Incremental printing of symbolic information – Ink jet – Controller
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-11
2001-07-31
Barlow, John (Department: 2853)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Ink jet
Controller
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267463
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to ink-jet printing systems that make use of a replaceable printing component. More particularly, the present invention relates to replaceable printing components that include an electrical storage device for providing information to the ink-jet printing system.
Ink-jet printers frequently make use of an ink-jet printhead mounted within a carriage that is moved back and forth across a print media, such as paper. As the printhead is moved across the print media, a control system activates the printhead to deposit or eject ink droplets onto the print media to form images and text. Ink is provided to the printhead by a supply of ink which is either carried by the carriage or mounted to the printing system to not move with the carriage. For the case where the ink supply is not carried with the carriage, the ink supply can be intermittently or continuously connected to the printhead for replenishing the printhead. In either case, the replaceable printing components, such as the ink container and the printhead, require periodic replacement. The ink supply is replaced when exhausted. The printhead is replaced at the end of printhead life.
It is frequently desirable to alter printer parameters concurrently with the replacement of printer components such as discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/584,499 entitled “Replaceable Part With Integral Memory For Usage, Calibration And Other Data” assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Patent application Ser. No. 08/584,499 discloses the use of a memory device, which contains parameters relating to the replaceable part. The installation of the replaceable part allows the printer to access the replaceable part parameters to insure high print quality. By incorporating the memory device into the replaceable part and storing replaceable part parameters in the memory device within the replaceable component the printing system can determine these parameters upon installation into the printing system. This automatic updating of printer parameters frees the user from having to update printer parameters each time a replaceable component is newly installed. Automatically updating printer parameters with replaceable component parameters insures high print quality. In addition, this automatic parameter updating tends to ensure the printer is not inadvertently damaged due to improper operation, such as, operating after the supply of ink is exhausted or operation with the wrong or non-compatible printer components.
It is important that the exchange of information between the printer and the replaceable printing component be accomplished in a highly reliable manner. This exchange of information should not require the intervention of the user thereby ensuring greater ease of use and greater reliability. Furthermore, it is important that the integrity of the information be preserved. In the event that the information associated with the replaceable component is corrupted in some manner, it is important that the printer be capable of identifying this data as corrupted. Furthermore, in the event that information is corrupted the printing system should be capable of continuing operation to the extent that print quality is not diminished or the printer is not damaged. Finally, it is important that the printing system have sufficient flexibility to accommodate improvements and additional printer parameters necessary to support these improvements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure relates to a replaceable printing component for an ink-jet printing system having at least one replaceable printing component. The replaceable printing component includes an electrical storage device responsive to printing system control signals for transferring information between the printing component and the ink-jet printing system. The electrical storage device includes a storage portion containing a plurality of parameter fields associated with the replaceable printing component. Included in the electrical storage device is a plurality of each parameter values stored in each the plurality of parameter fields. The electrical storage device is responsive to control signals for selectively transferring a block of parameter values having a preselected size between the ink-jet printer and the storage portion. The plurality of parameter fields are sized and arranged in the storage portion to ensure each of the plurality of parameter fields is transferred in a single block of parameter values between the ink-jet printer and the storage portion.
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Lowe David J.
Paulsen Ronald R.
Pritchard Thomas B.
Ross Eric P.
Barlow John
Hewlett--Packard Company
Stewart Jr. Charles W.
Sullivan Kevin B.
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