Ribbon assembly including indicia to identify operating parameters and ribbon depletion

Claim 3

A ribbon assembly for a printer operable according to a printer parameter, the ribbon assembly comprising: an indicia detector; a rotatable ribbon spool; an array of x indicia elements movable adjacent the indicia detector upon rotation of the ribbon spool, the array of x indicia elements including y first element(s); drive means for incrementally driving the ribbon spool and the array, and for moving the x indicia elements adjacent the detector for each full rotation of the ribbon spool; first counting means for counting the number of drive increments driven by the drive means upon movement of x indicia elements adjacent the indicia detector; comparison means for comparing the number of drive increments counted by the first counting means with a predetermined value; signaling means for signaling a low ribbon condition upon the number of increments counted by the first counting means being at least as great as the predetermined value; second counting means for counting the number of first element(s) moved adjacent the indicia detector by the drive means; and identifying means for identifying the printer parameter in dependence on the number counted by the second counting means; wherein x is a number greater than 1 and y is a number at least as great as 0.

Claim 4

A ribbon assembly for a printer operable according to a printer parameter, the ribbon assembly comprising: an indicia detector; a rotatable ribbon spool; an array of x indicia elements movable adjacent the indicia detector upon rotation of the ribbon spool, the array of x indicia elements including y first element(s); drive means for incrementally driving the ribbon spool and the array, and for moving the x indicia elements adjacent the detector for each full rotation of the ribbon spool; first counting means for counting the number of drive increments driven by the drive means upon movement of x indicia elements adjacent the indicia detector; comparison means for comparing the number of drive increments counted by the first counting means with a predetermined value; signaling means for signaling a low ribbon condition upon the number of increments counted by the first counting means being at least as great as the predetermined value; second counting means for counting the number of first element(s) moved adjacent the indicia detector by the drive means; and identifying means for identifying the printer parameter in dependence on the number counted by the second counting means; wherein x is a number greater than 1 and y is a number at least as great as 0.

Claim 5

A ribbon assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the array of x indicia elements comprises a rotatable annular bar code having x bars.

Claim 6

A ribbon assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the array of x indicia elements further comprises u start indicia element(s), v stop indicia element(s), w second element(s), and z separating element(s) arranged between the y first element(s) and the w second element(s); wherein x=u+v+w+y+z, and 0≦y≦x-(i+v+z).

Claim 7

A ribbon assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein u=1, v=1, z=1, and x=12.

Claim 8

In a printing apparatus operable with up to t types of ribbon spools, an improved ribbon spool comprising: a rotatable spool core; coded indicia rotatable with the spool core, the coded indicia having x indicia elements, the x indicia elements including y first indicia elements(s), u start element(s), v stop element(s), w second indicia element(s), and z separating element(s); wherein, x=u+v+w+y+z; wherein 0≦y≦x-(u+v+z); and wherein, t=[x-(u+v+z)]+1.

Claim 9

In a printing apparatus operable with up to t types of ribbon spools, an improved ribbon spool comprising: a rotatable spool core; coded indicia rotatable with the spool core, the coded indicia having x indicia elements, the x indicia elements including y first indicia elements(s), u start element(s), v stop element(s), w second indicia element(s), and z separating element(s); wherein, x=u+v+w+y+z; wherein 0≦y≦x-(u+v+z); and wherein, t=[x-(u+v+z)]+1.

Claim 10

A ribbon spool as claimed in claim 6, wherein: u-1; v=1; z=1; and x=12.

Claim 11

A ribbon spool as claimed in claim 6, wherein the printing apparatus is operable according to an operating parameter and wherein the number y represents the operating parameter.