to function as an output unit that outputs a warning to the printer 3 when the determination unit determines that the maintenance condition is met.

[0038] The help desk terminal 6 includes a control unit 61, an operation input unit 62, a display unit 63, and a communication unit 64. The control unit 61 includes a microprocessor, memory, image buffer memory, etc., and executes the printer management application, causing the execution results to be displayed on the display unit 63. The operation input unit 62 includes input devices such as a mouse and keyboard, and accepts input to the printer management application by a help desk staff member.

[0039] The display unit 63 includes a display panel such as an LCD and a display drive circuit, and displays the execution results of the printer management application sent from the control unit 61. The communication unit 64 includes a communication interface circuit for communicating with the management server 5 and the user terminal 2. The printer management application communicates with the management server 5 and the user terminal 2 via the communication unit 64, for example, using HTTPS. For example, the printer management application acquires from the management server 5 information on the transport distance and head wear rate of one or more printers corresponding to all user IDs of the managed printers or to a user ID designated by a help desk staff member, and displays the information in a predetermined display format on the display unit 63. The printer management application sends and receives messages to and from the user terminal 2.

[0040] Next, an example of the operation of the printer maintenance system 1 according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 shows a sequence chart illustrating the operation of the printer maintenance system 1. In Figure 6, the printer 3 transmits maintenance data to the management server 5, for example, every hour (step S2). The maintenance data includes data on the resistance values ​​of the heating resistors in the thermal head of the printer 3 and data on the transport distance of the platen roller.

[0041] When the management server 5 receives the maintenance data, it updates the user management database based on the maintenance data (step S4). That is, the management server 5 updates the values ​​of "transport distance" and "head wear rate" in the user management database that correspond to the printer ID of the printer 3 that sent the maintenance data. At that time, the management server 5 converts the resistance value of each heating resistor included in the maintenance data into a head wear rate. Next, the management server 5 executes a maintenance necessity determination process (step S6). The maintenance necessity determination process is a process that determines whether or not maintenance conditions that require maintenance work are met, and details of this process are shown in the flowchart of FIG. 7.

[0042] In the maintenance necessity determination process shown in Fig. 7, the management server 5 determines a threshold value TH for the head wear rate for making a rule-based determination, for example (step S32). Here, the management server 5 determines the threshold value by referencing, for example, a user management database or a maintenance history database, and applying predetermined rules to information about the user's usage environment so that appropriate maintenance conditions are obtained according to the user's usage environment. Examples of rules are as follows. The threshold value is determined by applying at least one of the following rules R1 to R3. The determination of the threshold value in step S32 is performed by the control unit 51 functioning as an adjustment unit.

[0043] (R1) Date, time and address of user The temperature and humidity vary depending on the date, time, and location where the printer 3 is used, and the likelihood of static electricity occurring also changes. Therefore, when the printer 3 is used in a low-temperature, dry environment, the threshold is set lower than when the temperature is high or the humidity is high. For example, when the humidity is high and condensation occurs, the threshold is set lower than when condensation does not occur.

[0044] (R2) User's industry The amount of foreign matter around the printer 3 varies depending on the type of business of the user. Therefore, the threshold value is determined depending on the type of business of the user. For example, the types of business are ranked into multiple categories based on the results of an investigation into the cleanliness of the locations where the printer 3 is located, and a different threshold value is set for each rank. In one example, the threshold value for the steel industry is set lower than the threshold value for the medical industry. For example, for businesses that generate relatively large amounts of dust and dirt, the threshold value is set lower than for businesses that generate less dust and dirt.

[0045] (R3) Supply ID used The degree of wear on the thermal head varies depending on the smoothness of the supplies used. Therefore, when third-party supplies are used, the threshold is set lower than when genuine supplies are used.

[0046] In one embodiment, the threshold value is determined by comprehensively taking into account all of the rules R1 to R3. For example, the severity of the usage environment for the thermal head for each rule is quantified using a score based on a certain standard, and the threshold value is determined based on the total score for each rule. However, this is not limited to this, and the threshold value may be determined by calculating a weighted score for the rules R1 to R3. In this case, it is preferable to determine the weight for each piece of usage environment information by taking into account the degree of influence it has on thermal head deterioration.

[0047] Next, the management server 5 determines whether the value of the transport distance included in the maintenance data exceeds an alert value (step S34). The alert value is the value of the transport distance when determining whether maintenance is required for the thermal head. Because there is a certain degree of correlation between the transport distance of the platen roller and the resistance value of the heating resistor of the thermal head, when the transport distance exceeds the alert value, the management server 5 determines whether the head wear rate in the user management database is equal to or greater than the threshold value TH determined in step S32 (step S38). If the transport distance does not exceed the alert value, it is determined that "maintenance is not required" (step S36).

[0048] In one embodiment, the management server 5 sets an alert value for each user. In one example, the alert value is set for each predetermined distance, such as 9 km, 14 km, 19 km, 24 km, and so on. In this case, the thermal head wear monitoring (i.e., a determination as to whether the maintenance condition is met) is performed every 5 km of the platen roller's transport distance (each time the platen roller reaches a predetermined distance). As described above, there is a certain correlation between the platen roller's transport distance and the resistance value of the thermal head's heating resistor. Therefore, by comparing the head wear rate with the threshold value TH every time the platen roller travels a predetermined distance, the thermal head wear rate can be efficiently monitored. If the head wear rate is equal to or greater than the threshold value TH in step S38, a determination is made that "maintenance is required" (step S40).

[0049] In one embodiment, the alert value (an example of a predetermined distance) is set for each user based on usage environment information. For example, if the user's industry is steel, and the printer 3 is used in a harsh environment, the thermal head may need to be replaced frequently. Furthermore, as the thermal head wears out, the resistance value of the heating resistor tends to rise sharply before the head breaks. Therefore, if the user's industry is steel, for example, it is preferable to set the alert value at short intervals so that the thermal head can be replaced at the appropriate time for each user before the head breaks. Conversely, if the printer 3 is used in a clean environment, such as in a clean room, frequent monitoring is not required even if the platen roller transport distance is considerably long, since the resistance of the thermal head's heating resistor is low. In this case, it is advisable to set the alert value at a relatively long interval.

[0050] The intervals between alert values ​​may be set in association with the above rules R1 to R3. For example, when the printer 3 is used in a low-temperature, dry environment, the interval between alert values ​​is shortened compared to when the temperature is high or the humidity is high. For example, when the humidity is high and condensation occurs, the interval between alert values ​​is shortened compared to when condensation does not occur. The interval between alert values ​​for the steel industry is set shorter than the interval between alert values ​​for the medical industry. For example, for industries that generate relatively large amounts of dust and dirt, the interval between alert values ​​is set shorter than for industries that generate less dust and dirt. If third-party supplies are used, the interval between alert values ​​is set shorter than when genuine supplies are used.

[0051] 6, if the management server 5 determines that "maintenance is not required" (step S8: NO), it does nothing, but if it determines that "maintenance is required" (step S8: YES), it sends a warning message to the help desk terminal 6 indicating that the thermal head of the printer 3 corresponding to the printer ID being processed needs to be replaced (step S10). When the help desk terminal 6 receives the warning message, it displays a warning (step S12). When the printer management application of the help desk terminal 6 receives the warning message, it sends the warning message to the user terminal 2 (step S14). The warning message may also be sent directly from the management server 5 to the user terminal 2 or the printer 3. The user terminal 2 to which the warning message is sent is the terminal with the user ID corresponding to the printer ID of the target printer. When the printer management application of the user terminal 2 receives the warning message, it displays a warning (step S16).

[0052] When the user checks the displayed warning message and performs a predetermined service request operation associated with the warning message (step S18), the printer management application of the user terminal 2 makes a service request to the help desk terminal 6 (step S20). This service request indicates a request to replace the thermal head of the printer 3 corresponding to the printer ID to be processed. When the help desk terminal 6 receives the service request, it executes a predetermined process (not shown) to dispatch a maintenance service provider to the user. After the thermal head replacement work is performed, the help desk terminal 6 transmits a data update request to the management server 5 in response to an input operation by the maintenance service provider, for example (step S22).

[0053] In response to the data update request, the management server 5 updates the data corresponding to the printer ID of the processing target (step S24). Specifically, in the user management database (FIG. 3), the values ​​of the transport distance and head wear rate corresponding to the printer ID of the processing target are reset to zero, and the maintenance date and time and maintenance content (head replacement, wear rate at replacement) corresponding to the printer ID of the processing target are written in the maintenance history database.

[0054] As described above, in one embodiment of the printer maintenance system, the maintenance conditions that require printer maintenance are adjusted according to the usage environment information corresponding to the user, thereby optimizing the timing of maintenance work, such as replacing a thermal head, for each user. In other words, by setting stricter maintenance conditions when it is determined that the user's printer usage environment is relatively severe, and by setting lenient maintenance conditions when it is determined that the user's usage environment is relatively mild, it is possible to set optimal usage conditions according to each user's printer usage environment. This allows the user to be notified at the appropriate time that printer maintenance work is required.

[0055] In one embodiment, the maintenance condition may be, for example, "the rate of change in head wear rate per predetermined distance of printer transport or per predetermined time period when the printer is in use is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value." Here, the rate of change in head wear rate is, for example, the amount of change in head wear rate per unit printer transport distance (e.g., 1 meter) or the amount of change in head wear rate per unit printer usage time (e.g., 1 hour). In other words, the maintenance condition may be "the rate of change in the resistance value of the thermal head is equal to or greater than a certain threshold value (an example of a second threshold value)." A flowchart of the maintenance necessity determination process in this case is shown in FIG. 8. The flowchart in Fig. 8 differs from Fig. 7 in that threshold value TH2 is determined in step S33, and it is determined whether the rate of change in head wear rate is equal to or greater than threshold value TH2 in step S39. In the flowchart shown in Fig. 8, control unit 51 functions as an adjustment unit that adjusts the threshold value for the rate of change in head wear rate based on usage environment information in step S33.

[0056] As the heating resistor in a thermal head wears out and breaks, its resistance tends to rise sharply. Therefore, by comparing the rate of change in the head wear rate or the rate of change in the resistance value with a threshold, it is possible to reliably determine whether the maintenance requirements are met, even if the time it takes for the heating resistor to break from a normal state is short. For example, in harsh environments such as the steel industry, the resistance value of the heating resistor can change significantly within a day due to foreign matter contamination. Therefore, by monitoring the rate of change in the head wear rate, rapid deterioration of the thermal head can be detected in a timely manner.

[0057] In another embodiment, in step S33, a threshold value for the head wear rate and a threshold value for the rate of change in the head wear rate are determined, and in step S39, if the head wear rate and its rate of change are equal to or greater than their respective threshold values, it may be determined that "maintenance is required."

[0058] The threshold determined in step S32 of Fig. 7 or step S33 of Fig. 8 is preferably set taking into consideration margins and variations. For example, if the threshold determined based on the rules is 50%, a margin (e.g., 5%) is taken into consideration and the threshold is finally determined to be 45%. 7 and 8, the necessity of maintenance is determined when the transport distance exceeds the alert value, but this is not limited to this. The necessity of maintenance may be determined at any time regardless of the transport distance.

[0059] (2) Second embodiment Next, the system configuration of a printer maintenance system 1A of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. The following description will focus on the differences between the printer maintenance system 1A and the printer maintenance system 1.

[0060] Fig. 9 shows the hardware configuration of each device constituting a printer maintenance system 1A according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9, the printer maintenance system 1A differs from the printer maintenance system 1 shown in Fig. 5 in that the printer 3 is equipped with a temperature sensor 38 and a humidity sensor 39. The temperature sensor 38 and humidity sensor 39 are provided to continuously detect the temperature and humidity around the printer 3. The control unit 31 of the printer 3 acquires information on the detected temperature and humidity values ​​from the temperature sensor 38 and humidity sensor 39. The maintenance data sent from the printer 3 to the management server 5 includes information on the detected temperature and humidity values, in addition to data on the resistance value of each heating resistor in the thermal head of the printer 3 and data on the transport distance of the platen roller.

