# US 11,307,523 B2 · Determinations of failure conditions based on power consumptions

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- Number: US 11,307,523 B2
- Document ID: US11307523B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/288,529
- Filed: 2019-04-30
- Published: 2022-02-17
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2019-04-30
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Duane A. Koehler; Robert Yraceburu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307523B2

## CPC

- G01R 31/50: Testing of electric apparatus, lines, cables or components for short-circuits, continuity, leakage current or incorrect line connections (testing of sparking plugs H01T13/58)
- G03G 15/2053: {Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating}
- B41J 29/38: Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
- B41J 29/393: Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine {; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns}
- G03G 15/2098: {using light, e.g. UV photohardening}
- G03G 15/5004: {Power supply control, e.g. power-saving mode, automatic power turn-off}
- G03G 15/5037: {the characteristics being an electrical parameter, e.g. voltage}
- G03G 15/55: {Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display}
- G03G 15/80: {Details relating to power supplies, circuits boards, electrical connections}
- B41J 2029/3932: {Battery or power source mounted on the carriage}
- G01R 21/06: by measuring current and voltage (G01R21/08 - G01R21/133 take precedence)
- G01R 21/133: by using digital technique
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

A volt meter and a current meter may measure a voltage and a current for the calculation of power consumption. A controller may calculate the power consumption when a heating element is activated and when the heating element is deactivated. Based on the power consumptions when the heating element is activated or deactivated, a failure condition may be determined.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a volt meter to measure a voltage;
a current meter to measure a current;
a heating element to apply heat; and
a controller coupled to the volt meter, the current meter, and the heating element, wherein the controller is to:
calculate a first power consumption with the heating element deactivated, the calculation of the first power consumption based on the volt meter and the current meter;
calculate a second power consumption with the heating element activated, the calculation of the second power consumption based on the volt meter and the current meter; and
determine a failure condition of the heating element based on the first power consumption and the second power consumption.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a second heating element, wherein the controller is to:
calculate a third power consumption with the second heating element activated, the calculation of the third power consumption based on the volt meter and the current meter; and
determine a second failure condition of the second heating element based on the third power consumption.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first power consumption and the second power consumption are part of a set of power consumptions, and the controller is to determine a short condition based on the set of power consumptions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 comprising:
a memory; and
a component, wherein the controller is to:
calculate a third power consumption with the heating element deactivated, the calculation of the third power consumption based on the volt meter and the current meter;
calculate a fourth power consumption with the heating element activated, the calculation of the fourth power consumption based on the volt meter and the current meter;
store the first power consumption, the second power consumption, the third power consumption, and the fourth power consumption as a set of power consumptions in the memory;
determine a second failure condition of the component based on the set of power consumptions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating element includes a halogen lamp.

### Claim 6

An apparatus comprising:
a heating element to apply heat;
a current meter coupled to the heating element, the current meter to measure a current supplied to the heating element; and
a controller coupled to the current meter and the heating element, wherein the controller is to:
compare an activated current value with a deactivated current value, the activated current value based on a measurement of the current meter while the heating element is activated, the deactivated current value based on a measurement of the current meter while the heating element is deactivated; and
determine a failure condition of the heating element based on the comparison.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6 comprising a volt meter coupled to the heating element, the volt meter to measure a voltage supplied to the heating element, wherein the comparison includes calculating an activated power value and a deactivated power value, the activated power value based on the activated current value and a measurement of the voltage meter while the heating element is activated, and the deactivated power value based on the deactivated current value and a measurement of the voltage meter while the heating element is deactivated.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is to distinguish between a short associated with the heating element and an open circuit associated with the heating element based on the activated current value.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6 comprising a memory to store the activated current value.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is to evaluate a set of stored current values of the heating element, the set of stored current values stored in the memory, the set of stored current values based on a set of measurements of the current meter while the heating element is activated, and the determination of the failure condition based on the set of stored current values.

### Claim 11

A method comprising:
measuring a first power consumption of a printer while a component of the printer is deactivated;
measuring a second power consumption of the printer while the component is activated; and
determining a fault condition of the component based on the first power consumption and the second power consumption.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 comprising:
selectively activating heating elements in a set of heating elements of the printer;
measuring a set of power consumptions of the printer while different heating elements in the set of heating elements are in an activated state; and
determining a heating fault of a heating element in the set of heating elements based on the set of power consumptions.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the determining the fault condition includes comparing a difference between the first power consumption and the second power consumption against a predetermined value, the predetermined value based on an expected power consumption of the component.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the comparing includes comparing the difference against a set of predetermined values, and the determining the fault condition includes determining between a first fault condition and a second fault condition based on the comparing the difference against the set of predetermined values.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 comprising:
storing the first power consumption and the second power consumption in a memory, the first power consumption and the second power consumption measured at a first time period;
measuring a third power consumption of the printer at a second time period while the component is deactivated, the first time period differing from the second time period;
measuring a fourth power consumption of the printer at the second time period while the component is activated; and
determining a second fault condition of the component based on the first power consumption, the second power consumption, the third power consumption, and the fourth power consumption.