US 10,126,680 B1 · Colorant saver feature in a printer

Abstract

A Toner Saver Feature (TSF) that enables adjustments in toner throughputs thus enhancing a user's control on toner consumption and thereby increasing life of cartridges in printing devices is disclosed. The disclosed TSF is configured to change throughput for each of the plurality of colorants based on at least one Preset Colorant Saver Configuration (Preset) that contains a set of Throughput Rate Reduction (TRR) values for each colorant, and wherein the at least one preset colorant saver configuration is user configurable. TSF enables a user to change the set of TRR values for each of the plurality of colorants individually through a user interface, and save the changed values as one of the Presets. The reduction values get implemented in all modes of printing wherein factory set throughput rates for the current mode get further reduced based on the selected Preset.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A printing device incorporating a colorant saver feature for saving a plurality of colorants to extend usable life of colorant cartridges in the printing device, wherein the colorant saver feature is configured to:

detect levels of the plurality of colorants;
compare the detected levels of the plurality of colorants with a set of threshold levels for each of the respective plurality of colorants, wherein the set of threshold levels for the plurality of colorants is contained within at least one preset colorant saver configuration;
identify, based on the comparison, at least one colorant out of the plurality of colorants that has level below the corresponding threshold level;
reduce, on detection that at least one colorant has level below the corresponding threshold level, throughput of each of the plurality of colorants in accordance with a set of throughput rate reduction values for each of the plurality of colorants, wherein the set of throughput rate reduction values for each of the plurality of colorants is contained within the at least one preset colorant saver configuration;
wherein the at least one preset colorant saver configuration is user configurable.

2 more elements

A method for saving a plurality of colorants to extend usable life of colorant cartridges in a printing device, the method comprising steps of:

detecting levels of the plurality of colorants;
comparing the detected levels of the plurality of colorants with a set of threshold levels for each of the respective plurality of colorants, wherein the set of threshold levels for the plurality of colorants is contained within at least one preset colorant saver configuration;
identifying, based on the comparison, at least one colorant out of the plurality of colorants that has level below the corresponding threshold level;
reducing, on detection that at least one colorant has level below the corresponding threshold level, throughput of each of the plurality of colorants, wherein the throughput for each of the plurality of colorants is reduced in accordance with a set of throughput rate reduction values for each of the plurality of colorants, wherein the set of throughput rate reduction values is contained within the at least one preset colorant saver configuration.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Colorant saver feature in a printer

Life of this patent

Colorant saver feature in a printer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20