[0061] 10 shows an example of the data configuration of the user management database stored in the management server 5 in the printer maintenance system 1A. The user management database shown in FIG. 10 differs from the user management database in FIG. 3 in that each record includes values ​​for the "temperature" and "humidity" fields. The temperature value is an example of temperature information around the printer 3, and the humidity value is an example of humidity information around the printer 3. When the management server 5 receives maintenance data from the printer 3, it updates the values ​​of "transport distance," "head wear rate," "temperature," and "humidity" in the user management database corresponding to the printer ID of the printer 3 that sent the maintenance data.

[0062] In the printer maintenance system 1A, when determining threshold values ​​in step S32 (FIG. 7) and step S33 (FIG. 8) of the maintenance necessity determination process, the temperature and humidity values ​​recorded in the user management database shown in FIG. 10 for the printer ID to be processed are referenced. That is, in the first embodiment, the user's address and the like may be referenced when determining the threshold value based on rules, but in this embodiment, the threshold value is determined taking into consideration the temperature and humidity values ​​around the printer 3 as information about the environment in which the printer 3 is used. Therefore, the environment in which the printer 3 is used can be more accurately reflected in the threshold value.

[0063] 9 shows a case where the temperature sensor 38 and humidity sensor 39 are built into the printer 3, but this is not the only possibility. If the temperature sensor 38 and humidity sensor 39 are devices connectable to the network NW, the temperature sensor 38 and humidity sensor 39 may be placed near the printer 3. In this case, the temperature sensor 38 and humidity sensor 39 transmit information on the detected temperature and humidity values ​​via the network NW to the management server 5. The transmitted information on the detected temperature and humidity values ​​is stored in the user management database shown in FIG. As mentioned above, the amounts of static electricity, dust, and condensation around the printer 3 affect the deterioration of the thermal head. Therefore, the printer 3 may be equipped with at least one of a static electricity sensor, a dust sensor, and a condensation sensor, or, if these sensors are devices connectable to the network NW, they may be located near the printer 3. In other words, the usage environment information may be at least one of static electricity information obtained from a static electricity sensor around the printer 3, dust information obtained from a dust sensor around the printer 3, and condensation information obtained from a condensation sensor in the printer 3. In this case, at least one of the static electricity information, dust information, and condensation information is stored in the user management database.

[0064] (3) Third embodiment Next, a printer maintenance system according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. The following description will focus on the differences between the printer maintenance system according to this embodiment and the printer maintenance system 1.

[0065] In this embodiment, data from past thermal head replacements stored in a maintenance history database is machine-learned to create a trained model, and maintenance conditions are set according to usage environment information based on the trained model. In the first and second embodiments, maintenance conditions are set based on rules to determine whether maintenance is necessary, but such settings may not be able to immediately respond when the user's usage environment for the printer changes. Therefore, in this embodiment, the trained model is used to enable flexible setting of maintenance conditions even when the user's usage environment for the printer changes.

[0066] In one embodiment, the trained model is created by machine learning based on usage environment information for multiple printers, the wear rate at the time of replacement of the thermal head of each printer when the multiple printers require maintenance (an example of information indicating the degree of wear of the print head), and / or information indicating the transport distance of the platen roller by each printer. The control unit 51 of the management server 5 functions as a model acquisition unit that acquires the trained model. The management server 5 may create the trained model itself, or may acquire a trained model created by another device.

[0067] 11A and 11B each illustrate an example of training data for performing machine learning using supervised learning. The example shown in FIG. 11A is an example of training data suitable for a case where the user management database contains data on the industry and address of each user, as shown in FIG. 3. For example, the industry and address of each user recorded in the user management database are classified into multiple categories. The industry is classified into multiple categories for each different industry, such as manufacturing, retail, medical, etc. Addresses are classified into multiple categories, for example, based on climate such as temperature and humidity. Data on the replacement month and wear rate at replacement is obtained by referencing the maintenance history database for the corresponding user. As such, in one embodiment, the training data is prepared based on past thermal head replacement records.

[0068] The example shown in FIG. 11B is an example of training data suitable for a case where the user management database contains data such as the type of business, temperature, and humidity for each user, as shown in FIG. 10. The training data shown in FIG. 11B differs from FIG. 11A in that it includes temperature and humidity ranks instead of address categories. Temperatures are classified into a number of ranks T1, T2, ... in stages, for example, from low to high. Humidity is classified into a number of ranks H1, H2, ... in stages, for example, from low to high. 11B, the training data is also prepared based on past thermal head replacement records. In the example shown in Fig. 11B, the maintenance history database records the temperature, humidity, and other values ​​obtained from the temperature sensor 38, humidity sensor 39, and the like when the head is replaced.

