JP7725422B2 - Display method, electronic device, program, and management system - Google Patents

Description

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

Printers such as inkjet printers have been widely used in the past. Furthermore, a commonly used method for controlling printer operation is to use a PC that performs RIP processing, for example (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-138583

When controlling printer operation using a PC or other device that performs RIP processing, the printer's status can be managed by running a program (application software) that manages the printer's status on the PC. However, depending on the printer's intended use, it may be desirable to manage the printer's status in a more appropriate manner. Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a display method, electronic device, program, and management system that can solve the above-mentioned problems.

The inventors of this application conducted extensive research into how to manage printers. They came up with the idea of not simply managing the printer status using a PC for RIP processing, but instead collecting information indicating the printer status on a server and obtaining the information from that server to check the printer status. With this configuration, the printer status can be checked in a variety of locations, not just the location where the printer is installed. This also allows people other than the user (operator) who operates the printer to check the printer status as needed, for example.

In this case, in order to easily and appropriately check the printer's status, it may be desirable for the electronic device that displays the information to display all the necessary information on one screen. Furthermore, in this regard, the inventors of the present application have conducted extensive research and found that it is particularly preferable to display a summary of the printer's operating status, ink usage, and print area on one screen. By displaying this information on one screen, it is possible to easily and appropriately check, for example, whether the printer is operating stably. It also makes it possible to collectively grasp information that is useful when considering, for example, the printer's running costs. Furthermore, if a problem occurs with the printer's status, it becomes possible to collectively grasp information that is useful for identifying the problem.

Furthermore, through further research, the inventor of the present application discovered the features necessary to achieve such effects, and arrived at the present invention. To solve the above-mentioned 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 indicating the status of the printer, and an electronic device that performs a display based on the printer information obtained from the management server, the method comprising: an information transmission step in which the management server transmits the printer information associated with the printer to the electronic device; and a display step in which the electronic device displays information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device in the information transmission step; and the management server associates the printer with at least The system manages at least operational information indicating the operational status of the printer, ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer, and print area information indicating the area printed by the printer; in the information transmission step, at least the operational information, ink usage information, and print area information are transmitted from the management server to the electronic device; and in the display step, a summary of the printer's operational status, a summary of the ink usage by the printer, and a summary of the print area printed by the printer are displayed on a single screen based on the operational information, ink usage information, and print area information.

When configured in this way, for example, the status of the printer can be properly understood by displaying on the electronic device information based on the printer information obtained from the management server. In addition, in this case, by displaying a summary of the printer's operating status, ink usage, and print area on a single screen on the electronic device, the status of the printer can be easily and properly understood, for example. Therefore, with this configuration, the status of the printer can be managed more appropriately, for example.

In this case, the user operating the electronic device may specify a collection period (display period) for the printer's operational status, ink usage, and print area. The user interface (UI) of the electronic device may allow the user to select whether to set the periods collectively or individually, and then display the statistics for the specified period on the electronic device. More specifically, the display method may further include, for example, an aggregation period setting step for setting a collection period corresponding to the information to be displayed on the electronic device in the display step. In the aggregation period setting step, the period for which the operational status is to be collected, the period for which the ink usage is to be collected, and the period for which the print area is to be collected are set collectively or individually, depending on the user's selection. Furthermore, in the display step, the electronic device displays the operational status, ink usage, and print area statistics according to the period set in the aggregation period setting step. This configuration allows the collection period to be appropriately changed according to the user's wishes, for example. Displaying the information collectively or individually may also make it possible to more appropriately check the printer's status and perform various other evaluations, for example.

Furthermore, in this configuration, during the display stage, the electronic device displays a summary of the operating status, for example, a standby period indicating the period during which the printer was on standby, a printing period indicating the period during which the printer was printing, an error stop period indicating the period during which the printer was stopped due to an error, and an offline period indicating the period during which printer information could not be obtained. This configuration makes it possible to properly grasp, for example, the operating status of the printer.

In the display stage, the electronic device displays a summary of the operating status, for example, a bar graph or pie chart showing the time spent in each state for multiple types of printer status. This configuration allows the electronic device to display an operating status that is easy to understand, for example. This also allows the operating status of the printer to be more appropriately understood, for example. In this case, displaying a summary of the operating status corresponding to the printer on the electronic device in the display stage can be thought of as visualizing the printer's operating status, for example. Furthermore, visualizing the printer's operating status can also make it possible, for example, to make improvements to increase printer productivity, leading to more efficient production.

In addition, in the display stage, the electronic device displays, for example, a bar graph or line graph as a summary of ink usage. With this configuration, it is possible to appropriately grasp the summary of ink usage, for example. In this configuration, the printer may print using multiple colors of ink. In this case, in the display stage, the electronic device displays, for example, a summary of ink usage for each ink color and/or a summary of the total usage of all colors of ink, depending on the user's selection. With this configuration, it is possible to more appropriately grasp the summary of ink usage, for example, when using multiple colors of ink. Furthermore, by displaying the summary of the total usage of all colors, it is possible to more easily calculate the cost of all colors together, for example, when estimating printing costs.

In addition, during the display stage, the electronic device displays, for example, a bar graph or line graph as a print area total. This configuration allows, for example, the print area total to be properly understood. In addition, during the display stage, the print area total may be displayed divided into multiple pre-set categories, for example. This configuration allows, for example, more diverse information to be displayed regarding the print area total. In this case, the display by category could be, for example, by medium used for printing (by media), or by print data, etc.

Furthermore, in the display stage, a single graph may be displayed for, for example, a total of the printer's operating status, ink usage, and print area. This configuration makes it possible to easily and appropriately grasp, for example, the correlation between multiple items being calculated. In this case, for example, it is conceivable to display a single graph for both the operating status and ink usage to confirm the correlation between the two.

In this configuration, it is also possible to display various numerical values, etc., in response to user operations on the electronic device. More specifically, for example, when a user places a cursor on a graph, the electronic device may display a numerical value corresponding to that position. In this case, during the display stage, for example, a cursor that moves in response to user operations and a graph showing at least one of a printer's operational status summary, ink usage summary, and print area summary are displayed. Then, when the user places the cursor on the graph, for example, a numerical value corresponding to the cursor's position on the graph is displayed. With this configuration, for example, the electronic device can display more detailed information to the user. In this case, it is also possible to display numerical values such as hourly values, daily values, cumulative values, vertical axis values, or horizontal axis values on the electronic device.

In addition, with this configuration, it is also possible to display the maximum and minimum values in a graph in a way that makes them stand out. In this case, the display stage could display a graph that shows, for example, a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of ink usage, or a summary of the print area, and the maximum and minimum values could be displayed in a different way from other values in the graph. With this configuration, it is possible to make it easier to grasp, for example, the position of the maximum or minimum value in the graph. In this case, it is also possible to change the color or shape, etc., of the maximum or minimum value during a period.

Furthermore, the present invention can be configured, for example, as an electronic device, program, and management system having the same characteristics as those described above. In this case, the program can be considered, for example, as a program executed on at least one of a management server and an electronic device to display information on the electronic device. The management system can be considered, for example, as a system that manages printers in a printing system. Even with these configurations, it is possible to achieve, for example, the same effects as those described above.

This invention allows, for example, the status of a printer to be managed more appropriately.

1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a printing system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating specific configurations of a user base 14 and an external management unit 16. Fig. 2A shows an example of the configuration of a user base 14. Fig. 2B shows an example of the configuration of an external management unit 16. 10 is a diagram illustrating how printer information is managed by the management server 12. FIG. FIG. 10 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. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed on a PC 112 or the like.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of a printing system 10 according to one 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 base 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.

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 according to a program executed on the cloud. The management server 12 also acquires printer information about printers installed at the user site 14, for example, by communicating with electronic devices installed at the user site 14 via the wide area network. The management server 12 also provides printer information to the electronic devices by communicating with electronic devices installed at the user site 14 and the external management unit 16 via the wide area network. This allows the management server 12 to cause the electronic devices to display information based on the printer information. The operation of causing the electronic devices to display information based on the printer information will be explained in more detail later.

The management server 12 may be, for example, a server provided by a cloud server provider. In this case, the computer functioning as the management server 12 may be managed by a person other than the administrator of the user base 14 and the external management unit 16. In this case, it may be possible to control a server provided by the cloud server provider from the external management unit 16, causing this server to function as the management server 12. In a modified configuration of the printing system 10, it may be possible to use a computer managed by the same administrator as the administrator of the user base 14 or the external management unit 16 as the management server 12. In this case, the management server 12 may be installed, for example, within the user base 14 or the external management unit 16.

The user base 14 is a base where printing operations are performed in the printing system 10. The user base 14 can be considered, for example, as a base where printers managed by the management server 12 are installed. The user base 14 can also be considered, for example, as a base managed by an administrator of the printers used in the printing system 10. The external management unit 16 is configured to manage at least a portion of the printing system 10 outside the user base 14. In this example, the external management unit 16 is the base of a business that provides maintenance services for printers at the user base 14, and provides maintenance services for printers at the user base 14 based on printer information obtained from the management server 12. The external management unit 16 can also be considered, for example, as a base managed by an administrator different from the administrator of the user base 14. The user base 14 and external management unit 16 can use the configuration shown in Figure 2, for example.

Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the specific configuration of the user base 14 and external management unit 16. Figure 2(a) shows an example of the configuration of the user base 14. Figure 2(b) shows an example of the configuration of the external management unit 16. In this example, the user base 14 is a base that produces products (printed materials) printed using a printer, and has multiple production bases 102 and a management department 104. The production base 102 is a base where a printer is installed. In this example, the production base 102 also has a PC 112, multiple printers 114, and an electronic device 116. The PC 112 is a computer that controls the printing operation of the printer 114. In this example, the PC 112 is a computer for RIP processing (RIP-PC) that controls the operation of the printer 114 by supplying data generated by the RIP processing to the printer 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.

In this example, the PC 112 is an example of an electronic device that displays information based on printer information obtained from the management server 12, and includes a communications interface and a monitor. In this case, the communications interface can be considered, for example, as an example of a communications unit that receives printer information associated with the printer 114 managed by the PC 112 from the management server 12. The monitor can be considered, for example, as an example of a display unit that displays information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server 12. In this case, the configuration for controlling the content displayed on the monitor can also be considered an example of a display unit. In this example, the PC 112 further communicates with the printer 114 to obtain information about the printer 114, and transmits this information to the management server 12, thereby updating the printer information on the management server 12. In this case, the PC 112 can also be considered, for example, as a device that detects the status of the printer 114 and notifies the management server 12. More specifically, the PC 112 periodically detects the status of the printer 114 at predetermined intervals, and updates the printer information on the management server 12 based on the detected status. In this case, the PC 112 may automatically detect the printer 114 and update the printer information, for example, without relying on user operations, etc.

Printer 114 is a printer used to produce products at production site 102, and performs printing operations under the control of PC 112. In this example, printer 114 is a color printer that prints using ink of multiple colors. As printer 114, for example, an inkjet printer with the same or similar configuration as a known inkjet printer can be suitably used.

The electronic device 116 is 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 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 configuration for controlling the content displayed on the screen can also be considered an example of a display unit. 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.

By using a production base 102 configured in this manner, it is possible to appropriately display information based on printer information on the PC 112 and electronic device 116, for example. Furthermore, the PC 112 can appropriately update printer information in the management server 12, for example. The specific configuration of the production base 102 is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure 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. Furthermore, the number of PCs 112 and electronic devices 116 at one production base 102 may be multiple. Furthermore, the number of PCs 112, printers 114, and electronic devices 116, as well as the number of printers 114 managed by one PC 112, may vary from one production base 102 to another. Furthermore, the number of production bases 102 is not limited to the number shown in the figure and can be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, it is also possible to use a production base 102 configured such that the printing system 10 has only one printer 114.

As described above, in this example, the user base 14 further includes a management department 104 in addition to the multiple production bases 102. The management department 104 is configured to manage the multiple production bases 102 and includes 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 used by the administrator of the entire user base 14, and like the PC 112 at the production base 102, it 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 in the management server 12.

In this example, the external management unit 16 also has a marketing department 106 and a support department 108. The marketing department 106 is a department that provides items and information related to the printer 114 to users of the printer 114 at the user base 14. In this case, the provision of items related to the printer 114 may include, for example, the sale of ink, media, etc. Another example is the sale of consumables that are replaced during printer 114 maintenance, in cooperation with the marketing department 106. The support department 108 is a department that provides maintenance services, etc. to users of the printer 114. In this example, the marketing department 106 and the support department 108 also 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 the printer information on the PC 112 in the marketing department 106, it becomes possible, for example, to carry out marketing activities tailored to the status of the printer 114. Furthermore, by displaying printer information on the PC 112 in the support department 108, the status of the printer 114 can be easily and accurately understood without, for example, having to visit the production site 102 where the printer 114 is installed. This also makes it possible, for example, to reduce the number of visits to the production site 102 and provide higher quality maintenance services at lower cost.

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

In addition, on the PC 112, etc., it is possible to use a web browser (internet browser) to display information based on the printer. In this case, the management server 12 communicates with the PC 112, etc. using a predetermined protocol such as the HTTP protocol, and sends data for displaying a web page to the PC 112, etc. in response to a request from the PC 112, etc. In this case, sending this data from the management server 12 to the PC 112, etc. can be thought of as sending printer information, for example. In this case, the PC 112, etc. displays information based on the printer information by displaying a display based on the data sent from the management server 12 in a web browser. Depending on the configuration of the PC 112, etc., it is also possible to display information based on the printer information without using a web browser, for example by using a dedicated application program.

In addition, in the printing system 10 of this example, the operation of displaying information on the PC 112 or the like can be considered to be performed by a program executed on at least one of the management server 12 and the PC 112, for example. In this case, the process of sending information from the management server 12 to the PC 112 or the like in accordance with this program can be considered, for example, an example of information transmission processing. Furthermore, the process of displaying information on the screen of the PC 112 or the like can be considered, for example, an example of display processing. In addition, in this example, the management server 12 can be considered to display information on the PC 112 or the like by sending data from the management server 12 to the PC 112 or the like in accordance with a program executed on the management server 12. It can also be considered that the display based on printer information is performed on the PC 112 or the like in accordance with a program executed on the PC 112 or the like. Depending on how the configuration and operation of the printing system 10 are considered, and the relationship between the programs, it can also be considered that information is displayed on the PC 112 or the like by the functions of both the program executed on the management server 12 and the program executed on the PC 112 or the like.

Furthermore, as can be understood from the above explanation, in this example, the printer 114 can be considered to be managed by at least a portion of the configuration of the printing system 10. Therefore, for example, at least a portion of the printing system 10 can be considered to be a management system that manages the printer 114 in the printing system 10. In this case, this management system can be considered to be configured, for example, to include the management server 12 in the printing system 10. The management system may also be considered to include further configuration other than the management server 12. In this case, for example, the management system can be considered to further include a PC 112, etc.

Next, we will provide a more detailed explanation of the printer information and other information managed by the management server 12. Figure 3 is a diagram explaining how the management server 12 manages printer information, and provides a simplified example of items managed in association with printer information. In this example, the management server 12 is a server accessed from the user base 14 and the external management unit 16 (see Figure 1), and manages printer information while identifying the user of the printer 114 (see Figure 2) through user authentication.

More specifically, in this example, the management server 12 manages the correspondence between users and printers 114 by associating user information for identifying pre-registered users with printer IDs for identifying 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 as a user, whose user information is aaa1. In this case, the association between user information and printers 114 can be considered an example of the association between users and printers 114. Furthermore, if the user information indicates an organization, the organization can be considered to be the users identified by the user information. Furthermore, a printer 114 with a printer ID of bbb6 is associated with a user whose user information is aaa2. In an actual management server 12, it is conceivable that the association between users and printers 114 for even more users will be managed.

Furthermore, as in this example, when multiple printers 114 are associated with one user or one user organization, it is possible to manage the multiple printers 114 by dividing them into groups. More specifically, for example, if the user base 14 has multiple production bases 102 (see Figure 2), it is possible to group the printers 114 by printers 114 installed at the same production base 102. Furthermore, if the production base 102 has multiple operators who perform work according to the instructions of users to whom multiple printers 114 are associated, it is also possible to divide the printers 114 into groups by operator. Therefore, in this example, the management server 12 associates groups with printer IDs, making it possible to manage the multiple printers 114 by dividing them into groups. For example, in the example 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. Additionally, printer 114, whose printer ID is bbb6, belongs to group Z.

In this example, the management server 12 associates printer information with each printer 114 identified by a printer ID. Various information related to the status and past history of the printer 114 can be used as the printer information. According to this example, for example, the printer information corresponding to the printer 114 can be appropriately managed. This also makes it possible to appropriately manage the printer 114 using the printer information. In this case, the PC 112 or the like may display a list of printers 114 associated with the user and the status of the printer 114 based on the printer information. In this case, the PC 112 or the like may display a list of printers 114 in relation to the status display, for example, as shown in FIG. 4.

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

In this example, when a screen display is performed on the PC 112 or the like, the user operating the PC 112 or the like performs user authentication with the management server 12 (see FIG. 1) to sign in to the management server 12. The PC 112 or the like then displays information about the printers 114 associated with the user who has been authenticated through user authentication on the screen. In this case, on a display screen displaying a list of printers 114, the PC 112 or the like displays information indicating the printers 114 associated with the user, as shown in the figure, for example. More specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the PC 112 or the like displays the name, model, operating status, etc. of all printers 114 associated with the user. In this case, the name of the printer 114 can be considered, for example, to be a printer name determined by the user to identify the printer 114. The operating status can be considered, for example, to be information indicating the status of the printer 114 in relation to the printing operation. More specifically, in this example, the operating state is information indicating whether the printer 114 is printing, waiting, stopped due to an error, or offline. In this case, printing can be considered, for example, to be a state in which printing is being performed by the printer 114. Waiting can be considered, for example, to be a state in which the printer 114 is waiting and ready to start printing. Stopped due to an error can be considered, for example, to be a state in which the printer 114 is stopped due to some kind of error. Offline can be considered, for example, to be a state in which the printer 114's status cannot be obtained. Offline can also be considered, for example, to be a state in which the management server 12 is unable to grasp the latest status of the printer 114. In this case, offline can be considered, for example, to be a state in which the printer 114 is not turned on, or a state in which the printer 114's status cannot be grasped due to a problem with the communication path or the management server 12. In this example, offline can also be considered, for example, to be a state in which the printer 114's latest status cannot be obtained from the management server 12.

In addition, in this example, the PC 112 or the like can also display a list of printers 114 by their status using tabs 202. In this case, the PC 112 or the like displays a list of printers 114 in the status associated with the tab 202 in response to a user's operation to select a tab 202. More specifically, in the example shown in the figure, the PC 112 or the like displays tabs 202 for switching the display between All, Waiting, Printing, Stopped with Error, and Offline. In this case, when the tab 202 corresponding to All is selected, all printers 114 associated with the user are displayed. Furthermore, 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 user can easily and appropriately check the status, etc., of the printers 114 they manage.

In addition, in this example, the PC 112 or the like can also display more detailed information about the printer 114 based on the printer information received from the management server 12. In this case, for example, it is conceivable to cause the PC 112 or the like to display information based on the printer information for the printer 114 selected by the user from a list of printers 114. More specifically, in this case, it is conceivable to cause the PC 112 or the like to display information such as that shown in FIG. 5.

Figure 5 shows an example of a display screen to be displayed on a PC 112 or the like, and shows an example of information displayed based on printer information for a printer 114 selected by a user. As with Figure 4, Figure 5 also shows two types of display screens as examples of display screens that can be selected according to the electronic device displaying the screen. As explained above, in this example, the management server 12 manages printer information in association with the printer 114. Furthermore, when causing a PC 112 or the like to display the screen shown in Figure 5, the management server 12 manages, as printer information, 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 association with the printer 114. Furthermore, in this case, the management server 12 transmits printer information including at least this information to the PC 112 or the like in response to a request from the PC 112 or the like. Based on this information sent from the management server 12, the PC 112 etc. then displays a summary of the operating status, ink usage, and print area on a single screen.

In this case, displaying these summaries on a single screen can be considered to mean, for example, displaying them in a state that can be treated as a single screen on PC 112 or the like. For example, when displaying a screen on a web browser on PC 112 or the like, it can be considered to be displaying a screen that corresponds to one screen on the web browser. Furthermore, one screen on a web browser can be considered, for example, as the range that can be displayed without moving pages. The range that can be displayed without moving pages can be considered, for example, as the range that can be displayed without changing the URL. Furthermore, when displaying the above summaries on PC 112 or the like, it is possible to directly send operating status summaries, ink usage summaries, print area summaries, etc. from management server 12 to PC 112 or the like. In this case, sending these summaries can be considered, for example, as sending printer information including operating information, ink usage information, and print area information.

In this example, the PC 112 or the like displays, as shown in the figure, a screen showing tabs 202, an operation information display section 212, an ink usage display section 214, a print area display section 216, and a period setting section 218. In this case, the tab 202 is a selection section for accepting selection of items to be displayed related to the printer 114. In this example, the PC 112 or the like also displays tabs 202 for switching the display between printer status, operation history, print history, maintenance history, and settings/manuals. Figure 5 shows an example of the screen when the operation history tab 202 is selected from these.

The operation information display unit 212 displays a summary of the operating status. As explained above, in this example, the operating status is information indicating whether the printer 114 is printing, waiting, stopped due to an error, or offline. Therefore, the PC 112 or the like displays, on the operation information display unit 212, a summary of the operating status, including printing periods during which the printer 114 was printing, waiting periods indicating periods during which the printer 114 was waiting, error stop periods during which the printer 114 was stopped due to an error, and offline periods during which the printer 114 was offline. The summaries of these periods can be considered, for example, as a summary of the time during which the printer 114 was in that operating state. More specifically, the summaries of printing periods can be considered, for example, as a summary of periods during which the printer 114 was printing. The summaries of waiting periods can be considered, for example, as a summary of periods during which the printer was in a waiting state. The summaries of error stop periods can be considered, for example, as a summary of periods during which the printer 114 was stopped due to an error. The summaries of offline periods can be considered, for example, as a summary of periods during which information about the printer 114 could not be obtained. With this configuration, for example, it is possible to properly understand the operating status of the printer 114.

In this example, the PC 112 or the like displays, as an operational status summary, a bar graph and a pie chart showing the time spent in each state for multiple states (operating states) of the printer 114, as shown in the figure. This configuration allows the PC 112 or the like to appropriately display an operational state that is easy to understand. This also allows the user to appropriately grasp the operational status summary of the printer 114. In this case, the PC 112 or the like uses a bar graph to directly show the time for each operating state, and a pie chart to show the proportion of time spent in each operating state. Using two types of graphs, a bar graph and a pie chart, allows the user to accurately grasp the operational status of the printer 114 in detail. In this example, displaying the operational status summary corresponding to the printer 114 on the PC 112 or the like can be considered to visualize the operational status of the printer 114, for example. Visualizing the operational status of the printer 114, for example, can lead to improvements that increase the productivity of the printer 114, leading to more efficient production. Furthermore, the display method on the motion information display unit 212 is not limited to the method shown in the figure and can be changed in various ways. For example, the bar graph is not limited to the vertical bar graph shown in the figure, but a horizontal bar graph may also be used. Furthermore, depending on the purpose of displaying information, it is also possible to display only a bar graph or a pie chart on the motion information display unit 212.

The ink usage display unit 214 displays a summary of ink usage. In this example, the PC 112 or the like displays a line graph and a bar graph, as shown in the figure, on the ink usage display unit 214 as a summary of ink usage. In this case, the PC 112 or the like uses a line graph to display, for example, the usage of each ink color over time. Also, a bar graph displays, for example, the total usage of each ink color over a period. This configuration allows, for example, an accurate understanding of the total ink usage. The display method on the ink usage display unit 214 is not limited to the display method shown in the figure, and can be modified in various ways. For example, the bar graph is not limited to the vertical bar graph shown in the figure, but a horizontal bar graph could also be used. It is also possible to display only a line graph or a bar graph on the ink usage display unit 214 depending on the purpose of displaying the information. It is also possible to display the total ink usage not by color, but by the total usage of all ink colors combined. In this case, the PC 112 or the like may, for example, display either or both of the total ink usage for each ink color and the total combined total for all ink colors, depending on the user's selection. This configuration allows for a more accurate understanding of ink usage, for example, when using multiple ink colors. Furthermore, by displaying the total combined total for all colors, it becomes easier to calculate the combined cost of all colors, for example, when estimating printing costs.

The print area display unit 216 displays the print area tally. In this example, the PC 112 or the like displays the print length, print area, and cost in relation to the print area tally on the print area display unit 216. In this case, the print area tally can be considered, for example, as a parameter that increases according to the amount of media consumed. This configuration allows, for example, the print area tally to be properly understood. The display method on the print area display unit 216 is not limited to the display method shown in the figure and can be changed in various ways. For example, the print area tally may be displayed as a bar graph or line graph. A bar graph could be, for example, a vertical bar graph or a horizontal bar graph. This configuration allows, for example, the print area tally to be intuitively understood. The PC 112 or the like may also display the print area tally, for example, by dividing it into multiple pre-set categories. This configuration allows, for example, more diverse information to be displayed regarding the print area tally. In this case, the display by category could be, for example, by the medium used for printing (by media), or by print data, etc.

The period setting unit 218 is a component for accepting a tallying period from the user. In this example, the PC 112, etc., uses the period setting unit 218 to accept a tallying period (display period) from a user operating the operation information display unit 212, etc., for tallying the operating status, ink usage, and print area. The period setting unit 218 can be considered, for example, as a configuration for accepting a period specification on a user interface (UI) on the PC 112, etc. Furthermore, the operation of accepting a period specification by the period setting unit 218 can be considered, for example, as an example of the operation of the tallying period setting stage. The tallying period setting stage can be considered, for example, as a stage for setting a tallying period corresponding to the information to be displayed on the PC 112, etc. In this example, when the period setting unit 218 accepts a period specification from the user, the PC 112, etc., displays the information on the operation information display unit 212, ink usage display unit 214, and 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. will update the displays on the operation information display unit 212, ink usage display unit 214, and print area display unit 216 to match the newly specified period.

In this example, the period setting unit 218 accepts the same period for the aggregation period in the operation information display unit 212, the ink usage display unit 214, and the print area display unit 216 all at once. However, the method of accepting the period specification in the period setting unit 218 is not limited to a collective setting, but may be an individual setting method. In this case, the PC 112, for example, allows the user to select whether to set the period all at once or individually, and then accepts the period specification from the user. This also allows the PC 112, for example, to display the aggregation for the specified period. With this configuration, it is possible to appropriately change the aggregation period, for example, when changing only the aggregation period for some items, such as when reviewing the aggregation results. More specifically, in this case, when setting the period using the period setting unit 218, the PC 112, for example, accepts collective or individual settings for the period for tallying the operation status, the period for tallying the ink usage, and the period for tallying the print area, depending on the user's selection. Furthermore, when displaying information on the operation information display unit 212, ink usage display unit 214, and print area display unit 216, the PC 112 or the like displays the operation status summary, ink usage summary, and print area summary for the period set when the period was set. This configuration allows the summary period to be appropriately changed according to the user's wishes, for example. Furthermore, by displaying the information all at once or individually, it becomes possible to more appropriately check the status of the printer 114 and perform various investigations, for example.

As described above, according to this example, for example, by displaying on the PC 112 or the like information based on printer information obtained from the management server 12, the status of the PC 112 can be properly understood. In this case, by displaying a summary of the operating status, ink usage, and print area on a single screen on the PC 112 or the like, the status of the printer 114, for example, can be easily and properly understood. This also makes it possible to easily and properly check, for example, whether the printer 114 is operating stably. Furthermore, for example, if a problem occurs with the status of the printer 114, it is also possible to compile and grasp information useful for identifying the problem.

In this case, displaying related information together on a single screen can be considered to efficiently and appropriately display the information the user wants to see, for example, regarding the user's management of the printer 114 and various decisions related to the printer 114. More specifically, for example, by displaying a summary of the operating status, ink usage, and print area, the overall status of the printer 114 can be easily and appropriately grasped, making it easier to make a comprehensive judgment as to whether or not a problem has occurred with the printer 114. In this case, even users who are not near the printer 114, such as users who check information in the management department 104 or external management unit 16 at the user site 14, can easily and appropriately check the status of the printer 114. Furthermore, users (operators) who directly use the printer 114 at the production site 102 can appropriately check the status of the printer 114 from a location remote from the printer 114, for example, by using the electronic device 116. This also makes it possible to perform other tasks remotely from the printer 114, for example, when the printer 114 is operated continuously for long periods of time. Therefore, according to this example, it is possible to appropriately improve work efficiency at the production base 102, for example.

Furthermore, in this example, by displaying the ink usage total and the print area total on one screen, it is possible to easily and appropriately determine, for example, whether the ink usage is appropriate for the print area. Furthermore, if the ink usage changes due to an abnormality in the printer 114, for example, the relationship (balance) between the print area and the ink usage displayed on one screen will change, making it possible to detect the abnormality. As explained above, the print area total can be thought of as a parameter that increases in accordance with the amount of media consumed. Therefore, by displaying the ink usage total and the print area total on one screen, it is possible to display, for example, the amounts of ink and media consumed in a printing operation together. This also makes it possible to grasp useful information together, for example, when considering the running costs of the printer 114.

In addition, by displaying the time spent printing, waiting, stopped due to an error, and offline in the operational status summary, it is possible to check, for example, whether work performed using the printer 114 is progressing as planned. Furthermore, based on these ratios, it is also possible to perform labor management related to work performed using the printer 114 at the production site 102, for example. Furthermore, by displaying the operational status summary on a single screen along with the ink usage and print area summary, it is possible to determine, for example, the efficiency of work performed according to the work method. More specifically, in this case, if there is a difference in the amount of ink consumed to achieve the same print area depending on the printer 114, it is possible to consider the impact of the work method by checking the relationship with the operational status summary.

The PC 112 or the like may also display the operating status tally, ink usage tally, and print area tally in a different manner than described above. For example, the PC 112 or the like may display multiple of the operating status tally, ink usage tally, and print area tally in a single graph. This configuration makes it possible to easily and appropriately grasp, for example, the correlation between multiple tally targets. In this case, it is also conceivable to display, for example, the operating status tally and the ink usage tally in a single graph to confirm the correlation between the two.

The PC 112 or the like may also display various numerical values, etc., in response to user operation, for example. In this case, for example, when the user places the cursor on a graph, the PC 112 or the like may display a numerical value corresponding to that position. More specifically, in this case, the PC 112 or the like may display, for example, a cursor that moves in response to user operation, and a graph showing at least one of an operational status summary, an ink usage summary, and a print area summary. Then, when the user places the cursor on the graph, the PC 112 or the like may display, for example, a numerical value corresponding to the cursor's position on the graph. This configuration may allow, for example, more detailed information to be displayed to the user. In this case, for example, the PC 112 or the like may display, as numerical values, hourly values, daily values, cumulative values, vertical axis values, or horizontal axis values, for example. The PC 112 or the like may also display, for example, maximum and minimum values on the graph in an accentuated manner. In this case, the PC 112 or the like displays a graph showing, for example, at least one of a total of operating status, ink usage, and print area, and displays the maximum and minimum values in a different way from other values on the graph. In this case, it is possible to change the display color or shape, for example, of the maximum or minimum value during the aggregation period. With this configuration, it becomes easier to grasp the position of the maximum or minimum value on the graph, for example.

In addition, in FIG. 5, the PC 112 or the like displays totals for one printer 114, including the operating status totals, ink usage totals, and print area totals. In contrast, the PC 112 or the like may display these totals, for example, a total that combines information about multiple printers 114. In this case, these totals can be thought of as totals for multiple printers 114 over a specified period, for example. Furthermore, in this case, the multiple printers 114 may be grouped together in the management server 12. In this case, the PC 112 or the like receives, for example, a group specified by the user as the unit of totalization. Furthermore, the multiple printers 114 used as the unit of totalization may be multiple printers 114 specified regardless of their group. Furthermore, the PC 112 or the like may display a total that combines information about all printers 114 associated with the same user, for example.

Furthermore, in the above description, the printer 114 used in the printing system 10 is described as being, for example, an inkjet printer. However, the printer 114 used in the printing system 10 may be a printer other than an inkjet printer. It is also possible to use, for example, a 3D printer as the printer 114 used in the printing system 10. In this case, the printing area may be, for example, the total area of the ink layers formed by the ink used as the modeling material.

The present invention can be suitably used, for example, as a display method for displaying information on electronic devices.

10: Printing system, 102: Production base, 104: Management department, 106: Marketing department, 108: Support department, 112: PC, 114: Printer, 116: Electronic device, 12: Management server, 14: User location, 16: External management unit, 202: Tab, 212: Operation information display unit, 214: Ink usage display unit, 216: Print area display unit, 218: Period setting unit

Claims (26)

