System with ambient sensor for estimating printing supply consumption
First Claim
1. A system that estimates consumption of a printing supply, the system comprising:
- a. an ambient condition sensor;
b. memory that stores a pixel description; and
c. a processor that provides a signal in response to estimating incremental consumption of the printing supply, wherein estimating is responsive to the sensor and to the pixel description.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system of the present invention includes an ambient condition sensor for estimating the consumption of toner, developer, or similar printing supply in an electrostatic or ink jet printer. In a preferred embodiment, the ambient condition being monitored is relative humidity, though in other embodiments other indicators of ambient air conductivity or break down voltage are measured. Consumption is estimated by classifying each pixel to be printed according to the number of neighbors of that pixel, accumulating a sum according to each classification, multiplying each accumulated sum by a weight that accounts for its classification, and calculating an overall sum of the weighted products. The overall sum is then scaled by a factor that accounts for the conductivity of ambient air as measured by the sensor to provide an incremental estimate of consumption. The scaling factor is determined by empirical studies. A warning such as "low toner" is displayed on the printing device and on a remote console when the integrated incremental estimates of consumption surpass a limit.
91 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system that estimates consumption of a printing supply, the system comprising:
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a. an ambient condition sensor; b. memory that stores a pixel description; and c. a processor that provides a signal in response to estimating incremental consumption of the printing supply, wherein estimating is responsive to the sensor and to the pixel description. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A printer comprising:
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a. first means for determining data that describes a plurality of pixels to be printed; b. a humidity sensor that provides a sensor signal; and c. second means for determining a low toner condition, the second means comprising a circuit that estimates toner consumption in response to the data and to the sensor signal. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method for sensing consumption of a printing supply, the method comprising:
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a. receiving a first signal proportional to an ambient condition; b. receiving a second signal that describes a plurality of pixels to be printed; and c. providing a third signal in response to an estimate of consumption of the printing supply, wherein the estimate is responsive to the first signal and the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification