Patent US3966377A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0720916A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Ink supply identification system for a printer
Assignee: Xerox Corp
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Filing: 1996-01-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-01-03
Abstract
Abstract A printer (10) having an ink supply identification system includes an ink supply (26), an ink supply identification corresponding to the ink supply, a memory (20) to store the ink supply identification and printer data, a control device (22) for comparing the ink supply identification to the printer data stored in the memory and for controlling the operation of the printer in response to the ink supply identification, and a print element (54) connected to the ink supply and the control device. The printer has increased reliability that enables a high quality printed image to be produced consistently.
Inventors
- 👤 William G. Hawkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 18:23
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17566; B41J2/17503; B41J2/17513; B41J2/17543; B41J2/17546
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A printer (10) having an ink supply identification system, said ink supply system comprising: an ink supply (26); an ink supply identification corresponding to said ink supply; a print element (54) connected to said ink supply and said printer; and control means (22) for controlling an operation of said printer in response to said ink supply identification, characterised by: said control means including recognition means for recognizing said ink supply identification of said ink supply and for transmitting a signal corresponding to said ink supply identification.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
51 words
The printer of claim 1, wherein said recognition means recognizes one of a plurality of signals from said ink supply; wherein one of said plurality of signals indicates that said ink supply is authorized or unauthorised; and wherein one of said plurality of signals indicates that said ink supply is depleted.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The printer of claims 1 or 2, wherein said control means permits the operation of said printer to continue only if said control means receives a signal indicating that said ink supply is authorized.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The printer of any of the preceding claims, wherein said recognition means includes ink quantity detection means for detecting a quantity of ink remaining in said ink supply.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The printer of claim 4, further comprising a memory (20) connected to said control means, wherein said ink quantity detection means detects said quantity of ink remaining in said ink supply by comparing a number of firing cycles completed by said print element of said printer with a predetermined maximum number of firing cycles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The printer of claim 1, wherein said ink supply identification is a magnetically encoded strip and said recognition means is a strip reader for reading said magnetically encoded strip.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The printer of any of the preceding claims, wherein said ink supply (26) and said print element (54) are disposed within a print cartridge (2) and said print cartridge is removably insertible into said printer (10).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The printer of claim 7, wherein said ink supply is permanently attached to said print cartridge (2) such that a user cannot remove said ink supply from said print cartridge.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
126 words
The printer of claim 1, further comprising a memory connected to said control means, said memory containing said ink supply identification; and wherein said memory includes a used ink supply register, said used ink supply register containing at least one used ink supply identification corresponding to an ink supply that has been at least partially depleted by said printer, a spent ink supply register, said spent ink supply register containing at least one spent ink supply identification corresponding to an ink supply that has been depleted by said printer, or an authorized ink supply register, said authorized ink supply register containing at least one authorized ink supply identification corresponding to an authorized ink supply, wherein said authorized ink supply is suited for use in said printer.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
77 words
A method of maintaining the reliability of a printer (10) having an ink supply identification system that includes an ink supply (26), a print element (54), and control means (22), the method comprising the steps of: connecting said print element to said printer; and connecting said ink supply to said print element; characterised by: detecting an ink supply identification of said ink supply; and controlling an operation of said printer in accordance with said ink supply identification.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said printer further comprises providing a memory (20), and wherein said step of controlling includes comparing a detected ink supply identification with at least one said ink supply identification stored in said memory.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
47 words
The method of claims 10 or 11, further characterised by continuing an operation of said printer if said detected ink supply identification matches said ink supply identification, or discontinuing an operation of said printer if said detected ink supply identification does not match said ink supply identification.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
75 words
The method of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein said step of controlling includes logging a number of completed firing cycles corresponding to a number of drops expelled by said print element; updating said number of completed firing cycles; comparing said number of completed firing cycles to a predetermined maximum number of firing cycles; and disabling said printer when said number of completed firing cycles reaches said maximum number of maximum firing cycles.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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