Environmental factor detection system for inkjet printing
First Claim
1. An environmental condition detection system for a hardcopy device, comprising:
- an environmental condition sensor having an optical property which changes in response to a change in an environmental condition, said environmental condition sensor comprising a base material treated with a solution of a color-changing material which changes color in response to said change in said environmental condition, said base material being of an absorbent material having a first region which has absorbed said solution having a first concentration of said color-changing material, and a second region which has absorbed said solution having a second concentration of said color-changing material, with said second concentration being different from said first concentration, and with said first region changing color in response to a first change in said environmental condition, and said second region changing color in response to a second change in said environmental condition different from said first change; and
an optical sensor which detects said change in the optical property and generates a signal in response thereto.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An environmental condition detection system for a hardcopy device, such as an inkjet printing mechanism, includes an environmental condition sensor having an optical property which changes in response to a change in an environmental condition, for instance humidity or temperature. The system also has an optical sensor which detects changes in the optical property and generates a signal for a controller that responds by changing an operating parameter of the hardcopy device. A hard copy device having such a environmental condition detection system is also provided, along with a method of determining an environmental condition within which a hardcopy device is operating.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. An environmental condition detection system for a hardcopy device, comprising:
- an environmental condition sensor having an optical property which changes in response to a change in an environmental condition, said environmental condition sensor comprising a base material treated with a solution of a color-changing material which changes color in response to said change in said environmental condition, said base material being of an absorbent material having a first region which has absorbed said solution having a first concentration of said color-changing material, and a second region which has absorbed said solution having a second concentration of said color-changing material, with said second concentration being different from said first concentration, and with said first region changing color in response to a first change in said environmental condition, and said second region changing color in response to a second change in said environmental condition different from said first change; and
an optical sensor which detects said change in the optical property and generates a signal in response thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- an environmental condition sensor having an optical property which changes in response to a change in an environmental condition, said environmental condition sensor comprising a base material treated with a solution of a color-changing material which changes color in response to said change in said environmental condition, said base material being of an absorbent material having a first region which has absorbed said solution having a first concentration of said color-changing material, and a second region which has absorbed said solution having a second concentration of said color-changing material, with said second concentration being different from said first concentration, and with said first region changing color in response to a first change in said environmental condition, and said second region changing color in response to a second change in said environmental condition different from said first change; and
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10. A method of determining an environmental condition within which a hardcopy device is operating, comprising:
- exposing a sensor to an environmental condition, with the sensor having an optical property which changes in response a change to said environmental condition;
optically observing said sensor;
thereafter, generating a signal in response to said optical property of the sensor;
exposing another sensor to another environmental condition, with said another sensor having another optical property which changes in response a change to said another environmental condition;
said optically observing comprises observing said another sensor; and
thereafter, generating another signal in response to said another optical property of said another sensor;
wherein said optically observing comprises using an optical sensor to observe said sensor and said another sensor, and moving said optical sensor between said sensor and said another sensor. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
- exposing a sensor to an environmental condition, with the sensor having an optical property which changes in response a change to said environmental condition;
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13. A method of determining an environmental condition within which a hardcopy device is operating, comprising:
- exposing a sensor to an environmental condition, with the sensor having an optical property which changes in response a change to said environmental condition;
optically observing said sensor wherein said optically observing comprises using an optical sensor to observe said sensor, and holding said optical sensor stationary while observing said sensor; and
thereafter, generating a signal in response to said optical property of the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- exposing a sensor to an environmental condition, with the sensor having an optical property which changes in response a change to said environmental condition;
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21. A method of operating a hardcopy device including an inkjet printing mechanism having a printhead which selectively dispenses ink, comprising:
- exposing a sensor to an environmental condition within which said hardcopy device is operating, with the sensor having an optical property which changes in response a change to said environmental condition;
optically observing said sensor;
thereafter, generating a signal in response to said optical property of the sensor;
collecting a history of said environmental condition during a period of printhead inactivity;
analyzing said history; and
adjusting an operating parameter of said hardcopy device in response to said signal, wherein said adjusting comprises adjusting a printhead servicing routine in response to said analyzing. - View Dependent Claims (22)
- exposing a sensor to an environmental condition within which said hardcopy device is operating, with the sensor having an optical property which changes in response a change to said environmental condition;
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23. A method of operating a hardcopy device including an inkjet printing mechanism having a printhead, the method comprising:
- exposing a sensor to an environmental condition within which said hardcopy device is operating, with the sensor having an optical property which changes in response a change to said environmental condition;
optically observing said sensor;
thereafter, generating a signal in response to said optical property of the sensor;
adjusting an operating parameter of said hardcopy device in response to said signal;
selectively dispensing ink from the printhead according to a printing routine;
collecting a history of said environmental condition during printhead inactivity; and
analyzing said history to estimate an amount of ink evaporated from said printhead during said period of inactivity. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
- exposing a sensor to an environmental condition within which said hardcopy device is operating, with the sensor having an optical property which changes in response a change to said environmental condition;
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28. A method of operating a hardcopy device including an inkjet printing mechanism having a printhead, the method comprising:
- exposing a sensor to an environmental condition within which said hardcopy device is operating, with the sensor having an optical property which changes in response a change to said environmental condition;
optically observing said sensor;
thereafter, generating a signal in response to said optical property of the sensor;
advancing media through a printzone of the printing mechanism;
selectively dispensing ink from the printhead onto the media while in the printzone; and
adjusting an operating parameter of said hardcopy device in response to said signal, wherein said adjusting comprises adjusting the advancing step. - View Dependent Claims (29)
- exposing a sensor to an environmental condition within which said hardcopy device is operating, with the sensor having an optical property which changes in response a change to said environmental condition;
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30. A hardcopy device for interacting with media, the hardcopy device including an inkjet printing mechanism for printing on a sheet, the hardcopy device comprising:
- a printhead which selectively dispenses ink and interacts with said media when in a printzone;
a media handling system which advances the media through the printzone;
an environmental condition sensor having an optical property which changes in response to a change in an environmental condition within which the hardcopy device operates;
an optical sensor which detects said change in the optical property and generates a signal in response thereto; and
a controller which collects a history of said environmental condition during a period of printhead inactivity and analyzes said history, and adjusts an operating parameter of said hardcopy device in response to said signal, said operating parameter comprising a servicing routine which services the printhead. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
- a printhead which selectively dispenses ink and interacts with said media when in a printzone;
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47. A hardcopy device for interacting with media, the hardcopy device including an inkjet printing mechanism for printing on a sheet, the hardcopy device comprising:
- a printhead which selectively dispenses ink in a printzone from an ink supply while printing according to a printing routine;
a media handling system which advances the media through the printzone;
an environmental condition sensor having an optical property which changes in response to a change in an environmental condition within which the hardcopy device operates;
an optical sensor which detects said change in the optical property and generates a signal in response thereto; and
a controller which adjusts an operating parameter of said hardcopy device in response to said signal;
wherein the controller compiles a history of said environmental condition during printhead inactivity, analyzes the history to estimate an amount of ink evaporated from the printhead, compiles an amount of ink dispensed from the printhead from when the printhead was initially installed in the printing mechanism, and estimates an amount of ink remaining in the ink supply. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
- a printhead which selectively dispenses ink in a printzone from an ink supply while printing according to a printing routine;
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51. A hardcopy device for interacting with media, the hardcopy device including an inkjet printing mechanism for printing on a sheet, the hardcopy device comprising:
- a printhead which interacts with said media when in a printzone;
a media handling system which advances the media through the printzone according to a media advancing routine;
an environmental condition sensor having an optical property which changes in response to a change in humidity;
an optical sensor which detects said change in the optical property and generates a signal in response thereto; and
a controller which adjusts the media advancing routine in response to said signal.
- a printhead which interacts with said media when in a printzone;
Specification