Replaceable printer component including memory device that defines printing capabilities

• US 6,459,860 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Childers, Winthrop D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRASE, SANDRA L
• Application Number:
  US09/802,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20020127020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 399/8, 399/9, 399/11, 399/12, 399/13, 399/24, 399/25, 399/27, 399/81, 347/5, 347/7, 347/9, 347/14, 347/86
• US Class Current: 399/12
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04 generating single droplets or particles on demand
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/17 Readable information on the head

Abstract

A replaceable printer component adapted for use in a printing system includes a memory device and a communication link adapted to communicate the memory device with a printer controller for the printing system when the replaceable printer component is installed in the printing system. The memory device has an interface identifier stored therein which corresponds with a user interface for the printing system. Since the user interface presents printing capabilities of the printing system, the replaceable printer component defines which printing capabilities are available to a user of the printing system.

Claims

1. A replaceable printer component adapted for use in a printing system having a printer controller configured to control operation of the printing system, the replaceable printer component comprising:

a memory device having an interface identifier stored therein, the interface identifier corresponding with a user interface for the printing system;

a communication link adapted to communicate the memory device with the printer controller when the replaceable printer component is installed in the printing system;

and wherein the user interface corresponds to a specific printing objective including at least one of a targeted user, an intended use, and a level of performance of the printing system.

2. A replaceable printer component adapted for use in a printing system having a printer controller configured to control operation of the printing system, the replaceable printer component comprising:

a memory device having an interface identifier stored therein, the interface identifier corresponding with a user interface for the printing system;

a communication link adapted to communicate the memory device with the printer controller when the replaceable printer component is installed in the printing system;

and wherein the interface identifier is based on a targeted sales channel for the replaceable printer component.

3. A printing system, comprising:

a printer controller;

a replaceable printer component including a memory device having an interface identifier stored therein, wherein the memory device is adapted to communicate with and transfer the interface identifier to the printer controller when the replaceable printer component is installed in the printing system;

wherein the interface identifier corresponds with at least one of a plurality of user interfaces for the printing system;

and wherein at least one of the user interfaces corresponds to a specific printing objective including at least one of a targeted user, an intended use, and a level of performance of the printing system.

4. A printing system, comprising:

a printer controller;

a replaceable printer component including a memory device having an interface identifier stored therein, wherein the memory device is adapted to communicate with and transfer the interface identifier to the printer controller when the replaceable printer component is installed n the printing system;

and wherein the interface identifier is based on a targeted sales channel for the replaceable printer component.

5. A printing arrangement, comprising:

a host processor having a plurality of user interfaces stored therein;

a replaceable printer component communicating with the host processor and including a memory device having an interface identifier stored therein which corresponds with at least one of the user interfaces; and

a display device communicating with the host processor and configured to display the at least one of the user interfaces.

6. The printing arrangement of claim 5, further comprising:

a printer controller communicating with the memory device of the replaceable printer component and the host processor, wherein the replaceable printer component communicates with the host processor via the printer controller.

7. The printing arrangement of claim 6, wherein the printer controller is adapted to read the interface identifier from the memory device of the replaceable printer component and communicate the interface identifier with the host processor.

8. The printing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the host processor is adapted to retrieve the at least one of the user interfaces from the plurality of user interfaces based on the interface identifier.

9. The printing arrangement of claim 5, wherein each of the user interfaces presents at least one printing capability of the printing arrangement.

10. The printing arrangement of claim 5, wherein installation of the replaceable printer component in the printing arrangement initiates display of the at least one of the user interfaces.

11. The printing arrangement of claim 5, further comprising:

an input device communicating with the display device and configured to interact with the at least one of the user interfaces.

12. The printing arrangement of claim 5, wherein at least one of the user interfaces corresponds to a specific printing objective including at least one of a targeted user, an intended use, and a level of performance of the printing arrangement.

13. The printing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the interface identifier is based on a targeted sales channel for the replaceable printer component.

14. The printing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the replaceable printer component is an ink container for the printing arrangement.

15. The printing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the replaceable printer component is a printhead for the printing arrangement.

16. The printing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the replaceable printer component is a printer cartridge including an ink container and a printhead for the printing arrangement.

17. The printing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the replaceable printer component is a toner cartridge for the printing arrangement.

18. A method of selecting a user interface from a plurality of user interfaces for a printing system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a host processor having the user interfaces stored therein; and

providing a replaceable printer component including a memory device having an interface identifier stored therein, the interface identifier corresponding with at least one of the user interfaces stored in the host processor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing the replaceable printer component includes installing the replaceable printer component in the printing system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein installing the replaceable printer component in the printing system initiates retrieval of the at least one of the user interfaces.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

communicating the interface identifier between the replaceable printer component and the host processor.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of communicating the interface identifier includes reading the interface identifier from the memory device of the replaceable printer component.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

communicating a printer controller with the replaceable printer component and the host processor, wherein the step of communicating the interface identifier includes communicating the interface identifier with the host processor via the printer controller.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

retrieving via the host processor the at least one of the user interfaces based on the interface identifier.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

storing the user interfaces in the host processor.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

communicating a display device with the host processor; and

displaying the at least one of the user interfaces on the display device.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of displaying the at least one of the user interfaces includes presenting at least one printing capability of the printing system.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the user interfaces corresponds to a specific printing objective including at least one of a targeted user, an intended use, and a level of performance of the printing system.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the interface identifier is based on a targeted sales channel for the replaceable printer component.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing the replaceable printer component includes providing an ink container for the printing system.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing the replaceable printer component includes providing a printhead for the printing system.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing the replaceable printer component includes providing a printer cartridge including an ink container and a printhead for the printing system.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing the replaceable printer component includes providing a toner cartridge for the printing system.