Intelligent printing system

• US 5,794,095 A
• Filed: 12/11/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V., Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agfa-Gevaert N.V., Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Thompson, E. Earle
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Fred L.
• Application Number:
  US08/763,878
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 399/12, 399/29, 399/30, 399/62, 399/63
• US Class Current: 399/29
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/435 characterised by selective application of radiation to a printing material or impression-transfer material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/04045 for exposing image information provided otherwise than by directly projecting the original image onto the photoconductive recording material, e.g. digital copiers G03G15/041, G03G15/043 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0856 Detection or control means for the developer level
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/326 by application of light, e.g. using a LED array
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/50 Machine control of apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern, e.g. regulating differents parts of the machine, multimode copiers, microprocessor control sequencing control G03G21/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/5033 by measuring the photoconductor characteristics, e.g. temperature, or the characteristics of an image on the photoconductor
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/55 Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/553 Monitoring or warning means for exhaustion or lifetime end of consumables, e.g. indication of insufficient copy sheet quantity for a job
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1875 provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. lifetime of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1878 Electronically readable memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1882 details of the communication with memory, e.g. wireless communication, protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1889 for auto-setting of process parameters, lifetime, usage
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1663 having lifetime indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1823 Cartridges having electronically readable memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1838 Autosetting of process parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1238 simultaneously exposing more than one point
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19 using multi-element arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1906 Arrangements for performing substitution scanning for a defective element
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/233 according to characteristics of the data to be reproduced, e.g. number of lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2338 : according to user specified instructions, e.g. user selection of reproduction mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2346 : according to a detected condition or state of the reproducing device, e.g. temperature or ink quantity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/295 : Circuits or arrangements for the control thereof, e.g. using a programmed control device, according to a measured quantity

Abstract

A toner dispenser with on-board intelligence. The toner dispenser includes a reservoir of toner material and memory that stores the characteristics and amount of that toner material contained within. A coil resides inside the reservoir to allow the system into which the dispenser is inserted to vibrate the coil. This accomplishes both a churning of the toner, and the back-EMF of the coil can be measured to calculate the amount of toner remaining. The toner dispenser has communications capability that allows it to send the information contained therein to a system processor of the system into which it is inserted.

Claims

1. An EP subsystem for use in a printing system comprising:

a. a reservoir of toner material;

b. non-volatile memory operable to store information about characteristics of said toner material, wherein said memory has backup power to allow storage of said information when said printing system is off and is erased upon opening of said EP subsystem;

c. a coil such that when said coil is activated, back-EMF from said coil is measured indicating the quantity of toner remaining by the magnitude of said back-EMF and said activation vibrates said toner in said reservoir thereby reducing clumping of said toner; and

d. a port allowing transfer of data including quantity and toner characteristics to a system processor upon insertion of said EP subsystem into said printing system.