Patent US6184670B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6655779B2
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Judgement on compatibility between ink cartridges and printing apparatus
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 2001-11-26
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Granted: 2003-12-02
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Expires: 2021-11-26
Abstract
Abstract The object of the present invention is to provide a technique that flexibly determines compatibility of an ink cartridge with a printing apparatus with high accuracy. The ink cartridge has a storage element that stores therein compatible driver information, which is used to specify a printer driver compatible with the ink cartridge. The printing apparatus collates information of a selected printer driver with the compatible driver information and determines compatibility of the ink cartridge with the printer driver. The printer driver changes over the method of generating print data, based on the compatible driver information.
Inventors
- 👤 Kiyofumi Usui
- 👤 Hideto Matsuzaka
- 👤 Kazuo Koshino
- 👤 Toshihisa Saruta
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:38
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/17; B41J2/175; B41J2/17503; B41J2/17543; B41J2/17546
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
An ink cartridge attachable to a printing apparatus, said ink cartridge comprising: a storage element that stores therein compatible driver information, which is used to specify a printer driver compatible with said ink cartridge, wherein the compatible driver information expresses compatibility of said ink cartridge with multiple printer drivers in a stepwise manner.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
53 words
An ink cartridge attachable to a printing apparatus, said ink cartridge comprising: a storage element that stores therein compatible driver information, which is used to specify a printer driver compatible with said ink cartridge, wherein the compatible driver information expresses compatibility of said ink cartridge with multiple printer drivers in a stepwise manner.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the compatible driver information includes version information of the printer driver.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the compatible driver information includes prohibition information to specify at least one of a printing apparatus and a printer driver, for which use of said ink cartridge is prohibited.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the compatible driver information stores a mapping of said ink cartridge to multiple printer drivers with regard to each printing apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 1 , said ink cartridge keeping one ink, wherein said storage element further stores therein ink specification information, which is used to specify the ink kept in said ink cartridge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the ink specification information includes color information of the ink.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the ink specification information includes composition information of the ink.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 5 , wherein said printing apparatus is capable of receiving a plurality of said ink cartridges attached thereto, and the compatible driver information specifies a printer driver corresponding to a combination of ink cartridges attached to said printing apparatus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
94 words
A printing apparatus that records an image on a printing medium, said printing apparatus comprising: a main body storage unit that stores therein printer driver information, which is applied to specify a printer driver used for printing; an input module that reads a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printing apparatus; and a compatibility determination module that collates the input information with the printer driver information stored in said main body storage unit and determines compatibility of said ink cartridge with the printer driver.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
94 words
A printing apparatus that records an image on a printing medium, said printing apparatus comprising: a main body storage unit that stores therein printer driver information, which is applied to specify a printer driver used for printing; an input module that reads a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printing apparatus; and a compatibility determination module that collates the input information with the printer driver information stored in said main body storage unit and determines compatibility of said ink cartridge with the printer driver.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
A printing apparatus in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said main body storage unit further stores compatible driver information, which is used to specify a printer driver compatible with said ink cartridge, and said compatibility determination module carries out the determination, based on the compatible driver information.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
A printing apparatus in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said printing apparatus is capable of receiving a plurality of said ink cartridges attached thereto, said input module reads the predetermined piece of information from each of storage elements included in said plurality of ink cartridges, and said compatibility determination module carries out the determination, based on a combination of the predetermined piece of information.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
A print control apparatus that processes master image data and thereby generates print data, which causes a printer to print an image, said print control apparatus comprising: an input module that reads a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printer; and a processing control module that changes over a method of generating the print data, based on the input information.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
70 words
A print control apparatus that processes master image data and thereby generates print data, which causes a printer to print an image, said print control apparatus comprising: an input module that reads a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printer; and a processing control module that changes over a method of generating the print data, based on the input information.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
65 words
A print control apparatus in accordance with claim 12 , wherein said printer is capable of receiving a plurality of said ink cartridges attached thereto, said input module reads the predetermined piece of information from each of storage elements included in said plurality of ink cartridges, and said processing control module carries out the changeover, based on a combination of the predetermined piece of information.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of controlling a printing apparatus that records an image on a printing medium, said method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving printer driver information, which is applied to specify a printer driver used for printing; (b) reading a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printing apparatus; and (c) collating the input information with the printer driver information to specify adequacy of printing.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of controlling a printing apparatus that records an image on a printing medium, said method comprising the steps of: (a) receiving printer driver information, which is applied to specify a printer driver used for printing; (b) reading a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printing apparatus; and (c) collating the input information with the printer driver information to specify adequacy of printing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the input information includes prohibition information to specify either of a printing apparatus and a printer driver, for which use of said ink cartridge is prohibited, and said step (c) comprises the step of prohibiting operation of said printing apparatus when the prohibition information is coincident with the printer driver information.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
66 words
A print control method that processes master image data and thereby generates print data, which causes a printer to print an image, said print control method comprising the steps of: (a) reading a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printer; and (b) changing over a method of generating the print data, based on the input information.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
66 words
A print control method that processes master image data and thereby generates print data, which causes a printer to print an image, said print control method comprising the steps of: (a) reading a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printer; and (b) changing over a method of generating the print data, based on the input information.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
89 words
A recording medium in which a computer program for controlling a printing apparatus that records an image on a printing medium is recorded in a computer readable manner, said computer program causing a computer to attain the functions of: receiving printer driver information, which is applied to specify a printer driver used for printing; reading a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printing apparatus; and collating the input information with the printer driver information to specify adequacy of printing.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
89 words
A recording medium in which a computer program for controlling a printing apparatus that records an image on a printing medium is recorded in a computer readable manner, said computer program causing a computer to attain the functions of: receiving printer driver information, which is applied to specify a printer driver used for printing; reading a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printing apparatus; and collating the input information with the printer driver information to specify adequacy of printing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
78 words
A recording medium in which a computer program for processing master image data and thereby generating print data, which causes a printer to print an image, is recorded in a computer readable manner, said computer program causing a computer to attain the functions of: reading a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printer; and changing over a method of generating the print data, based on the input information.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
78 words
A recording medium in which a computer program for processing master image data and thereby generating print data, which causes a printer to print an image, is recorded in a computer readable manner, said computer program causing a computer to attain the functions of: reading a predetermined piece of information from a storage element included in an ink cartridge attached to said printer; and changing over a method of generating the print data, based on the input information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-12-01 | 2007-06-02 | 2007-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-12-01 | 2011-06-02 | 2011-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-12-01 | 2015-06-02 | 2015-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |