Method and device for determining the quantity of product present in a reservoir, a product reservoir and a device for processing electrical signals intended for such a determination device

• US 6,345,532 B1
• Filed: 01/08/1998
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Image Processing Technologies, LLC (General Patent Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Coudray, Pascal, Froger, Marie-Hélène
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, HARSHAD R
• Application Number:
  US09/004,517
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 733/04.R, 733/04.C, 732/90.R, 737/24, 737/80, 340/618, 340/620, 347/7
• US Class Current: 73/304.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/266 measuring circuits therefor

Abstract

A device determines a quantity of product present in a reservoir, particularly a quantity of ink in the reservoir (112) of an image formation device, such as a printer (10). In a preferred embodiment, the devices includes means (120, 113, 123) of connecting the said product to a predetermined potential, means (121, 122) of establishing a first electrical field through the product, and adapted to establish a second electrical field different from the first electrical field, means (122), of measuring electrical fields in order to produce first and second electrical signals representing electrical fields, and means (100) of processing the first electrical signal in order to produce a signal representing the quantity of product, and adapted to process the second electrical signal in order to detect the interruption of the connection of the product to the predetermined potential, the said interruption corresponding to a predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir (112).

Claims

1. A method for determining a quantity of product present in a reservoir, comprising the steps of:

establishing, through the product present in the reservoir, a first electrical field, and a second electrical field which is differentiated from the first electrical field by at least one characteristic,

measuring the first electrical field and the second electrical field passing through the product, to produce a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal respectively representing the first electrical field and the second electrical field, and

processing the first electrical signal to produce a first information signal able to take a plurality of values making a representation of the quantity of product then present in the reservoir,

determining the quantity of product, in accordance with at least one range of quantities in which said representation is directly usable, and

processing the second electrical signal to produce, at an appropriate time, a second information signal representing at least one predetermined quantity outside said range.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the step of processing the first electrical signal includes a step of detecting an amplitude of the first electrical signal and a step of producing a signal representing the quantity of product from a value given by a calibration table according to the amplitude detected.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said method further comprises a step of comparing the first electrical signal with a first threshold to determine whether the quantity of product present in the reservoir is in said range.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said method further comprises a step of displaying a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein said method further comprises a step of transmitting the signal representing the quantity of product present in the reservoir to a remote device so that said remote device displays a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein said method further comprises a step of indicating a detection of the predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir.

9. A method according to claim 4, wherein said method further comprises a step of transmitting a signal representing the detection of said predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir to a remote device so that said remote device displays a message representing the detection of said predetermined quantity.

10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said method further comprises a step of comparing the first electrical signal with a first threshold to determine whether the quantity of product present in the reservoir is in said range.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said method further comprises a step of displaying a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein said method further comprises a step of transmitting the signal representing the quantity of product present in the reservoir to a remote device so that said remote device displays a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein said method further comprises a step of indicating a detection of the predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein said method further comprises a step of transmitting a signal representing the detection of said predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir to a remote device so that said remote device displays a message representing the detection of said predetermined quantity.

15. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said method further comprises a step of displaying a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said method further comprises a step of indicating a detection of the predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein said method further comprises a step of transmitting a signal representing the detection of said predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir to a remote device so that said remote device displays a message representing the detection of said predetermined quantity.

18. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said method further comprises a step of transmitting the signal representing the quantity of product present in the reservoir to a remote device so that said remote device displays a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said method further comprises a step of indicating a detection of the predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein said method further comprises a step of transmitting a signal representing the detection of said predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir to a remote device so that said remote device displays a message representing the detection of said predetermined quantity.

21. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said method further comprises a step of indicating a detection of the predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir.

22. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said method further comprises a step of transmitting a signal representing the detection of said predetermined quantity of product present in the reservoir to a remote device so that said remote device displays a message representing the detection of said predetermined quantity.

23. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the product is ink.

39. A device for determining a quantity of product in an ink reservoir according to claim 21, wherein said device is included in an image formation device.

56. A device for determining a quantity of product in an ink reservoir according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said device is included in an image formation device.

57. A device according to claim 56, wherein the means for connecting the product to the predetermined potential are included in an ink ejection means.

58. A device according to claim 56, wherein said device is included in a printer.

60. A device according to claim 56, wherein said device is included in a microcomputer.

2. A method for determining a quantity of product present in a reservoir, comprising the steps of:

connecting the product to a predetermined potential to make a connection of the product to the predetermined potential,

establishing, through the product present in the reservoir, a first electrical field, and a second electrical field which is differentiated from the first electrical field by at least one characteristic,

measuring the first electrical field and the second electrical field passing through the product, to produce a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal respectively representing the first electrical field and the second electrical field,

processing the first electrical signal to produce a first information signal able to take a plurality of values making a representation of the quantity of product then present in the reservoir,

determining the quantity of product, in accordance with at least one range of quantities in which said representation is directly usable, and

processing the second electrical signal to produce, at an appropriate time, an information signal corresponding to an interruption of the connection of the product to the predetermined potential, the interruption corresponding to a predetermined quantity outside said range.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of processing the second electrical signal includes a step of comparing the second electrical signal with a second threshold to detect the interruption of the connection of the product to the predetermined potential.

24. A device for determining a quantity of product present in a reservoir, comprising:

means for establishing a first electrical field and a second electrical field through the product present in the reservoir, the second electrical field being differentiated from the first electrical field by at least one characteristic,

means for measuring the first electrical field and the second electrical field to produce a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal respectively representing the first electrical field and the second electrical field, and

means for processing the first electrical signal and the second electrical signals

to produce a first information signal able to take a plurality of values making a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir,

to determine the quantity of product, in accordance with at least one range of quantities in which said representation is directly usable, and

to produce, at an appropriate time, from the second electrical signal, a second information signal representing at least one predetermined quantity outside the range.

