Patent Application
20230339713
The present disclosure relates generally to printer media and, for example, to a sensor configuration to indicate available media of a printer.
A printer may receive and store (e.g., in a tray and/or on a roll) media (e.g., paper or other similar type of material). Over time, as the printer prints content to the media, the media is consumed and output for use. Accordingly, there is a need for the printer to indicate a quantity of the media that has been consumed (or that remains) to permit a user to replace the consumed media with new media.
The following detailed description of example implementations refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements.
A printer is typically configured to store a maximum quantity of media. For example, a printer (e.g., a label printer) may print content onto media of a media roll that can have a maximum radius due to a physical design and configuration of one or more of the printer, the media roll, or a support member of the printer that holds the media roll. If the printer receives a printing instruction for a printing operation that requires a greater quantity of media (e.g., length of media on the media roll) than is remaining on the media roll, the printing operation may be interrupted and/or may not be completed. An indicator that indicates a remaining quantity of media stored in the printer may enable a user or a system providing print instructions to the printer to determine whether the printer is storing a sufficient quantity of media for a print operation. Accordingly, there is a need to indicate whether a printer has available media on a media roll.
However, different types of media rolls may include different quantities of labels (e.g., due to the labels having different lengths). Furthermore, for a media roll that enables the printer to print labels of various lengths (e.g., a media roll that enables printed labels to be torn from the media roll), different printing operations may require different quantities (or lengths) of the media roll to complete the printing operations (e.g., due to different amounts of content in the printing operations requiring the different quantities of the media roll). Accordingly, there is a need to determine and/or indicate whether a printer has available media on a media roll and/or a remaining quantity of the available media on the media roll.
Some implementations described herein provide a system of a printer that is configured to determine and/or indicate available media of the printer. For example, the system (and/or printer) may include a sensor configuration that is configured to sense, measure, and/or indicate a remaining quantity of media on a media roll based on a radius of the media roll. The sensor configuration may include one or more optical sensors and/or an image sensor (e.g., a camera) that are configured to provide sensor data that is indicative of the radius of the media roll.
In this way, the system, as described herein, may determine available media of a printer regardless of a type of media on a media roll and/or lengths of individual labels on the media roll. Accordingly, the system and/or the printer may be interoperable with various types of media rolls and/or media rolls with labels of different lengths. Furthermore, the system and/or the printer may avoid wasting or consuming computing resources (e.g., processor resources and/or memory resources) associated with interrupted printing operations caused by a printer initiating or performing a printing operation that requires more media than is available or remaining on a media roll. Moreover, the system may reduce wasting media that is consumed by a printing operation that results in the wasted media being an incomplete label (e.g., because the remaining quantity on the media roll was insufficient to receive the content of the printing operation for a complete label).
In example implementation 100, the media holder 108 is configured to store and/or hold a media roll 110. The media roll 110 has an axial end 112 with a radius 114. The media holder 108 may be removable from the base 104 of the printer 102 (e.g., to facilitate replacement of the media roll 110 and/or maintenance of the printer 102). During operation, as the printer 102 prints content onto portions of the media roll 110, the radius 114 of the axial end 112 decreases as the portions are output from the printer 102 (e.g., to provide printed labels). For example, the plan view shows an image of the media roll 110 after the printer 102, as shown in the isometric view, has performed one or more printing operations. In such a case, as shown, the radius 114 in the plan view is smaller than the radius 114 in the isometric view.
The printer 102 may include an optical sensor 116 (as shown in the plan view). The optical sensor 116 may be configured, arranged, and/or positioned in a manner such that the axial end 112 (e.g., at least a portion of the axial end 112) is within a field of view of the optical sensor 116. In some implementations, the optical sensor 116 may be attached to the media holder 108. The optical sensor 116 may be configured to output sensor data that indicates whether the media roll has available media according to the radius of the axial end of the media roll. For example, optical sensor 116 may be configured to indicate sensor data that is indicative of the radius 114 of the media roll. In some implementations, as described elsewhere herein, the optical sensor 116 may be configured to provide sensor data that is indicative of whether the radius 114 satisfies one or more thresholds associated with certain remaining quantities of media on the media roll 110.
The printer 102, as described elsewhere herein, may include a user interface (e.g., an output component such as one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) and/or a display) that is configured to output an indication of the available media (or remaining quantity of the media roll) of the printer 102 according to the sensor data from the optical sensor 116.
In this way, the printer 102 may include a system and/or a sensor configuration that is arranged to indicate available media on a media roll.
In example implementation 200, the optical sensor 116 is attached to the support frame 202 and the support member 204 may have received the media roll 110. The optical sensor 116 may be positioned on the support frame 202 at a distance D from the support axis 206. The optical sensor 116 may be positioned to have a field of view that is directed toward (e.g., according to an angular direction of the field of view) a plane 208 of the axial end 112 of the media roll 110. For example, based on being attached to the support frame 202 and/or having directional optical sensing elements (e.g., sensing elements that are configured to detect or sense reflected light from a particular direction or angle), the optical sensor 116 be configured to sense or detect one or more characteristics of the axial end 112 of the media roll 110. As shown, the media holder 108, may be arranged and/or configured such that the plane 208 of the axial end 112 is perpendicular to the support axis 206.
In some implementations, the sensor data from the optical sensor 116 may be a binary indication of whether the media roll 110 has available media at a radial distance along the radius 114 of the axial end 112. The radial distance may correspond (or be equivalent) to the distance D. For example, the optical sensor 116 of example implementation 200 may have a field of view that corresponds to a line of sight that is parallel to the support axis 206. More specifically, the optical sensor 116 may include a reflective sensor that is configured to emit light 210 (e.g., a beam of light, such as a laser) via a light emitter, toward the axial end 112 of the media roll 110. If the optical sensor 116 detects a reflection 212 of the light, the optical sensor 116 may generate sensor data associated with a remaining quantity of the media roll 110 satisfying a threshold that is based on the distance between the line of sight of the optical sensor 116 and the support axis of the support member. The threshold may be associated with a low available media indication. Accordingly, if the radius 114 is less than the distance D, then the optical sensor 116 would not detect reflected light from the axial end 112, and the optical sensor 116 may indicate that the remaining quantity of the media roll 110 does not satisfy the threshold. In such a case, the printer 102 may output, via a user interface, an indication that the media roll has a low remaining quantity of media.
In this way, the sensor data from the optical sensor 116 may include a binary indication of whether the media roll 110 has available media at a radial distance along the radius 114 that is based on the distance D between the optical sensor 116 and the support member 204 (or support axis 206).
The track 302 may have a path 304 with a longitudinal axis 306 that is perpendicular to the support axis 206 of the support frame 202. The track 302 may permit the optical sensor 116 to slide along the path 304 (and/or along the longitudinal axis 306 of the path 304) in order to permit a threshold for indicating a remaining quantity of available media to be adjustable. For example, if the optical sensor 116 is adjusted (e.g., slid) or positioned within the track 302 to be nearer the support axis 206, a threshold for indicating a low remaining quantity of available media may be lower than if the optical sensor 116 is slid further from the support axis 206.
In this way, the optical sensor 116 may provide sensor data that indicates a remaining quantity of the media roll based on a position of the optical sensor along the path 304.
In example implementation 400, a first optical sensor 416a and second optical sensor 416b are attached to the media holder 108. The distance (e.g., a first distance) between the first optical sensor 416a and the support member 204 (or support axis) may be different from the distance (e.g., a second distance) between the second optical sensor 416b and the support member 204. For example, the first optical sensor 416a is positioned nearer to the support member and/or the support axis 206 than the second optical sensor 416b.
The first optical sensor 416a and the second optical sensor 416b may correspond to the optical sensor 116 described above. Accordingly, the first optical sensor 416a may have a line of sight (e.g., a first line of sight) that is parallel to a line of sight (e.g., a second line of sight) of the second optical sensor 416b. Furthermore, the line of sight of the first optical sensor 416a and the line of sight of the second optical sensor 416b may both be parallel to the support axis 206. In this way, similar to the optical sensor 116, the first optical sensor 416a may be configured to indicate a remaining quantity of available media on a media roll based on the distance between the first optical sensor 416a and the support member 204, and the second optical sensor 416b may be configured to indicate a remaining quantity of available media on a media roll based on the distance between the second optical sensor 416b and the support member 204. More specifically, the printer may determine whether a remaining quantity of available media is within one or more preconfigured sets of ranges based on sensor data from the first optical sensor 416a and the second optical sensor 416b. For example, if the sensor data indicates that both the first optical sensor 416a and the second optical sensor 416b detect the media roll, then the printer may indicate (or a controller of the printer) via a user interface that the remaining quantity is at a high level. If the sensor data indicates that the first optical sensor 416a detects the media roll and the second optical sensor 416b does not detect the media roll, then the printer may indicate that the remaining quantity is at a medium level. Finally, if the sensor data indicates that neither the first optical sensor 416a or the second optical sensor 416b detects the media roll, then the printer may indicate that the remaining quantity is at a low level.
In this way, a sensor configuration of multiple sensors may be used to indicate a remaining quantity of available media of a printer.
The image sensor 516 may capture the image based on the printer 102 performing a print operation. Additionally, or alternatively, the image sensor 516 may capture the image based on the media roll 110 being installed within the printer 102 (e.g., as determined or detected by a controller of the printer 102).
The printer 102 may include a controller that is configured to process images (e.g., using any suitable image processing technique, such as object detection, edge detection, or the like) from the image sensor 516 in order to determine a remaining quantity of available media. For example, the controller may determine individual radiuses of the axial end of the media roll as depicted within the image and determine a remaining quantity of available media on the media roll 110 based on the individual radius. For example, a first image (e.g., an image captured based on the media roll 110 being installed within the printer 102) may indicate that the media roll has a maximum radius 532 and a minimum radius 534. Furthermore, a second image (e.g., an image captured after one or more print operations were performed using media from the media roll 110) may be captured that indicates a current radius 536 of the media roll. Based on the maximum radius 532, the minimum radius 534, and the current radius 536, the printer 102 (e.g., via the controller) may determine a remaining quantity of available media on the media roll 110. More specifically, the printer 102 may determine the remaining quantity as a percentage of the maximum radius 532 based on one or more ratios and/or differences between the maximum radius 532, the minimum radius 534, and the current radius 536.
The printer 610 may include one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, processing, and/or providing information associated with an indication of a remaining quantity of available media, as described herein. The printer 610 may be configured to store a media roll and/or print content to media of the media roll according to a printing instruction received from the user device 620. The printer 610 may correspond to one or more of the printers described above.
The user device 620 includes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, and/or providing information associated with a remaining quantity of available media of the printer 610, as described elsewhere herein. The user device 620 may be configured to provide a printing instruction to the printer 610 to cause the printer 610 to perform a printing operation, as described herein. The user device 620 may include a communication device and/or a computing device. For example, the user device 620 may include a wireless communication device, a mobile phone, a user equipment, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, a wearable communication device (e.g., a smart wristwatch, a pair of smart eyeglasses, a head mounted display, or a virtual reality headset), or a similar type of device.
The network 630 includes one or more wired and/or wireless networks. For example, the network 630 may include a wireless wide area network (e.g., a cellular network or a public land mobile network), a local area network (e.g., a wired local area network or a wireless local area network (WLAN), such as a Wi-Fi network), a personal area network (e.g., a Bluetooth network), a near-field communication network, a telephone network, a private network, the Internet, and/or a combination of these or other types of networks. The network 630 enables communication among the devices of environment 400.
The number and arrangement of devices and networks shown in
Bus 710 includes one or more components that enable wired and/or wireless communication among the components of device 700. Bus 710 may couple together two or more components of
Memory 730 includes volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. For example, memory 730 may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), a hard disk drive, and/or another type of memory (e.g., a flash memory, a magnetic memory, and/or an optical memory). Memory 730 may include internal memory (e.g., RAM, ROM, or a hard disk drive) and/or removable memory (e.g., removable via a universal serial bus connection). Memory 730 may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Memory 730 stores information, instructions, and/or software (e.g., one or more software applications) related to the operation of device 700. In some implementations, memory 730 includes one or more memories that are coupled to one or more processors (e.g., processor 720), such as via bus 710.
