Printer, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To enable a user of a printer to easily confirm information relevant to the printer.SOLUTION: A printer comprises: a storing part that stores identification information about a printer; a display part that displays a screen showing that the printer is in a state where the printer can execute printing, when the printer is in the state; an obtaining part that can communicate with an external storing device that stores a plurality of pieces of identification information for identifying each of a plurality of printers and a plurality of pieces of relevant information associated with the pieces of identification information respectively, and when the identification information stored in the storing part is included in the plurality of pieces of identification information, obtains the relevant information associated with the identification information stored in the storing part, from among the plurality of pieces of relevant information; and a display control part that controls the display part so that the relevant information obtained by the obtaining part is included in the screen, in accordance with a predetermined operation by a user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there have been proposed printers that are configured to reduce the effort required for a service technician to perform maintenance on a printer such as a thermal printer. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a printer that, when it recognizes that a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory has been connected, analyzes instruction information written in a predefined format stored in the USB memory, and if the instruction information includes an instruction to read device information related to the printer, writes the device information to the USB memory according to the analysis results. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-276362 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a printer needs maintenance at a site where it is in operation, the person in charge typically first inquires about the maintenance inspection with, for example, the maintenance department of the printer manufacturer or an agency before dispatching a service technician. However, the person in charge at the site may not know the contact information (such as a telephone number) for the maintenance inspection and may not be able to make the inquiry in a timely manner. Even if the person in charge at the site knows the contact information for the maintenance inspection, they may not be able to provide the information needed by the person answering the maintenance inspection inquiry (such as the printer's IP address or MAC address), and the maintenance inspection may not be able to be carried out in a timely manner. In the past, it was common to affix a sticker or similar printed with contact information for maintenance and inspection to the printer itself, but this task is cumbersome, especially when there are a large number of printers in operation at the site.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to enable a user of a printer to easily check information related to the printer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is a printer to which identification information is assigned in advance, a storage unit that stores the identification information of the printer; a display unit that displays a screen indicating that the printer is ready to print when the printer is ready to print; an acquisition unit that is capable of communicating with an external storage device that stores a plurality of pieces of identification information for identifying each of a plurality of printers and a plurality of pieces of related information associated with each of the identification information, and that acquires, from the plurality of pieces of related information, the related information associated with the identification information stored in the storage unit when the identification information stored in the storage unit is included in the plurality of pieces of identification information; a display control unit that controls the display unit in response to a predetermined operation by a user so that the related information acquired by the acquisition unit is included on the screen; It is a printer equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a user of a printer can easily check information related to the printer. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the printer according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of changes in an online screen of a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating screen transitions when buttons included in an online screen are operated in the printer of the embodiment. [Figure 5] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating screen transitions when buttons included in an online screen are operated in the printer of the embodiment. [Figure 6] 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating screen transitions when buttons included in an offline screen are operated in the printer of the embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the data configuration of a display data list. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart of a USB reception process executed by a printer according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart of an online screen display process executed by the printer of an embodiment. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of display data and an online screen on which the display data is reflected. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of display data and an online screen on which the display data is reflected. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of display data and an online screen on which the display data is reflected. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In this disclosure, "identification information" refers to information used to identify a printer among multiple printers, such as information unique to the printer. Examples of information unique to a printer include the printer's IP address, MAC (Media Access Control) address, serial number, asset management number, and terminal serial number. However, in this disclosure, "identification information" does not necessarily have to be unique to the printer, as long as it can identify each printer at an individual site where a certain number of printers are used. For example, at a site where multiple printers are in operation, a code or number assigned by a user for convenience to distinguish between the multiple printers could also be "identification information."

[0010] In this disclosure, an "external storage device" may be any storage device other than a printer, such as a relatively small memory device connected to a printer, such as a USB memory or a memory card (e.g., an SD card), or a memory device that communicates with a printer via short-range wireless communication, such as an NFC tag, an electronic device that uses Bluetooth (registered trademark), or an electronic tag that uses Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy. The "external storage device" may also be a server that can communicate with the printer via a network, either wired or wirelessly.