28. A device according to any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the means for establishing includes a first metallic element and a second metallic element disposed outside the reservoir.

29. A device according to claim 28, wherein the first metallic element and the second metallic element form poles of a capacitor whose dielectric is formed by the reservoir containing the product.

30. A device according to claim 29, wherein the means for establishing is fed by oscillators selectively connected thereto by a selector.

31. A device according to claim 29, wherein the first electrical field and the second electrical field are produced by alternating signals with frequencies substantially equal to 1 MHz and 10 kHz respectively.

32. A device according to claim 29, wherein the means for measuring includes an envelope detector and an analogue to digital convertor for producing a digital signal representing an amplitude of the first electrical signal or the second electrical signal.

33. A device according to claim 29, further comprising means for displaying a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

34. A device for determining a quantity of product in an ink reservoir according to claim 29, wherein said device is included in an image formation device.

35. A device according to claim 28, wherein the means for establishing is fed by oscillators selectively connected thereto by a selector.

36. A device according to claim 28, wherein the first electrical field and the second electrical field are produced by alternating signals with frequencies substantially equal to 1 MHz and 10 kHz respectively.

37. A device according to claim 28, wherein the means for measuring includes an envelope detector and an analogue to digital convertor for producing a digital signal representing an amplitude of the first electrical signal or the second electrical signal.

38. A device according to claim 28, further comprising means for displaying a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

40. A device according to any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the means for establishing is fed by oscillators selectively connected thereto by a selector.

41. A device according to claim 40, wherein the first electrical field and the second electrical field are produced by alternating signals with frequencies substantially equal to 1 MHz and 10 kHz respectively.

42. A device according to claim 40, wherein the means for measuring includes an envelope detector and an analogue to digital convertor for producing a digital signal representing an amplitude of the first electrical signal or the second electrical signal.

43. A device according to claim 40, further comprising means for displaying a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

44. A device for determining a quantity of product in an ink reservoir according to claim 40, wherein said device is included in an image formation device.

45. A device according to any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the first electrical field and the second electrical field are produced by alternating signals with frequencies substantially equal to 1 MHz and 10 kHz respectively.

46. A device according to claim 45, wherein the means for measuring includes an envelope detector and an analogue to digital convertor for producing a digital signal representing an amplitude of the first electrical signal or the second electrical signal.

47. A device according to claim 45, further comprising means for displaying a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

48. A device for determining a quantity of product in an ink reservoir according to claim 45, wherein said device is included in an image formation device.

49. A device according to any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the means for measuring includes an envelope detector and an analogue to digital convertor for producing a digital signal representing an amplitude of the first electrical signal or the second electrical signal.

50. A device according to claim 49, further comprising means for displaying a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

51. A device for determining a quantity of product in an ink reservoir according to claim 49, wherein said device is included in an image formation device.

52. A device according to any one of claims 24 to 27, further comprising means for displaying a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir.

53. A device for determining a quantity of product in an ink reservoir according to claim 52, wherein said device is included in an image formation device.

54. A device according to any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the product is ink.

55. A device for determining a quantity of product in an ink reservoir according to claim 54, wherein said device is included in an image formation device.

59. A device according to claim 52, wherein said device is included in a facsimile machine.

25. A device for determining a quantity of product present in a reservoir, comprising:

means for connecting the product to a predetermined potential to make a connection of the product and the predetermined potential,

means for establishing a first electrical field and a second electrical field through the product present in the reservoir, the second electrical field being differentiated from the first electrical field by at least one characteristic,

means for measuring the first electrical field and the second electrical field in order to produce a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal respectively representing the first electrical field and the second electrical field, and

means for processing the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal

to produce a first information signal able to take a plurality of values making a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir,

to determine the quantity of product, in accordance with at least one range of quantities in which said representation is directly usable, and

to produce, at an appropriate time, from the second electrical signal, an information signal corresponding to an interruption of the connection of the product to the predetermined potential, said interruption corresponding to a predetermined quantity outside said range.

26. A device for processing electrical signals, said device cooperating with

means for establishing a first electrical field through a product present in a reservoir, and adapted to establish a second electrical field, through the product present in the reservoir, the second electrical field being differentiated from the first electrical field by at least one characteristic,

means for measuring the first electrical field and the second electrical field to produce a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal respectively representing the first electrical field and the second electrical field,

said device comprising:

means for producing a first information signal able to take a plurality of values to make a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir,

means for determining the quantity of product, in accordance with at least one range of quantities in which said representation is directly usable,

means for producing, at the appropriate time, from the second electrical signal, a second information signal representing at least one predetermined quantity outside said range.

27. A device for processing a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal, said device cooperating with

means for connecting a product present in a reservoir to a predetermined potential to make a connection of the product to the predetermined potential,

means for establishing a first electrical field through the product present in the reservoir, and adapted to establish a second electrical field, through the product present in the reservoir, the second electrical field being differentiated from the first electrical field by at least one characteristic,

means for measuring the first electrical field and the second electrical field in order to produce the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal respectively representing the first electrical field and the second electrical field,

said device comprising:

means for producing a first information signal able to take a plurality of values making a representation of the quantity of product present in the reservoir,

means for determining the quantity of product, in accordance with at least one range of quantities in which said representation is directly usable, and

means for producing, at an appropriate time, from the second electrical signal, an information signal corresponding to an interruption of the connection of the product to the predetermined potential, said interruption corresponding to a predetermined quantity outside said range.