Printing apparatus and method for controlling the printing apparatus

Abstract

To perform proper control about execution of maintenance processing according to the delivery state of a consumable after contract conclusion.SOLUTION: A compound machine 200 comprises: a cartridge holder 51; a printing unit 290; and a processor 210. The processor 210 is configured to acquire arrival time information of a contract cartridge 50 delivered toward the compound machine 200 based on contract contents in S25,S100,S210,S310,S365, predict a usable amount of the mounted ink cartridge 50 that is mounted to the cartridge holder 51 at an arrival time indicated by the acquired arrival time information in S30,S105,S220,S315,S380, and decide an execution mode of maintenance saving for saving given maintenance processing to the compound machine 200 according to the prediction result in S60,S85,S240,S340,S350,S390.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that forms an image on a printing medium using a consumable, and a control method for the printing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as described in, for example, Patent Document 1, there is known a technique for shifting to a saving mode that reduces the consumption of a consumable when the arrival time of the consumable is later than the necessary replenishment time of the consumable.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, a method of concluding a predetermined contract with a user of a printing apparatus and charging the user according to the printed content based on the contract is known. When such a contract is concluded, as consumables such as cartridges used in the printing apparatus, specific consumables corresponding to the contract (hereinafter appropriately referred to as "contract consumables"), which are different from commercially available consumables, are used.

[0005]

[0006] ​If commercially available consumables are being used, then to address the aforementioned wear and tear, one would need to purchase new commercially available consumables. However, once the contracted consumables are delivered and arrive, the newly purchased commercially available consumables become unnecessary, resulting in wasted cost for the user. Therefore, it is desirable to extend the lifespan of the consumables as much as possible until the contracted consumables arrive.

[0007] On the other hand, if, for example, a printer was using consumables based on a past contract, then it is sufficient to install a different consumable to replace the worn-out one. In that case, even if the newly delivered consumable arrives and the old one is replaced, there is no particular waste of money, as the user did not originally bear the cost of the removed consumable. From a user's perspective, if a new consumable arrives relatively soon after the old one has been installed, there is a need to replace it with the new consumable, even if the old consumable still has a sufficient lifespan remaining. However, if the new consumable is not available, it is desirable to extend the lifespan of the consumable as much as possible until the new consumable arrives.

[0008] On the other hand, printing equipment typically requires maintenance at appropriate intervals to prevent a decline in print quality. For example, in inkjet printing equipment, processes such as purging and brushing constitute maintenance, and these processes consume consumables. Some printing equipment has a function to automatically perform this maintenance, while others require the user to perform it manually. Since consumables are consumed whether maintenance is performed automatically or manually, some kind of ingenuity is needed regarding the execution of maintenance in order to extend the lifespan of consumables, as mentioned above.

[0009] As described above, when a contract is concluded with a user, it may be beneficial to implement some appropriate control over the execution of maintenance processes in the printing equipment, depending on the delivery status of the contracted consumables. The conventional technology described above does not particularly consider such points.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a control method for a printing apparatus that can appropriately control the execution of maintenance processing according to the delivery status of consumables after the conclusion of a contract. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a printing apparatus comprising: a mounting unit on which consumables used for printing are mounted; a printing unit that prints an image on a printing medium using the consumables; and a control unit, which is capable of operating based on the contents of a contract concluded with a supplier regarding the consumables used for printing, wherein the control unit performs an acquisition process to acquire information on the arrival time of a first consumable delivered to the printing apparatus based on the contents of the contract; a prediction process to predict the usable amount of the mounted consumable mounted on the mounting unit at the arrival time indicated by the arrival time information acquired in the acquisition process; and a determination process to determine a maintenance save execution mode that saves a predetermined maintenance process for the printing apparatus, according to the prediction result in the prediction process.

[0012] In the present invention, the control unit performs an acquisition process, a prediction process, and a determination process. In the acquisition process, information on the arrival time of the first consumable, which will be delivered based on the content of the contract concluded with the contracting party, is acquired. In the prediction process, the usable amount of the consumable currently installed in the installation unit is predicted at the arrival time indicated in the acquired arrival time information. In the determination process, the mode of execution of maintenance save, which saves maintenance processing on the printing device, is determined according to the prediction result of the prediction process.

[0013] According to the present invention, the maintenance process can be appropriately controlled based on the predicted amount of usable capacity when the delivery of the first consumable is completed and the first consumable arrives, depending on the delivery status of the first consumable. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, appropriate control can be performed regarding the execution of maintenance processing according to the delivery status of consumables after the conclusion of a contract. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a functional block diagram showing the overall schematic configuration of a printing processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a sequence flow representing the contract signing process executed by mobile terminals, multifunction printers, information management servers, and delivery servers. [Figure 3] This flowchart illustrates the processes executed by the multifunction printer's processor when a contract is signed. [Figure 4] This flowchart represents the processing performed by the multifunction printer's processor when storing arrival time information in the arrival time information storage area. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing examples of the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen and the "Maintenance Save Function ON" screen on the display unit of a multifunction printer. [Figure 6] This flowchart illustrates the processes executed by the multifunction printer's processor after the contract is signed and the contract cartridge is installed. [Figure 7] This flowchart illustrates the processes executed by the multifunction printer's processor after a contract cartridge has been installed. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the screen transitions displayed on the display unit when maintenance processing is performed manually while the maintenance save function is OFF. [Figure 9]It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the screen transition displayed on the display unit when the user attempts to execute maintenance processing when the maintenance save function is ON. [Figure 10] It is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the screen transition displayed on the display unit when the maintenance processing is manually executed when the maintenance save function is OFF. [Figure 11] It is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the screen displayed on the display unit when the user attempts to execute maintenance processing when the maintenance save function is ON. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory diagram showing still another example of the screen transition displayed on the display unit when the user attempts to execute maintenance processing when the maintenance save function is ON.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described while referring to the drawings.

[0017] <First Embodiment> The first embodiment is an embodiment when the maintenance processing is automatically executed.

[0018] The printing processing system according to the first embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. This embodiment is an embodiment of the printing processing system 1 that can provide a delivery service based on a delivery contract for automatically delivering replacement consumables when the consumables used in the multifunction machine 200 are consumed to a certain extent. Note that the printing processing system 1 can also provide a printing service based on a printing contract for billing an amount according to the number of prints in the multifunction machine 200.

[0019] <Overview of the Printing Processing System> In Figure 1, this printing system 1 includes an information management server 100, a multifunction printer 200, a mobile terminal 300, and a delivery management server 400. These information management server 100, multifunction printer 200, mobile terminal 300, and delivery management server 400 are connected to network NT and can communicate with each other. The multifunction printer 200 is an example of a printing device, and the information management server 100 and mobile terminal 300 are examples of external devices.

[0020] <Information Management Server> The information management server 100 is a server installed and managed by, for example, the manufacturer of the multifunction printer 200, and has a processor 110, a storage device 115, and an interface 190. These processor 110, storage device 115, and interface 190 are connected to each other via a bus 105.

[0021] The storage device 115 includes a volatile storage device 120 and a non-volatile storage device 130. The volatile storage device 120 is, for example, DRAM and has a user ID storage area 121. The non-volatile storage device 130 is, for example, a hard disk drive or a solid-state drive and has a program storage area 131 and a charge table storage area 132. The charge table storage area 132 stores, for example, predetermined correlations for calculating charges that are billed to the user in response to printing or ink cartridge delivery.

[0022] The processor 110 is a device that performs data processing, such as a CPU. The processor 110 executes various processes, including data communication to the mobile terminal 300, the multifunction printer 200, and the delivery management server 400, which are connected to the network NT, by executing a program stored in the program storage area 131. These processes are shown in Figure 2 and other references below.

[0023] Interface 190 is a wired LAN interface or wireless interface for communicating with other devices and is connected to the NT network.

[0024] <Delivery Management Server> The delivery management server 400 is installed, for example, in a delivery service company that provides delivery services for various goods, and has a processor, a storage device, and an interface for connecting to the network NT (not shown).

[0025] <Multifunction device> The multifunction printer 200 is owned, for example, by a business operator providing the above-mentioned printing service. However, this multifunction printer 200 may also be the personal property of the user. The multifunction printer 200 includes a scanner unit 280, a printing unit 290, a processor 210, a storage device 215, a display unit 240, an operation unit 250, a timing circuit 260, a communication unit 285, a mounting detection sensor 265, a communication interface 270, and a cover sensor 275. These components—the scanner unit 280, the printing unit 290, the processor 210, the storage device 215, the display unit 240, the operation unit 250, the timing circuit 260, the communication unit 285, the mounting detection sensor 265, the cover sensor 275, and the communication interface 270—are connected to each other via a bus 205.

[0026] The storage device 215 includes a volatile storage device 220 and a non-volatile storage device 230. The volatile storage device 220 is, for example, DRAM. The non-volatile storage device 230 is, for example, flash memory. The non-volatile storage device 230 includes a consumables-related information storage area 231 for storing consumables-related information relating to the ink cartridge 50, a program storage area 232, a contract information storage area 233 for storing the details of the contract concluded between the user and the contracting party, and an arrival time information storage area 234 for storing arrival time information representing the scheduled arrival date and time or the arrival completion date and time when the contract cartridge 50 is delivered and arrives.

[0027] The consumables-related information storage area 231 includes a type information storage area 231A, a usable amount information storage area 231B, and a usage history information storage area 231C. These functions will be described later.

[0028] The program storage area 232 stores various programs, including the operation programs of the multifunction printer, such as the print processing program, which are related to the execution of the control method of the printing device of this embodiment based on sequences and flowcharts as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 described later. This print processing program is, for example, pre-stored in the program storage area 232 as firmware. In addition, information regarding printing operations based on the contract details described later is also stored as part of the print processing program.

[0029] The processor 210 is a device that performs data processing, such as a CPU. The processor 210 is an example of a control unit. The processor 210 executes the print processing program stored in the program storage area 232. Details of the processing performed by the processor 210 will be described later.

[0030] The display unit 240 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and is capable of displaying various information about consumables, as described later. The operation unit 250 is a device that accepts user input. By operating the operation unit 250, the user can input various instructions to the multifunction printer 200. The communication interface 270 is a wired or wireless network interface for communicating with other devices and is connected to network NT.

[0031] The scanner unit 280 generates scan data representing the scanned image by optically reading the original document, which is the object to be read, using a photoelectric conversion element such as a CCD or CMOS.

[0032] The printing unit 290 uses a transport mechanism (not shown) to remove and transport paper from the paper tray, and prints an image on the transported paper in a predetermined manner. The following explanation will use the case where printing is performed using an inkjet method as an example. The printing unit 290 forms an image on the paper using the ink from an ink cartridge 50 that is detachably mounted in a cartridge holder 51, in accordance with a print job sent from a mobile terminal 300 or a print job it generates itself based on operations on the operation unit 250. In detail, the printing unit 290 has an inkjet head mounted on a carriage, and printing is performed when the inkjet head ejects ink while the carriage moves the inkjet head in the main scanning direction. Paper is an example of the printing medium, the ink cartridge 50 is an example of a consumable, and the cartridge holder 51 is an example of a mounting part. In detail, this includes ink cartridges 50 for cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink, but for convenience, unless otherwise specified, they will not be distinguished and will simply be referred to as "ink cartridge 50" in the following explanation.

[0033] The printing unit 290 has a maintenance unit 290A. The maintenance unit 290A has a cap and a suction pump. The multifunction printer 200 operates the maintenance unit 290A to perform flushing or purging. Specifically, flushing is a process in which, before printing to paper, the carriage is positioned in a predetermined flushing position, ink is ejected from multiple nozzles provided in the inkjet head, and the thickened ink in the nozzles is discharged. Purging is a process in which a suction pump is connected to a capped nozzle, the suction pump is driven, and the ink in the inkjet head's flow path is sucked out from the nozzle and discharged. In other words, the maintenance unit 290A performs some kind of maintenance process to restore the function of the inkjet head nozzles, and this maintenance process always involves the consumption of ink. In this embodiment, the processor 210 of the multifunction printer 200 automatically executes the maintenance process when predetermined maintenance execution conditions are met in automatic maintenance mode. For example, at predetermined intervals, for example every two weeks, the degree of ink viscosity in the nozzle 10 is determined by the processor 210 using an appropriate method, and if maintenance is deemed necessary, the maintenance process including the flushing or purging operation is executed.

[0034] The mounting detection sensor 265 is a connector that makes electrical contact with the electrodes of the ink cartridge 50 when the ink cartridge 50 is mounted in the cartridge holder 51. Based on the detection result of the mounting detection sensor 265, the processor 210 can determine whether or not the ink cartridge 50 is mounted in the cartridge holder 51.

[0035] The communication unit 285 is, for example, a terminal, and is electrically connected to the cartridge memory (IC chip) of the ink cartridge 50 installed in the cartridge holder 51. That is, as described above, the multifunction printer 200 of this embodiment is a model that can be used in a delivery service based on a predetermined delivery contract, and also a model that can be used in a printing service based on a predetermined printing contract. The ink cartridge 50 used under such a contract (hereinafter referred to as "contract cartridge 50" as appropriate) has different specifications from, for example, a normal ink cartridge 50 (hereinafter referred to as "normal cartridge 50" as appropriate) that the owner of the multifunction printer 200 purchases and uses from the market. The contract cartridge 50 is an example of a first consumable, and the normal cartridge 50 is an example of a second consumable. Note that an ink cartridge 50 made from counterfeit products that illegally imitate a normal cartridge 50 is also an example of a second consumable.

[0036] Furthermore, a dual-function ink cartridge 50 is sometimes used as a type of ink cartridge 50, possessing the functions of both a contract cartridge 50 and a standard cartridge 50. This dual-function ink cartridge 50 functions as a contract cartridge 50 when the contracted service is provided, and as a standard cartridge 50 when the service is not provided. Therefore, the dual-function ink cartridge 50 can be treated as a contract cartridge 50 when the contracted service is provided, and in this case, it is an example of a first-class consumable. On the other hand, when the contracted service is not provided, the dual-function ink cartridge 50 can be treated as a standard cartridge 50, and thus becomes an example of a second-class consumable.

[0037] Each ink cartridge 50 is equipped with a cartridge memory (not shown), and cartridge information is stored in this cartridge memory. This cartridge information includes, for example, cartridge type information indicating whether the ink cartridge 50 is a contracted cartridge 50 or a regular cartridge 50, a model number, and identification information unique to the ink cartridge 50, i.e., a cartridge ID. The processor 210 acquires the above cartridge information from the cartridge memory of each ink cartridge 50 connected by the communication unit 285. In this specification, the "acquisition" process by the processor 210 refers to a process such as reading information from a non-volatile memory area into a volatile memory area such as DRAM. As a result, the processor 210 can identify whether the ink cartridge 50 installed in the cartridge holder 51 is a contracted cartridge 50 or a regular cartridge 50 based on the acquired information. The identification result, i.e., the cartridge type information of the cartridge 50, is associated with the above cartridge ID and model number by the processor 210 and stored as needed in the type information storage area 231A of the consumable-related information storage area 231.

[0038] The cartridge holder 51 is provided with an openable / closable cover (not shown). When inserting or removing the ink cartridge 50 from the cartridge holder 51, this cover is opened, and after insertion or removal, the cover is closed. The open and closed states of this cover are detected by a cover sensor 275 using a known method, and the corresponding detection signal is input to the processor 210. Alternatively, the processor 210 may determine whether or not an ink cartridge 50 is installed in the cartridge holder 51 based on the detection result from the cover sensor 275, instead of the installation detection sensor 265.

[0039] In this case, the multifunction printer 200 acquires the remaining ink level or ink usage of the ink cartridge 50 installed in the cartridge holder 51 by a known method through processing by the processor 210. When the remaining ink level decreases and reaches a predetermined threshold, or when the ink usage increases and reaches a predetermined threshold, the display unit 240 can display that the ink cartridge 50 should be replaced. This makes it convenient for the user when replacing the ink cartridge 50. The above-mentioned ink level and ink usage will be collectively referred to as "usable amount" below, and the information representing these will be referred to as "usable amount information." The usable amount information obtained as described above can be written to the cartridge memory by the communication unit 285 and included in the cartridge information in the cartridge memory. In this case, the processor 210 can identify how much usable ink cartridge 50 is based on the cartridge information obtained via the communication unit 285 when the ink cartridge 50 is installed in the cartridge holder 51. The identification result, i.e., the usable amount information of the ink cartridge 50, is associated with the above-mentioned cartridge ID and model number by the processor 210 and stored in the usable amount information storage area 231B of the above-mentioned consumable-related information storage area 231 as needed. Furthermore, when the processor 210 acquires information on the remaining ink level or ink usage, i.e., the usable amount, of the ink cartridge 50 installed in the cartridge holder 51 as described above, it stores this history as usage history information in the usage history information storage area 231C.

