# US 12,181,805 B2 · Method for error handling in the toner refill process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,181,805 B2 - Document ID: US12181805B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/392,873 - Filed: 2023-12-21 - Published: 2024-05-02 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-06 - Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - Inventors: Mok-Hwa Lim; Hyeonseung Lee; Jang-Geun Kim; Jincheol Kim; ByeongNo Jeong; Sungchul Ahn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181805B2 ## CPC - G03G 15/0863: {provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. an electronic memory} - G03G 15/0879: {for dispensing developer from a developer cartridge not directly attached to the development unit} - G03G 15/0894: {Reconditioning of the developer unit, i.e. reusing or recycling parts of the unit, e.g. resealing of the unit before refilling with toner} - G03G 15/5066: {by using information from an external support, e.g. magnetic card} - G03G 15/55: {Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display} - G03G 21/1878: {Electronically readable memory} - G03G 15/0867: {cylindrical developer cartridges, e.g. toner bottles for the developer replenishing opening} - G03G 2215/0697: being an electronically readable memory - G03G 2221/1823: Cartridges having electronically readable memory - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract A toner cartridge includes a customer replaceable unit monitoring (CRUM) apparatus to store error information of a toner injection process of the toner cartridge using a toner refill apparatus. Based on the error information not being stored in the CRUM apparatus, an availability of a refill operation of the toner cartridge is identified based on a predetermined first reference value and an amount of toner detected in the toner cartridge, and, based on the error information being stored in the CRUM apparatus, the availability of the refill operation of the toner cartridge is identified based on a predetermined second reference value and the amount of toner detected in the toner cartridge. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A refill apparatus comprising: a body to contain printing material, the body including an outlet to inject printing material into a cartridge; and a memory chip to store information of the refill apparatus and error information of an injection process, wherein an availability of a refill operation for the refill apparatus is identified based on the information of the refill apparatus and the error information, wherein the error information includes a number of dockings of the refill apparatus, and wherein the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on the number of dockings, wherein the memory chip is to store completion information indicating that an injection using the refill apparatus has been completed, the availability of the refill operation of the refill apparatus is identified based on the completion information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The refill apparatus of claim 1: wherein the error information includes information indicating whether an error has occurred in the injection process, and wherein the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on an error counter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The refill apparatus of claim 1, wherein the error information includes flag information indicating that an error occurred in the injection process, wherein the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on the flag information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The refill apparatus of claim 1: wherein the memory chip stores history information related to the injection process, and wherein the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on the history information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The refill apparatus of claim 4, wherein the history information comprises identification information for an image forming apparatus or the cartridge, refill start information, refill ending time, completion information, refill time information, cartridge information of the image forming apparatus, or error information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The refill apparatus of claim 1, wherein, based on the error information being stored in a memory chip of the cartridge, the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on identifying information of the refill apparatus stored in the memory chip of the cartridge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The refill apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory chip is to store information for authenticating the refill apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The refill apparatus of claim 1: wherein the memory chip is to store at least one selected from groups consisting of color information, manufacturer information, expiration date information, authenticity identification code, refill time information, intrinsic information of the refill apparatus and intrinsic information of the image forming apparatus or the cartridge that have ever been connected. ### Claim 9 A refill apparatus comprising: a memory to store information of the refill apparatus, error information of an injection process, and complete information, wherein the error information indicates whether an error has occurred in the injection process, and the complete information indicates that an injection using the refill apparatus has been completed, wherein the availability of a refill operation for the refill apparatus is identified based on the error information and the complete information, wherein the error information includes a number of dockings of the refill apparatus, and wherein the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on the number of dockings, wherein the memory chip is to store completion information indicating that an injection using the refill apparatus has been completed, the availability of the refill operation of the refill apparatus is identified based on the completion information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The refill apparatus of claim 9, wherein the error information includes flag information indicating that an error occurred in the injection process, wherein the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on the flag information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The refill apparatus of claim 9, wherein, based on the error information being stored in a memory of the cartridge, the availability of the refill apparatus is further identified based on the information of the refill apparatus stored in the memory of the cartridge. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The refill apparatus of claim 9: wherein the memory chip further stores history information related to the injection process comprising, and wherein the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on the history information. ### Claim 13 A memory chip for a refill apparatus comprising: a memory to store information of a refill apparatus, and error information of an injection process, wherein an availability of a refill operation for the refill apparatus is identified based on the amount of printing material identified in the cartridge and the error information of the injection process, wherein the error information includes a number of dockings of the refill apparatus, and wherein the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on the number of dockings, wherein the memory chip is to store completion information indicating that an injection using the refill apparatus has been completed, the availability of the refill operation of the refill apparatus is identified based on the completion information. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The memory chip for a refill apparatus of claim 13, wherein the error information includes flag information indicating that an error occurred in the injection process, and wherein the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on the flag information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The memory chip for a refill apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory is to store information for authenticating the refill apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The memory chip for a refill apparatus of claim 13, wherein the memory chip further stores history information related to the injection process, and wherein the availability of the refill apparatus is identified based on the history information.