Apparatus for estimating toner usage
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for estimating the mass of toner developed on an electrostatic latent image, comprising:
- converting means for generating a toner mass signal approximating a toner mass developed by a latent output pixel of the latent image as a function of a greyscale image intensity signal used to control the formation of the latent output pixel; and
summing means, responsive to the toner mass signal, for determining a sum of the approximated toner mass for a plurality of output pixels and thereby producing a sum signal.
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Abstract
The present invention is an apparatus and method adaptable for use in a printing system, to measure the mass of toner developed on an electrostatic latent image produced therein. The printing system employs an electrostatic process to produce a printed sheet in response to a plurality of image intensity signals. The toner mass measuring apparatus sums a plurality of individual toner mass signals, generated as a function of the image intensity signals, to approximate the toner mass used to develop the electrostatic latent image.
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21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for estimating the mass of toner developed on an electrostatic latent image, comprising:
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converting means for generating a toner mass signal approximating a toner mass developed by a latent output pixel of the latent image as a function of a greyscale image intensity signal used to control the formation of the latent output pixel; and summing means, responsive to the toner mass signal, for determining a sum of the approximated toner mass for a plurality of output pixels and thereby producing a sum signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An electrostatic printing machine of the type having an insulating member, comprising:
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means for supplying a plurality of image intensity signals; means, responsive to the image intensity signals, for recording an electrostatic latent image on the insulating member, with the electrostatic latent image having a plurality of output pixel spots, whereby the charge level of each output pixel spot is controlled in response to the associated image intensity signal; developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image recorded on the insulating member with toner to produce a developed image on the insulating member; and means for estimating the mass of toner adhering to the insulating member as a function of the image intensity signals. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of estimating the mass of toner developed on an electrostatic latent image, comprising:
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generating a toner mass signal approximating a toner mass developed by a latent output pixel of the latent image as a function of a greyscale image intensity signal used to control the formation of the latent output pixel; and determining, in response to the toner mass signal, a sum of the approximated toner mass for a plurality of output pixels to produce a sum signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification