Display methods, electronic devices, programs, and management systems

Abstract

To manage the state of printers more properly.SOLUTION: A display method for displaying information on electronic equipment in a printing system including printers 114, a management server 12, and the electronic equipment (PC 112 and electronic device 116) comprises: an information transmission step of transmitting printer information from the management server 12 to the electronic equipment; and a display step of displaying information based on the printer information on the electronic equipment. The management server 12 manages operation information, ink usage information, and printing area information, as printer information. In the display step, the summary of operation state, the summary of ink usage, and the summary of printing area are displayed in one screen, on the basis of the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a display method, an electronic device, a program, and a management system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, printers such as inkjet printers have been widely used. Further, as a method for controlling the operation of a printer, for example, a method using a personal computer that performs RIP processing has been widely used (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When controlling the operation of a printer using a personal computer or the like that performs RIP processing, the status of the printer can be managed, for example, by executing a program (application software) for managing the status of the printer on the personal computer. However, depending on the application of the printer and the like, it may be desirable to manage the status of the printer by a more appropriate method. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a display method, an electronic device, a program, and a management system that can solve the above problems.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0005] The inventor of this invention conducted extensive research on methods for managing printers. Instead of simply managing the printer status using a PC for RIP processing, the inventor devised a system where information indicating the printer's status is collected on a server, and the printer's status is checked by retrieving this information from the server. This configuration allows the printer's status to be checked in various locations, not just where the printer is installed. Furthermore, this enables individuals other than the user (operator) operating the printer to check the printer's status as needed.

[0006] Furthermore, in this case, in order to easily and appropriately check the printer status, it is desirable to display the necessary information on a single screen using an electronic device that displays information. In this regard, the inventors of the present invention have diligently researched and found that it is particularly preferable to display the printer's operating status, ink usage, and print area on a single screen. By displaying this information on a single screen, it is possible to easily and appropriately check, for example, whether the printer is operating stably or not. It also becomes possible to grasp useful information in one place when considering, for example, the running costs of the printer. Moreover, it becomes possible to grasp useful information in one place when, for example, a problem occurs with the printer's status, in order to understand the problem.

[0007] Furthermore, the inventors of this application, through further diligent research, have discovered the features necessary to obtain such effects, leading to the present invention. In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a display method for displaying information on an electronic device in a printing system comprising a printer, a management server that manages printer information which is information indicating the status of the printer, and an electronic device that performs a display based on the printer information acquired from the management server, comprising an information transmission step of transmitting the printer information associated with the printer from the management server to the electronic device, and a display step of displaying information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device in the information transmission step, wherein the management server, as the printer information, associates with the printer, at least In addition, the system manages operation information indicating the operating status of the printer, ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer, and print area information indicating the print area which is the area printed by the printer. At the information transmission stage, at least the operation information, ink usage information, and print area information are transmitted from the management server to the electronic device. At the display stage, based on the operation information, ink usage information, and print area information, the system displays an aggregate of the printer's operating status, an aggregate of the amount of ink used by the printer, and an aggregate of the print area printed by the printer on a single screen.

[0008] With this configuration, for example, the printer status can be appropriately understood by displaying printer information obtained from the management server on an electronic device. In this case, the printer status can be easily and appropriately understood by displaying the printer's operating status, ink usage, and print area on a single screen on the electronic device. Therefore, with this configuration, the printer status can be managed more appropriately.

[0009] In this case, it is conceivable that the user operating the electronic device could specify the aggregation period (display period) for the aggregation of printer operating status, ink usage, and print area. In this case, the user interface (UI) of the electronic device could allow the user to choose whether to set the period all at once or individually, and then display the aggregation for the specified period on the electronic device. More specifically, in this case, the display method could further include an aggregation period setting stage in which the aggregation period corresponding to the information to be displayed on the electronic device is set. In the aggregation period setting stage, the period for aggregating operating status, the period for aggregating ink usage, and the period for aggregating print area can be set all at once or individually, according to the user's selection. In the display stage, the aggregation of operating status, ink usage, and print area is displayed on the electronic device according to the period set in the aggregation period setting stage. With this configuration, for example, the aggregation period can be appropriately changed according to the user's wishes. Also, by allowing the display to be done all at once or individually, it becomes possible to more appropriately check the printer status and perform various analyses, for example.

[0010] Furthermore, in this configuration, during the display phase, the electronic device displays summaries of the operating status, such as the standby period (showing the time the printer was in standby mode), the printing period (showing the time the printer was actually printing), the error stop period (showing the time the printer was stopped due to an error), and the offline period (showing the time when printer information could not be obtained). With this configuration, for example, the operating status of the printer can be appropriately understood.

[0011] During the display phase, the electronic device displays a summary of the operating status, for example, a bar graph or pie chart showing the time spent in each of the printer's various states. This configuration allows the electronic device to display the operating status in an easily understandable way. Furthermore, it enables a more accurate understanding of the printer's operating status. In this case, displaying a summary of the printer's operating status on the electronic device during the display phase can be considered a visualization of the printer's operational status. Visualizing the printer's operational status can also lead to improvements that increase printer productivity, resulting in more efficient production.

[0012] Furthermore, during the display phase, the total amount of ink used can be displayed on the electronic device, for example, as a bar graph or line graph. With this configuration, the total amount of ink used can be appropriately understood. In this configuration, the printer may also print using multiple colors of ink. In this case, during the display phase, the total amount of ink used can be displayed on the electronic device, depending on the user's selection, either as a total of the ink usage for each color, or as a total of the total usage for all colors combined. With this configuration, the total amount of ink used can be understood more appropriately, for example, when using multiple colors of ink. Also, by displaying the total usage for all colors combined, it becomes easier to calculate the combined cost of all colors, for example, when estimating printing costs.

[0013] Furthermore, at the display stage, the total printing area can be displayed on an electronic device, for example, as a bar graph or line graph. With this configuration, for example, the total printing area can be appropriately grasped. Also, at the display stage, the total printing area may be divided and displayed by category, for example, using multiple pre-set categories. With this configuration, for example, more diverse information regarding the total printing area can be displayed. In this case, the display by category could include, for example, display by the printing medium (media) used, or display by print data.

[0014] Furthermore, at the display stage, multiple data points, such as the printer's operating status, ink usage, and print area, may be displayed on a single graph. This configuration allows for easy and appropriate understanding of correlations between multiple data points. For example, the operating status and ink usage could be displayed on a single graph to confirm their correlation.

[0015] Furthermore, in this configuration, it is conceivable that various numerical values, etc., could be displayed in response to user operations on the electronic device. More specifically, for example, when a user hovers a cursor over a graph, the electronic device could display a numerical value corresponding to that position. In this case, at the display stage, for example, a cursor that moves in response to user operations and a graph showing at least one of the following: a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of ink usage, and a summary of the printed area could be displayed. Then, when the cursor is moved over the graph by user operation, for example, a numerical value corresponding to the cursor's position on the graph could be displayed. With this configuration, for example, the electronic device could display more detailed information to the user. In this case, for example, the numerical values ​​displayed on the electronic device could include hourly values, daily values, cumulative values, values ​​on the vertical axis, or values ​​on the horizontal axis.

[0016] Furthermore, in this configuration, it is conceivable to highlight the maximum and minimum values ​​in the graph. In this case, at the display stage, a graph showing at least one of the following could be displayed: a summary of printer operating status, a summary of ink usage, and a summary of print area, and the way in which the maximum and minimum values ​​are displayed in the graph could be different from other values. With this configuration, it would be easier to grasp the position of the maximum or minimum value in the graph. In this case, it is also conceivable to change the display of the maximum or minimum value during the period, such as by changing the color or shape.

[0017] Furthermore, the present invention can also be configured to include, for example, electronic devices, programs, and management systems having the same characteristics as described above. In this case, the program can be considered, for example, a program executed on at least one of the management server or the electronic device in order to display information on the electronic device. The management system can be considered, for example, a system for managing printers in a printing system. Even with these configurations, the same effects as described above can be obtained. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, for example, the status of the printer can be managed more appropriately. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a printing system 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This diagram illustrates the specific configurations of the user site 14 and the external management unit 16. Figure 2(a) shows an example of the configuration of the user site 14. Figure 2(b) shows an example of the configuration of the external management unit 16. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates how printer information is managed on the management server 12. [Figure 4]It is a diagram showing an example of a display screen when a list of printers 114 is displayed on a PC 112 or the like. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on a PC 112 or the like. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a printing system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the printing system 10 is a system that performs printing using a printer, and includes a management server 12, a user site 14, and an external management unit 16. Except as described below, the printing system 10 may have the same or similar features as known printing systems.

[0021] The management server 12 is a server that manages printer information, which is information indicating the status of printers used in the printing system 10. In this example, the management server 12 is a cloud server that communicates with other components via a wide area network such as the Internet, and manages printer information in accordance with programs executed on the cloud. Further, the management server 12 acquires printer information related to printers installed in the user site 14 by communicating with electronic devices installed in the user site 14 via a wide area network, for example. The management server 12 also supplies printer information to electronic devices provided in the user site 14 and the external management unit 16 by communicating with these electronic devices via the wide area network. Accordingly, the management server 12 causes the electronic devices to perform display based on the printer information. Operations such as causing electronic devices to perform display based on printer information will be described in further detail later.

[0022] Furthermore, the management server 12 could be, for example, a server provided by a cloud server provider. In this case, the computer functioning as the management server 12 could be considered to be managed by someone different from the administrators of the user site 14 and the external management unit 16. In this case, for example, the server provided by the cloud server provider could be controlled from the external management unit 16 to function as the management server 12. In a modified configuration of the printing system 10, for example, a computer managed by the same administrator as the administrator of the user site 14 or the external management unit 16 could be used as the management server 12. In this case, the management server 12 could be installed, for example, within the user site 14 or the external management unit 16.

[0023] User site 14 is a site where printing operations are performed in the printing system 10. User site 14 can be considered, for example, as a site where printers managed by the management server 12 are installed. Alternatively, user site 14 can be considered as a site managed by, for example, the administrator of the printers used in the printing system 10. The external management unit 16 is configured to manage at least a part of the printing system 10 from outside user site 14. In this example, the external management unit 16 is a site of a service provider that provides maintenance and other services to printers at user site 14, and provides maintenance and other services to printers at user site 14 based on printer information obtained from the management server 12. The external management unit 16 can be considered as, for example, a site managed by an administrator different from the administrator of user site 14. Furthermore, for user site 14 and external management unit 16, for example, the configuration shown in Figure 2 can be used.

[0024] Figure 2 illustrates the specific configuration of the user site 14 and the external management unit 16. Figure 2(a) shows an example of the configuration of the user site 14. Figure 2(b) shows an example of the configuration of the external management unit 16. In this example, the user site 14 is a site that produces printed materials (printed goods) using printers, and has multiple production sites 102 and a management department 104. The production sites 102 are sites where printers are installed. In this example, the production sites 102 have a PC 112, multiple printers 114, and electronic devices 116. The PC 112 is a computer that controls the printing operation of the printers 114. In this example, the PC 112 is a RIP processing computer (RIP-PC), and controls the operation of the printers 114 by supplying the data generated by the RIP processing to the printers 114. In this case, for example, as shown in the figure, the operation of multiple printers 114 may be controlled by a single PC 112.

[0025] In this example, PC112 is an example of an electronic device that displays information based on printer information acquired from the management server 12, and includes a communication interface and a monitor. In this case, the communication interface can be considered, for example, an example of a communication unit that receives printer information associated with the printer 114 managed by PC112 from the management server 12. The monitor can be considered, for example, an example of a display unit that displays information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server 12. In this case, the display unit can also be considered as including a configuration for controlling the content displayed on the monitor. Furthermore, in this example, PC112 also communicates with the printer 114 to acquire information about the printer 114 and sends it to the management server 12, thereby updating the printer information in the management server 12. In this case, PC112 can also be considered to have a configuration that detects the status of the printer 114 and notifies the management server 12 of it. More specifically, PC112 periodically detects the status of the printer 114 at predetermined timings and updates the printer information in the management server 12 based on the detected status. In this case, PC112 may automatically perform actions such as detecting printer 114 and updating printer information, without requiring user intervention.

[0026] The printer 114 is a printer for producing manufactured goods at the production site 102 and performs printing operations in accordance with the control of the PC 112. In this example, the printer 114 is a color printer that prints using multiple colors of ink. As the printer 114, for example, an inkjet printer with the same or similar configuration as a known inkjet printer can be suitably used.

[0027] The electronic device 116 is, for example, an information display device such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or personal computer. In this example, the electronic device 116 is also an example of an electronic device, and it displays information based on printer information obtained from the management server 12. In this case, the communication interface of the electronic device 116 can be considered, for example, an example of a communication unit. The screen of the electronic device 116 can be considered, for example, an example of a display unit. In this case, the display unit can also be considered to include the configuration for controlling the content displayed on the screen. Furthermore, in this example, the electronic device 116 can be considered, for example, an electronic device that displays information based on printer information without updating the printer information in the management server 12.

[0028] By using a production site 102 with this configuration, for example, the PC 112 and electronic device 116 can appropriately display information based on printer data. Furthermore, the PC 112 can appropriately update printer information in the management server 12. The specific configuration of the production site 102 is not limited to the illustrated configuration and may vary in various ways. For example, the number of printers 114 managed by the PC 112 may be one or three or more. Also, the number of PCs 112 and electronic devices 116 in a single production site 102 may be multiple. The number of PCs 112, printers 114, and electronic devices 116, as well as the number of printers 114 managed by a single PC 112, may differ for each production site 102. The number of production sites 102 is also not limited to the illustrated number and can be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, it is conceivable to use a production site 102 with a configuration in which, for example, the printing system 10 has only one printer 114.

[0029] Furthermore, as described above, in this example, user site 14 also includes a management department 104 in addition to multiple production sites 102. The management department 104 is configured to manage the multiple production sites 102 and has a PC 112. In this example, the PC 112 in the management department 104 is also an example of an electronic device that displays information based on printer information obtained from the management server 12. More specifically, for example, the PC 112 is a computer for the administrator of the entire user site 14 and, like the PC 112 in the production site 102, displays information based on printer information obtained from the management server 12. The PC 112 in the management department 104 can also be considered, for example, an electronic device that displays information based on printer information without updating the printer information on the management server 12.

[0030] In this example, the external management unit 16 also has a marketing department 106 and a support department 108. The marketing department 106 is responsible for providing items and information related to the printer 114 to users of the printer 114 at user sites 14. In this case, the provision of items related to the printer 114 could include, for example, the sale of ink and media. Alternatively, it could also sell consumables that are replaced during maintenance of the printer 114, in cooperation with the marketing department 106. The support department 108 is responsible for providing maintenance services to users of the printer 114. In this example, both the marketing department 106 and the support department 108 have PCs 112. The PCs 112 in the marketing department 106 and the support department 108 are also examples of electronic devices that display information based on printer information obtained from the management server 12. In this case, by displaying information based on printer information on the PCs 112 in the marketing department 106, it becomes possible to conduct marketing activities tailored to the status of the printer 114, for example. Furthermore, by displaying printer information on PC 112 in the support department 108, the status of printer 114 can be easily and appropriately understood without having to visit production site 102 where printer 114 is installed. This also makes it possible to reduce the number of visits to production site 102 and to provide higher quality maintenance services at a lower cost.

[0031] Here, as described above, in the printing system 10 of this example, information is displayed on PC 112 and electronic device 116, which are examples of electronic devices, based on printer information managed by the management server 12. Such operation can be considered, for example, as an example of a display method operation for displaying information on electronic devices. In this case, the operation of sending printer information from the management server 12 to PC 112 or electronic device 116 (hereinafter referred to as PC 112, etc.) can be considered, for example, as an example of an operation at the information transmission stage. The information transmission stage can be considered, for example, as the stage in which printer information associated with printer 114 is sent from the management server 12 to PC 112, etc. Furthermore, the operation of causing PC 112, etc. to display information based on the printer information sent from the management server 12 can be considered, for example, as an example of an operation at the display stage. The display stage can be considered, for example, as the stage in which information based on the printer information sent from the management server 12 to the electronic device at the information transmission stage is displayed on PC 112, etc.

[0032] Furthermore, on PC112 and the like, displaying information based on printer data could be done, for example, using a web browser (internet browser). In this case, the management server 12 communicates with PC112 and the like using a predetermined protocol such as the HTTP protocol, and sends data to PC112 and the like to display a web page in response to a request from PC112 and the like. In this case, sending this data from the management server 12 to PC112 and the like can be thought of as sending printer information, for example. In this case, PC112 and the like perform printer data-based display by displaying the data sent from the management server 12 using a web browser. Depending on the configuration of PC112 and the like, it may also be possible to perform printer data-based display using, for example, a dedicated application program instead of a web browser.

[0033] Furthermore, in the printing system 10 of this example, the operation of displaying information on the PC 112, etc., can be considered to be performed by a program executed on at least one of the management server 12 or the PC 112, etc. In this case, the process of sending information from the management server 12 to the PC 112, etc., according to this program can be considered, for example, an example of information transmission processing. Also, the process of displaying the screen on the PC 112, etc., can be considered, for example, an example of display processing. In this example, for example, the management server 12 can be considered to display information on the PC 112, etc., by sending data from the management server 12 to the PC 112, etc., according to a program executed on the management server 12. Also, for example, it can be considered that the PC 112, etc., displays information based on printer information according to a program executed on the PC 112, etc. Furthermore, depending on how the configuration and operation of the printing system 10 are considered to be related to the program, it can also be considered that the information is displayed on the PC 112, etc., through the functions of both the program executed on the management server 12 and the program executed on the PC 112, etc.

[0034] Furthermore, as can be understood from the above explanation, in this example, it can be considered that the printer 114 is managed by at least a part of the configuration of the printing system 10. For example, at least a part of the printing system 10 can be considered as a management system that manages the printer 114 in the printing system 10. In this case, this management system can be considered as a configuration that includes a management server 12 in the printing system 10. Alternatively, the management system may be considered to include configurations other than the management server 12. In this case, for example, the management system may be considered to include a PC 112.

[0035] Next, we will explain in more detail the printer information managed by the management server 12. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating how printer information is managed by the management server 12, and it shows a simplified example of items managed in association with printer information. In this example, the management server 12 is a server accessed from user sites 14 and the external management unit 16 (see Figure 1), and it manages printer information while identifying the user of printer 114 (see Figure 2) through user authentication.

[0036] More specifically, in this example, the management server 12 manages the correspondence between users and printers 114 by associating user information, which identifies pre-registered users, with printer IDs, which identify printers 114. For example, in the case shown in Figure 3, multiple printers 114 with printer IDs bbb1 to bbb5 are associated with one user or one organization whose user information is aaa1. In this case, the association between user information and printers 114 can be considered an example of a user-to-printer association. Furthermore, when user information indicates an organization, it can be considered as a user identified by the user information for that organization. Also, a printer 114 with printer ID bbb6 is associated with a user whose user information is aaa2. In an actual management server 12, it is conceivable to manage the association between users and printers 114 for even more users.

[0037] Furthermore, as in this example, when multiple printers 114 are associated with a single user or a single organization as a user, it is conceivable to manage the multiple printers 114 by dividing them into groups. More specifically, for example, if a user site 14 has multiple production sites 102 (see Figure 2), it is conceivable to group the printers 114 according to the printers 114 installed at the same production site 102. Also, if, for example, there are multiple operators at a production site 102 who perform work according to the instructions of a user to whom multiple printers 114 are associated, it is conceivable to divide them into groups according to the operators. Therefore, in this example, the management server 12 makes it possible to manage multiple printers 114 by dividing them into groups by associating groups with printer IDs. For example, in the case shown in the figure, the multiple printers 114 with printer IDs bbb1 to 3 belong to group X. The multiple printers 114 with printer IDs bbb4 to 5 belong to group Y. Furthermore, printer 114, whose printer ID is bbb6, belongs to group Z.

[0038] In this example, the management server 12 associates printer information with each printer 114 identified by its printer ID. Various types of information can be used as printer information, such as the status and past history of the printer 114. According to this example, for example, printer information corresponding to printer 114 can be properly managed. Furthermore, this allows for proper management of printer 114 using the printer information. In this case, the PC 112, etc., could display a list of printers 114 associated with the user, as well as the status of the printers 114, based on the printer information. In this case, the PC 112, etc., could also display a list of printers 114, for example, as shown in Figure 4, in relation to the status display.

[0039] Figure 4 shows an example of a display screen when a list of printers 114 is displayed on a PC 112 or the like, and shows two examples of display screens that can be selected according to the electronic device displaying the screen. More specifically, in the figure, the left figure shows an example of a display screen when displaying on a large screen, such as when using a personal computer as the PC 112 or electronic device 116. The right figure shows an example of a display screen when displaying on a narrow screen, such as when using a smartphone as the electronic device 116. In this case, it can be considered that both the left and right screen display examples display substantially the same content, depending on the purpose of the screen display.

[0040] Furthermore, in this example, when displaying information on a PC 112, etc., the user operating the PC 112, etc., performs user authentication with the management server 12 (see Figure 1) to sign in to the management server 12. Then, the PC 112, etc. displays information on the screen related to the printer 114 associated with the authenticated user. In this case, on the display screen that shows a list of printers 114, the PC 112, etc. displays information indicating the printer 114 associated with the user, for example, as shown in the figure. More specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 4, the PC 112, etc. displays the name, model, and operating status of all printers 114 associated with the user. In this case, the name of the printer 114 can be considered as, for example, a printer name determined by the user to identify the printer 114. The operating status can be considered as, for example, information indicating what state the printer 114 is in in relation to the printing operation. More specifically, in this example, the operating state will be information indicating whether it is printing, waiting, stopped due to error, or offline. In this case, printing can be considered, for example, as the state in which printer 114 is performing printing. Waiting can be considered, for example, as the state in which printer 114 is waiting and ready to start printing. Stopped due to error can be considered, for example, as the state in which printer 114 has stopped due to some error. Offline can be considered, for example, as the state in which the status of printer 114 could not be obtained. Offline can also be considered, for example, as the state in which the management server 12 does not know the latest status of printer 114. In this example, offline can be considered, for example, as the printer 114 is not powered on, or as the state of printer 114 cannot be obtained due to a problem with the communication path or the management server 12.

[0041] Furthermore, in this example, PC112, etc., can also display a list of printers 114 according to their status using tab 202. In this case, PC112, etc., displays a list of printers 114 in the status associated with tab 202, depending on the user's operation of selecting tab 202. More specifically, in the case shown in the figure, PC112, etc., displays tabs 202 for switching between displaying all, standby, printing, error stopped, and offline. In this case, when tab 202 corresponding to all is selected, all printers 114 associated with the user are displayed. When any other tab 202 is selected, printers 114 associated with the user that are in the status corresponding to the selected tab 202 are displayed. With this configuration, for example, the status of printers 114 managed by the user can be easily and appropriately checked.

[0042] Furthermore, in this example, PC112, etc., can also display more detailed information about printer 114 based on the printer information received from management server 12. In this case, for example, it is conceivable that information based on printer information could be displayed on PC112, etc., for printer 114 selected by the user from the list of printers 114. More specifically, in this case, it is conceivable that information such as that shown in Figure 5 could be displayed on PC112, etc.

[0043] Figure 5 shows an example of a display screen to be shown on a PC 112, etc., and shows an example of information to be displayed based on printer information for a printer 114 selected by the user. In Figure 5, as in Figure 4, two examples of display screens are shown as examples of display screens, which are selected according to the electronic device that displays the screen. As explained above, in this example, the management server 12 manages printer information in association with the printer 114. Furthermore, when the screen display shown in Figure 5 is performed on a PC 112, etc., the management server 12 manages, as printer information in association with the printer 114, at least operation information indicating the operating status of the printer 114, ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer 114, and print area information indicating the print area which is the area printed by the printer 114. In this case, the management server 12 sends printer information including at least this information to the PC 112, etc. in response to a request from the PC 112, etc. Then, based on this information sent from the management server 12, PC112 and other devices display summaries of the operating status, ink usage, and print area on a single screen.

[0044] In this case, displaying these summaries on a single screen could be done by, for example, displaying them in a way that can be treated as a single screen on PC112, etc. For example, when displaying a screen in a web browser on PC112, etc., it could be done by displaying it in a way that corresponds to a single screen in the web browser. Furthermore, a single screen in a web browser could be considered, for example, the range that can be displayed without navigating to another page. The range that can be displayed without navigating to another page could be considered, for example, the range that can be displayed without changing the URL. Also, when displaying the above summaries on PC112, etc., the management server 12 may directly send summaries of operating status, ink usage, and print area to PC112, etc. In this case, sending these summaries could be considered by, for example, sending printer information including operating information, ink usage information, and print area information.

[0045] In this example, the PC112, for example, displays a screen showing tab 202, operation information display unit 212, ink usage display unit 214, print area display unit 216, and period setting unit 218 as a single screen, as shown in the figure. In this case, tab 202 is a selection unit that accepts the selection of items to be displayed in relation to the printer 114. In this example, the PC112, for example, displays tab 202 for switching between displaying printer status, operation history, print history, maintenance history, and settings / manual. Figure 5 shows an example of the screen when tab 202 for operation history is selected from among these.

[0046] The operation information display unit 212 is the part that displays an overview of the operation status. As explained above, in this example, the operation status uses information indicating whether the printer is printing, waiting, stopped due to an error, or offline. Therefore, the PC 112, etc., displays an overview of the operation status to the operation information display unit 212, including the printing period when the printer 114 was printing, the waiting period when the printer 114 was in standby mode, the error stop period when the printer 114 was stopped due to an error, and the offline period when the printer 114 was offline. The overview of these periods can be thought of as, for example, an overview of the time the printer was in that operation state. More specifically, the overview of the printing period can be thought of as, for example, an overview of the period during which the printer 114 was performing printing. The overview of the waiting period can be thought of as, for example, an overview of the period during which the printer was in standby mode. The overview of the error stop period can be thought of as, for example, an overview of the period during which the printer 114 was stopped due to an error. The overview of the offline period can be thought of as, for example, an overview of the period during which information about the printer 114 could not be obtained. With this configuration, for example, the operating status of printer 114 can be properly monitored.

[0047] In this example, the PC 112 displays bar graphs and pie charts showing the time spent in each of the multiple operating states of the printer 114, as shown in the figure, as an aggregation of the operating status. This configuration allows the PC 112 to appropriately display the operating status in an easy-to-understand manner. Furthermore, this allows for an appropriate aggregation of the printer 114's operating status. In this case, the PC 112 directly shows the time spent in each operating state using bar graphs, and shows the ratio of time spent in each operating state using pie charts. By using two types of graphs, bar graphs and pie charts, the operating status of the printer 114 can be understood in detail and appropriately by the user. In this example, by displaying an aggregation of the operating status corresponding to the printer 114 on the PC 112, the operating status of the printer 114 can be visualized. Furthermore, by visualizing the operating status of the printer 114, it becomes possible to make improvements to increase the productivity of the printer 114, leading to more efficient production. Furthermore, the display method on the operation information display unit 212 is not limited to the illustrated method and can be changed in various ways. For example, instead of using a vertical bar graph as shown, a horizontal bar graph may also be used. Also, depending on the purpose of displaying the information, it is conceivable to display only one of the bar graphs or pie charts on the operation information display unit 212.

[0048] The ink usage display unit 214 is the part that displays the total amount of ink used. In this example, the PC 112, etc., displays a line graph and a bar graph as a summary of ink usage on the ink usage display unit 214, for example, as shown in the figure. In this case, the PC 112, etc., displays, for example, the amount of ink used by each color over time using the line graph. It also displays, for example, the total amount of ink used by each color over a period using the bar graph. With this configuration, for example, the total amount of ink used can be appropriately grasped. Furthermore, the way the information is displayed on the ink usage display unit 214 can be changed in various ways, not limited to the display method shown in the figure. For example, instead of a vertical bar graph as shown in the figure, a horizontal bar graph may also be used as the bar graph. Also, depending on the purpose of displaying the information, it is conceivable to display only one of the line graph or bar graph on the ink usage display unit 214. Furthermore, regarding the summary of ink usage, it is conceivable to display the total amount of ink usage for all colors combined, rather than for each color. In this case, the PC112, etc., displays either the total ink usage for each ink color, the total usage for all inks combined, or both, depending on the user's selection. This configuration allows for a more accurate understanding of ink usage, for example, when using multiple inks. Furthermore, displaying the total usage for all colors combined makes it easier to calculate the combined cost for all colors, for example, when estimating printing costs.

[0049] The print area display unit 216 is the part that displays the total print area. In this example, the PC 112, etc., displays the print length, print area, and cost in relation to the total print area on the print area display unit 216. In this case, the total print area can be considered as a parameter that increases according to the amount of media consumed, for example. With this configuration, for example, the total print area can be appropriately grasped. Furthermore, the way the print area display unit 216 is displayed is not limited to the illustrated display method and can be changed in various ways. For example, the total print area may be displayed as a bar graph or a line graph. For example, a bar graph can be used as a vertical bar graph or a horizontal bar graph. With this configuration, for example, the total print area can be grasped intuitively. Furthermore, the PC 112, etc., may divide and display the total print area by category, for example, using multiple pre-set categories. With this configuration, for example, more diverse information can be displayed regarding the total print area. In this case, the display could also be categorized by, for example, by the medium used for printing (per media) or by the print data itself.

[0050] The period setting unit 218 is the part that receives the user's specification of the aggregation period. In this example, the PC 112, etc., receives the user's specification of the aggregation period (display period) for the aggregation of operating status, ink usage, and print area from the user operating the operation information display unit 212, etc., via the period setting unit 218. The period setting unit 218 can be thought of as, for example, a configuration for receiving the period specification in the user interface (UI) of the PC 112, etc. Furthermore, the operation of receiving the period specification by the period setting unit 218 can be thought of as, for example, an example of the operation at the aggregation period setting stage. The aggregation period setting stage can be thought of as, for example, a stage for setting the aggregation period corresponding to the information to be displayed on the PC 112, etc. In this example, when the period setting unit 218 receives the period specification from the user, the PC 112, etc., displays the information on the operation information display unit 212, the ink usage display unit 214, and the print area display unit 216 according to the specified period. Furthermore, if the specified period is changed by operating the period setting unit 218, the PC 112, etc., updates the displays on the operation information display unit 212, the ink usage display unit 214, and the print area display unit 216 to match the newly specified period.

[0051] Furthermore, in this example, the period setting unit 218 accepts the same period collectively for the aggregation period in the operation information display unit 212, the ink usage display unit 214, and the print area display unit 216. However, the method of accepting the period specification in the period setting unit 218 is not limited to collectively setting, but may also be done by setting it individually. In this case, the PC 112, etc., will, for example, allow the user to choose whether to set the period collectively or individually, and then accept the period specification from the user. Then, the PC 112, etc., will, for example, display the aggregation for the specified period. With this configuration, for example, when it is desired to change only the aggregation period for some items when reviewing the aggregation results, the aggregation period can be changed appropriately. More specifically, in this case, when setting the period using the period setting unit 218, the PC 112, etc., accepts the setting of the period for aggregating the operation status, the period for aggregating the ink usage, and the period for aggregating the print area, either collectively or individually, according to the user's selection. Furthermore, when displaying information on the operation information display unit 212, the ink usage display unit 214, and the print area display unit 216, the PC 112, etc., displays the summaries of the operation status, ink usage, and print area according to the period set during the period setting. With this configuration, for example, the summary period can be appropriately changed according to the user's wishes. Also, by displaying the information collectively or individually, it becomes possible to more appropriately check the status of the printer 114 and perform various analyses.

[0052] As described above, in this example, for example, by displaying printer information obtained from the management server 12 on the PC 112, the status of the PC 112 can be appropriately understood. In this case, by displaying the summaries of the operating status, ink usage, and print area on a single screen on the PC 112, for example, the status of the printer 114 can be easily and appropriately understood. Furthermore, this makes it easy and appropriate to check, for example, whether the printer 114 is operating stably or not. In addition, for example, if a problem occurs with the printer 114, useful information for understanding the problem can be gathered together.