[0040] The timing circuit 260 is, for example, a Real-Time Clock (RTC) and functions as an internal clock that measures time. This timing circuit 260 is driven by power supplied from a power supply circuit (not shown), and the current time information it measures can be accessed by the processor 210 at any time. Alternatively, the processor 210 may obtain the current time information from an SNTP (Simple Network Time Protocol) server (not shown) on the network NT via the communication interface 270, instead of using the timing circuit 260. Alternatively, the current time information measured by the timing circuit 260 may be calibrated as appropriate based on time information from the SNTP server or time information obtained from the mobile terminal 300. In particular, when the power supply from the power circuit is not available, such as when the power supply of the multifunction printer 200 is turned off, the current time information in the timing circuit 260 may be calibrated as needed using time information from the SNTP server or the like. Furthermore, in such cases, time information from the SNTP server or the information management server 100 may be forcibly injected into the timing circuit 260 and used as the current time information.

[0041] <Mobile devices> The mobile terminal 300 is a mobile device such as a smartphone owned by the user, and is connected to the network NT via wireless communication. The mobile terminal 300 has a processor, a storage device, an interface for connecting to the network NT, and an appropriate display device (not shown). Various programs are stored in the program storage area of ​​the storage device, and these various programs include processing programs related to the execution of the sequence flow shown in Figure 2 below. Note that other information terminals such as personal computers or tablet computers may be used instead of the mobile terminal 300. Hereinafter, these information terminals will be collectively referred to simply as "mobile terminal 300".

[0042] <Features of the Embodiment> In the above configuration, a key feature of this embodiment is that appropriate control is performed regarding the execution of the aforementioned maintenance process according to the delivery status of the ink cartridge 50 after the aforementioned delivery contract has been concluded.

[0043] In other words, after the delivery contract is concluded, the contracted cartridge 50 is delivered to the user from the designated delivery source under the management of the delivery management server 400. However, depending on the user's usage and circumstances, it is possible that the cartridge 50 currently installed in the cartridge holder 51 may be used up before the delivery arrives. The cartridge 50 installed in the cartridge holder 51 is an example of a consumable item currently installed.

[0044] If a standard 50ml cartridge is installed and in use, you can simply purchase another standard 50ml cartridge when it runs out. However, once the contracted 50ml cartridge arrives, the newly purchased standard 50ml cartridge becomes unnecessary, resulting in wasted cost. Therefore, it is desirable to extend the lifespan of the currently installed standard 50ml cartridge as much as possible until the contracted 50ml cartridge arrives.

[0045] On the other hand, if, for example, a contract cartridge 50 based on a past contract is installed and used in the cartridge holder 51, when it is used up, a new contract cartridge 50 can be installed. In that case, even if the newly delivered contract cartridge 50 arrives and the old one is replaced with the new one, there is no particular waste of money because the user did not originally bear the cost of the removed contract cartridge 50. From a user's perspective, if a new contract cartridge 50 arrives relatively soon after the previous one has been installed, there is a need to replace the old one with the new one, even if the old one still has a sufficient lifespan remaining. However, if the new contract cartridge 50 is not available, it is desirable to extend the lifespan of the currently installed contract cartridge 50 as much as possible until the new one arrives.

[0046] On the other hand, as already mentioned, ink in cartridge 50 is consumed when maintenance processing is performed. If maintenance processing is performed automatically in the aforementioned automatic maintenance mode, ink will be consumed automatically, and cartridge 50 will wear out faster. Therefore, as mentioned above, some measures are needed regarding the execution of maintenance processing in order to extend the life of cartridge 50.

[0047] <Processing flow> Accordingly, the processes performed in the printing processing system 1 and the multifunction printer 200 of this embodiment will be described in order below with reference to Figures 2 to 7.

[0048] <Overview of the entire system processing at the time of contract signing> First, the process for concluding a delivery contract, executed by the processor 210 of the multifunction printer 200, the processor 110 of the information management server 100, the processor of the delivery management server 400, and the processor of the mobile terminal 300, will be explained using the sequence flow in Figure 2. In the explanation of Figure 2, descriptions of each processor will be omitted as appropriate, and phrases such as "in the processor of the multifunction printer 200" and "by the processor of the multifunction printer 200" will simply be written as "in the multifunction printer 200" and "by the multifunction printer 200".

[0049] In Figure 2, the user first performs the appropriate operations on the mobile terminal 300 with the intention of using the multifunction printer 200 based on the aforementioned delivery contract and print contract. As a result, the delivery contract and print contract requests are sent from the mobile terminal 300 to the information management server 100, where they are received (SS5).

[0050] In response to this, the information management server 100 performs the necessary preparations for executing the printing service based on the above-mentioned printing contract, such as preparing to count the number of pages to be printed.

[0051] Subsequently, the information management server 100 transmits contract commencement information, i.e., an Activation instruction, which is received by the multifunction printer 200 (SS9). This results in both the delivery contract and the printing contract being established. Based on receiving the Activation instruction, the multifunction printer 200 writes the fact that it has entered the contract commencement state to the contract information storage area 233 as contract information, for example in the form of a flag. With the activation performed, the multifunction printer 200 is able to perform printing operations based on the terms of the contract.

[0052] In this case, the printing operation of the multifunction printer based on the presence or absence of the flag is an example of "operation based on the terms of the contract." The processor 210 of the multifunction printer 200 can, as "operation based on the terms of the contract," access various information, including type information and usable amount information, stored in the consumable-related information storage area 231 of the storage device 215, depending on the presence or absence of the flag, and perform processing such as displaying it on the display unit 240.

[0053] Subsequently, the multifunction printer 200 sends a contract acceptance notification, or activation notification (SS15), which is received by the information management server 100 (SS17). Alternatively, the information management server 100 may be configured to send an inquiry, to which the multifunction printer 200 will send an activation notification as a response. This allows the information management server 100 to recognize that the aforementioned printing contract has been concluded. From this point onward, the multifunction printer 200 communicates with the information management server 100 periodically to exchange information regarding the contract.

[0054] Subsequently, delivery registration information for shipping the contract cartridge 50 to the user is transmitted from the information management server 100 to the delivery management server 400 (SS19). This completes the registration process for the delivery of the contract cartridge 50 to the user by the delivery service company.

[0055] <Processor processing at the time of contract signing - Part 1> Figure 3 shows the processes that the processor 210 of the multifunction printer 200 independently executes when the contract is concluded as described above. In Figure 3, first at S5, flag F, which represents the display history of the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen (details to be described later), is initialized to 0.

[0056] In the S10, the maintenance save function is reset to the OFF state. The maintenance save function is a feature that extends the life of cartridge 50 by automatically executing maintenance processes and suppressing the consumption of cartridge 50 by consuming ink. Details of the maintenance save function will be described later.

[0057] In S15, the ink-saving function is reset to the OFF state. The ink-saving function is designed to extend the lifespan of cartridge 50 by suppressing the consumption of ink by the printing unit 290 when it performs printing. Details of the ink-saving function will be described later.

[0058] In S20, based on the storage results in the type information storage area 231A at this point, it is determined whether all of the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink cartridges 50 are standard cartridges 50. If even one of the four cartridges 50 is a contract cartridge 50, the result is No, and this flow ends. If all four cartridges 50 are standard cartridges 50, the result is Yes, and the process proceeds to S25. The process executed by the processor 210 in S20 is an example of a determination process.

[0059] In S25, the arrival time information for the contracted cartridge 50, which is stored in the arrival time information storage area 234 at this point, is read and retrieved. If the contracted cartridge 50 has already arrived at the user's location based on the aforementioned delivery contract, arrival time information representing the date and time of arrival and information indicating "arrived" are retrieved. If the contracted cartridge 50 has been shipped but has not yet arrived and is in transit or has not been shipped, arrival time information representing the expected date and time of arrival is retrieved. S25 is an example of an retrieval step, and the processing executed by the processor 210 in S25 is an example of an retrieval process.

[0060] <Arrival Information Storage Processing> The storage of arrival time information in the aforementioned arrival time information storage area 234 is performed by the processor 210. The processing flow performed at this time is explained in Figure 4. Note that the flow in Figure 3 and the flow in Figure 4 are executed concurrently using a known method similar to "multitasking processing," which is often used in computer operating systems, for example.

[0061] In Figure 4, first, in S241, it is determined whether or not a predetermined confirmation timing has arrived. That is, the current time represented by the current time information from the timing circuit 260 is compared with the predetermined confirmation timing, and it is determined whether the current time is the same as the confirmation timing or whether the current item has passed the confirmation timing. Examples of confirmation timings include the power-on timing of the multifunction printer 200, the timing of the opening operation of the open / closed cover detected by the cover sensor 275, and the completion timing of the print job by the printing unit 290. Alternatively, the date and time to be performed periodically as a confirmation timing may be individually predetermined in advance, or the confirmation timing may be set to be performed at predetermined intervals.

[0062] If the current time is the same as the confirmation timing or if the current time has passed the confirmation timing, S241 is judged as Yes, and it is determined using Figure 2 whether the multifunction printer 200 is in the aforementioned contract start state (Activate) due to the conclusion of the contract as described above (S242). If it is not in the Activate state, it is judged as No, and this flow ends. If it is in the Activate state, it is judged as Yes, and it is determined whether it can access the service site of the above-mentioned delivery service company provided by the delivery management server 400 (S243).

[0063] If access is possible, a "Yes" determination is made, and by accessing the service site, arrival time information for the corresponding contract cartridge 50 is obtained (S244). This access can be performed either by the processor 210 obtaining information from the service site via the network NT through the delivery management server 400, or by the processor 210 directly obtaining information from the service site based on the URL. Subsequently, the arrival time information obtained in S244 is stored in the arrival time information storage area 234, updating the contents of the arrival time information stored in the arrival time information storage area 234 (S245), and this flow ends.

[0064] On the other hand, if access is impossible in S243, it is determined to be No, and at this point the latest arrival time information stored in the arrival time information storage area 234 is obtained and compared with the current time represented by the current time information from the timing circuit 260 (S246). If the current time has not passed the scheduled arrival date represented by the arrival time information, S247 is determined to be No and this flow ends. If the current time has passed the scheduled arrival date, S247 is determined to be Yes, the content of the arrival time information stored in the arrival time information storage area 234 is changed to "Arrived" (S248), and this flow ends.

[0065] <Processor processing at the time of contract signing - Part 2> Returning to Figure 3, in S30, based on the arrival time information obtained in S25 and the usage history information stored in the usage history information storage area 231C, a prediction of the usable amount of ink cartridge 50 when the arrival time arrives is made for each ink color. The process executed by the processor 210 in S30 is an example of the first process, and is also an example of the prediction process.

[0066] In S35, based on the prediction results from S30, it is determined whether the predicted usable amount for at least one ink color ink cartridge 50 reaches a predetermined threshold corresponding to the Empty state, which is an ink depletion state. The process executed by the processor 210 in S35 is an example of the first decision process. If no ink cartridges 50 reach the threshold, the determination is No, and the process proceeds to S75, which will be described later. If at least one ink cartridge 50 reaches the threshold, the determination is Yes, and the process proceeds to S45.

[0067] In step S45, a "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A is displayed on the display unit 240 to confirm with the user whether to perform both the aforementioned maintenance save function and ink save function. This screen 240A is an example of the first confirmation screen, and the process performed by the processor 210 in step S45 is an example of the first display process.

[0068] A specific example of the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A is shown in Figure 5(a). As shown in the figure, screen 240A displays the messages "It is predicted that the system will become Empty before the cartridge arrives" and "Do you want to turn on the Maintenance Save Function, which reduces ink consumption during automatic maintenance, and the Ink Save Function, which reduces ink consumption during printing?". Also, corresponding to the results obtained in S25, the expected arrival date of the contract cartridge 50 to be delivered is displayed as June 30 in this example, and corresponding to the prediction results in S30, the expected date when the above threshold corresponding to Empty is reached is displayed as June 28 in this example. Depending on the displayed content, there is a "Yes" button 240a for the user to accept turning on the Maintenance Save Function and Ink Save Function, and a "No" button 240b for the user to reject it. These buttons 240a and 240b are examples of input units. Note that instead of providing the input unit on the screen of the display unit 240 in this way, the input unit may be provided as a physical button on the operation unit 250, for example.

[0069] Returning to Figure 3, in S50, it is determined whether the "Yes" button 240a was pressed on screen 240A. If the "Yes" button 240a is pressed, it is determined to be Yes, and the process proceeds to S60, which will be described later. If the "No" button 240b is pressed, it is determined to be No, and in S55, the aforementioned flag F=1 is set, and this flow ends. In this case, S60, which will be described later, is not executed, meaning that the state in which the maintenance save function is executed is not determined. In other words, the state in which the maintenance save function is not executed is determined.

[0070] In S60, the maintenance save function is turned ON, meaning the system is set to execute the maintenance save function. The process executed by the processor 210 in S60 is an example of a decision process. There are two modes of execution for the maintenance save function: a first save process that delays the timing of maintenance processing by the maintenance unit 290A, and a second save process that reduces the processing intensity when maintenance processing is performed by the maintenance unit 290A.

[0071] (i) First save process This process ensures that maintenance is performed at a later time than the arrival time indicated by the arrival time information obtained in S25, etc. For example, while the current cartridge 50 is installed in the cartridge holder 51, maintenance is not performed even when it is time to perform automatic maintenance, and maintenance is performed when the newly delivered contract cartridge 50 is installed.

[0072] (ii) Second save process This process reduces the intensity of maintenance operations performed by the maintenance unit 290A. For example, in the case of flushing, when ejecting ink from the nozzle to discharge the thickened ink inside the nozzle, the ejection pressure, ejection volume, or ejection speed is reduced. In the case of purging, when driving the suction pump to suck up ink from the flow path of the inkjet head, the suction pressure or pump rotation speed of the suction pump is reduced.

[0073] In S65, the ink-saving function is set to ON, meaning it is in a state where the ink-saving function is activated. Various known methods that can suppress ink consumption during printing can be applied as ways to execute the ink-saving function. For example, processes that reduce ink consumption, such as reducing the print density, making the dot density coarser, lowering the coverage, or lowering the print quality. In S70, the above flag F=1 is set, and this flow is terminated.

[0074] If S35 is determined to be No, the system proceeds to S75, where a "Maintenance Save Function ON" screen 240B is displayed on the display unit 240 to confirm with the user whether or not to execute the aforementioned maintenance save function. This screen 240B is an example of a second confirmation screen, and the process executed by the processor 210 in S75 is an example of a second display process.

[0075] A specific example of the "Maintenance Save Function ON" screen 240B is shown in Figure 5(b). As shown in the figure, screen 240B displays the message "Do you want to turn on the maintenance save function to reduce ink consumption during automatic maintenance?". Depending on the displayed content, there is also a "Yes" button 240a for the user to acknowledge turning on the maintenance save function / ink save function, and a "No" button 240b for the user to deny it. These buttons 240a and 240b are also examples of input sections.

[0076] Returning to Figure 3, in S80, similar to S50 above, it is determined whether or not the "Yes" button 240a was pressed on screen 240B. If the "No" button 240b is pressed, it is determined to be No and proceeds to S90 described later. In this case, S85 described later is not executed, meaning that the state in which the maintenance save function is executed is not determined; in other words, the state in which the maintenance save function is not executed is determined. If the "Yes" button 240a is pressed, it is determined to be "Yes" and the process proceeds to S85.

[0077] In S85, similar to S60 above, the maintenance save function is turned ON, meaning the maintenance save function is activated. The process executed by processor 210 in S85 is also an example of a decision process.

[0078] In S90, it is determined whether or not a predetermined timing for making a new prediction has arrived. A predetermined timing is a regularly occurring timing, such as once a day or each time printing is performed. If the predetermined timing has arrived, it is determined to be Yes and proceeds to S100 described below. If the predetermined timing has not arrived, it is determined to be No and proceeds to S95.

[0079] In S95, the cartridge type information of the ink cartridge 50 installed in the cartridge holder 51 is obtained via the communication unit 285, and it is determined whether or not a contract cartridge 50 is installed. If a contract cartridge 50 is installed, it is determined to be Yes, and the process proceeds to S70. If a regular cartridge 50 is installed, it is determined to be No, and the process returns to S90 and the same process is repeated.

[0080] In S100, as in S25 above, arrival time information for the contracted cartridge 50 is obtained from the arrival time information storage area 234. If the contracted cartridge 50 has already arrived, arrival time information and information indicating "arrived" are obtained. If it has not yet arrived and is in transit or has not been shipped, arrival time information representing the expected date and time of arrival is obtained. S100 is also an example of an acquisition step, and the processing performed by the processor 210 in S100 is also an example of an acquisition process.

[0081] In S105, similar to S30 above, a prediction of the usable amount of ink cartridge 50 when the arrival time arrives is made for each ink color, based on the arrival time information obtained in S100 and the usage history information stored in the usage history information storage area 231C. The process executed by the processor 210 in S105 is an example of the second process, and also an example of the prediction process.

[0082] In S110, similar to S35 above, it is determined whether the predicted usable amount of at least one ink color ink cartridge 50 reaches a predetermined threshold corresponding to the Empty state, based on the prediction result in S105. The process executed by the processor 210 in S110 is an example of the second decision process. If no ink cartridges 50 reach the threshold, the result is No, and the process returns to S90, and the same procedure is repeated. If at least one ink cartridge 50 reaches the threshold, the result is Yes, and the process proceeds to S45.

[0083] In S120, as with S45 mentioned above, the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A is displayed on the display unit 240. In this case, screen 240A is an example of a third confirmation screen, and the process executed by the processor 210 in S120 is an example of a third display process.

[0084] In S125, it is determined whether the "Yes" button 240a was pressed on the screen 240A displayed in S115. If the "Yes" button 240a is pressed, it is determined to be Yes, and the process proceeds to S60, where the maintenance save function is to be executed. If the "No" button 240b is pressed, it is determined to be No, and the process proceeds to S70. In this case, S60 is not executed, meaning the process does not proceed to execute the maintenance save function. In other words, the process is to not execute the maintenance save function.

[0085] <Processor processing when a contract cartridge is installed> Figure 6 shows the process executed by the processor 210 of the multifunction printer 200 when the contract cartridge 50 is installed after the contract is concluded. In Figure 6, first, in S210, as with S25 and S100 above, the arrival time information of the contract cartridge 50 is obtained from the arrival time information storage area 234. If the contract cartridge 50 has already arrived, the arrival time information and information indicating that it has arrived are obtained. If it has not yet arrived and is in transit or has not been shipped, arrival time information representing the expected date and time of arrival is obtained. S210 is also an example of an acquisition step, and the process executed by the processor 210 in S210 is also an example of an acquisition process.

[0086] In S220, similar to S30 and S105 above, the amount of usable ink cartridge 50 when the arrival time arrives is predicted for each ink color based on the arrival time information obtained in S210 and the usage history information stored in the usage history information storage area 231C. The processing performed by the processor 210 in S220 is also an example of prediction processing.

[0087] In S230, similar to S35 and S110 above, it is determined whether the predicted usable amount of at least one ink color ink cartridge 50 reaches a predetermined threshold corresponding to the Empty state, based on the prediction result in S220. If at least one ink cartridge 50 reaches the threshold, it is determined to be Yes and this flow ends. If none of the ink cartridges 50 reach the threshold, it is determined to be No and the process proceeds to S240.

[0088] In S240, the maintenance save function is turned OFF, meaning it is not executed. The process executed by processor 210 in S240 is also an example of a decision process.

[0089] In the S250, the ink-saving function is turned OFF, meaning it is not executed, and this process ends.

[0090] <Processor processing after installing the contract cartridge> Figure 7 shows the process executed by the processor 210 of the multifunction printer 200 after the contract cartridge 50 has been installed. In Figure 7, first, in S305, it is determined whether or not the predetermined timing for making a new prediction has arrived, similar to S90 above. If the predetermined timing has not arrived, it is determined to be No and proceeds to S365 described later. If the predetermined timing has arrived, it is determined to be Yes and proceeds to S310.

[0091] In S310, as in S25 and S100 above, arrival time information for the contracted cartridge 50 is obtained from the arrival time information storage area 234. If the contracted cartridge 50 has already arrived, arrival time information and information indicating "arrived" are obtained. If it has not yet arrived and is in transit or has not been shipped, arrival time information representing the expected date and time of arrival is obtained. S310 is also an example of an acquisition step, and the processing performed by the processor 210 in S310 is also an example of an acquisition process.

[0092] In S315, similar to S30 and S105 above, a prediction of the usable amount of ink cartridge 50 when the arrival time arrives is made for each ink color, based on the arrival time information obtained in S310 and the usage history information stored in the usage history information storage area 231C. The process executed by the processor 210 in S315 is an example of a third process, and also an example of a prediction process.

[0093] In S320, similar to S35 and S110 above, it is determined whether the predicted usable amount of at least one ink color ink cartridge 50 reaches a predetermined threshold corresponding to the Empty state, based on the prediction result in S315. The process executed by the processor 210 in S320 is an example of the third decision process. If no ink cartridges 50 reach the threshold, the result is No, and the process returns to S305, and the same procedure is repeated. If at least one ink cartridge 50 reaches the threshold, the result is Yes, and the process proceeds to S325.

[0094] In S325, it is determined whether the aforementioned flag F=1. If flag F=1, the result is Yes, and the process returns to S305, and the same procedure is repeated. If flag F=0, the result is No, and the process proceeds to S330.

[0095] In S330, as in S45 and S120 above, the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A is displayed on the display unit 240. In this case, screen 240A is an example of the fourth confirmation screen, and the process executed by the processor 210 in S330 is an example of the fourth display process.

[0096] In S335, it is determined whether the "Yes" button 240a was pressed on the screen 240A displayed in S330. If the "Yes" button 240a was pressed, the result is "Yes," and the process proceeds to S60, described below. If the "No" button 240b was pressed, the result is "No," and the process proceeds to S350, as described above.

[0097] In S340, similar to S60 above, the maintenance save function is turned ON, meaning the maintenance save function is activated. The process executed by processor 210 in S340 is also an example of a determination process. In S345, similar to S65 above, the ink save function is turned ON, meaning the ink save function is activated. The process then proceeds to S360, which will be described later.

[0098] In S350, similar to S240 above, the maintenance save function is determined to be OFF, meaning the maintenance save function will not be executed. The process executed by processor 210 in S350 is also an example of a decision process. In S355, the ink save function is determined to be OFF, meaning the ink save function will not be executed. The process then proceeds to S360.

[0099] In S360, the above flag F is set to 1, which corresponds to the display of the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A. Then, the process returns to S305 and the same procedure is repeated.

[0100] In S365, which is the next step after S305 is determined to be No, the arrival time information of the contracted cartridge 50 is obtained from the arrival time information storage area 234, similar to S25, S100, and S310 above. If the contracted cartridge 50 has already arrived, the arrival time information and information indicating that it has arrived are obtained. If it has not yet arrived and is in transit or has not been shipped, arrival time information representing the expected date and time of arrival is obtained. S365 is also an example of an acquisition step, and the processing performed by the processor 210 in S365 is also an example of an acquisition process.

[0101] In S370, it is determined whether or not the new contract cartridge 50 has arrived. Specifically, the current time represented by the current time information of the timing circuit 260 is compared with the scheduled arrival date and time or the completed arrival date and time (hereinafter simply referred to as "arrival date and time") represented by the arrival time information obtained in S365, and it is determined whether or not the current time is the same as or past the arrival date and time. Alternatively, instead of determining the arrival of the contract cartridge 50 based on whether or not the current time is the same as or past the arrival date and time as described above, the arrival of the contract cartridge 50 may be determined based on whether or not information indicating "arrived" was obtained from the arrival time information storage area 234 in S365. If the new contract cartridge 50 has arrived, it is determined as Yes, and the process proceeds to S375. If the new contract cartridge 50 has not arrived, it is determined as No, and the process proceeds to S380, which will be described later.

[0102] In S375, similar to S95 above, cartridge type information of the ink cartridge 50 installed in the cartridge holder 51 is obtained via the communication unit 285, and it is determined whether or not a new contract cartridge 50 is installed. If a new contract cartridge 50 is installed, it is determined to be Yes, and the process returns to S305 and the same process is repeated. If a new contract cartridge 50 is not installed, it is determined to be No, and the process proceeds to S380.

[0103] In S380, similar to S30, S105, and S315 above, a prediction of the usable amount of ink cartridge 50 when the arrival time arrives is made for each ink color based on the arrival time information obtained in S365 and the usage history information stored in the usage history information storage area 231C. The processing performed by the processor 210 in S380 is also an example of prediction processing.

[0104] In S385, similar to S35, S110, and S320 above, it is determined whether the predicted usable amount of ink cartridges 50 of at least one ink color reaches a predetermined threshold corresponding to the Empty state, based on the prediction results from S380. If at least one ink cartridge 50 reaches the threshold, it is determined to be Yes, and the process proceeds to S390. If none of the ink cartridges 50 reach the threshold, it is determined to be No, and the process returns to S305 as described above, and the same procedure is repeated.

[0105] In S390, similar to S60 and S340 above, the maintenance save function is turned ON, meaning the maintenance save function is set to be executed. The process executed by the processor 210 in S390 is also an example of a decision process. In S395, similar to S65 and S345 above, the ink save function is turned ON, meaning the ink save function is set to be executed.

[0106] In S400, the above flag F is set to 1, which corresponds to the display of the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A. After that, the process returns to S305 and the same procedure is repeated.

[0107] <Effects of the First Embodiment> As described above, in this embodiment, the processor 210 performs acquisition processing in S25, S100, S210, S310, and S365 to acquire information on the arrival time of the contract cartridges 50 that will be delivered based on the content of the contract concluded with the contracting party. Furthermore, prediction processing is performed in S30, S105, S220, S315, and S380 to predict how much usable ink cartridge 50 is currently installed in the cartridge holder 51 at the arrival time indicated in the acquired arrival time information. Based on the prediction result, determination processing is performed in S60, S85, S240, S340, S350, and S390 to determine the maintenance save execution mode for saving maintenance processing on the multifunction printer 200. According to this embodiment, the maintenance process can be appropriately controlled based on the predicted amount of usable capacity when the contract cartridge 50 arrives, depending on the delivery status of the contract cartridge 50.

[0108] In this embodiment, in particular, a first save process or a second save process is performed as a maintenance save. By delaying the timing of the maintenance process in the first save process, the maintenance process is performed on the ink cartridge 50 that is installed after the currently installed ink cartridge 50, thereby suppressing the consumption of the currently installed ink cartridge 50 and extending its lifespan. By reducing the intensity of the maintenance process in the second save process, the degree to which the currently installed ink cartridge 50 is consumed during the maintenance process is reduced, thereby extending the lifespan of the currently installed ink cartridge 50.

[0109] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, the decision processes in S60, S85, S240, S340, S350, and S390 determine whether or not to perform a maintenance save. According to this embodiment, by performing maintenance save, the consumption of the installed ink cartridge 50 during maintenance processing can be reduced, and maintenance save can be avoided when it is not particularly necessary.

[0110] For example, if you were using a standard commercially available 50ml cartridge, you would normally purchase another 50ml cartridge to replace it when it runs out. However, once the contracted 50ml cartridge arrives, the newly purchased cartridge becomes unnecessary, and the purchase cost is wasted. In this embodiment, in particular, when it is determined in S20 that the installed ink cartridge 50 is a normal cartridge 50, maintenance saving is performed by the decision in S60, and the consumption of the normal cartridge 50 is suppressed and its lifespan is extended, thus preventing wasted purchase costs.

[0111] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the predicted usable amount in the prediction processing in S30, S105, S315, and S380 is determined to reach the threshold corresponding to Empty, it is decided to perform maintenance save in S60, S340, and S390. According to this embodiment, if it is predicted that the remaining lifespan of the installed ink cartridge 50 will be short when the contracted cartridge 50 to be delivered arrives, maintenance save can be performed to reliably suppress the consumption of the installed ink cartridge 50 and extend its lifespan.

[0112] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if it is determined in S30 that the predicted usable amount has reached a threshold, the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A is displayed on the display unit 240 in S45. According to this embodiment, the user can confirm whether or not to perform maintenance save on the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A, so the user can ultimately decide whether or not to perform maintenance save.

[0113] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, in response to the display of the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A in S45, the user can use the "Yes" button 240a or the "No" button 240b to approve or deny execution, thereby switching between executing or not executing maintenance save in accordance with the user's will.

[0114] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after the user has once approved or denied the execution of maintenance save in response to the display of the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A, F=1 is set in S55 or S70, so the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A is not displayed again in S330. According to this embodiment, the inconvenience of the user being asked for their opinion again after expressing their opinion once can be avoided.

[0115] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the prediction process in S30 predicts the usable amount of ink cartridges 50 at the time of contract signing. According to this embodiment, the maintenance process saving method can be appropriately controlled based on the prediction result regarding the installed ink cartridges 50 immediately after contract signing.

[0116] Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if the predicted amount of available resources in the prediction process in S30 is determined not to reach the threshold, the "Maintenance Save Function ON" screen 240B is displayed on the display unit 240 in S75. According to this embodiment, the user can confirm whether or not to perform maintenance save on the "Maintenance Save Function ON" screen 240B, so the user can decide whether or not to perform maintenance save at their discretion.

[0117] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, the user can switch between executing or not executing maintenance save by using the "Yes" button 240a or the "No" button 240b in response to the display of the "Maintenance Save Function ON" screen 240B in S75. According to this embodiment, even when it is not necessarily necessary to extend the life of the ink cartridge 50, the user can execute maintenance save at their discretion to reduce the consumption of the installed ink cartridge 50 and extend its life.

[0118] Furthermore, in this embodiment, even after the user has initially approved or denied the execution of maintenance save in response to the display of the "Maintenance Save Function ON" screen 240B, the usable amount of the installed ink cartridge 50 is predicted periodically in the prediction process of S105. In S110, it is determined whether the periodically predicted usable amount has reached a threshold, and if it is determined that the threshold has been reached, maintenance save is executed based on the decision in S60. According to this embodiment, even if the actual wear rate of the installed ink cartridge 50 changes after the user has expressed their intention to save maintenance, the maintenance saving mode can be appropriately controlled based on subsequent periodic prediction results.

[0119] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if it is determined that the periodically predicted usable amount reaches a threshold after the user's declaration of intent in S80, the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A is displayed in S120. According to this embodiment, the user can confirm whether or not to perform maintenance save on the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A, so the user can ultimately decide whether or not to perform maintenance save.

[0120] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, in response to the display of the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A in S120, the user can use the "Yes" button 240a or the "No" button 240b to approve or deny execution, thereby switching between executing or not executing maintenance save in accordance with the user's will.

[0121] Furthermore, if a contract cartridge 50 is being used, it is sufficient to replace it with another contract cartridge 50 to address its wear and tear. When the delivered contract cartridge 50 arrives and is replaced, the other contract cartridge 50 becomes unnecessary, but since there is no purchase cost to the user, there is no financial waste. From a user's perspective, if the delivered contract cartridge 50 arrives relatively soon after the above-mentioned other contract cartridge 50 has been installed, there is a need to replace it with the new contract cartridge 50 even if the other contract cartridge 50 has sufficient remaining lifespan. However, if the above-mentioned other contract cartridge 50 is not available, it is desirable to extend the lifespan of the currently installed ink cartridge 50 as much as possible until the delivered contract cartridge 50 arrives. In this embodiment, in particular, when it is determined in S20 that the installed ink cartridge 50 is a contracted cartridge 50, the decision processes in S60, S85, S240, S340, S350, and S390 selectively decide whether or not to perform maintenance saving, so that appropriate control regarding maintenance processing can be performed according to the user's circumstances.

[0122] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, after the contract cartridge 50 is installed in the cartridge holder 51, it is determined in S20 that the installed ink cartridge 50 is the contract cartridge 50, and thereafter, in S315, the usable amount of the installed ink cartridge 50 is predicted periodically. In S320, it is determined whether the periodically predicted usable amount has reached a threshold corresponding to Empty, and if it is determined that the threshold has been reached, maintenance save is executed in S340. According to this embodiment, when the contract cartridge 50 is installed, the maintenance process can be appropriately controlled based on subsequent periodic prediction results.

[0123] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the periodic prediction process in S315 determines that the predicted usable amount has reached a threshold, the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A is displayed on the display unit 240 in S330. According to this embodiment, the user can confirm whether or not to perform maintenance save on the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A, so the user can ultimately decide whether or not to perform maintenance save.

[0124] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the user can switch between performing or not performing maintenance save in accordance with the user's wishes by using the "Yes" button 240a or the "No" button 240b to approve or deny execution in response to the display of the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A.

[0125] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the periodic prediction process in S315 determines that the available amount does not reach the threshold corresponding to Empty, S320 will be judged as No, and maintenance saving will not be performed. According to this embodiment, since maintenance saving is not performed, normal maintenance processing is carried out, so a decrease in print quality can be reliably prevented.

[0126] <Second Embodiment> The second embodiment is an embodiment in which the user manually performs the maintenance process.

[0127] The multifunction printer 200 of this embodiment is equipped with a manual maintenance mode instead of the automatic maintenance mode of the first embodiment described above. In manual maintenance mode, the processor 210 of the multifunction printer 200 executes maintenance processing when the user instructs it to do so. As already mentioned, ink in the ink cartridge 50 is consumed when maintenance processing is performed. Therefore, when maintenance processing is performed in manual maintenance mode, ink is consumed and the ink cartridge 50 is worn out. In this embodiment, when the maintenance save function is ON, the acceptance of instructions from the user to execute maintenance processing is prohibited, or a warning screen is displayed on the display unit 240 when an instruction to execute maintenance processing is received from the user. This suppresses the consumption of the installed ink cartridge and extends the life of the installed ink cartridge. The details of this will be explained below.

