Abstract: Functionality for issuing instructions related to the status of a printing device can be added to a control device capable of connecting to a printing device while suppressing modification of programs installed on the control device. A network system 1 includes a printer 9 that prints on recording media, and a control device 8 capable of communicating with the printer 9. The control device 8 has a control unit that generates and outputs by a printing program a command instructing the printer 9 to print; and a management unit that adds a maintenance command issuing an instruction related to the status of the printer 9 to the command output by the control unit, and sends the command with the added maintenance command to the printer 9, by a maintenance program that is different from the printing program.

Abstract: A printer having multiple processor cores, and a firmware rewriting method for the printer, enable rewriting firmware in a short time. A first rewrite controller controls rewriting the firmware of the first core by the boot program of the first core; a second rewrite controller controls rewriting the firmware of a second core, which is one of the multiple cores other than the first core, by the boot program of the first core; and a reset unit resets the printer after rewriting the firmware of the first core and the firmware of the second core by the boot program of the first core ends.

Abstract: Text data is acquired from print request data, print content is expressed as raster data and print data is generated using a printer command based on the print request data, the acquired text data is added to the print data using the command, and the print data is sent with the text data to the printer.

Abstract: A control device is enabled to separately produce receipts and coupons without modification of the control device. A host computer has a print control unit that generates and outputs a receipt control command causing a receipt printer to produce a receipt; and a data processing unit that determines if a coupon image print instructions command is included in the receipt control command generated by the print control unit, and if a coupon image print instructions command is included, generates and outputs to the receipt printer a receipt control command without the coupon image print instructions command, and generates and outputs to a coupon printer a coupon control command to print a coupon image based on the coupon image print instructions command.

Abstract: Delaying processing based on received commands is suppressed while preventing executing parallel processes involving operation of hardware. Servers can send printing commands and non-printing commands to a printing device. When a printing command is received from a first server and a printing command is then received from another server different from the first server while a process based on the printing command received from the first server is executing, the printing device does not execute the process based on the printing command received from the other server; but if a non-printing command is received from another server, the printing device executes a process based on the non-printing command received from the other server parallel to the process based on the printing command received from the first server.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a printing apparatus storage unit that stores firmware to which a public key is added, the public key being information related to a public key encryption method; a printing apparatus network-communication unit that receives signature information obtained by encrypting a hash value of overwriting firmware with a private key corresponding to the public key, from the management server, and that receives the overwriting firmware from the file providing server; and a printing apparatus control unit that determines validity of the overwriting firmware by comparing a hash value generated by decrypting the signature information which is received from the management server with the public key stored in the printing apparatus storage unit, and a hash value of the overwriting firmware which is received from the file providing server.

Abstract: Disclosed is a server unit connectable to a printing apparatus, the server unit being configured to: receive printing apparatus information from the printing apparatus and transmit an address which designates a storage location of overwriting firmware of firmware to the printing apparatus in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied; and transmit the overwriting firmware to the printing apparatus in a case where a request of transmission of the overwriting firmware based on the address is received from the printing apparatus.

Abstract: Concentrating the processing load on a specific device can be suppressed when producing coupons by effectively using information printed on a receipt. A host computer 12 has a print control unit 20a that generates and outputs a control command to produce a receipt to a receipt printer 10; and a command interpreting unit 20b that interprets a receipt control command generated by the print control unit 20a, extracts specific information contained in the control command for each server, generates transmission data for each server based on the extracted information, and sends the transmission data to the respective servers.

Abstract: A print data processing device that is a device for processing print data transmitted from a host device, and electronically providing printouts according to user needs without making changes on the host device side and without wasting paper.

Abstract: A printing device 1 has a print unit 21 that prints; a storage unit 23 that stores identification information; and a communication unit 22 that wirelessly transmits a position correction signal S1 including identification information stored in the storage unit 23.