[0011] In one embodiment, a printer is assigned identification information in advance and includes a storage unit that stores the identification information. The printer also includes a display unit that displays a screen indicating that the printer is ready to print when the printer is ready to print. A printer being ready to print means, for example, when a print instruction is sent to the printer from a host computer and the printer is ready to print based on the print instruction (online state). In the following description, the "screen indicating that printing is ready" will be referred to as the "online screen" where appropriate. Conversely, a screen indicating that printing is not available will be referred to as the "offline screen."

[0012] A printer according to one embodiment is configured to be able to communicate with an external storage device that stores a plurality of pieces of identification information for identifying each of a plurality of printers and a plurality of pieces of related information associated with each of the identification information. The "related information" stored in the storage device is not particularly limited, and may be any information related to the printer. In one embodiment, the printer acquires related information from an external storage device when it is able to communicate with the external storage device and the identification information stored in the printer's storage unit is included in the multiple pieces of identification information stored in the external storage device. In other words, the printer acquires related information associated with the identification information stored in its own storage unit from the multiple pieces of related information stored in the external storage device.

[0013] In one embodiment, the printer controls the display unit in response to a predetermined user operation so that the acquired related information is included in the online screen. This allows the online screen to be customized to display the related information, allowing the printer user to easily check the printer's related information. Customizing the online screen has the following particular advantages:

[0014] Generally, users at manufacturing or sales sites where printers are in operation can check the online screen displayed on the printer's display, but because they are not familiar with the printer itself, they are often restricted from changing printer settings or viewing the printer's internal information. Therefore, by customizing the online screen, it is possible to include relevant information, such as contact information for printer maintenance and inspection (such as a telephone number) and information required by the person responding to maintenance and inspection inquiries (such as the printer's IP address or MAC address). This allows users at the site to make inquiries about printer maintenance and inspection in a timely manner, and also makes it possible to provide printer-specific information to the person responding to the inquiry in a timely manner.

[0015] A printer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail below. For ease of explanation, the printer 3 is operated in a hospital and issues print media (hereinafter referred to as "paper" as appropriate) for use on patients or medical equipment, such as wristbands, specimen labels, or injection labels. The wristband is a label that lists patient information to prevent patient mix-ups. The specimen label lists the contents of the specimen collected from the patient and other patient information. The injection label lists the contents and circumstances of the injection administered to the patient and other patient information.

[0016] 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a rear view, respectively, of a printer 3 according to an embodiment. The printer 3 is an exemplary thermal printer. As shown in Figure 1, the printer 3 has a housing 42 that houses the components of the printer 3, and a cover 43 for opening the housing 42, for example, when setting paper. The cover 43 is pivotally supported on the housing 42 so that it can swing open relative to the housing 42 when an open lever 41 is operated. A power button 32a, a display panel 33a, and a paper discharge port 44 are arranged on the front of the printer 3. Printed paper is discharged from the paper discharge port 44. The power button 32a is a button for starting the printer 3. When the printer 3 starts up, an online screen is displayed on the display panel 33a. The online screen indicates that the printer 3 is ready to print.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 3 is provided on its rear surface with a DC input connector 45, a LAN connector 37a, and USB connectors 38a and 38b. The DC input connector 45 is a connector for inputting DC power to operate the printer 3. The LAN interface 37 is a port for connecting, for example, to a host computer that issues print instructions via a LAN cable (not shown). The USB connectors 38a and 38b are ports for connecting different types of USB (for example, Type-A and Type-B). In the following description, the USB connectors 38a and 38b are collectively referred to as "USB connectors."

[0018] The printer 3 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is merely an example for ease of explanation, and the printer may be of any shape or printing format as long as it is equipped with a communication interface for communicating with the outside world and a display panel for displaying an online screen.

