Systems and methods for improved operation and troubleshooting of a printing device
View Patent ↗Systems and methods are described herein for improved operation and troubleshooting of a printing device. A printing device includes a master module wherein printing device operation data can be stored in non-volatile memory. The master module is provided with non-volatile memory or an uninterruptible power source so that the master module memory may be retained and dumped upon request. The memory dump may transmit the memory contents to a local external device through a port, such as an infrared port or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, or the memory contents may be transmitted to a remote location. The dumped data may then be analyzed to quickly identify a problem component in the printing device.
1. A printing device, comprising:
a printing device power supply that provides an electrical current to the printing device;
a master module to facilitate troubleshooting of the printing device when the electrical current from the printing device power supply to the printing device is interrupted; the master module including master module memory, a communications program module, and a master module power source;
printing device memory that includes a print processing program module and an error processing program module; the print processing program module to perform printing functions of the printing device, and the error processing program module to store at least one error message in the master module memory; and
a port to transmit memory contents;
wherein the master module power source is to supply electricity to the master module to persist the at least one error message in the master module memory if the electrical current from the printing device power supply to the printing device is interrupted; and
wherein the communications program module is to dump the at least one error message from the master module memory via the port while the electrical current from the printing device power supply to the printing device is interrupted by using the master module power source.
2. The printing device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one error message is generated by the error processing program module to identify an operational problem with the printing device.
3. The printing device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the printing device memory further includes a usage processing program module, the usage processing program module to store at least one usage parameter in the master module memory;
the master module power source is to supply electricity to the master module to persist the at least one usage parameter in the master module memory if the electrical current from the printing device power supply to the printing device is interrupted; and
wherein the communications program module is to dump the at least one usage parameter from the master module memory via the port while the electrical current from the printing device power supply to the printing device is interrupted by using the master module power source.
4. The printing device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the at least one usage parameter relates to at least one of a number of pages printed, a printing material usage, or a print mechanism life.
5. The printing device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications program module is to dump the at least one error message from the master module memory via the port automatically without a command being entered when the electrical current from the printing device power supply to the printing device is interrupted.
6. The printing device as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
the master module further includes an interface module having an interface program module, the interface program module to receive a command to dump the memory contents; and
the communications program module is to dump the at least one error message from the master module memory via the port in response to the interface program module receiving the command to dump the memory contents.
7. The printing device as recited in claim 6 , further comprising:
a user interface including a display and a keypad; the display to provide messages to a user, and the keypad to allow the user to enter at least one of instructions or data to the printing device.
8. The printing device as recited in claim 7 , wherein the interface module of the master module comprises the user interface of the printing device; and wherein the master module power source is to supply electricity to the user interface of the printing device if the electrical current from the printing device power supply to the printing device is interrupted.
9. The printing device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the master module power source comprises a non-interruptible power source.
10. The printing device as recited in claim 9 , wherein the non-interruptible power source comprises a battery.
11. The printing device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the master module memory comprises non-volatile memory.
12. The printing device as recited in claim 2 , wherein the port comprises at least one of an input/output (I/O) port, a communications port, or an infrared (IR) port.
13. The printing device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the port comprises at least one of a modem, network interface card, or a Universal Serial Bus (USE).
14. The printing device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications program module is to dump the at least one error message from the master module memory via the port to transmit the at least one error message to a local device.
15. The printing device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the communications program module is to dump the at least one error message from the master module memory via the port to transmit the at least one error message to a remote device.
16. The printing device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the printing device comprises at least one of a laser printer, an inkjet printer, a copier, a plotter, a printer, or a facsimile machine.
17. A printing device, comprising:
a printing device power supply that provides an electrical currrent to the printing device;
a master module to facilitate troubleshooting of the printing device when the electrical current from the printing device power supply to the printing device is interrupted; the master module including master module memory, a communications program module, and a master module power source;
printing device memory that includes a print processing program module and a usage processing program module; the print processing program module to perform printing functions of the printing device, and the usage processing program module to store at least one usage parameter in the master module memory; and
a port to transmit memory contents;
wherein the master module power source is to supply electricity to the master module to persist the at least one usage parameter in the master module memory if the electrical current from the printing device power supply to the printing device is interrupted; and
wherein the communications program module is to dump the at least one usage parameter from the master module memory via the port while the electrical current from the printing device power supply to the printing device is interrupted by using the master module power source.