Ink cartridge and printer using the same

• US 20050174372A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Satoshi Shinada, Toshihisa Saruta
• Original Assignee: Satoshi Shinada, Toshihisa Saruta
• Inventors: Saruta, Toshihisa, Shinada, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,393,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/7
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16517 Cleaning of print head nozzles B41J2/16505, B41J2/1707 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17526 Electrical contacts to the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/2056 by ink density change
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/17569 based on the amount printed or to be printed

Abstract

In an ink jet printer of the present invention, in order to reduce the manufacturing cost, an inexpensive EEPROM enabling only sequential accesses is applied for storage elements incorporated in a black ink cartridge and a color ink cartridge. The data array of a memory cell included in each of the storage elements mounted on the ink cartridges is determined in such a manner, that a second storage area, in which rewritable data, for example, data on remaining quantities of inks in the ink cartridge, are stored, is accessed prior to a first storage area, in which read only data are stored. This configuration enables the rewritable data to be securely written into the second storage area even after a power-off operation. The second storage area has two memory divisions allocated to each ink, that is, a first ink remaining quantity memory division and a second ink remaining quantity memory division. Latest data on the remaining quantity of each ink is alternately written into these two memory divisions. Alternatively, the latest data on the remaining quantity of each ink is written into these two memory divisions in a duplicated manner. Each ink remaining quantity memory division has a write complete flag to determine whether or not a writing operation has been completed normally in the ink remaining quantity memory division. This arrangement enables the remaining quantities of the respective inks to be monitored accurately and continuously.

Claims

1. An ink cartridge configured to be detachably attached to a printer, said ink cartridge comprising:

an ink reservoir in which an ink used for printing is kept; and

a storage unit having a plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions and a plurality of write complete information storage areas, and the storage unit storing specific information in a readable, writable, and non-volatile manner,

wherein the specific information comprises information relating to a quantity of ink kept in said ink reservoir, wherein the plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions store the ink quantity-relating information, and wherein the plurality of write complete information storage areas respectively correspond to the plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions and in each of which write complete information is registered when a writing operation into the corresponding ink quantity information memory division is completed.

2. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 1, said ink cartridge comprising:

a plurality of ink reservoirs, in which a plurality of inks are kept respectively; and

a plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions and a plurality of write complete information storage areas provided for each of said plurality of ink reservoirs.

3. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 2, wherein said storage unit has two ink quantity information memory divisions, and each write complete information storage area is located following an end-of-writing position in each, of the ink quantity information memory divisions.

4. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 3, wherein a predetermined flag is written into each of the write complete information storage areas when the writing operation has been completed in the corresponding ink quantity information memory division, and

the predetermined flag has different initial values with regard to the respective write complete information storage areas.

5. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 3, wherein a predetermined flag is written into each of the write complete information storage areas when the writing operation has been completed in the corresponding ink quantity information memory division, and

the predetermined flag has an identical initial value with regard to the respective write complete information storage areas.

6. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 5, wherein the ink quantity information memory divisions are included in a specific area of said storage unit that is written first by said printer.

7. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 6, wherein said storage unit is sequentially accessed in synchronism with a clock signal.

8. An ink-cartridge in accordance with claim 7, wherein the ink quantity-relating information regards a remaining quantity of ink in said ink cartridge.

9. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 7, wherein the ink quantity-relating information regards a cumulative amount of ink consumption with regard to said ink cartridge.

19. A printer, to which an ink cartridge in accordance with any one of claims 1-9 is detachably attached, said printer comprising:

a storage device that stores specific information that is to be written into said ink cartridge, wherein the specific information comprises information relating to a quantity of ink kept in said ink cartridge;

an ink quantity information writing unit that writes the ink quantity-relating information into a plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions, which are included in said storage device; and

a write complete information writing unit writing write complete information into a write complete information storage area when the writing operation of the ink quantity-relating information into each of the ink quantity information memory divisions has been completed, wherein the write complete information storage area is provided corresponding to each of the ink quantity information memory divisions in said storage device.

20. A printer in accordance with claim 19, further comprising:

a determination unit that determines whether or not the writing operation of the ink quantity-relating information into each of the ink quantity information memory divisions has been carried out properly, based on values of the ink quantity-relating information written in the ink quantity information memory divisions and values of the write complete information written in the write complete information storage areas.

21. A printer, to which an ink cartridge in accordance with any one of claims 1-9 is detachably attached, said printer comprising:

a storage device that stares specific information that is to be written into said ink cartridge, wherein the specific information comprises information relating to a quantity of ink kept in said ink cartridge;

a first ink quantity information writing unit that writes first ink quantity-relating information into a first ink quantity information memory division, which is included in said storage device;

a first write complete information writing unit that writes first write complete information into a first write complete information storage area when the writing operation of the first ink quantity-relating information into the first ink quantity information memory division has been completed, wherein the first write complete information storage area is provided corresponding to the first ink quantity information memory division in said storage device;

a second ink quantity information writing unit that writes second ink quantity-relating information into a second ink quantity information memory division following the writing operation of the first write complete information into the first write complete information storage area has been completed, wherein second ink quantity information memory division is included in said storage device; and

a second write complete information writing unit that writes second write complete information into a second write complete information storage area when the writing operation of the second ink quantity-relating information into the second ink quantity information memory division has been completed, wherein the second write complete information storage area is provided corresponding to the second ink quantity information memory division in said storage device.