[0019] In one embodiment, a display application (software) for changing the online screen is installed in the printer 3. When display data (described later) is acquired from an external device, the display application changes the online screen based on the acquired display data. Although there are no limitations on where the display data can be obtained, a preferred example is a USB memory connected to the printer 3. The following describes an example in which the printer 3 obtains the display data from the USB memory and changes the online screen.

[0020] An example of the changes to the online screen is shown in Figure 3. 3, screen G1 is the online screen (standard screen) of the pre-change printer 3. This online screen is a default setting screen for the printer 3, and is a screen with a relatively small amount of information including a button b0 for switching to the offline state. Screen G2a and screen G2b are respectively online screens (hereinafter referred to as "customized screens") for the printer 3 after the change. The difference between screen G2a and screen G2b is the logo displayed in the upper right corner of the screen. That is, screen G2a displays logo 110a indicating the online state, while screen G2b displays logo 110b customized for the site where the printer 3 is operating. The screen G2a and the screen G2b each include a printer-related text group 100 and buttons b1 to b5.

[0021] The printer-related text group 100 includes text 101 to 106 related to the printer 3, and is written in display data (an example of related information) acquired from the USB memory. 3 is text corresponding to the IP address of the printer 3, the department name ("Admission Reception") of the site (e.g., "Hospital") where the printer 3 is operating, the purpose name ("Wristband"), and the terminal management number as a remark. The purpose name indicates the purpose of the printer 3 (in the example of FIG. 3, a wristband is issued by the printer 3).

[0022] Next, the functions of the buttons b1 to b5 on the changed online screens G2a and G2b shown in Fig. 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. These functions are realized by a display application installed in the printer 3.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, when button b1 is operated on online screen G2a, screen G3 is displayed. On screen G3, it is possible to switch whether or not to display the IP address on online screen G2a (ON: display, OFF: hide), and to update the display data. Display data update is a mode for editing individual texts displayed on online screen G2a. When the button b2 on the online screen G2a is operated, the screen G4 is displayed, which displays the MAC address of the printer 3. When button b3 is operated on online screen G2a, screen G5 is displayed. Screen G5 displays contact information for maintenance and inspection of printer 3 (including the contact phone number and the serial number of printer 3). When button b4 is operated on online screen G2a, screens G6 and G7 are displayed in sequence according to the user's selection, as shown in Figure 5. Screens G6 and G7 show, as an example, the screen transitions when selecting a help video that explains how to set paper. As shown in this example, printer 3 stores multiple help videos that assist the user in setting or replacing printer 3 supplies (paper and ink ribbon) or that display different printer setting methods depending on the printer 3's intended use, and the user can select a specific help video to play. The button b4 on the online screen G2a is a feed button, and when the button b4 is operated, paper in the printer 3 is fed.

[0024] 4, the online screen G2a (customization screen) displays the name of each item in the printer-related text group 100 in association with information about that item, and if the user desires more detailed information, additional information is presented by pressing a button. This allows the user to easily grasp the information they need.

[0025] When the button b0 shown in FIG. 3 is operated, an offline screen G10 shown in FIG. 6 is displayed. As shown in FIG. 6, the screen G10 includes a button b6 for switching to an online state, a feed button b7, and a settings button b8. In one embodiment, in the offline state, it is possible to switch between a display setting that enables a display application (an example of a second display mode) and a display setting that disables a display application (an example of a first display mode). This switching is performed as follows. That is, when the setting button b8 is operated on screen G10, the screen switches to screen G11, which includes buttons b9 to b11 for changing the settings of each function of the printer 3. When button b11 is operated on screen G11, screen G12 is displayed, and the display application can be switched between enabled and disabled in response to the operation of button b12.

[0026] By switching between enabling and disabling the display application, for example, among multiple printers 3 operating at the same site, the online screens of some printers 3 can be set to the standard screen (screen G1 in FIG. 3), and the online screens of the other printers 3 can be set to customized screens (screens G2a or G2b in FIG. 3). In other words, it is possible to flexibly set whether the online screen for each of the multiple printers 3 is a customized screen or a standard screen.