Abstract: Redundant monitoring of the same printer by multiple monitoring devices when multiple monitoring devices monitor multiple printers is prevented in a network system 1 including a printer, multiple monitoring devices able to monitor printer states, and an information processing device. A monitoring device requests, at a specific interval, from one or more printers targeted for monitoring, a response of printer state information related to a state of the printer; receives printer state information in response to the request; and sends the received printer state information to the information processing device. The information processing device manages the state of the printer based on the received printer state information. When requested for a response of printer state information by a different monitoring device, the printer stops requesting a response of printer state information by monitoring devices other than a specific monitoring device.

Abstract: Delaying processing based on received commands is suppressed while preventing executing parallel processes involving operation of hardware. Servers can send printing commands and non-printing commands to a printing device. When a printing command is received from a first server and a printing command is then received from another server different from the first server while a process based on the printing command received from the first server is executing, the printing device does not execute the process based on the printing command received from the other server; but if a non-printing command is received from another server, the printing device executes a process based on the non-printing command received from the other server parallel to the process based on the printing command received from the first server.

Abstract: Functionality for issuing instructions related to the status of a printing device can be added to a control device capable of connecting to a printing device while suppressing modification of programs installed on the control device. A network system 1 includes a printer 9 that prints on recording media, and a control device 8 capable of communicating with the printer 9. The control device 8 has a control unit that generates and outputs by a printing program a command instructing the printer 9 to print; and a management unit that adds a maintenance command issuing an instruction related to the status of the printer 9 to the command output by the control unit, and sends the command with the added maintenance command to the printer 9, by a maintenance program that is different from the printing program.

Abstract: Increasing the processing load on the server is suppressed in a network system in which response requests are intermittently transmitted from a client to a server. A network system has a client configured to transmit response requests at a specific time interval, and a server configured to send a response to the client according to a received response request. The server calculates a communication interval indicating an interval at which the client is to transmit its response request based on a factor affecting the processing load of the server, and sends communication interval information indicating the calculated communication interval to the client. The client transmits its response request at the time interval indicated by the communication interval information received from the server.

Abstract: Text data is acquired from print request data, print content is expressed as raster data and print data is generated using a printer command based on the print request data, the acquired text data is added to the print data using the command, and the print data is sent with the text data to the printer.

Abstract: Text data is acquired from print request data, print content is expressed as raster data and print data is generated using a printer command based on the print request data, the acquired text data is added to the print data using the command, and the print data is sent with the text data to the printer.

Abstract: A printer having multiple processor cores, and a firmware rewriting method for the printer, enable rewriting firmware in a short time. A first rewrite controller 74 controls rewriting the firmware of the first core by the boot program of the first core; a second rewrite controller 75 controls rewriting the firmware of a second core, which is one of the multiple cores other than the first core, by the boot program of the first core; and a reset unit 76 resets the printer after rewriting the firmware of the first core and the firmware of the second core by the boot program of the first core ends.

Abstract: A device control program can be updated even when the printing device is busy. A control method of a printer 2 having a storage unit 32 storing a device control program 36 and a boot program 37, and a communication interface 21 that communicates with a host device 1, includes: a receive change-mode request step of receiving a change-mode request from the host device 1 through the communication interface 21; a change mode step of changing from a normal control mode in which the device control program 36 runs to a boot control mode in which the boot program 37 runs based on the change-mode request; the communication interface 21 receiving a change-mode request in the receive change-mode request step even if the communication interface 21 reports being busy.

Abstract: A control device suppresses modifying a program related to printer control when a connected printer is replaced with a printer having a different structure. A host computer has a print controller that can execute processes based on status data; a virtual second printing device that outputs response data when a control command output from the print controller is input; and a data processing unit that converts the input control command to a control command compatible with an inkjet printer and outputs to the inkjet printer when a control command output from the print controller is input, and when status data from the inkjet printer is input, converts the status data to data compatible with a thermal printer based on the structural differences between the inkjet printer and the thermal printer, and outputs to the print controller.

Abstract: The configuration of printing devices can be changed in a system that controls printing devices without changing the configuration of the control device. A first printer 30 has a first printer print unit 60; a USB interface 40 that connects to a host computer 10; and a device information storage unit 54B that stores device information including the type of a print unit different from the first printer print unit 60; the device control unit 51 outputting device information stored in the device information storage unit 54B to the host computer 10 when the host computer 10 is connected.