Power monitoring method for a printer or other peripheral device, power monitoring apparatus, software program and information recording medium

A host computer for monitoring a power supply status in a peripheral device capable of sending to the host computer status information resulting from a change in peripheral device, including a drop in peripheral device power supply voltage below a specific threshold level, comprising:

• a status information receiving unit that receives status information sent from the peripheral device;
• a status information request generator that requests current status information from the peripheral device after said peripheral device status information has been received;
• and
• an evaluation unit that determines the peripheral device power is off if a response to the current status information request is not received.

A system for monitoring a power supply status in a peripheral device comprising a host computer and a peripheral device connected to the host computer, the peripheral device comprising:

• a supply voltage detector that detects a supply voltage;
• a notification unit responsive to at least said supply voltage detector to send status information to said host computer when the peripheral device status changes, one of said status changes including a drop in peripheral device power below a threshold value;
• and
• an execution unit that executes in real-time for responding to a real-time command from the host computer requesting peripheral device status information;
• said host computer comprising:
• a status information receiving unit that receives status information sent from the peripheral device;
• a status information request generator that generates a real-time command requesting current status information from the peripheral device after said peripheral device status information has been received;
• and
• an evaluation unit that determines the peripheral device power is off if a response to the current status information request is not received.

A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for implementing a method of operating a host computer to monitor a power supply status of a peripheral device capable of sending to the host computer status information resulting from a change in said peripheral device, including a drop in power supply voltage below a specific threshold level, said monitoring method comprising:

• (a) receiving the status information sent from the peripheral device;
• (b) responsive to receiving the status information sent from the peripheral device, requesting current status information from the peripheral device;
• and
• (c) determining that the peripheral device power is off if a response to the current status information request is not received from the peripheral device.

A computer program embodied in a carrier wave for implementing a method of operating a host computer to monitor a power supply status of a peripheral device capable of sending to the host computer status information resulting from a change in said peripheral device, including a drop in power supply voltage below a specific threshold level, said monitoring method comprising:

• (a) receiving the status information sent from the peripheral device;
• (b) responsive to receiving the status information sent from the peripheral device, requesting current status information from the peripheral device;
• and
• (c) determining that the peripheral device power is off if a response to the current status information request is not received from the peripheral device.

A computer program for implementing a method of operating a host computer to monitor a power supply status of a peripheral device capable of sending to the host computer status information resulting from a change in said peripheral device, including a drop in power supply voltage below a specific threshold level, said monitoring method comprising:

• (a) receiving the status information sent from the peripheral device;
• (b) responsive to receiving the status information sent from the peripheral device, requesting current status information from the peripheral device;
• and
• (c) determining that the peripheral device power is off if a response to the current status information request is not received from the peripheral device.