Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Controller
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-12
2003-12-23
Meier, Stephen D. (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Controller
Reexamination Certificate
active
06666540
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a technique for detecting the presence of a print recording medium reservoir when a plurality of print recording medium reservoirs equipped with bus-connected memory device are used.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Print recording material reservoirs equipped with memory devices, such as ink cartridges, have come to be used. In the memory device are stored, for example, data relating to the amount of printing/recording medium (“ink”), data relating to the type of ink, and information as to the year and date the ink cartridge was manufactured. In color printers, ordinarily at least four colors of ink are used, namely cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink, and black ink. Accordingly, a printer is equipped either with two ink cartridges, namely a black ink cartridge and a color ink cartridge, or with four ink cartridges, with one cartridge being for each color.
Further, to reduce the number of signal lines connecting each memory device provided on an ink cartridge with a control circuit, a technique is known whereby the signal line that identifies each memory device is eliminated, and a bus connection is used in which each memory device is connected using a common bus. With this technique, an identifying figure that has been uniquely assigned to each memory device is used to specify (identify) each bus-connected memory device.
However, with the bus connection format, the problem arises that, although the removal of an ink cartridge can be detected, when a plurality of ink cartridges are removed at the same time, it is impossible to identify which ink cartridge has been removed. Moreover, when communication between each memory device provided on an ink cartridge and the control circuit of the printer does not occur correctly, it cannot be ascertained in which memory device (ink cartridge) a malfunction has developed; the user must detach all of the ink cartridges to confirm their operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to solve the aforementioned problems, and has the aim of detecting communication malfunctions that have developed in a print recording material reservoir, and obtaining information regarding such malfunctions, in the case of a printing device equipped with a plurality of print recording material reservoirs equipped with bus-connected memory devices. Another object of the present invention is to detect which print recording material reservoir is not present. A further object of the present invention is to detect in which memory device with which a print recording material reservoir has been equipped has a malfunction when communication between a memory device and a printing device does not occur correctly.
In the first aspect of the present invention intended to solve the problems, a malfunction detecting device for print recording material reservoirs equipped with a memory device that stores identifying information is provided. The malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention comprises signal lines that connect via bus connection each of the memory devices with which the plurality of print recording material reservoirs are equipped; a communication determining unit that determines whether communication is possible with all the memory devices with which the print recording material reservoirs are equipped, via the signal lines; and a malfunctioning print recording material reservoir identifying unit that identifies the print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device in which a communication malfunction has developed, based on the identifying information, when the communication determining unit determines that communication is not possible with all of the memory devices.
With the first aspect of the present invention, it is determined whether communication is possible with memory devices with which a plurality of print recording material reservoirs are equipped. When a communication malfunction has developed, the print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device in which a communication malfunction has developed is specified using identifying information. As a result, when a printing device has a plurality of print recording material reservoirs equipped with bus-connected memory devices, it is possible to detect in which print recording material reservoir a communication malfunction has developed. Here, determining the print recording material reservoir equipped with a memory device in which a communication malfunction has developed can readily be accomplished, for example, by transmitting identifying information to memory devices, and basing the determination on whether or not the memory devices to which identifying information has been transmitted respond. Alternatively, identifying information stored by memory devices may be detected, and the determination based on whether or not the expected identifying information exists.
The malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention may also comprise an attachment determining unit determining whether the print recording material reservoirs are attached when the plurality of print recording material reservoirs have been moved to a position in which the print recording material reservoirs cannot be removed; and a communication malfunction reason determining unit determining whether a communication malfunction has been caused by a print recording material reservoir not being attached, when it is determined that the print recording material reservoir is not attached.
In this case, by providing a structure in which detachment of print recording material reservoirs is not permitted, it is possible to detect with certainty the existence of print recording material reservoirs, and it is also possible to ascertain whether the reason for a communication malfunction lies in an attachment failure of a print recording material reservoir.
In the malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention, when it is determined that the print recording material reservoir is not attached, the communication malfunction reason determining unit may also determine that the cause of the communication malfunction lies in a communication malfunction arising in a memory device with which the print recording material reservoir has been equipped. In such a case, it can be determined that the reason for a communication malfunction that has arisen even though the print recording material reservoirs are attached lies in a communication malfunction occurring in a memory device with which a print recording material reservoir has been equipped.
In the malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention, the communication determining unit may also determine whether or not communication is possible with all of the memory devices with which the print recording material reservoirs have been equipped, when the plurality of print recording material reservoirs have been moved to a position in which the print recording material reservoirs cannot be removed. In such a case, because the print recording material reservoirs cannot freely be detached, communication malfunctions can be determined with more certainty.
In the malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention, the malfunctioning print recording material reservoir identifying unit may also retrieve identifying information for each of the plurality of print recording material reservoirs successively, and identify the print recording material reservoir that has a memory device in which identifying information is stored that cannot be detected as the print recording material reservoir in which the communication malfunction has arisen.
In the malfunction detecting device of the first aspect of the present invention, the identifying information may also be information relating to the print recording material contained in the print recording material reservoir. In such a case, the information relating to the print recording medium can be used to implement printing management.
In a second a
Martine & Penilla LLP
Meier Stephen D.
Seiko Epson Corporation
Stewart Jr. Charles W.
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