Printer cartridge with memory for printer control and adjustment of printer settings

• US 6,817,693 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2002
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Haines, Robert E., Phillips, Quintin T., Boockholdt, Darius, Harper, Mark A., Burquist, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): FEGGINS, KRISTAL J
• Application Number:
  US10/195,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20020171703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 347/19, 347/49, 347/50, 347/63, 399/12, 396/207
• US Class Current: 347/19
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17523 Ink connection
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17566 Ink level or ink residue control
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0855 the concentration being measured by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0863 provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. an electronic memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0865 Arrangements for supplying new developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/181 Manufacturing or assembling, recycling, reuse, transportation, packaging or storage
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/1878 Electronically readable memory
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/00987 Remanufacturing, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the image forming apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1606 for the photosensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1639 for the fixing unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2221/1823 Cartridges having electronically readable memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification

Abstract

A printing system utilizes printing material cartridges with memory to provide a way to uniquely identify the contents of a printing device cartridge and optimize printing parameters for use with the printing material. Newly developed printing materials and printing solutions therefor can be provided to printing devices that were manufactured prior to the development of the new printing material. Additionally, all cartridges can be physically similar without regard for the type of printing material contained therein, so no special manufacturing is required for each different printing material.

Claims

1. A printer comprising:

a toner cartridge containing laser printer toner having a low pile height, a high durability photoconductor and having memory integrated therein that stores printing material data that indicates the toner cartridge contains low pile height toner;

a processor configured to retrieve the printing material data;

an optimizer to adjust printer parameter settings based on the printing material data to optimize printer performance for use with the printing material; and

wherein the optimizer is further configured to initiate a response action if the printer is not properly configured to use a toner cartridge that includes a low pile height toner.

2. The printer as recited in claim 1, wherein the response action further comprises shutting off power to the printer in the event a mismatch is detected between the printing material data and the printer configuration.

3. The printer as recited in claim 1, wherein the response action further comprises displaying a user warning message.

5. The printer recited in claim 1 wherein the memory comprises radio frequency identification (RFID) memory, and the printer further comprises an RFID interrogator.

6. The printer recited in claim 1 wherein the memory comprises a magnetic strip, and the printer further comprises a magnetic strip reader.

7. The printer recited in claim 1 wherein the memory comprises conventional semiconductor memory, and the printer further comprises a memory contact to establish a data pathway between the semiconductor memory and the printer.

4. A printer comprising:

a toner cartridge containing laser printer toner that includes a scrubbing agent and having memory integrated therein that stores printing material data that indicates the toner contains a scrubbing agent;

a processor configured to retrieve the printing material data;

an optimizer to adjust printer parameter setting based on the printing material data to optimize printer performance for use with the scrubbing agent toner; and

wherein the optimizer is further configured to initiate a response action if the printer is not properly confined to use a toner that includes a scrubbing agent.

8. A printer comprising:

a development bias setting that is set to one of multiple voltage levels;

a toner cartridge containing laser printer toner that is designed for use with an optimum development bias voltage setting and having memory integrated therein that stores printing material data that indicates the optimum development bias voltage setting;

a processor configured to retrieve the minting material data;

an optimizer to adjust printer parameter settings based on the printing material data and to initiate a response action if the development bias setting cannot be set to the optimum voltage setting and to initiate an action in response thereto.

9. A printer cartridge installable into a printer having a variable printer parameter setting, the printer cartridge comprising:

a low pile height toner;

memory containing printing material data identifying the low pile weight toner that is transferable to the printer, the printing material data enabling the printer to set the variable printer parameter setting to an optimum setting for use with the low pile height toner and to initiate a response action in the event that the variable printer parameter cannot be set to the optimum setting.

10. A printer cartridge installable into a printer having a variable printer parameter setting, the printer cartridge comprising:

scrubbing agent toner;

memory containing printing material data identifying the scrubbing agent toner that is transferable to the printer, the printing material data enabling the printer to set the variable printer parameter setting to an optimum setting for use with the scrubbing agent toner and to initiate a response action in the event that the variable printer parameter setting cannot be set to the optimum setting.

11. A printer cartridge installable into a printer that has a variable development bias voltage setting, the printer cartridge comprising:

memory containing minting material data identifying an optimum development bias voltage setting that is transferable to the printer, the printing material data enabling the printer to set the variable development bias voltage setting to the optimum development bias voltage setting and to initiate a response action in the event that the variable development bias voltage setting cannot be set to the optimum development bias voltage setting.

12. The printer as recited in claim 11, wherein the response action further comprises displaying a user warning.

13. The printer as recited in claim 11, wherein the response action further comprises shutting off power to the printer.

14. A method for optimizing operation of a laser printer having a high durability photoconductor for use with a low pile height toner and a replaceable toner cartridge that has memory that stores printing material data, the method comprising:

retrieving the printing material data after the replaceable toner cartridge has been installed into the laser printer;

determining from the printing material data if the toner cartridge contains low pile height toner; and

initiating a response action if the toner cartridge does not contain low pile height toner.

15. The method recited in claim 14 wherein the response action further comprises interrupting power to the printing device so that the printing device is not operational.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the response action further comprises displaying a warning message that indicates a mismatch between the printing material and the printer configuration.

17. A method for optimizing operation of a laser printer having a replaceable toner cartridge with memory that stores printing material data, the method comprising:

retrieving the printing material data after the replaceable toner cartridge has been installed into the laser printer;

determining from the printing material data that the toner cartridge contains toner that includes a scrubbing agent;

if possible, setting a variable printer parameter of the laser printer to an optimum setting for use with the scrubbing agent toner; and

initiating a response action if the variable printer parameter cannot be set to the optimum setting.

18. A method for optimizing operation of a laser printer having a replaceable toner cartridge with memory that stores printing material data, the method comprising:

retrieving the printing material data after the replaceable toner cartridge has been installed into the laser printer

determining an optimum printer development bias voltage setting from the printing material data;

if possible, setting a variable printer development bias voltage of the laser printer to the optimum printer development bias voltage setting; and

initiating a response action if the variable printer development bias voltage cannot be set to she optimum printer development bias voltage setting.

19. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the response action further comprises displaying a warning message that indicates the variable printer development bias voltage cannot be set to optimum printer development bias voltage setting.