22. A printer in accordance with claim 21, further comprising:

a determination unit that determines whether or not the writing operations of the first ink quantity-relating information and the second ink quantity-relating information respectively into the first and second ink quantity information memory divisions have been carried out properly, based on values of the first ink quantity-relating information and the second ink quantity-relating information written in the first and second ink quantity information memory divisions and values of the first write complete information and second write complete information written in the first and second write complete information storage areas.

23. A printer in accordance with claim 22, wherein said determination unit determines that the writing operations of the first ink quantity-relating information and the second ink quantity-relating information respectively into the first and second ink quantity information memory divisions have been carried out properly, in the case where the first ink quantity-relating information stored in the first ink quantity information memory division coincides with the second ink quantity-relating information stored in the second ink quantity information memory division.

24. A printer in accordance with claim 23, wherein the first write complete information and the second write complete information have a certain combination of preset initial values,

said printer further comprising;

an identification unit that identifies a combination of a current value of the first write complete information with a current value of the second write complete information, in the case where the first ink quantity-relating information stored in the first ink quantity information memory division does not coincide with the second ink quantity-relating information stored in the second ink quantity information memory division,

said determination unit determining that the writing operation of the first ink quantity-relating information into the first ink quantity information memory division has been carried out properly, in the case where the combination of the current values of the first write complete information and the second write complete information is different from the certain combination of the preset initial values.

25. A printer in accordance with claim 23, wherein the first write complete information and the second write complete information have a certain combination of preset initial values,

said printer further comprising:

an identification unit that identifies a combination of a current value of the first write complete information with a current value of the second write complete information, in the case where the first ink quantity-relating information stored in the first ink quantity information memory division does not coincide with the second ink quantity-relating information stored in the second ink quantity information memory division,

said determination unit determining that the writing operation of the first ink quantity-relating information into the first ink quantity information memory division has not been carried out properly, in the case where the combination of the current values of the first write complete information and the second write complete information is identical with the certain combination of the preset initial values.

26. A printer in accordance with claim 25, wherein said first ink quantity information writing unit and said second ink quantity information writing unit preferentially carry out the writing operations into the first ink quantity information memory division and the second ink quantity information memory division in said storage device, respectively.

27. A printer in accordance with claim 26, wherein the first write complete information and the second write complete information are flags.

10. A method of writing specific information into an ink cartridge, said ink cartridge being configured to be detachably attached to a printer and having a storage element, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing the specific information that is to be written into said storage element by said printer, the specific information comprising information relating to a quantity of ink kept in said ink cartridge;

(b) writing the ink quantity-relating information into a plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions, which are included in- said storage element; and

(c) writing write complete information into a write complete information storage area when the writing operation of the ink quantity-relating information into each of the ink quantity information memory divisions has been completed, wherein the write complete information storage area is provided corresponding to each of the ink quantity information memory divisions in said storage element.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, said method further comprising the step of:

(d) determining whether the writing operation of the ink quantity-relating information into each of the ink quantity information memory divisions in said step (b) has been carried out properly, based on values of the ink quantity-relating information written in the ink quantity information memory divisions and values of the write complete information written in the write complete information storage areas.

12. A method of writing specific information into an ink cartridge, said ink cartridge being configured to be detachably attached to a printer and having a storage element, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing the specific information that is to be written into said storage element by said printer, the specific information comprising information relating to a quantity of ink kept in said ink cartridge;

(b) writing first ink quantity-relating information into a first ink quantity information memory division, which is included in said storage element;

(c) writing first write complete information into a first write complete information storage area when the writing operation of the first ink quantity-relating information into the first ink quantity information memory division has been completed, wherein the first write complete information storage area is provided corresponding to the first ink quantity information memory division in said storage element;

(d) writing second ink quantity-relating information into a second ink quantity information memory division after the writing operation of the first write complete information into the first write complete information storage area has been completed, wherein the second ink quantity information memory division is included in said storage element; and

(e) writing second write complete information into a second write complete information storage area when the writing operation of the second ink quantity-relating information into the second ink quantity information memory division has been completed, wherein the second write complete information storage area is provided corresponding to the second ink quantity information memory division in said storage element.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, said method further comprising the step of:

(f) determining whether the writing operations of the first ink quantity-relating information and the second ink quantity-relating information respectively into the first and second ink quantity information memory

divisions in said steps (b) and (d) have been carried out properly, based on values of the first ink quantity-relating information and the second ink quantity-relating information written in the first and second ink quantity information memory divisions and values of the first write complete information and second write complete information written in the first and second write complete information storage areas.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said step (f) determines that the writing operations of the first ink quantity-relating information and the second ink quantity-relating information respectively into the first and second ink quantity information memory divisions have been carried out properly, in the case where the first ink quantity-relating information stored in the first ink quantity information memory division coincides with the second ink quantity-relating information stored in the second ink quantity information memory division.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the first write complete information and the second write complete information have a certain combination of preset initial values,

said method further comprising the step of:

