Printer and method therefor adapted to sense data uniquely associated with a consumable loaded into the printer

• US 6,938,976 B2
• Filed: 06/16/1999
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Robinson, Scott C., Tredwell, Timothy J., Spurr, Robert W., Siwinski, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lamson
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOUTTET, BLAISE L
• Application Number:
  US09/334,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20020015066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,274 Days
• Field of Search: 347/5, 347/7, 347/14, 347/16, 347/19, 347/22, 347/23, 347/28, 347/36, 347/50, 347/86, 347/105, 271/3.01, 271/3.06, 271/3.09, 455/73, 340/10.1, 340/572.1, 399/12, 399/13, 399/24, 399/34, 399/35, 396/578
• US Class Current: 347/19
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17509 Whilst mounted in the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/393 Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine ; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns

Abstract

An inkjet printer adapted to sense type of supplied consumable receiver media, inks, printhead, and cleaning fluid. A transponder attached to a consumable is coupled to a memory device capable of storing information characteristic of the consumable. A transceiver is disposed within the inkjet printer, with antennae disposed for polling an individual transponder attached to each consumable. The transponder is capable of receiving a first RF frequency electromagnetic field from the transceiver and deriving power and address information from the first frequency, then generating a second RF frequency electromagnetic field in response, where the second electromagnetic field is characteristic of the data stored in memory. As instructed by a machine control logic processor, the transceiver can both read manufacturing data from the transponder about the consumable and write usage and processing data to the transponder for storage in memory. The transponder can also be coupled with a transducer for taking measurements from the consumable.

Claims

1. A printer of the type which selectively deposits a color marking material onto a receiver to form an image on the receiver, the printer being adapted to sense and update data uniquely associated with a cleaning fluid consumable loaded into the printer, comprising:

(a) a transceiver for transmitting a first electromagnetic field and for sensing a second electromagnetic field, the first electromagnetic field containing data for writing into a memory associated with the cleaning consumable;

(b) a transponder coupled to said cleaning fluid consumable, said transponder adapted to receive the first electromagnetic field and generate the second electromagnetic field in response to the first electromagnetic field received thereby, the transponder adapted to receive energy from the first electromagnetic field that is generated by the transceiver and the energy comprising the only energy for powering the transponder and the transponder being adapted to read data from the memory and write updated data to the memory in accordance with an instruction code from the transceiver in the first electromagnetic field.

2. A printer of the type which selectively deposits a color marking material onto a receiver to form an image on the receiver, the printer being adapted to sense data uniquely associated with a printer consumable to be loaded into the printer, comprising:

(a) a transceiver for transmitting a first electromagnetic field and for sensing a second electromagnetic field;

(b) a first transponder including a first memory coupled to a first consumable used by the printer; and

(c) a second transponder including a second memory coupled to a second consumable used by the printer, each of said first and second memories having data stored therein indicative of type of consumable, so that a selected one of either of said transponders is capable of receiving the first electromagnetic field and generating a second electromagnetic field in response to the first electromagnetic field received thereby, the second electromagnetic field being sensed by said transceiver and characteristic of the data stored in said memory, the data being associated with said selected transponder generating the second electromagnetic field; and

wherein the transceiver is adapted to alternately communicate with the first and second transponders.

3. The printer of claim 2, wherein said first memory is coupled to a first consumable that is a receiver media consumable and wherein said second memory is coupled to a second consumable that is an ink consumable.

4. The printer of claim 2, wherein said first memory is coupled to a first consumable that is a printhead consumable and wherein said second memory is coupled to a second consumable that is an ink consumable.

5. The printer of claim 2, wherein said first memory is coupled to a first consumable that is an ink consumable and wherein said second memory is coupled to a second consumable that is a cleaning fluid consumable.

6. The printer of claim 2, wherein said first memory is coupled to a first consumable that is a print head consumable and wherein said second memory is coupled to a second consumable that is a cleaning fluid consumable.

7. The printer of claim 2, further comprising a third transponder including a third memory coupled to a third consumable, said third memory having data stored therein indicative of type of consumable.

8. The printer of claim 7, wherein said first memory is coupled to a first consumable that is a receiver media consumable, wherein said second memory is coupled to a second consumable that is a print head consumable and wherein said third memory is coupled to a third consumable that is a cleaning fluid consumable.

9. The printer of claim 7, wherein said first memory is coupled to a first consumable that is a printhead consumable, wherein said second memory is coupled to a second consumable that is an ink consumable and wherein said third memory is coupled to a third consumable that is a cleaning fluid consumable.

10. The printer of claim 7, wherein the first memory is coupled to a first consumable that is a printhead consumable, wherein the second memory is coupled to a second consumable that is an ink consumable and wherein the third memory is coupled to a third consumable that is a receiver media consumable.

11. The printer of claim 7, further comprising a fourth transponder including a fourth memory coupled to a fourth consumable, said fourth memory having data stored therein indicative of type of consumable.

12. The printer of claim 11, wherein said first memory is coupled to a first consumable that is a printhead consumable, wherein said second memory is coupled to a second consumable that is an ink consumable, wherein said third memory is coupled to a third consumable that is a receiver media consumable and wherein said fourth memory is coupled to a fourth consumable that is a cleaning fluid consumable.

13. In a printer which operates to selectively deposit a color marking material onto a receiver to form an image on the receiver, a method of sensing data uniquely associated with a printer consumable loaded into the printer, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a transceiver for transmitting a first electromagnetic field and for sensing a second electromagnetic field;

(b) providing a first transponder including a first memory coupled to a first consumable; and

(c) providing a second transponder including a second memory coupled to a second consumable, each of the first and second memories having data stored therein indicative of type of consumable, the transceiver polling the respective transponders so that each of the transponders is responsive to a respective first electromagnetic field emitted by the transceiver and each transponder generates a second electromagnetic field in response to the respective first electromagnetic field received thereby, the second electromagnetic field being sensed by the transceiver and characteristic of the data stored in the respective memory, the data being associated with the selected transponder generating the second electromagnetic field.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing a first transponder comprises the step of providing a first transponder including a first memory coupled to a first consumable that is a receiver media consumable and wherein the step of providing a second transponder comprises the step of providing a second transponder including a second memory coupled to a second consumable that is an ink consumable.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing a first transponder comprises the step of providing a first transponder including a first memory coupled to a first consumable that is a printhead consumable and wherein the step of providing a second transponder comprises the step of providing a second transponder including a second memory coupled to a second consumable that is an ink consumable.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing a first transponder comprises the step of providing a first transponder including a first memory coupled to a first consumable that is an ink consumable and wherein the step of providing a second transponder comprises the step of providing a second transponder including a second memory coupled to a second consumable that is cleaning fluid consumable.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing a first transponder comprises the step of providing a first transponder including a first memory coupled to a first consumable that is a print head consumable and wherein the step of providing a second transponder comprises the step of providing a second transponder including a second memory coupled to a second consumable that is a cleaning fluid consumable.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of coupling a third transponder including a third memory coupled to a third consumable, the third memory having data stored therein indicative of type of consumable.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing a first transponder comprises the step of providing a first transponder including a first memory coupled to a first consumable that is a receiver media consumable, wherein the step of providing a second transponder comprises the step of providing a second transponder including a second memory coupled to a second consumable that is a print head consumable and wherein the step of providing a third transponder comprises the step of providing a third transponder including a third memory coupled to a third consumable that is a cleaning fluid consumable.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing a first transponder comprises the step of providing a first transponder including a first memory coupled to a first consumable that is a printhead consumable, wherein the step of providing a second transponder comprises the step of providing a second transponder including a second memory coupled to a second consumable that is an ink consumable and wherein the step of providing a third transponder comprises the step of providing a third transponder including a third memory coupled to a third consumable that is a cleaning fluid consumable.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing a first transponder comprises the step of providing a first transponder including a first memory coupled to a first consumable that is a printhead consumable, wherein the step of providing a second transponder comprises the step of providing a second transponder including a second memory coupled to a second consumable that is an ink consumable and wherein the step of providing a third transponder comprises the step of providing a third transponder including a third memory coupled to a third consumable that is a receiver media consumable.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of providing a fourth transponder including a fourth memory coupled to a fourth consumable, the fourth memory having data stored therein indicative of type of consumable.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of providing a first transponder comprises the step of providing a first transponder including a first memory coupled to a first consumable that is a printhead consumable, wherein the step of providing a second transponder comprises the step of providing a second transponder including a second memory coupled to a second consumable that is an ink consumable, wherein the step of providing a third transponder comprises the step of providing a third transponder including a third memory coupled to a third consumable that is a receiver media consumable and wherein the step of providing a fourth transponder comprises the step of providing a fourth transponder including a fourth memory coupled to a fourth consumable that is a cleaning fluid consumable.

24. In a printer which operates to selectively deposit ink onto a receiver to form an image on the receiver, a method for sensing data uniquely associated with an ink consumable loaded into the printer, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) operating a transceiver to transmit a first electromagnetic field, the first electromagnetic field including a code providing a command to read or write data; and

(b) providing a transponder associated with the ink consumable, the transponder receiving the first electromagnetic field and generating a second electromagnetic field in response to the code in the first electromagnetic field providing a command to read data from a memory, the second electromagnetic field carrying information relative to data stored in the memory, the memory being coupled to the transponder and having the data stored therein and uniquely associated with the ink consumable, and the transponder in response to a code providing a command to write data provides a signal to the memory to apply information from the first electromagnetic field into the memory wherein the transponder receives energy from the first electromagnetic field as the only energy for powering the transponder and wherein the consumable is a container for storing a waste material and the memory provides information relative to identification of the material as an aid to environmentally acceptable disposal of the waste material.

25. In a printer which operates to selectively deposit a color marking material onto a receiver to form an image on the receiver, a method for sensing data uniquely associated with a waste material containing container loaded into the printer, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) operating a transceiver to transmit a first electromagnetic field, the first electromagnetic field including a code providing a command to read or write data; and

(b) providing a transponder associated with the container, the transponder including a memory, the transponder receiving the first electromagnetic field and generating a second electromagnetic field in response to the code in the first electromagnetic field that provides a command to read data from the memory, the second electromagnetic field carrying information relative to data stored in the memory, the memory being coupled to the transponder and having the data stored therein and uniquely associated with the waste material in the container, and the transponder in response to a code providing a command to write data provides a signal to the memory to apply information from the first electromagnetic field into the memory.

26. The printer of claim 25, wherein the first electromagnetic field includes data regarding a current level of waste material in the container and the current level of waste material in the container is written into the memory.

27. In a printer which operates to selectively deposit ink onto a receiver to form an image on the receiver, a method for sensing data uniquely associated with an ink consumable loaded into the printer, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) operating a transceiver to transmit a first electromagnetic field, the first electromagnetic field including a code providing a command to read or write data; and

(b) providing a transponder associated with the ink consumable, the transponder receiving the first electromagnetic field and generating a second electromagnetic field in response to the code in the first electromagnetic field providing a command to read data from a memory, the second electromagnetic field carrying information relative to data stored in the memory, the memory being coupled to the transponder and having the data stored therein and uniquely associated with the ink consumable, and the transponder in response to a code providing a command to write data provides a signal to the memory to apply information from the first electromagnetic field into the memory, and wherein the transceiver is blocked from overwriting of certain stored data in the memory.

28. The method of claim 27, and wherein the transponder receives energy from the first electromagnetic field as the only energy for powering the transponder.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein a device associated with the consumable has a sensing mechanism, and the sensing mechanism accurately indicates the amount of consumable used or remaining and this amount is stored in the memory.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the transceiver communicates with the transponder without making touching contact with the transponder.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the memory is a non-volatile semiconductor memory that is integrally contained in the transponder.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the transceiver senses the second electromagnetic field and extracts the data content for subsequent processing in operating the printer.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the transceiver addresses the transponder to write data to the memory associated with the consumable and wherein the data is indicative of usage of the consumable.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein in response to the information carried by the second electromagnetic field a control logic in the printer determines the type of consumable that is loaded in the printer.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the control logic determines manufacturing date and batch number from the information carried by the second electromagnetic field.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the memory stores calibration data relative to the consumable.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein the memory stores sensitometric data relative to the consumable.

38. The method of claim 28, wherein a determination is made as to whether or not a print job is compatible with the consumable, and if the print job is not compatible with the consumable print operation is disabled.

39. An ink container including an ink consumable for use in a printer and the container including a transponder and memory specially adapted for use in the method of claim 27 and wherein the memory is coupled to the transponder and has data stored therein and uniquely associated with a consumable used in the printer, the transponder being adapted to receive energy from the first electromagnetic field that is generated by the transceiver and the energy comprising the only energy for powering the transponder and the code indicating a read or write command for the memory, the energy being usable in accordance with a read code to generate a signal representing data stored in the memory about the consumable for sensing by the transceiver and for a write code to write information into the memory providing an update of the amount of consumable used or remaining, and the memory storing an update of the consumable used from or remaining in the container.

40. The method of claim 27, and wherein the first electromagnetic field includes data regarding a current level of ink consumable and the data regarding current level of ink consumable is written into the memory.

41. A printer of the type which selectively deposits color marking material onto a receiver sheet to form an image on the receiver sheet, the printer being adapted to sense data uniquely associated with a receiver sheet consumable loaded into the printer, the printer comprising:

(a) a transceiver for transmitting a first electromagnetic field and for sensing a second and electromagnetic field, the first electromagnetic field containing data for writing into a memory associated with the receiver sheet consumable;

(b) a transponder coupled to a sheet-like member that is part of a stack of discrete receiver sheets loaded in the printer, the discrete receiver sheets comprising the consumable, said transponder adapted to receive the first electromagnetic field and generate the second electromagnetic field in response to the first electromagnetic field received thereby, the transponder adapted to receive the energy from the first electromagnetic field that is generated by the transceiver and the energy comprising the only energy for powering the transponder and the transponder being adapted to read data from the memory; and

(c) the memory associated with the receiver sheet consumable, the memory being coupled to said transponder, said memory having data stored therein uniquely associated with the receiver sheet consumable, whereby the second electromagnetic field carries the data stored in said memory while the second electromagnetic field is generated, the second electromagnetic field being characteristic of the data stored in said memory.