Pen start up algorithm for black and color thermal ink-jet pens

Claim 1

A method for start up of a printhead cartridge of a thermal ink-jet printer, the printhead cartridge having a plurality of ink jet nozzles and heater resistors respectively associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of: (A) performing a first nozzle clearing procedure on the printhead cartridge; (B) optically testing each of said nozzles to determine whether lack of said nozzles is non-operational; (C) if any nozzles are determined to be non-operational pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (B), performing a second nozzle clearing procedure that is more severe as to damage to the printhead cartridge than the first nozzle clearing procedure, and repeating step (B); and (D) if any nozzles are determined to be non-operational pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (B) as repeated pursuant to step (C), performing a third nozzle clearing procedure that is more severe as to damage to the printhead cartridge than the second nozzle clearing procedure.

Claim 2

A method for start up of a printhead cartridge of a thermal ink-jet printer, the printhead cartridge having a plurality of ink jet nozzles and heater resistors respectively associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of: (A) performing a first nozzle clearing procedure on the printhead cartridge; (B) optically testing each of said nozzles to determine whether lack of said nozzles is non-operational; (C) if any nozzles are determined to be non-operational pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (B), performing a second nozzle clearing procedure that is more severe as to damage to the printhead cartridge than the first nozzle clearing procedure, and repeating step (B); and (D) if any nozzles are determined to be non-operational pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (B) as repeated pursuant to step (C), performing a third nozzle clearing procedure that is more severe as to damage to the printhead cartridge than the second nozzle clearing procedure.

Claim 7

A method for start-up of a printhead cartridge of a thermal ink-jet printer, the printhead cartridge having a plurality of ink jet nozzles and heater resistors respectively associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of: (A) checking whether a temperature of the printhead is at least as high as a predetermined clearing temperature, warming the printhead to the predetermined clearing temperature if necessary, and driving each of the heater resistors with a first predetermined number of clearing pulses; (B) designating all nozzles as bad nozzles; (C) optically testing each of said bad nozzles to determine whether it is operational, and designating an operational bad nozzle as a good nozzle; (D) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C), repeating step (A), and repeating step (C); (E) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (D), repeating step (A), and repeating step (C); (F) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (E), checking whether the temperature of the printhead is at least as high as the predetermined clearing temperature, warming the printhead to the predetermined clearing temperature if necessary, and driving each of the heater resistors with a second predetermined number of nozzle clearing pulses, wherein the second predetermined number of clearing pulses is greater than the first predetermined number of clearing pulses; and (G) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (F), performing the following: (1) priming the printhead; (2) wiping the nozzle array of the printhead; and (3) checking whether the temperature of the printhead is at least as high as the predetermined clearing temperature, warming the printhead to the predetermined clearing temperature if necessary, and driving each of the heater resistors with the second predetermined number of nozzle clearing pulses, wherein the second predetermined number of clearing pulses is greater than the first predetermined number of clearing pulses.

Claim 8

A method for start-up of a printhead cartridge of a thermal ink-jet printer, the printhead cartridge having a plurality of ink jet nozzles and heater resistors respectively associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of: (A) checking whether a temperature of the printhead is at least as high as a predetermined clearing temperature, warming the printhead to the predetermined clearing temperature if necessary, and driving each of the heater resistors with a first predetermined number of clearing pulses; (B) designating all nozzles as bad nozzles; (C) optically testing each of said bad nozzles to determine whether it is operational, and designating an operational bad nozzle as a good nozzle; (D) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C), repeating step (A), and repeating step (C); (E) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (D), repeating step (A), and repeating step (C); (F) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (E), checking whether the temperature of the printhead is at least as high as the predetermined clearing temperature, warming the printhead to the predetermined clearing temperature if necessary, and driving each of the heater resistors with a second predetermined number of nozzle clearing pulses, wherein the second predetermined number of clearing pulses is greater than the first predetermined number of clearing pulses; and (G) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (F), performing the following: (1) priming the printhead; (2) wiping the nozzle array of the printhead; and (3) checking whether the temperature of the printhead is at least as high as the predetermined clearing temperature, warming the printhead to the predetermined clearing temperature if necessary, and driving each of the heater resistors with the second predetermined number of nozzle clearing pulses, wherein the second predetermined number of clearing pulses is greater than the first predetermined number of clearing pulses.

Claim 11

A method for start up of a printhead cartridge of a thermal ink-jet printer, the printhead cartridge having a plurality of ink-jet nozzles and heater resistors respectively associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of: (A) driving each of the heater resistors with a first predetermined number of clearing pulses; (B) designating all nozzles as bad nozzles; (C) optically testing each of said bad nozzles to determine whether it is operational, and designating an operational of said bad nozzles as a good nozzle; (D) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C), repeating step (A) and repeating step (C); (E) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (D), repeating step (A), and repeating step (C); (F) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (E), driving each of the heater resistors with a second predetermined number of nozzle clearing pulses, wherein the second predetermined number of clearing pulses is greater than the first predetermined number of clearing pulses; and (G) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (F), performing the following: (1) priming the printhead; (2) wiping the nozzle array of the printhead; and (3) driving each of the heater resistors with the second predetermined number of nozzle clearing pulses, wherein the second predetermined number of clearing pulses is greater than the first predetermined number of clearing pulses.

Claim 12

A method for start up of a printhead cartridge of a thermal ink-jet printer, the printhead cartridge having a plurality of ink-jet nozzles and heater resistors respectively associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of: (A) driving each of the heater resistors with a first predetermined number of clearing pulses; (B) designating all nozzles as bad nozzles; (C) optically testing each of said bad nozzles to determine whether it is operational, and designating an operational of said bad nozzles as a good nozzle; (D) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C), repeating step (A) and repeating step (C); (E) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (D), repeating step (A), and repeating step (C); (F) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (E), driving each of the heater resistors with a second predetermined number of nozzle clearing pulses, wherein the second predetermined number of clearing pulses is greater than the first predetermined number of clearing pulses; and (G) if any nozzles are determined to be bad pursuant to the optical testing performed in step (C) as repeated pursuant to step (F), performing the following: (1) priming the printhead; (2) wiping the nozzle array of the printhead; and (3) driving each of the heater resistors with the second predetermined number of nozzle clearing pulses, wherein the second predetermined number of clearing pulses is greater than the first predetermined number of clearing pulses.