[0027] Next, the configuration of the printer 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the printer 3 according to one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the printer 3 of one embodiment includes a control unit 31, an operation input unit 32, a display unit 33, a conveying unit 34, a printing unit 35, a storage 36 (an example of a memory unit), a LAN interface (I / F) 37, and a USB interface (I / F) 38.

[0028] 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 36 into drawing data, and sequentially sends line data, which is data for each line of the drawing data, to the printing unit 35. The control unit 31 receives print instructions together with print data from the host computer 7 via the LAN interface 37.

[0029] The control unit 31 executes a display application for customizing the online screen. The control unit 31 has a memory 311, which is a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory. The control unit 31 records display data acquired from the USB memory 5 in the memory 311. The memory 311 also stores information specific to the printer 3, such as the IP address and MAC address of the printer 3. The memory 311 is referenced by the control unit 31 when displaying an online screen.

[0030] The operation input unit 32 includes a power button 32a (see FIG. 1) and a touch input mechanism implemented on the display panel 33a (see FIG. 1), and outputs an operation input from the user to the control unit 31. The display unit 33 includes a display panel 33a (see FIG. 1) and a display control circuit, and displays the results of the firmware and display application executed by the control unit 31.

[0031] The transport unit 34 and the 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 paper within the printer 3. 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 paper. The printing unit 35 includes a thermal 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 paper.

[0032] The storage 36 is a non-volatile memory, such as a solid state drive (SSD) such as a flash memory. The storage 36 stores print data acquired from an external host computer, as well as unique identification information of the printer 3, such as the IP address and MAC address. The storage 36 also stores a plurality of help videos (an example of image information) for assisting the user in setting up or replacing supplies for the printer 3, or for displaying different printer setting methods depending on the intended use of the printer 3. The plurality of help videos are referenced by the control unit 31 when displaying a help video selected by the user.

[0033] The LAN interface 37 has a LAN connector 37a (see FIG. 2) and is a communication interface for communicating with the host computer 7. The USB interface 38 has USB connectors 38a and 38b (see FIG. 2), and is a communication interface for communicating with the USB memory 5.

[0034] The USB memory 5 (an example of an external storage device) stores a display data list and one or more image files (for example, an image file reflected in the logo 110b (see FIG. 3) in FIG. 3; hereinafter referred to as a "logo file"). If there is no logo file to refer to in the display data list, the USB memory 5 does not need to store a logo file. The logo file may be a still image or a video. The display data list includes a plurality of pieces of display data corresponding to each of the plurality of printers 3. An example of the data structure of the display data list is shown in Fig. 8. Each record in the display data list is display data corresponding to an individual printer 3.

[0035] Each record in the display data list contains values ​​for the following fields: "IP", "IP_OFF", "Type1", "Type2", "Type3", "Type4", "Type5", "Type6", "Contact", "Tel", and "Logo".

[0036] The value in the "IP" field indicates an IP address (an example of identification information), and is reflected in the IP address included in the printer-related text group 100 (see FIG. 3) on the customization screen. The value of the "IP_OFF" field indicates whether or not the IP address is to be hidden on the customization screen ("1" if not).

[0037] The values ​​in the fields "Type1" to "Type6" are reflected in the texts 101 to 106 of the printer-related text group 100 on the customization screen, respectively. The value of the "Type1" field is a predetermined item name ("department"), and the value of the "Type2" field is the content (text) corresponding to the item name indicated by the "Type1" field. The value of the "Type3" field is a predetermined item name ("Use"), and the value of the "Type4" field is the content (text) corresponding to the item name indicated by the "Type3" field. The value of the "Type4" field is an example of use-related information related to the use of the printer 3, and in the example shown in Figure 8, it is one of the texts "wristband," "specimen label," or "injection label" (text indicating the print medium used for the patient or medical equipment). The value of the "Type5" field is a predetermined item name ("Notes"), and the value of the "Type6" field is the content (text) corresponding to the item name indicated by the "Type5" field. That is, each display data contains information about multiple items. When the display data is reflected on the customization screen, the information about each item is displayed on the online screen in association with each item name, as shown in Figure 3.