[0128] The configuration of the printing processing system 1, information management server 100, multifunction printer 200, mobile terminal 300, delivery management server 400, etc. in this embodiment is the same as the configuration shown in Figure 1 above, so a description will be omitted. Also, the sequence flow executed by the processor of each device is the same as in Figures 2 to 4, 6 and 7 above, so a description will be omitted. In this embodiment as well, the maintenance save function is turned ON when the "Yes" button 240a is pressed on the "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" screen 240A shown in Figure 5(a) and the "Maintenance Save Function ON" screen 240B shown in Figure 5(b).

[0129] Figure 8 shows an example of the screen transitions displayed on the display unit 240 when the maintenance save function is OFF and maintenance processing is performed manually. As shown in Figure 8, the standby screen 240C displays icons for fax, copy, scan, etc., along with a settings icon 240c and an ink icon 240d. When the ink icon 240d is selected on the standby screen 240C, the screen transitions to the ink menu screen 240D. Alternatively, when the settings icon 240c is selected, the screen may transition to the ink menu screen 240D by selecting a menu item such as maintenance on the settings screen (not shown).

[0130] The ink menu screen 240D displays several menus related to cleaning. In the example shown in Figure 8, for example, the menus 240e for "Head Cleaning," 240f for "Paper Fragment Removal," and 240g for "Paper Feed Roller Cleaning" are displayed. When the menu 240e for "Head Cleaning" is selected on the ink menu screen 240D, the processor 210 accepts the instruction to perform head cleaning and proceeds to the color selection screen 240E.

[0131] The color selection screen 240E displays several menus related to the ink color of the print head to be cleaned. In the example shown in Figure 8, for example, the menus 240h for "Black only," 240i for "Color only," and 240j for "All Colors" are displayed. When any of menus 240h, 240i, or 240j is selected, the screen moves to the intensity selection screen 240F.

[0132] The strength selection screen 240F displays multiple menus related to the strength of the cleaning process. The strength of the cleaning process, for example, when performing flushing, refers to the magnitude of the ejection pressure, ejection volume, or ejection speed when ejecting ink from the nozzle to expel the thickened ink inside the nozzle. Similarly, when performing purging, it refers to the magnitude of the suction pressure or pump rotation speed when driving the suction pump to suck ink from the inkjet head's flow path. In the example shown in Figure 8, for example, the "Normal" menu 240k, the "Strong" menu 240l, and the "Extra Strong" menu 240m are displayed. When any of menus 240k, 240l, or 240m is selected, the screen transitions to the start screen 240G.

[0133] The start screen 240G displays, for example, a confirmation message 240n indicating that head cleaning will be performed, a warning message 240o regarding ink consumption depending on the cleaning strength, and a "Start" button 240p. When the "Start" button 240p is pressed, the screen transitions to the execution screen 240H, and the processor 210 of the multifunction printer 200 activates the maintenance unit 290A to perform head cleaning, including flushing or purging. Head cleaning is an example of a predetermined maintenance process.

[0134] Figure 9 shows an example of the screen transitions displayed on the display unit 240 when the user attempts to perform maintenance processing while the maintenance save function is ON. The standby screen 240C and ink menu screen 240D in Figure 9 correspond to the standby screen 240C and ink menu screen 240D in Figure 8, respectively. As shown in Figure 9, the standby screen 240C is the same as when the maintenance save function is OFF. When the ink icon 240d is selected on the standby screen 240C, the screen transitions to the ink menu screen 240D. On the ink menu screen 240D, among the multiple menus 240e, 240f, and 240g, the "head cleaning" menu 240e is excluded from selection, in other words, it is grayed out and cannot be selected. Furthermore, even if the user presses the grayed-out menu 240e, the processor 210 does not execute the corresponding process. This prevents the acceptance of a head cleaning command from the user. Menu 240e, "Head Cleaning," is an example of a predetermined menu, and the process of making menu 240e, "Head Cleaning," unselectable is an example of the third save process.

[0135] Figure 10 shows another example of the screen transitions displayed on the display unit 240 when the maintenance save function is OFF and maintenance processing is performed manually. As shown in Figure 10, the standby screen 240Ca displays icons such as fax, copy, scan, settings icon 240c, ink icon 240d, and cleaning icon 240q. When the cleaning icon 240q is operated on the standby screen 240Ca, the processor 210 accepts the instruction to perform head cleaning and proceeds to the start screen 240Ga without going through the ink menu screen 240D, color selection screen 240E, or strength selection screen 240F.

[0136] The start screen 240Ga displays a confirmation message n for performing head cleaning and a "Start" button 240p. In this modified example, the ink color of the head to be cleaned and the cleaning strength are either pre-set to a fixed value or automatically set to an appropriate value, so the ink consumption warning message 240o is not displayed on the start screen 240Ga. When the "Start" button 240p is pressed, the system moves to the execution screen 240H and head cleaning is performed.

[0137] Furthermore, if the multifunction printer 200 has a function to detect the ejection pressure of the print head, for example, the ink color and cleaning strength of the print head to be cleaned will be automatically set according to the ejection pressure detection result. In this case, you may switch from the ink menu screen 240D shown in Figure 8 to the start screen 240Ga described above.

[0138] Figure 11 shows another example of the screen displayed on the display unit 240 when the user attempts to perform maintenance processing while the maintenance save function is ON. The standby screen 240Ca in Figure 11 corresponds to the standby screen 240Ca in Figure 10. As shown in Figure 11, the cleaning icon 240q is hidden on the standby screen 240Ca. As a result, the user cannot operate the cleaning icon 240q, and the acceptance of instructions from the user to perform head cleaning is prohibited. The cleaning icon 240q is an example of a predetermined icon, and the process of hiding the cleaning icon 240q is an example of the third save process.

[0139] Figure 12 shows yet another example of the screen transitions displayed on the display unit 240 when the user attempts to perform maintenance processing while the maintenance save function is ON. The standby screen 240C, ink menu screen 240D, color selection screen 240E, and execution screen 240H in Figure 12 correspond to the standby screen 240C, ink menu screen 240D, color selection screen 240E, and execution screen 240H in Figure 8, respectively. As shown in Figure 12, the standby screen 240C and ink menu screen 240D are the same as when the maintenance save function is OFF. When the "Head Cleaning" menu 240e is selected on the ink menu screen 240D, the processor 210 accepts the instruction to perform head cleaning and transitions to the warning screen 240I.

[0140] The warning screen 240I displays a warning message 240r recommending that head cleaning be performed after the arrival of ink cartridge 50 because, for example, the maintenance save function is ON, a confirmation message 240s to perform head cleaning, and "Yes" button 240t and "No" button 240u. If the "No" button 240u is pressed, the user returns to the ink menu screen 240D, and if the "Yes" button 240t is pressed, the user moves to the color selection screen 240E. The subsequent screen transitions are the same as in Figure 8. The process of displaying the warning screen 240I on the display unit 240 is an example of the fourth save process.

[0141] The above warning screen 240I may also be displayed, for example, when the cleaning icon 240q is operated on the standby screen 240Ca shown in Figure 10. In this case, if the "No" button 240u is operated on the warning screen 240I, the system may return to the standby screen 240Ca, and if the "Yes" button 240t is operated, the system may proceed to the start screen 240Ga.

[0142] <Effects of the second embodiment> As described above, in this embodiment, a third save process is performed as a maintenance save. In the third save process, by prohibiting the acceptance of instructions from the user to execute maintenance processes, the consumption of the installed ink cartridge 50 due to the execution of manual maintenance processes is suppressed, and the lifespan of the installed ink cartridge 50 can be extended.

[0143] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the user causes the processor 210 to perform head cleaning by selecting the "Head Cleaning" menu 240e displayed on the display unit 240. By making the "Head Cleaning" menu 240e unselectable through the third save process, it is possible to prevent the acceptance of maintenance execution instructions from the user, thereby suppressing the consumption of the installed ink cartridge 50.

[0144] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, the user operates the cleaning icon 240q displayed on the display unit 240 to cause the processor 210 to perform head cleaning. By hiding the cleaning icon 240q through the third save process, it is possible to prevent the acceptance of maintenance operation commands from the user, thereby suppressing the consumption of the installed ink cartridge 50.

[0145] In this embodiment, a fourth save process is performed as a maintenance save. In the fourth save process, when a user instructs the system to perform a maintenance process, a warning screen 240I is displayed on the display unit 240. The warning screen 240I warns the user that a maintenance save is in progress and allows the user to reconfirm whether or not to perform the maintenance process. By displaying the warning screen 240I when a manual maintenance process is performed, the user can be alerted that a maintenance save is in progress. As a result, the consumption of the installed ink cartridge can be suppressed, and the lifespan of the installed ink cartridge can be extended.

[0146] <Variation> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and the following modifications are also included in the technical scope.

[0147] In other words, in the above, the decision processes in S60, S85, S240, S340, S350, and S390 were executed based on the prediction results in the prediction processes in S30, S105, S220, S315, and S380, and the user's information input regarding the approval or rejection of the maintenance save, but this is not limited to this. That is, they may be executed based solely on the prediction results in the prediction processes in S30, S105, S220, S315, and S380, without any user input.

[0148] Furthermore, while ink was used as an example of a consumable and its remaining amount or usage amount was used as an example of usable amount information in the above explanation, this is not limited to this. For example, if a laser-type multifunction printer 200 is used instead of an inkjet type, toner may be treated as a consumable and its remaining amount or usage amount may be treated as usable amount information, or the drum may be treated as a consumable and its remaining lifespan may be treated as usable amount information.

[0149] Furthermore, the sequence charts and flowcharts shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 do not limit the present invention to the procedures shown in the above flowcharts, and procedures may be added, deleted, or their order changed within the scope that does not depart from the spirit and technical idea of ​​the invention.

[0150] With regard to the components illustrated in the above embodiments and drawings, their shapes, numerical values, or the interrelationships of the structure or time series of multiple components can be arbitrarily modified and improved within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention.

[0151] In addition to what has already been described above, the methods described in the above embodiments and their respective modifications may be used in appropriate combinations.

[0152] The problems that this invention aims to solve and the effects of this invention are not limited to those described above. In other words, this invention may solve problems not mentioned above, produce effects not mentioned above, solve only some of the problems described, or produce only some of the effects described.

[0153] Furthermore, although not to be exemplified individually, the present invention may be implemented with various modifications without departing from its spirit. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0154] 1. Printing Processing System 50 Ink Cartridges (An example of a consumable item) 51 Cartridge holder (example of mounting part) 200 Multifunction printer (an example of a printing device) 210 Processor (Example of a control unit) 231 Consumables-related information storage area 231B Usable amount information storage area 231C Usage history information storage area 240 Display section 240A "Maintenance Save Function ON / Ink Save Function ON" (Examples of the 1st confirmation screen, 3rd confirmation screen, and 4th confirmation screen) 240a "Yes" button (example of input area) 240B "Maintenance Save Function ON" screen (Example of the second confirmation screen) 240b "No" button (example of input field) 240e "Head Cleaning" menu (an example of a standard menu) 240I warning screen 240q Cleaning icon (an example of a designated icon) 260 Timing circuit 290 Printing Department 290A Maintenance Department

Claims

1. A mounting section where consumables used for printing are attached, A printing unit that prints an image onto a printing medium using the aforementioned consumables, Control unit and A printing apparatus equipped with, which can operate based on the terms of a contract with the supplier regarding the consumables used for printing, The control unit, An acquisition process to acquire information on the arrival time of the first consumable delivered to the printing device based on the terms of the agreement, A prediction process that predicts the usable amount of consumables currently installed in the installation part at the arrival time indicated by the arrival time information obtained in the acquisition process, A decision process to determine the execution mode of maintenance save, which saves predetermined maintenance processes for the printing device, in accordance with the prediction results of the prediction process, A printing device that performs this task.

2. The aforementioned maintenance save is The printing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a first save process that delays the timing of the maintenance process, or a second save process that reduces the intensity of the maintenance process.

3. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 1, which determines whether or not to perform the maintenance save.

4. The control unit further, The determination process is executed to determine the type of the consumable item being installed. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein it is determined that the maintenance save operation will be performed if, at least, the determination process determines that the consumable being installed is a second consumable different from the first consumable.

5. The control unit further, A first determination process is executed to determine whether the amount of usable quantity predicted in the prediction process has reached a predetermined threshold. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein it is determined that the available amount has reached the threshold in the first determination process, and it is determined that the maintenance save will be performed.

6. It further includes an input unit that accepts input regarding whether or not to approve the execution of the said maintenance save, The printing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the control unit executes the determination process in accordance with the input in the input unit.

7. The input unit includes a display unit that displays desired information. The control unit further, The printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, if the first determination process determines that the available amount has reached the threshold, a first display process is executed to display a first confirmation screen on the display unit for confirming whether or not to perform the maintenance save.

8. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein if the execution of the maintenance save is permitted in accordance with the display of the first confirmation screen, it is decided to execute the maintenance save, and if the execution of the maintenance save is denied in accordance with the display of the first confirmation screen, it is decided not to execute the maintenance save.

9. The control unit, The printing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein, if approval or denial of the execution of the maintenance save is made in accordance with the display of the first confirmation screen, the first confirmation screen is not displayed on the display unit thereafter, regardless of the prediction result in the prediction process.

10. The aforementioned prediction process is, The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9, comprising a first process for predicting the usable amount at the time of concluding the contract.

11. The control unit further, The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein if the first determination process determines that the available amount does not reach the threshold, a second display process is executed to display a second confirmation screen on the display unit for confirming whether or not to perform the maintenance save.

12. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein if the execution of the maintenance save is permitted in accordance with the display of the second confirmation screen, it is decided to execute the maintenance save, and if the execution of the maintenance save is denied in accordance with the display of the second confirmation screen, it is decided not to execute the maintenance save.

13. The aforementioned prediction process is, If the execution of the maintenance save is approved or denied in accordance with the display on the second confirmation screen, the process thereafter includes a second process that periodically predicts the available amount. The control unit further, A second determination process is performed to determine whether the amount of usable quantity predicted periodically in the second process has reached a predetermined threshold. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, wherein it is determined in the second determination process that the available amount has reached the threshold, and it is decided to perform the maintenance save.

14. The control unit further The printing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, if the second determination process determines that the available amount has reached the threshold, a third display process is executed to display a third confirmation screen on the display unit for confirming whether or not to perform the maintenance save.

15. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein if the execution of the maintenance save is permitted in accordance with the display of the third confirmation screen, it is decided to execute the maintenance save, and if the execution of the maintenance save is denied in accordance with the display of the third confirmation screen, it is decided not to execute the maintenance save.

16. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, at least, if the determination process determines that the installed consumable is the first consumable, it is determined whether or not to perform the maintenance save.

17. The aforementioned prediction process is, If the determination process determines that it is the first consumable, the process thereafter includes a third process that periodically predicts the usable amount. The control unit further, In the third process described above, a third determination process is performed to determine whether the amount of available stock, which is periodically predicted, has reached a predetermined threshold. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein it is determined that the available amount has reached the threshold in the third determination process, and it is determined that the maintenance save will be performed.

18. It further includes a display unit that displays desired information, The control unit further, The printing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein, if the third determination process determines that the available amount has reached the threshold, a fourth display process is executed to display a fourth confirmation screen on the display unit for confirming whether or not to perform the maintenance save.

19. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 18, wherein if the execution of the maintenance save is permitted in accordance with the display of the fourth confirmation screen, it is decided to execute the maintenance save, and if the execution of the maintenance save is denied in accordance with the display of the fourth confirmation screen, it is decided not to execute the maintenance save.

20. The aforementioned decision process is, The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein if the third determination process determines that the available amount does not reach the threshold, it is decided not to perform the maintenance save.

21. The aforementioned maintenance save is The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third save process prohibits the acceptance of instructions to execute the aforementioned maintenance process.

22. The aforementioned third save process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the process involves making a predetermined menu displayed on the display unit, which, when selected, allows the user to receive an instruction to execute the maintenance process, unselectable.

23. The aforementioned third save process is, The printing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the process involves hiding a predetermined icon displayed on the display unit, which, when operated, receives an instruction to execute the maintenance process.

24. The aforementioned maintenance save is The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth save process, in which, upon receiving an instruction to execute the aforementioned maintenance process, a warning screen is displayed on the display unit, and if the user denies execution on the warning screen, the execution of the maintenance process is prohibited.

25. A control method for a printing apparatus comprising a mounting unit into which consumables used for printing are mounted, and a printing unit that prints an image onto a printing medium using the consumables, wherein the apparatus is operable based on the terms of a contract concluded with the supplier regarding the consumables used for printing, An acquisition step to acquire information on the arrival time of the first consumable delivered to the printing device based on the terms of the agreement, A prediction step predicts the usable amount of consumables currently installed on the installation part at the arrival time indicated by the arrival time information obtained in the acquisition step, A determination step in which a maintenance save execution mode is determined to save predetermined maintenance processes for the printing apparatus, in accordance with the prediction results in the prediction step, A method for controlling a printing apparatus, comprising:

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