(g) identifying a combination of a current value of the first write complete information with a current value of the second write complete information, in the case where the first ink quantity-relating information stored in the first ink quantity information memory division does not coincide with the second ink quantity-relating information stored in the second ink quantity information memory division,

wherein said step (f) determines that the writing operation of the first ink quantity-relating information into the first ink quantity information memory division has been carried out properly, in the case where the combination of the current values of the first write complete information and the second write complete information is different from the certain combination of the preset initial values.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the first write complete information and the second write complete information have a certain combination of preset initial values,

said method further comprising the step of:

(g) identifying a combination of a current value of the first write complete information with a current value of the second write complete information, in the case where the first ink quantity-relating information stored in the first ink quantity information memory division does not coincide with the second ink quantity-relating information stored in the second ink quantity information memory division,

wherein said step (f) determines that the writing operation of the first ink quantity-relating information into the first ink quantity information memory division has not been carried out properly, in the case where the combination of the current values of the first write complete information and the second write complete information is identical with the certain combination of the preset initial values.

17. A method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising the step of:

(h) writing the first ink quantity-relating information into the second ink quantity information memory division.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, wherein the first write complete information and the second write complete information are flags.

28. A storage device mounted on an ink cartridge, which is configured to be detachably attached to a printer, said storage device comprising:

a storage element having a plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions and a plurality of write complete information storage areas, and storing specific information in a readable, writable, and non-volatile manner,

wherein the specific information comprises information relating to a quantity of ink kept in said ink cartridge, wherein the plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions stores the ink quantity-relating information, and wherein the plurality of write complete information storage areas respectively correspond to the plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions and in each of which write complete information is registered when a writing operation into the corresponding ink quantity information memory division is completed.

29. A storage device in accordance with claim 28, wherein said ink cartridge comprises a plurality of ink reservoirs, in which a plurality of inks are kept respectively, and

said storage element comprises a plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions and a plurality of write complete information storage areas provided for each of said plurality of ink reservoirs.

30. A storage device in accordance with claim 29, wherein said storage element has two ink quantity information memory divisions, and each write complete information storage area is located after an end-of-writing position in each of the ink quantity information memory divisions.

31. A storage device in accordance with claim 30, wherein a predetermined flag is written into each of the write complete information storage areas when the writing operation has been completed in the corresponding ink quantity information memory division, and

the predetermined flag has different initial values with regard to the respective write complete information storage areas.

32. A storage device in accordance with claim 30, wherein a predetermined flag is written into each of the write complete information storage areas when the writing operation has been completed in the corresponding ink quantity information memory division, and

the predetermined flag has an identical initial value with regard to the respective write complete information storage areas.

33. A storage device in accordance with claim 32, wherein the ink quantity information memory divisions are included in a specific area of said storage element that is written first by said printer.

34. A storage device in accordance with claim 33, said storage device further comprising:

an address counter that outputs a count in response to a clock signal output from said printer,

wherein said storage element is sequentially accessed, based on the count output from said address counter.

35. A storage device in accordance with claim 34, wherein the ink quantity-relating information regards a remaining quantity of ink in said ink cartridge.

36. A storage device in accordance with claim 34, wherein the ink quantity-relating information regards a cumulative amount of ink consumption with regard to said ink cartridge.

37. A computer-readable medium, in which a program is recorded, said program being used to write specific information into an ink cartridge having a storage element, the specific information comprising information relating to a quantity of ink kept in said ink cartridge,

said program comprising:

a program code that causes a computer to write the ink quantity-relating information into a plurality of ink quantity information memory divisions, which are included in said storage element; and

a program code that causes the computer to write write-complete information into a write complete information storage area, which is provided corresponding to each of the ink quantity information memory divisions in said storage element, when the writing operation of the ink quantity-relating information into each of the ink quantity information memory divisions has been completed.

38. A computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 37, said program further comprising:

a program code that causes the computer to determine whether or not the writing operation of the ink quantity-relating information into each of the ink quantity information memory divisions has been carried out properly, based on values of the ink quantity-relating information written in the ink quantity information memory divisions and values of the write complete information written in the write complete information storage areas.

39. An ink cartridge having an ink reservoir in which an ink used for printing is kept, said ink cartridge comprising:

an address counter that outputs a count in response to an input clock signal; and

a storage element that is sequentially accessed based on the count output from said address counter, said storage element storing plural pieces of specific information in a readable, writable, and non-volatile manner,

wherein a certain piece of information, which is updated in relation to the ink kept in said ink reservoir, is stored in a specific area of said storage element that is read first using a default of the count.

40. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 39, wherein the certain piece of updated information regards a remaining quantity of ink.

41. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 39, wherein the certain piece of updated information regards an amount of ink consumption.

42. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 41, wherein the amount of ink consumption has an initial value in a range of zero to a predetermined value.

43. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 42, wherein the predetermined value includes 90.