Printing systems and methods

Details Printing systems and methods Printing systems and methods

2000-04-28

2001-07-24

Lee, Susan S. Y. (Department: 2852)

Electrophotography

Diagnostics

Consumable

C358S001130, C399S023000, C399S027000, C399S028000, C399S082000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06266493

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a printing system and, more particularly, to a printing system that stores image data for reprinting at a later time.
Printing devices may be inefficient users of consumable resources such as paper, ink, and fuser agent. Waste may result from scrap prints created during the set-up of the devices, or purged prints after paper jams or other malfunctions. Further, a customer may reject some prints as being poor image quality or finishing quality.
Another source of waste may be deliberate overprints to allow for loss during post-print processing, notably finishing.
Operators of production devices may have no method to accurately determine the quantity of consumables needed to re-print a job. Thus, operators, lacking methods of monitoring whether they will have sufficient consumables, may order excessive consumables.
The following document may be relevant to the instant disclosure: U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,129 issued Jan. 17, 1995 to Farrell.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide printing systems and methods that address the problems described above.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a method comprises generating a first signal indicating a quantity of a first set of printed documents; generating a second signal indicating a quantity of a resource consumed in producing the quantity of the first set; storing the first and second signals; receiving a third signal indicating a desired quantity of a second set; and estimating a quantity of the resource needed to effect the desired quantity of the second set, the estimating depending on the first, second, and third signals.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a system comprises a generator that generates an associating signal associating a first signal indicating a quantity of a first set of printed documents, with a second signal indicating a quantity of a resource consumed in producing the quantity of the first set; a memory that stores the associating signal; receiver that receives a third signal indicating a desired quantity of a second set; and an estimator that estimates a quantity of the resource needed to effect the desired quantity of the second set, the estimating depending on the first, second, and third signals.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a system comprises means for receiving first signal indicating a quantity of a first set of printed documents; means for generating a second signal indicating a quantity of a resource consumed in producing the quantity of the first set; means for storing the first and second signals; means for receiving a third signal indicating a desired quantity of a second set; and means for estimating a quantity of the resource needed to effect the desired quantity of the second set, the estimating depending on the first, second, and third signals.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5036361 (1991-07-01), Filion et al.
patent: 5383129 (1995-01-01), Farrell
patent: 5881337 (1999-03-01), Higashikawa et al.
patent: 6027200 (2000-02-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 62-3267 (1987-01-01), None
patent: 1-127769 (1989-10-01), None
patent: 6-138739 (1994-05-01), None
patent: 8-152824 (1996-06-01), None

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