A display method for displaying information on an electronic device in a printing system including a printer, a management server that manages printer information indicating the status of the printer, and an electronic device that displays information 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;
a display step of displaying, on the electronic device, information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device in the information transmission step,
The management server associates the printer with the printer as the printer information and stores at least
Operation information indicating the operation 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.
In the information transmission step, at least the operation information, the ink usage information, and the print area information are transmitted from the management server to the electronic device;
The printer prints using ink of multiple colors,
In the display step, a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of the ink usage by the printer, and a summary of the printing area printed by the printer are displayed on a single screen based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information, and, depending on the user's selection, the electronic device is caused to display either or both of a summary of the ink usage for each ink color and a summary of the total usage of all of the multiple ink colors . A display method for displaying information on an electronic device in a printing system including a printer, a management server that manages printer information indicating the status of the printer, and an electronic device that displays information 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;
a display step of displaying, on the electronic device, information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device in the information transmission step;
Equipped with
The management server associates the printer with the printer as the printer information and stores at least
Operation information indicating the operation status of the printer;
ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
Print area information indicating a print area, which is an area printed by the printer;
We manage
In the information transmission step, at least the operation information, the ink usage information, and the print area information are transmitted from the management server to the electronic device;
In the display step, a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of the ink usage amount of the printer, and a summary of the printing area printed by the printer are displayed on a single screen based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information, and more than one of the summary of the printer's operating status, the summary of the ink usage amount, and the summary of the printing area is displayed in a single graph. a collection period setting step for setting a collection period corresponding to the information to be displayed on the electronic device in the display step,
In the aggregation period setting step, the period for tallying the operating status, the period for tallying the ink usage amount, and the period for tallying the print area are set collectively or individually according to a user's selection;
The display method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in the display step, the electronic device displays the operational status tally, the ink usage tally, and the printing area tally in accordance with the period set in the tally period setting step . In the display step, the operational status is summarized as follows:
a standby period indicating the period during which the printer was in standby;
a printing period indicating a period during which printing was performed by the printer;
an error stop period indicating a period during which the printer was stopped due to an error;
3. The display method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying on the electronic device a summary of the time period during which the printer information could not be acquired and an offline period indicating a period during which the printer information could not be acquired. 3. The display method according to claim 1, wherein in the display step, the electronic device displays a bar graph or a pie chart indicating the time the printer was in each of a plurality of states as a summary of the operating status. 3. The display method according to claim 1 , wherein in the display step, the electronic device displays a summary of the operational status corresponding to the printer, thereby visualizing the operating status of the printer. 3. The display method according to claim 1 , wherein the display step displays a bar graph or a line graph as the total of the ink usage amounts on the electronic device. 3. The display method according to claim 1, wherein the display step displays a bar graph or a line graph as the total print area on the electronic device. 3. The display method according to claim 1, wherein in the display step, the total print area is divided into a plurality of preset categories and displayed for each category. In the display step,
A cursor that moves in response to user operations;
a graph showing at least one of a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of the ink usage amount, and a summary of the printing area;
3. The display method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of displaying a numerical value corresponding to the position of the cursor on the graph when the cursor is placed on the graph by the user's operation. In the display step, a graph showing at least one of a summary of the operating status of the printer, a summary of the ink usage amount, and a summary of the printing area is displayed;
3. The display method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of displaying maximum and minimum values in the graph in a manner different from that of other values. a communication unit that receives printer information from a management server that manages printer information associated with the printer;
a display unit that displays information based on the printer information received from the management server,
The printer information includes at least
Operation information indicating the operation status of the printer;
ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
The information includes print area information indicating a print area, which is an area printed by the printer,
The printer prints using ink of multiple colors,
The display unit displays, on a single screen, a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of the ink usage by the printer, and a summary of the printing area printed by the printer based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information, and, depending on the user's selection, displays either or both of a summary of the ink usage for each ink color and a summary of the total usage of all of the multiple ink colors . a communication unit that receives printer information from a management server that manages printer information associated with the 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
Operation information indicating the operation status of the printer;
ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
Print area information indicating a print area, which is an area printed by the printer;
The information includes
The display unit displays, on a single screen, a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of the ink usage amount of the printer, and a summary of the printing area printed by the printer based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information, and displays multiple of the summary of the printer's operating status, the summary of the ink usage amount, and the summary of the printing area in a single graph. an information transmission process for transmitting the printer information from a management server that manages printer information associated with the printer to an electronic device that performs a display based on the printer information;
a display process for displaying information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device on the electronic device, by at least one of the management server and the electronic device;
The printer information includes at least
Operation information indicating the operation status of the printer;
ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
The information includes print area information indicating a print area, which is an area printed by the printer,
The printer prints using ink of multiple colors,
In the display processing, a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of the ink usage by the printer, and a summary of the printing area printed by the printer are displayed on a single screen based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information, and the electronic device is caused to display, depending on the user's selection, either or both of a summary of the usage amount for each ink color and a summary of the total usage amount of all of the multiple ink colors . an information transmission process for transmitting the printer information from a management server that manages printer information associated with the printer to an electronic device that performs a display based on the printer information;
a display process for displaying information based on the printer information transmitted from the management server to the electronic device on the electronic device;
causing at least one of the management server and the electronic device to execute the above;
The printer information includes at least
Operation information indicating the operation status of the printer;
ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
Print area information indicating a print area, which is an area printed by the printer;
The information includes
In the display process, a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of the ink usage amount of the printer, and a summary of the printing area printed by the printer are displayed on a single screen based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information, and more than one of the summary of the printer's operating status, the summary of the ink usage amount, and the summary of the printing area are displayed in a single graph. A management system for managing a printer in a printing system including the printer,
a management server that manages printer information that indicates the status of the printer;
the printing system is a system including the printer, the management server, and an electronic device that performs display based on the printer information acquired from the management server, and the management system is a system that constitutes at least a part of the printing system;
The management server associates the printer with the printer as the printer information and stores at least
Operation information indicating the operation status of the printer;
ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
and managing print area information indicating a print area, which is an area printed by the printer;
The printer prints using ink of multiple colors,
The printer information associated with the printer is transmitted from the management server to the electronic device, and information based on the printer information is displayed on the electronic device;
and a management system characterized in that by transmitting at least the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information from the management server to the electronic device as the printer information, the management system causes the electronic device to display on a single screen a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of the ink usage by the printer, and a summary of the printing area printed by the printer based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information, and that, depending on the user's selection, the electronic device displays either or both of a summary of the usage amount for each ink color and a summary of the total usage amount for all of the multiple ink colors . A management system for managing a printer in a printing system including the printer,
a management server that manages printer information that indicates the status of the printer;
the printing system is a system including the printer, the management server, and an electronic device that performs display based on the printer information acquired from the management server, and the management system is a system that constitutes at least a part of the printing system;
The management server associates the printer with the printer as the printer information and stores at least
Operation information indicating the operation status of the printer;
ink usage information indicating the amount of ink used by the printer;
Print area information indicating a print area, which is an area printed by the printer;
Manage the
The printer information associated with the printer is transmitted from the management server to the electronic device, and information based on the printer information is displayed on the electronic device;
and a management system characterized in that by transmitting at least the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information as the printer information from the management server to the electronic device, the electronic device displays on a single screen a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of the ink usage by the printer, and a summary of the printing area printed by the printer based on the operation information, the ink usage information, and the printing area information, and displays multiple of the summary of the printer's operating status, the summary of the ink usage, and the summary of the printing area in a single graph. a period for tallying the information to be displayed on the electronic device is set, and the period for tallying the operational status, the period for tallying the ink usage, and the period for tallying the print area are set collectively or individually according to a user's selection;
18. The management system according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device displays the total of the operating status, the total of the ink usage amount, and the total of the printing area in accordance with a set period. As a summary of the operating status,
a standby period indicating the period during which the printer was in standby;
a printing period indicating a period during which printing was performed by the printer;
an error stop period indicating a period during which the printer was stopped due to an error;
an offline period indicating a period during which the printer information could not be obtained;
18. The management system according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device displays a summary of the number of users. 18. The management system according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device displays a bar graph or a pie chart indicating the time the printer was in each of a plurality of states as a summary of the operating states. 18. The management system according to claim 16, wherein the operating status of the printers is visualized by displaying a summary of the operating statuses corresponding to the printers on the electronic device. 18. The management system according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device displays a bar graph or a line graph as the total of the ink usage amounts. 18. The management system according to claim 16, wherein the electronic device displays a bar graph or a line graph as the total print area. 18. The management system according to claim 16, wherein the printing area is divided into a plurality of preset categories and displayed on the electronic device for each category. A cursor that moves in response to user operations;
a graph showing at least one of a summary of the printer's operating status, a summary of the ink usage amount, and a summary of the printing area;
on the electronic device,
18. The management system according to claim 16, further comprising, when the cursor is placed on the graph by the user's operation, causing the electronic device to display a numerical value corresponding to the position of the cursor on the graph. displaying on the electronic device a graph showing at least one of a summary of the operating status of the printer, a summary of the ink usage amount, and a summary of the printing area;
18. The management system according to claim 16, wherein the maximum and minimum values are displayed in a manner different from that of other values in the graph.