[0069] By performing machine learning based on training data such as those illustrated in FIG. 11A or FIG. 11B, a trained model that can determine the replacement wear rate with high accuracy is generated.

[0070] A flowchart of an example of a maintenance necessity determination process using a trained model is shown in Fig. 12. The flowchart in Fig. 12 differs from Fig. 7 in that in step S32A, a threshold value TH is determined based on the trained model. In step S32A, the control unit 51 of the management server 5 inputs the usage environment information of the user ID corresponding to the printer ID to be processed into the trained model to obtain the value of the replacement wear rate. The control unit 51 determines the threshold value TH by taking into account a margin for the obtained value of the replacement wear rate. For example, the threshold value TH is set to a value obtained by reducing the replacement wear rate obtained by the trained model by a predetermined value. By determining the threshold value TH using a trained model, the threshold value can be determined accurately based on past replacement records and information about the user's printer usage environment.

[0071] 11 and 12, the case where the head wear rate is compared with a threshold value to determine whether maintenance is required is described, but the rate of change in the head wear rate may also be compared with a threshold value to determine whether maintenance is required. In this case, training data is created by accumulating values ​​of the rate of change in the head wear rate when the thermal head is replaced with respect to the usage environment information, and a trained model is generated based on the created training data.

[0072] Although the information processing device, printer, information processing system, and printer maintenance method of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, the above-described embodiments can be improved or modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0073] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the usage environment information may be at least one of the following: the printer user's industry (an example of attribute information), current date information, the user's address (an example of printer location information), the temperature value obtained by a temperature sensor (an example of temperature information), the humidity value obtained by a humidity sensor (an example of humidity information), and information such as a supply ID (an example of information indicating the type of print medium). By using at least one of these pieces of information as usage environment information, the user's usage environment of the printer can be appropriately reflected in the maintenance conditions. However, the usage environment information may be any information that can affect the wear or deterioration of the thermal head, and is not limited to the above-described examples. Other examples of usage environment information include printer location information if the printer is equipped with a positioning sensor such as a GPS. Furthermore, usage environment information may also be static electricity information obtained from an electrostatic sensor near the printer, information obtained from a dust sensor near the printer, or information obtained from a condensation sensor on the printer. These pieces of information may also be information indicating the printer's usage environment.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the management server 5 stores information about the operating environment of the printer 3, information about the resistance values ​​of the heating resistors in the thermal head, and information indicating the transport distance of the platen roller, but this is not limited to this. This information may also be stored in the storage 37 of the printer 3. Furthermore, the control unit 31 of the printer 3 may function as the determination unit and the adjustment unit. That is, the present disclosure includes a printer having the following configuration. A determination unit that determines whether information on the resistance value of each heating resistor of the thermal head and / or information indicating the transport distance of the platen roller satisfies the maintenance conditions that require maintenance work on the printer. -Adjustment section that adjusts maintenance conditions based on usage environment information The information on the operating environment of the printer 3, the information on the resistance value of each heating resistor in the thermal head, and the information indicating the transport distance of the platen roller may be stored in a distributed manner in the management server 5, the printer 3, or other devices such as a data server (not shown). In the above-described embodiment, the functions of the first acquisition unit, second acquisition unit, determination unit, and adjustment unit are provided in the management server 5, but these functions may be distributed between the management server 5 and the printer 3. For example, the adjustment unit may be provided in the management server 5, and a determination unit that determines whether the maintenance conditions are met may be provided in the printer 3. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1,1A...Printer maintenance system 2, 2A...User terminal 21...Control unit 22...Operation input section 23…Display section 24…Communications Department 3. Printer 31...Control unit 32...Operation input section 33...Display section 34...Transport unit 35...Printing section 36…Communications Department 37…Storage 38...Temperature sensor 39...Humidity sensor 5...Administration Server 51...Control unit 52…Storage 53…Communications Department 6...Help desk terminal 61...Control unit 62...Operation input section 63...Display section 64…Communications Department NW...Network