[0053] Furthermore, in this case, by displaying related information together on a single screen, it can be considered that the information the user wants to see can be displayed efficiently and appropriately, for example, for user management of the printer 114 and for making various decisions related to the printer 114. More specifically, for example, by displaying a summary of the operating status, ink usage, and print area together, it becomes easier to grasp the overall status of the printer 114 and make a comprehensive judgment on whether or not a problem has occurred with the printer 114. In this case, even users who are not close to the printer 114, such as users who check information in the management department 104 or the external management department 16 at the user site 14, can easily and appropriately check the status of the printer 114. In addition, even users (operators) who directly use the printer 114 at the production site 102 can appropriately check the status of the printer 114 from a distance by using an electronic device 116, for example. This also makes it possible to perform other tasks at a distance from the printer 114, for example, when the printer 114 is running continuously for a long period of time. Therefore, according to this example, it becomes possible to appropriately improve work efficiency at production site 102, for example.

[0054] Furthermore, in this example, by displaying the total ink usage and the total print area on a single screen, it becomes easy and appropriate to determine, for example, whether the ink usage is appropriate for the print area. Also, if the ink usage changes due to a malfunction in the printer 114, the relationship (balance) between the print area and ink usage displayed on the screen will change, making it possible to detect the malfunction. As explained above, the total print area can be considered as a parameter that increases according to the amount of media consumed. Therefore, by displaying the total ink usage and the total print area on a single screen, it is possible to display the consumption of ink and media consumed by the printing operation all at once. This also makes it possible to grasp useful information when considering, for example, the running costs of the printer 114.

[0055] Furthermore, by showing the time spent printing, waiting, error-stopped, and offline in the operational status summary, it is possible to check, for example, whether the work performed using the printer 114 is progressing as planned. Based on these ratios, it also becomes possible to perform labor management related to the work performed using the printer 114 at the production site 102. Moreover, by displaying the operational status summary together with the summaries of ink usage and print area on the same screen, it becomes possible to judge, for example, the efficiency of work based on the method of work. More specifically, in this case, for example, if there is a difference in the amount of ink consumed by the printer 114 to achieve the same print area, it becomes possible to examine the impact of the method of work by checking the relationship with the operational status summary.

[0056] Furthermore, the PC112, etc., may display the summaries of operating status, ink usage, and print area in a different manner than described above. For example, the PC112, etc., may display several of the summaries of operating status, ink usage, and print area in a single graph. With this configuration, for example, correlations between multiple summaries can be easily and appropriately grasped. In this case, for example, the summaries of operating status and ink usage can be displayed in a single graph to check the correlation between the two.

[0057] Furthermore, PC112, etc., may display various numerical values ​​in response to user operations. In this case, for example, when the user places the cursor over a graph, PC112, etc., may display a numerical value corresponding to that position. More specifically, in this case, PC112, etc., may display a cursor that moves in response to user operations, and a graph showing at least one of the following: a summary of operating status, a summary of ink usage, and a summary of print area. When the cursor is placed over the graph by user operation, PC112, etc., may display a numerical value corresponding to the cursor's position on the graph. With this configuration, for example, more detailed information can be displayed to the user. In this case, for example, PC112, etc., may display hourly values, daily values, cumulative values, values ​​on the vertical axis, or values ​​on the horizontal axis as numerical values. Furthermore, PC112, etc., may highlight the maximum and minimum values ​​of the graph. In this case, the PC112, etc., displays a graph showing at least one of the following: a summary of operating status, a summary of ink usage, and a summary of print area, and displays the maximum and minimum values ​​in the graph differently from other values. In this case, the display of the maximum or minimum value during the aggregation period could be changed, for example, by changing the color or shape. With this configuration, for example, it becomes easier to grasp the position of the maximum or minimum value in the graph.

[0058] Furthermore, in Figure 5, PC112 etc. displays summaries for a single printer 114 regarding the operating status, ink usage, and print area. In contrast, PC112 etc. may display summaries that combine information about multiple printers 114. In this case, these summaries can be considered as summaries for multiple printers 114 over a specified period. In this case, the unit for multiple printers 114 could be, for example, a group associated with the printers 114 in the management server 12. In this case, PC112 etc. can, for example, accept a specification from the user for the group to be used as the unit for summaries. It is also possible to use multiple printers 114 that are specified independently of groups as the unit for summaries. Furthermore, PC112 etc. may, for example, display summaries that combine information about all printers 114 associated with the same user.

[0059] Furthermore, in the above explanation, we described using an inkjet printer as the printer 114 used in the printing system 10. However, a printer other than an inkjet printer may be used as the printer 114 in the printing system 10. In addition, it is conceivable to use a 3D printer as the printer 114 in the printing system 10. In this case, the printing area could be calculated by using, for example, the total area of ​​the ink layers formed by the ink used as the material for molding. [Industrial applicability]

[0060] The present invention can be suitably used, for example, in a display method for displaying information on an electronic device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 10...Printing System, 102...Production Site, 104...Management Department, 106...Marketing Department, 108...Support Department, 112...PC, 114...Printer, 116...Electronic Devices, 12...Management Server, 14...User Site, 16...External Management Department, 202...Tabs, 212...Operation Information Display Unit, 214...Ink Usage Display Unit, 216...Print Area Display Unit, 218...Period Setting Unit

Claims

1. A printing system comprising a printer, a management server that manages printer information which is information indicating the status of the printer, and an electronic device that displays information based on the printer information obtained from the management server, wherein a display method is used to display information on the electronic device, An information transmission step in which the printer information associated with the printer is transmitted from the management server to the electronic device, A display stage in which information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device during the information transmission stage is displayed on the electronic device. Equipped with, The management server associates the printer information with the printer, and provides at least the following information: Operational information indicating the operating status of the aforementioned printer, This information indicates the amount of ink used by the aforementioned printer, and includes ink usage information that indicates the amount of ink consumed by the printing operation, Print area information indicating the printed area, which is the area printed by the aforementioned printer. They manage, In the information transmission stage, at least the operation information, the ink usage information, and the print area information are transmitted from the management server to the electronic device. A display method characterized in that, in the display stage, based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the print area information, the display displays on a single screen the summaries of the printer's operating status, the ink usage amount of the printer, and the print area printed by the printer.