[0038] The values ​​in the "Contact" and "Tel" fields are reflected in text 107 and 108, respectively, on the screen (see FIG. 4) that is displayed when the inquiry button is operated on the customization screen. The value of the "Logo" field is text that indicates the file name of the logo file. The logo file is stored in the USB memory 5 separately from the display data list.

[0039] Referring again to FIG. 7, the control unit 31 of the printer 3 executes the display application, thereby functioning as an acquisition unit and a display control unit. The control unit 31 as an acquisition unit acquires display data when it is able to communicate with the USB memory 5 storing the display data list and its own IP address is included among the multiple IP addresses in the "IP" field of the display data list. This display data is data of the record corresponding to its own IP address in the display data list (Fig. 8). The control unit 31 as a display control unit controls the display unit 33 in response to a predetermined operation by the user so that the display data acquired by the acquisition unit is included in the online screen (i.e., the customized screen). Here, an example of the "predetermined operation" is, for example, the operation of the power button 32a (see FIG. 1).

[0040] In one embodiment, the control unit 31 as a display control unit selects, in response to a selection operation by the user, either a first display mode in which the display data received (acquired) from the USB memory 5 is not included on the screen of the display panel 33a, or a second display mode in which the display data is included on the screen. The operation on the button b12 on the screen G12 in Fig. 6 is an example of a "predetermined operation" for causing the display data acquired from the USB memory 5 to be included on the online screen.

[0041] Next, the process when the control unit 31 of the printer 3 executes the display application will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 9 is a flowchart showing a USB reception process in which the control unit 31 receives data from the USB memory 5. For example, assume that the user inserts the USB memory 5 into the USB connector of the printer 3. The USB memory 5 stores a display data list and one or more pieces of image data (image data corresponding to logos). When the user inserts the USB memory 5 into the printer 3, the control unit 31 establishes communication with the USB memory 5 and receives the display data list stored in the USB memory 5 (step S10: YES). Next, the control unit 31 references the value in the "IP" field of the received display data list (FIG. 6) to determine whether there is a value that matches its own IP address (i.e., whether there is a record with the same IP address as its own). If there is no value that matches its own IP address (step S12: NO), the USB reception process ends. If there is a value that matches its own IP address (step S12: YES), the control unit 31 stores the record (display data) corresponding to its own IP address and the logo file corresponding to the value in the "Logo" field of that record in the memory 311 (step S14). Thereafter, the control unit 31 ends the USB reception process.

[0042] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the online screen display process performed by the control unit 31 to display the online screen. The control unit 31 first determines whether the display application is enabled (step S20). As shown on screen G12 in Fig. 6, the printer 3 allows the display application to be set to enabled or disabled in response to a user operation, and this setting information is referenced in step S20. If the display application is invalid (step S20: "invalid"), the control unit 31 controls the display unit 33 so that the standard screen is displayed as the online screen (step S22). On the other hand, if the display application is valid (step S20: "Valid"), the control unit 31 controls the display unit 33 to display the customization screen as an online screen. That is, the control unit 31 reads from the memory 311 the display data and logo file already acquired from the USB memory 5 (step S24), generates the customization screen so that the display data is reflected in the printer-related text group and the logo file is reflected in the logo, and displays the customization screen on the display unit 33 (step S26).

[0043] The process when the user customizes the online screen of the printer 3 can be summarized as follows. It is assumed that a display data list and one or more logo files are stored in the USB memory 5. When the user inserts the USB memory 5 into the printer 3, the control unit 31 executes the USB reception process shown in FIG. 9 to obtain the display data and related logo files corresponding to the USB memory 5 and save them in the memory 311. If the display application is disabled when the display data is acquired, the user enables the display application using the procedure shown in Figure 6. The display application then reads the display data and logo file recorded in memory 311, and generates and displays a customized screen that reflects the display data and logo file. If the display application is enabled at the time the display data is acquired, the display application generates and displays, without any user operation, a customized screen that reflects the display data and logo file recorded in memory 311. Alternatively, the display application may generate and display a customized screen that reflects the display data and logo file recorded in memory 311, provided that a predetermined operation is performed by the user.

