Method of normality decision with regard to ink cartridge and printer actualizing the method

• US 20050264625A1
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Saruta, Toshihisa, Seshimo, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,513,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/86
• 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 2/17523 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

Abstract

An ink cartridge of the present invention has a storage element, in which plural pieces of specific information relating to an ink cartridge are stored at specific addresses having predetermined data lengths. For example, a piece of information on the year of manufacture is registered in a data length of 7 bits, apiece of information on the month of manufacture is registered in a data length of 4 bits, and a piece of information on the date of manufacture is registered in a data length of 5 bits. A piece of information on the time (hour) of manufacture is registered in a data length of 5 bits, and a piece of information on the time (minute) of manufacture is registered in a data length of 6 bits. The technique of the present invention determines whether the storage element incorporated in the ink cartridge is normal or abnormal, based on the piece of information on the month of manufacture. This arrangement ensures the easy and adequate determination of whether or not the information stored in the storage element is destroyed.

Claims

1. A method of determining whether a storage unit included in an ink cartridge is normal, wherein the ink cartridge is configured to be detachably attached to a printer, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading a piece of ink related information that has been registered in advance in a predetermined format, from the storage unit; and

(b) identifying whether the read-out piece of ink related information satisfies the predetermined format, so as to determine whether the storage unit is normal or whether the storage unit is not normal if the read-out piece of ink related information has been destroyed.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step (b) determines that the storage unit is not normal in the case where the read-out piece of ink related information does not satisfy the predetermined format.

3. A method in accordance with of claim 2, the method further comprising the step of:

(c) providing a display representing that the storage unit is not normal, when the step (b) determines that the storage unit is not normal.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2, the method further comprising the step of:

(d) discontinuing a printing operation of the printer, when the step (b) determined that the storage unit is not normal.

5. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the step (b) uses a piece of information relating to a month of manufacture of the ink cartridge as the piece of ink related information.

9. A method in accordance with any one of claim 3 and 4, the method further comprising the step of:

(e) causing the printer to perform a printing operation, when the step (b) determines that the storage unit is normal since the read-out piece of ink related information satisfies the predetermined format.

6-8. -8. (canceled)

10. A printer, to which an ink cartridge having a storage unit is detachably attached, the printer comprising:

a reading unit reading a piece of ink related information, wherein the piece of information has been registered in advance in a predetermined format, from the storage unit; and

a decision unit identifying whether the read-out piece of ink related information satisfies the predetermined format, so as to determine whether the storage unit is normal or whether the storage unit is not normal if the read-out piece of ink related information has been destroyed.

11. A printer in accordance with claim 10, wherein the decision unit determines that the storage unit is not normal in the case where the read-out piece of ink related information does not satisfy the predetermined format.

12. A printer in accordance with claim 11, the printer further comprising:

a display unit that provides a display representing that the storage unit is not normal, when the decision unit determines that the storage unit is not normal.

13. A printer in accordance with claim 11, the printer further comprising:

a printing operation stop unit that discontinues a printing operation of the printer, when the decision unit determines that the storage unit is not normal.

14. A printer in accordance with claim 10, wherein the decision unit determines that the store unit is normal in the case where the read-out piece of decision ink related information satisfies the predetermined format.

15. A printer in accordance with either one of claims 11 and 14, wherein the piece of ink related information is a piece of information relating to a month of manufacture of the ink cartridge.

16-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A storage unit included in an ink cartridge, wherein the ink cartridge is configured to be detachably attached to a printer, the storage unit comprising:

an address counter that outputs a count in response to a clock signal output from the printer; and

a storage element that stores plural pieces of specific information including a piece of ink related information registered in a predetermined format and that is sequentially accessed based on the count output from the address counter.

20. An ink cartridge comprising a storage unit in accordance with claim 19.

23. An ink cartridge in accordance with claim 20, wherein the piece of ink related information is a piece of information relating to a month of manufacture of the ink cartridge.

21. A computer readable recording medium, on which a specific computer program is recorded, the specific computer program being used to determine whether a storage unit is normal, wherein the storage unit is included in an ink cartridge that is detachably attached to a printer, the specific computer program comprising:

a program code that causes a computer to read a piece of ink related information, wherein the piece of decision information has been registered in advance in a predetermined format, from the storage unit;

a program code that causes the computer to identify whether the read-out piece of ink related information satisfies the predetermined format; and

a program code that causes the computer to determine that the storage unit is not normal in the case where the read-out piece of ink related information does not satisfy the predetermined format if the read-out piece of ink related information has been destroyed.

22. A method of determining whether a readable and writable storage unit is normal, wherein the readable and writable storage unit is included in an ink cartridge that is detachably attached to a printer, the method comprising the steps of:

reading a piece of ink related information from the storage unit; and

determining whether the storage unit is normal, based on the read-out piece of ink related information, or whether the storage unit is not normal if the read-out piece of ink related information has been destroyed.