Input component 740 enables device 700 to receive input, such as user input and/or sensed input. For example, input component 740 may include a touch screen, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a button, a microphone, a switch, a sensor, a global positioning system sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and/or an actuator. Output component 750 enables device 700 to provide output, such as via a display, a speaker, and/or a light-emitting diode. Communication component 760 enables device 700 to communicate with other devices via a wired connection and/or a wireless connection. For example, communication component 760 may include a receiver, a transmitter, a transceiver, a modem, a network interface card, and/or an antenna.
Device 700 may perform one or more operations or processes described herein. For example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 730) may store a set of instructions (e.g., one or more instructions or code) for execution by processor 720. Processor 720 may execute the set of instructions to perform one or more operations or processes described herein. In some implementations, execution of the set of instructions, by one or more processors 720, causes the one or more processors 720 and/or the device 700 to perform one or more operations or processes described herein. In some implementations, hardwired circuitry is used instead of or in combination with the instructions to perform one or more operations or processes described herein. Additionally, or alternatively, processor 720 may be configured to perform one or more operations or processes described herein. Thus, implementations described herein are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.
The number and arrangement of components shown in
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The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations may be made in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations.
Some implementations may be described herein to include a parallel relationship or a perpendicular relationship. As used herein, “parallel” corresponds to substantially parallel, such that parallel elements (e.g., parallel planes, parallel axes, and/or parallel surfaces associated with one or more items or features described herein) are considered or configured to be parallel according to a design tolerance, a manufacturing tolerance, and/or an industry standard. Similarly, as used herein, “perpendicular” corresponds to substantially perpendicular. Accordingly, perpendicular elements are considered or configured to be perpendicular according to a design tolerance, a manufacturing tolerance, and/or an industry standard.
As used herein, the term “component” is intended to be broadly construed as hardware, firmware, and/or a combination of hardware and software. As used herein, each of the terms “tangible machine-readable medium,” “non-transitory machine-readable medium” and “machine-readable storage device” is expressly defined as a storage medium (e.g., a platter of a hard disk drive, a digital versatile disc, a compact disc, flash memory, read-only memory, random-access memory, or the like) on which machine-readable instructions (e.g., code in the form of, for example, software and/or firmware) can be stored. The instructions may be stored for any suitable duration of time, such as permanently, for an extended period of time (e.g., while a program associated with the instructions is executing), or for a short period of time (e.g., while the instructions are cached, during a buffering process, or the like). Further, as used herein, each of the terms “tangible machine-readable medium,” “non-transitory machine-readable medium” and “machine-readable storage device” is expressly defined to exclude propagating signals. That is, as used in any claim herein, a “tangible machine-readable medium,” a “non-transitory machine-readable medium,” and a “machine-readable storage device,” or the like, should not be interpreted as being implemented as a propagating signal.
As used herein, satisfying a threshold may, depending on the context, refer to a value being greater than the threshold, greater than or equal to the threshold, less than the threshold, less than or equal to the threshold, equal to the threshold, not equal to the threshold, or the like.
It will be apparent that systems and/or methods described herein may be implemented in different forms of hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware or software code used to implement these systems and/or methods is not limiting of the implementations. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and/or methods are described herein without reference to specific software code—it being understood that software and hardware can be designed to implement the systems and/or methods based on the description herein.
Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of various implementations. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although each dependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one claim, the disclosure of various implementations includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the claim set. As used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, “at least one of: a, b, or c” is intended to cover a, b, c, a-b, a-c, b-c, and a-b-c, as well as any combination with multiple of the same item.
No element, act, or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items, and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Further, as used herein, the article “the” is intended to include one or more items referenced in connection with the article “the” and may be used interchangeably with “the one or more.” Furthermore, as used herein, the term “set” is intended to include one or more items (e.g., related items, unrelated items, or a combination of related and unrelated items), and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where only one item is intended, the phrase “only one” or similar language is used. Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” or the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. Also, as used herein, the term “or” is intended to be inclusive when used in a series and may be used interchangeably with “and/or,” unless explicitly stated otherwise (e.g., if used in combination with “either” or “only one of”).
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2021/126494 | 10/26/2021 | WO |