[0044] Furthermore, instead of operating the enable / disable setting of the display application, the display data and logo file acquired by the USB reception process can be reflected on the customization screen by operating the power button 32a (FIG. 1) to restart the printer 3. At startup, the initial setting of the display application is "enabled," so the online screen (customization screen) is displayed based on the display data and logo file recorded in memory 311 at the time the printer 3 is started. The next and subsequent startups will also display the customization screen as the online screen unless the display application is disabled. To return the online screen to the standard screen, it is necessary to perform a setting operation to disable the display application after starting up the printer 3.

[0045] When the printer 3 is started up, the logo of the manufacturer of the printer 3 is displayed on the display panel 33a immediately after startup, and the logo (for example, logo 110b in FIG. 3) displayed on the online screen thereafter reflects the logo file in the memory 311, but this is not limited to this. Immediately after the printer 3 is started up, instead of the logo of the manufacturer of the printer 3, a logo based on the logo file in the memory 311 may be displayed.

[0046] 11 to 13 are diagrams showing examples of displaying printer-related text groups included in a customization screen for different display data. Figures 11 to 13 respectively include display data 201 to 203 saved in step S14 of Figure 9 and customization screens G11 to G13 displayed by the subsequent online screen display process. In FIG. 11, the values ​​of the fields "Type1" to "Type6" of the display data 201 are reflected in the texts 101 to 106 of the printer-related text group 100a included in the screen G11, respectively. In FIG. 12, the values ​​of the fields "Type1" to "Type5" of the display data 202 are reflected in the texts 101 to 105 of the printer-related text group 100b included in the screen G11, respectively. In FIG. 13, the values ​​of the fields "Type1" to "Type6" of the display data 203 are reflected in the texts 101 to 106 of the printer-related text group 100c included in the screen G11, respectively.

[0047] As described above, the printer 3 in one embodiment controls the display unit in response to a predetermined operation by the user so that the online screen includes the display data acquired from the USB memory 5. This allows the online screen of the printer 3 to be customized so that the display data is displayed, allowing the user of the printer 3 to easily check information related to the printer 3. By customizing the online screen, for example, contact information for printer 3 maintenance and inspection (such as a telephone number) and information required by the person responding to the maintenance and inspection inquiry (such as the printer 3's IP address, terminal serial number, and use) can be displayed as information related to the printer 3. Since the information on the online screen can be viewed even by on-site users who are not familiar with the printer 3, the user can make a timely inquiry about the printer 3's maintenance and inspection if a problem occurs with the printer 3. In addition, the printer 3 can provide printer-specific information (such as the printer 3's IP address and terminal serial number) to the person responding to the inquiry in a timely manner.

[0048] In one embodiment, the information reflected on the customization screen may be adjusted depending on the number of items included in the display data. For example, when the display data contains a large number of items, it may be difficult to simultaneously display information for all items on one screen. For example, the printer-related text group 100 in FIG. 3 includes item names such as "department," "purpose," and "remarks," as well as text indicating the content of each item. However, if other item names (e.g., "ward," "floor," "installation room," etc.) are added, it may be difficult to simultaneously display information for all items on one screen. In such cases, information on only some items (for example, important items that have been set in advance) may be displayed, or the display mode of the information on each item may be changed so that information on all items is displayed (for example, the font size of the corresponding text may be reduced).

[0049] That is, the control unit 31 as a display control unit may perform control such that, depending on the number of items, information on some or all of the items included in the display data acquired from the USB memory 5 is included in the customization screen. By performing control in this manner, when information on many items is included in the display data, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the user is unable to timely access necessary information from among the information on many items (for example, information on contact points for maintenance and inspection).

[0050] In one embodiment, the settings of the printer 3 may be controlled according to information on any one of a plurality of items included in the display data. For example, the control unit 31 may function as a setting unit that sets the settings related to printing by the printer 3 based on the value of the "Type 4" field (an example of use-related information) included in the display data acquired from the USB memory 5. The value of the "Type 4" field included in the display data (in the example shown in FIG. 8, the text "wristband," "specimen label," or "injection label") is related to the use of the printer 3. Therefore, the control unit 31 sets the settings related to printing by the printer 3 according to the use of the printer 3 based on the display data acquired from the USB memory 5.

[0051] Printing settings for the printer 3 are not limited, but examples include print speed and / or print density. Wristbands, specimen labels, injection labels, and other printing media each use different paper types, which results in different optimal print speeds, optimal print densities, or combinations thereof. For example, if the printing content includes a barcode, an inappropriate print speed and / or print density may result in a defective barcode that cannot be read by a scanner. Another example of a setting related to printing by the printer 3 is a setting of the paper type. For example, if the value of the "Type4" field included in the display data acquired from the USB memory 5 is "wristband," the paper type setting of the printer 3 is automatically set to "wristband."

[0052] Printing settings for the printer 3 are made, for example, as follows: A data table specifying the print speed and / or print density for each print medium is stored in the storage 36. The control unit 31 references the data table using the value of the "Type 4" field included in the display data obtained from the USB memory 5 as a key, and sets the print speed and / or print density. Here, if the print speed and / or print density to be set differs from the current print speed and / or print density, the control unit 31 preferably notifies the user by displaying text such as "Different from the recommended settings for the wristband." Furthermore, the control unit 31 preferably displays text such as "Are you sure you want to change to the recommended print speed and / or print density settings?" and sets the new print speed and / or print density in response to an input by the user indicating consent to the change. By configuring the printing settings of printer 3 in this manner, the user can automatically configure the printing settings appropriate for the intended use of printer 3 simply by inserting USB memory 5 into printer 3, which has the advantage that the user does not actually need to configure printer 3.

[0053] In one embodiment, the display mode of a selection screen (for example, screens G6 and G7 in FIG. 5) when a user selects a help video may be changed depending on the application of the printer 3. That is, the control unit 31 as a display control unit may change the display mode when a user selects one of a plurality of help videos, based on the value of the "Type4" field (an example of application-related information) included in the display data acquired from the USB memory 5.

[0054] For example, the control unit 31 changes the display mode of the selection screen so that the order of the items included in the selection screen changes depending on the intended use of the printer 3. For example, on the selection screen G7 in FIG. 5 , a video M1 explaining "setting up a wristband," a video M2 explaining "setting up roll paper," and a video M3 explaining "setting up fanfold paper" are displayed in this order. In other words, because video M1 corresponding to the wristband is displayed first, this order is sufficient if the intended use of the printer 3 is "wristband." However, if the intended use of the printer 3 is something other than "wristband," the selection screen can be changed so that video M2 or M3 appears first, depending on the intended use. In this way, changing the display mode when the user selects one of multiple help videos depending on the intended use of the printer 3 improves operability when the user selects the desired help video.

[0055] Although the printer, information processing method, and program of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, various improvements and modifications to the above embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the individual technical features described in the above embodiments and modifications can be combined with part or all of other embodiments and modifications as appropriate, provided that no technical contradictions are present.

[0056] For example, in the above embodiment, the printer 3 uses its own IP address as a key to acquire display data from the display data list stored in the USB memory 5, but this is not limited to this. The information used as the key is not limited to the IP address as long as it is identification information assigned to the printer 3.

