Media processing device and method of controlling a media processing device

Abstract

Maintenance requirements are reduced by using only a subset of the functions of a media processing device having plural function units for processing processed media. When a control unit of the media processing device receives a command from a host computer to disable a function of an inkjet printer unit disposed to a conveyance path for the processed media or to disable a function of a contact image sensor unit disposed to the conveyance path, a function-disabled mode is entered that disables the specified function. While in the function-disabled mode, detected operating errors related to the disabled function are not reported to the host computer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A media processing device comprising:
 a conveyance path that conveys processed media;   a print unit that is disposed to the conveyance path and has a function that prints on the processed media;   a reading unit that is disposed to the conveyance path and has a function that reads the processed media; and   a control unit that, when a command to disable the function of the print unit or the reading unit is received from an external device, enters a function-disabled mode that disables the specified function and, when an error related to the disabled function of the print unit or the reading unit is detected, does not report the error to the external device.   
     
     
         2 . The media processing device described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the print unit includes an inkjet recording head that records by ejecting ink stored in an ink storage unit onto the processed media.   
     
     
         3 . The media processing device described in  claim 2 , wherein:
 when the command to disable the function of the print unit is received after the ink storage unit is enabled to supply ink, the control unit does not enter the function-disabled mode.   
     
     
         4 . The media processing device described in  claim 2 , wherein:
 when the command to disable the function of the print unit is received after the ink storage unit is enabled to supply ink, the control unit enters the function-disabled mode and enables executing specific maintenance operations related to the print unit.   
     
     
         5 . The media processing device described in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the control unit considers invalid and does not report a subset of errors related to the function disabled in the function-disabled mode, but reports other errors related to the disabled function, to the external device.   
     
     
         6 . A method of controlling a media processing device that includes a print unit disposed to a conveyance path and a reading unit disposed to the conveyance path, the print unit having a function that prints on a processed media, and a reading unit having a function that reads the processed media, the method comprising:
 receiving a command from an external device to disable at least one of the function of the print unit or the function of the reading unit;   entering a function-disabled mode that disables the specified at least one function when the command to disable the at least one of the function of the print unit or the function of the reading unit is received from the external device; and   when an error related to the disabled function of the print unit or the reading unit is detected, not reporting the error to the external device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of controlling a media processing device described in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the print unit includes an inkjet recording head that records by ejecting ink stored in an ink storage unit onto the processed media; and   when a command to disable the function of the print unit is received after the ink storage unit is enabled to supply ink, the function-disabled mode is not entered.   
     
     
         8 . The method of controlling a media processing device described in  claim 7 , further comprising:
 entering the function-disabled mode and enabling executing specific maintenance operations related to the print unit when the command to disable the function of the print unit is received after the ink storage unit is enabled to supply ink.   
     
     
         9 . The method of controlling a media processing device described in  claim 7 , wherein:
 a subset of errors related to the function disabled in the function-disabled mode are not reported, but other errors related to the disabled function are reported, to the external device.   
     
     
         10 . A method for controlling a check processing device that receives commands from an external device, the method comprising:
 detecting an error of the check processing device;   determining whether the check processing device is in a printing-disabled mode;   if the check processing device is in the printing-disabled mode, determining whether the error is related to printing; and   if the check processing device is in the printing-disabled mode and the error is related to printing, ending processing of the error without reporting the error to the external device.   
     
     
         11 . The method for controlling a check processing device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 if at least one of the check processing device is in the printing-disabled mode or the error is not related to printing, reporting the error to the external device.   
     
     
         12 . The method for controlling a check processing device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a set printing-disabled mode command from the external device; and   placing the check processing device into the printing-disabled mode in response to the received set printing-disabled mode command.   
     
     
         13 . The method for controlling a check processing device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 if an ink cartridge is installed in the check processing device, setting a printing-disabled mode prohibited flag;   receiving a set printing-disabled mode command from the external device;   if the printing-disabled mode prohibited flag is not set, placing the check processing device into the printing-disabled mode in response to the received set printing-disabled mode command; and   if the printing-disabled mode prohibited flag is set, ending processing of the received set printing-disabled mode command without placing the check processing device into the printing-disabled mode.   
     
     
         14 . The method of controlling a check processing device of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 if the printing-disabled mode prohibited flag is set, reporting that the check processing device cannot be placed into the printing-disabled mode.   
     
     
         15 . The method of controlling a check processing device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a command from the external device to execute a process;   if the commanded process is at least one of not a print process or the check processing device is not in the printing-disabled mode, executing the commanded process; and   if the commanded process is a print process and the check processing device is in the printing-disabled mode, ending processing of the command without executing the commanded process.