2. The aforementioned printer prints using multiple colors of ink. The display method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the display stage, the electronic device displays either or both of the following regarding the total amount of ink used: a total amount of ink used for each ink color, and a total amount of ink used for all of the multiple ink colors combined, depending on the user's selection.

3. The system further comprises a calculation period setting step for setting a calculation period corresponding to the information to be displayed on the electronic device in the display step, In the aforementioned aggregation period setting stage, the period for aggregating the operating status, the period for aggregating the amount of ink used, and the period for aggregating the printing area can be set collectively or individually, according to the user's selection. The display method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the display stage, the electronic device displays the summaries of the operating status, the summaries of the amount of ink used, and the summaries of the printing area in accordance with the period set in the summation period setting stage.

4. In the aforementioned display stage, the summary of the operating status is as follows: The standby period indicates the period during which the printer was in standby mode, The printing period indicates the period during which printing was performed on the aforementioned printer, The error downtime indicates the period during which the printer was stopped due to an error, The offline period indicates the period during which information about the aforementioned printer could not be obtained. The display method according to claim 1, characterized in that the summary of the above is displayed on the electronic device.

5. The display method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the display stage, the electronic device displays a bar graph or pie chart showing the time spent in each of the multiple types of states of the printer as a summary of the operating states.

6. The display method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the display stage, the operating status of the printer is visualized by displaying the summary of the operating status corresponding to the printer on the electronic device.

7. The display method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the display stage, a bar graph or line graph is displayed on the electronic device as a summary of the amount of ink used.

8. The display method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the display stage, a bar graph or a line graph is displayed on the electronic device as a summary of the printed area.

9. The display method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the display stage, the total printing area is divided and displayed for each category according to a plurality of pre-set categories.

10. The display method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the display stage, a combination of the printer's operating status, the ink usage, and the print area is displayed in a single graph.

11. In the aforementioned display stage, A cursor that moves in response to user input, A graph showing at least one of the following: the summaries of the printer's operating status, the summaries of the ink usage, and the summaries of the print area. Display and Furthermore, the display method according to claim 1, characterized in that when the cursor is positioned on the graph by the user's operation, a numerical value corresponding to the position of the cursor on the graph is displayed.

12. In the display stage, a graph showing at least one of the following is displayed: the summaries of the printer's operating status, the summaries of the ink usage, and the summaries of the print area. Furthermore, the display method according to claim 1, characterized in that the way in which the maximum and minimum values ​​are displayed in the graph is different from that of other values.

13. A communication unit that receives printer information from a management server that manages printer information associated with a printer, A display unit that displays information based on the printer information received from the management server. Equipped with, The printer information includes, at least, Operational information indicating the operating status of the aforementioned printer, This information indicates the amount of ink used by the aforementioned printer, and includes ink usage information that indicates the amount of ink consumed by the printing operation, Print area information indicating the printed area, which is the area printed by the aforementioned printer. This information includes, The display unit is characterized by displaying, on a single screen, an aggregate of the printer's operating status, an aggregate of the amount of ink used by the printer, and an aggregate of the printed area printed by the printer, based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printed area information.

14. Information transmission process that causes a management server that manages printer information associated with a printer to send the printer information to an electronic device that displays information based on the printer information, A display process that causes the electronic device to display information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device. This is performed by at least one of the management server or the electronic device. The printer information includes, at least, Operational information indicating the operating status of the aforementioned printer, This information indicates the amount of ink used by the aforementioned printer, and includes ink usage information that indicates the amount of ink consumed by the printing operation, Print area information indicating the printed area, which is the area printed by the aforementioned printer. This information includes, A program characterized in that, in the display process described above, it displays on a single screen an aggregate of the printer's operating status, an aggregate of the amount of ink used by the printer, and an aggregate of the printed area printed by the printer, based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the print area information.

15. A management system for managing a printer in a printing system that includes a printer, The system includes a management server that manages printer information, which is information indicating the status of the aforementioned printer. The printing system comprises the printer, the management server, and an electronic device that displays information based on the printer information obtained from the management server, and the management system constitutes at least a part of the printing system. The management server associates the printer information with the printer, and provides at least the following information: Operational information indicating the operating status of the aforementioned printer, This information indicates the amount of ink used by the aforementioned printer, and includes ink usage information that indicates the amount of ink consumed by the printing operation, Print area information indicating the printed area, which is the area printed by the aforementioned printer. Manage, By transmitting the printer information associated with the aforementioned printer from the management server to the electronic device, information based on the printer information is displayed on the electronic device. Furthermore, the management system is characterized in that, as printer information, at least the operation information, the ink usage information, and the print area information are transmitted from the management server to the electronic device, so that the electronic device displays on a single screen the summaries of the printer's operating status, the ink usage amount of the printer, and the print area printed by the printer, based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the print area information.

Images