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US 12,244,780 B2Granted
Printing system and sub printer
AssigneeAlps Alpine Co., Ltd.
InventorsSeiichiro Saito, Naoki Saito
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printing system includes: a main printer configured to print an image sheet by sheet; a sub printer communicably connected to the main printer and configured to print an image sheet by sheet; and a storage medium that is configured to store image data of a plurality of images and from which the main printer is able to read out the image data. In response to changing of a state of the sub printer, the sub printer notifies the main printer of a changed state. The main printer regularly checks print situations of the main printer and the sub printer. In accordance with the print situations that are regularly checked, the main printer determines which of the printers is to be used for printing of an image for each of the image data of the plurality of images.
Claims11
A printing system, comprising:
- a main printer configured to print an image sheet by sheet and directly transmit a print instruction and image data to a sub printer;
- the sub printer communicably connected to the main printer and configured to print an image sheet by sheet based on the print instruction and the image data that are directly transmitted from the main printer;
- and
- a storage medium that is configured to store image data of a plurality of images and from which the main printer is able to read out the image data, wherein
- in response to changing of a state of the sub printer, the sub printer notifies the main printer of a changed state,
- the main printer regularly checks print situations of the main printer and the sub printer, and
- in accordance with the print situations that are regularly checked, the main printer determines which of the printers is to be used for printing of an image for each of the image data of the plurality of images,
- wherein:
- the main printer creates a list for the main printer of the image data to be printed by the main printer and a list for the sub printer of the image data to be printed by the sub printer;
- the main printer deletes, from the list for the main printer, the image data that start being printed by the main printer, and deletes, from the list for the sub printer, the image data that start being printed by the sub printer;
- in response to the list for the main printer being empty, the main printer notifies the sub printer of the list for the main printer being empty;
- in response to receiving the list for the main printer being empty, the sub printer divides the list for the sub printer into two lists, and transmits one of the lists to the main printer and uses another list as a new list for the sub printer;
- in response to the list for the sub printer being empty, the sub printer notifies the main printer of the list for the sub printer being empty;
- and
- in response to receiving the list for the sub printer being empty, the main printer divides the list for the main printer into two lists, and transmits one of the lists to the sub printer and uses another list as a new list for the main printer.
12 more elements
A printing system, comprising:
- a main printer configured to print an image sheet by sheet and directly transmit a print instruction and image data to a sub printer;
- and
- a storage medium that is configured to store image data of a plurality of images and from which the main printer is able to read out the image data, wherein
- the main printer is communicably connected to the sub printer able to print an image sheet by sheet based on the print instruction and the image data that are directly transmitted from the main printer,
- the main printer regularly checks print situations of the main printer and the sub printer,
- in accordance with the print situations that are regularly checked, the main printer determines the main printer or the sub printer as a printer to be used for printing of the image for each of the image data of the plurality of images, and
- the main printer transmits, to the sub printer, the image data determined to be printed by the sub printer, together with a printing command,
- wherein:
- the main printer creates a list for the main printer of the image data to be printed by the main printer and a list for the sub printer of the image data to be printed by the sub printer;
- the main printer deletes, from the list for the main printer, the image data that start being printed by the main printer, and deletes, from the list for the sub printer, the image data that start being printed by the sub printer;
- in response to the list for the main printer being empty, the main printer notifies the sub printer of the list for the main printer being empty;
- in response to receiving the list for the main printer being empty, the sub printer divides the list for the sub printer into two lists, and transmits one of the lists to the main printer and uses another list as a new list for the sub printer;
- in response to the list for the sub printer being empty, the sub printer notifies the main printer of the list for the sub printer being empty;
- and
- in response to receiving the list for the sub printer being empty, the main printer divides the list for the main printer into two lists, and transmits one of the lists to the sub printer and uses another list as a new list for the main printer.
12 more elements
A sub printer, comprising:
- an input device, wherein
- the sub printer is connectable to a computer and a main printer configured to directly transmit a print instruction and image data to the sub printer, and
- in response to receiving a print command from the main printer, the sub printer prohibits operations from the input device and the computer, or
- in response to receiving, from the main printer, a signal indicating completion of printing of all of image data, the sub printer permits operations from the input device and the computer,
- wherein the sub printer is configured to print an image sheet by sheet based on the print instruction and the image data that are directly transmitted from the main printer, wherein:
- the main printer creates a list for the main printer of the image data to be printed by the main printer and a list for the sub printer of the image data to be printed by the sub printer;
- the main printer deletes, from the list for the main printer, the image data that start being printed by the main printer, and deletes, from the list for the sub printer, the image data that start being printed by the sub printer;
- in response to the list for the main printer being empty, the main printer notifies the sub printer of the list for the main printer being empty;
- in response to receiving the list for the main printer being empty, the sub printer divides the list for the sub printer into two lists, and transmits one of the lists to the main printer and uses another list as a new list for the sub printer;
- in response to the list for the sub printer being empty, the sub printer notifies the main printer of the list for the sub printer being empty;
- and
- in response to receiving the list for the sub printer being empty, the main printer divides the list for the main printer into two lists, and transmits one of the lists to the sub printer and uses another list as a new list for the main printer.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.