Claims

1. An information processing device capable of communicating with a printer, a first acquisition unit that acquires first printer information indicating a degree of wear of a print head of the printer from the printer; a second acquisition unit that acquires second printer information from the printer, the second printer information indicating a distance the printer transports the print medium; a determination unit that determines whether the first printer information and / or the second printer information satisfies a maintenance condition that requires maintenance work on the printer; an adjusting unit that adjusts the maintenance conditions based on usage environment information that indicates a usage environment of the printer; Equipped with the determination unit determines whether the maintenance condition is satisfied each time the transport distance of the print medium by the printer indicated by the second printer information reaches a predetermined distance; The predetermined distance is set based on the usage environment information.

2. The usage environment information includes at least one of attribute information of the user of the printer, current date information, location information of the printer, temperature information around the printer, humidity information around the printer, static electricity information obtained from a static electricity sensor around the printer, information obtained from a dust sensor around the printer, information obtained from a condensation sensor of the printer, and information indicating the type of the print medium.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1.

3. the first printer information includes information about the resistance value of a heating resistor included in the print head; the maintenance condition is that a change in the resistance value from an initial value is equal to or greater than a first threshold value; the adjusting unit adjusts the first threshold value based on the usage environment information.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1.

4. the first printer information includes information about the resistance value of a heating resistor included in the print head; the maintenance condition is that the rate of change of the resistance value is equal to or greater than a second threshold value; the adjusting unit adjusts the second threshold value based on the usage environment information. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. a model acquisition unit that acquires a trained model created by machine learning based on information indicating the usage environment of the plurality of printers, information indicating the degree of wear of the print head of each printer when the plurality of printers require maintenance work, and / or information indicating the transport distance of the print medium by each printer; The adjustment unit uses the trained model to set the maintenance conditions according to the usage environment information. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

6. an output unit that outputs a warning to the printer when the determination unit determines that the maintenance condition is met; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

7. The usage environment information includes information about the industry of the user of the printer. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The usage environment information includes information about the current date and time, the address of the user of the printer, information about the business type of the user of the printer, and identification information of the printing medium, the determination unit determines whether the maintenance conditions are met based on the degree of influence of each piece of information included in the usage environment information on the print head. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A printer that prints on a print medium, a platen roller that transports the print medium; a print head having a heating resistor and configured to print on the print medium; a determination unit that determines whether first printer information indicating the degree of wear of the print head and / or second printer information indicating the distance the platen roller has transported the print medium meets a maintenance condition that requires maintenance work on the printer; an adjusting unit that adjusts the maintenance conditions based on usage environment information that indicates a usage environment of the printer; Equipped with the determination unit determines whether the maintenance condition is satisfied each time the transport distance of the print medium by the printer indicated by the second printer information reaches a predetermined distance; The predetermined distance is set based on the usage environment information.

10. An information processing system including a printer that prints on a print medium and an information processing device that can communicate with the printer, The printer a platen roller for transporting a print medium; a print head having a heating resistor and configured to print on the print medium; The information processing device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires from the printer first printer information indicating the degree of wear of the print head and second printer information indicating the distance the print medium is transported by the platen roller; a determination unit that determines whether the first printer information and / or the second printer information satisfies a maintenance condition that requires maintenance work on the printer; an adjustment unit that adjusts the maintenance conditions based on usage environment information that indicates a usage environment of the printer; the determination unit determines whether the maintenance condition is satisfied each time the transport distance of the print medium by the printer indicated by the second printer information reaches a predetermined distance; The predetermined distance is set based on the usage environment information. Information processing system.

11. A method for maintaining a printer, comprising: obtaining first printer information indicative of a degree of wear of a print head of the printer; acquiring second printer information indicating a distance a print medium is transported by the printer; determining whether the first printer information and / or the second printer information meets a maintenance condition that requires maintenance work on the printer; adjusting the maintenance conditions based on usage environment information indicating a usage environment of the printer; the determining step determines whether the maintenance condition is satisfied each time the distance the print medium is transported by the printer indicated by the second printer information reaches a predetermined distance; The predetermined distance is set based on the usage environment information. How to maintain your printer.

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