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, the display data list and logo file are acquired by receiving them from a USB memory stick, but this is not a limitation. The display data list and logo file can be acquired using short-range wireless communication such as NFC or Bluetooth (registered trademark), wireless communication such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or by receiving them from a two-dimensional code via a code scanner. In this case, the printer 3 should be provided with a communications interface compatible with the data acquisition method. When using near-field wireless communication or two-dimensional codes, the amount of data transmitted may be limited, so the display data list and logo file can also be obtained in conjunction with a server. For example, the printer can receive only the identification information that identifies the display data list and logo file from the near-field wireless communication or two-dimensional code, and then use the received identification information as a key to receive (download) the display data list and logo file recorded on the server. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 3. Printer 31...Control unit 311...Memory 32...Operation input section 32a...Power button 33…Display section 33a...Display panel 34...Transport unit 35...Printing section 36…Storage 37...LAN interface 37a...LAN connector 38...USB interface 38a, 38b...USB connector 41...Open lever 42…Housing 43...Cover 44…Paper outlet 45...DC input connector 5. USB memory 7...Host computer 100...Printer-related text group 110a, 110b…Logo 201~203...Display data

Claims

1. A printer having pre-assigned identification information, a storage unit that stores the identification information of the printer; a display unit that displays a screen indicating that the printer is ready to print when the printer is ready to print; an acquisition unit that, when communication with an external storage device that stores a plurality of pieces of identification information for identifying each of a plurality of printers and a plurality of pieces of related information associated with each of the identification information becomes possible, determines whether the identification information stored in the storage unit is included in the plurality of pieces of identification information, and if so, acquires the related information associated with the identification information stored in the storage unit from the plurality of pieces of related information; a display control unit that controls the display unit in response to a predetermined operation by a user so that the related information acquired by the acquisition unit is included on the screen; A printer equipped with

2. each of the plurality of related information includes information relating to a plurality of items; the display control unit controls the display so that information about each of the plurality of items is included on the screen in association with the name of each of the plurality of items. The printer according to claim 1 .

3. the display control unit controls, depending on the number of the plurality of items, so that information on some or all of the items among the information on the plurality of items included in the related information acquired by the acquisition unit is included on the screen.

3. The printer according to claim 2.

4. the display control unit selects, in response to a selection operation by a user, either a first display mode in which the related information acquired by the acquisition unit is not included on the screen, or a second display mode in which the related information acquired by the acquisition unit is included on the screen. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. each of the plurality of pieces of related information includes usage-related information related to a print medium to be printed for a corresponding printer; the printer includes a setting unit that sets printing-related settings of the printer based on the usage-related information included in the related information acquired by the acquisition unit; A printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. each of the plurality of pieces of related information includes usage-related information related to a print medium to be printed for a corresponding printer; the storage unit stores a plurality of image information for displaying different printer setting methods depending on the intended use of the printer; the display control unit controls the display unit to display image information selected by a user from the plurality of pieces of image information; the display control unit further changes a display mode when a user selects any one of the plurality of pieces of image information based on usage-related information included in the related information acquired by the acquisition unit. A printer according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. storing identification information previously assigned to the printer in a storage unit; When the printer is ready to print, displaying a screen on the printer indicating that the printer is ready to print; Establishing communication with an external storage device that stores a plurality of pieces of identification information that identify each of a plurality of printers and a plurality of pieces of related information associated with each of the identification information; determining whether the identification information stored in the storage device is included in the plurality of pieces of identification information, and if so, acquiring related information associated with the identification information stored in the storage unit from the plurality of pieces of related information; and controlling the display of the acquired related information on the screen in response to a predetermined operation by a user. Information processing methods.

8. A program that causes a computer to execute a predetermined method, The method comprises: storing identification information previously assigned to the printer in a storage unit; When the printer is ready to print, displaying a screen on the printer indicating that the printer is ready to print; Establishing communication with an external storage device that stores a plurality of pieces of identification information that identify each of a plurality of printers and a plurality of pieces of related information associated with each of the identification information; determining whether the identification information stored in the storage device is included in the plurality of pieces of identification information, and if so, acquiring related information associated with the identification information stored in the storage unit from the plurality of pieces of related information; and controlling the display of the acquired related information on the screen in response to a predetermined operation by a user. program.

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