# US 12,600,142 B2 · Determining new remaining usage of cartridge

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- Number: US 12,600,142 B2
- Document ID: US12600142B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/629,761
- Filed: 2024-04-08
- Published: 2024-08-15
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2024-04-08
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Paul L. Jeran; Alex Oaks
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12600142B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/17546: {electronically}
- B41J 2/17566: {Ink level or ink residue control}
- G03G 15/0863: {provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. an electronic memory}
- G03G 15/556: {for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement}
- B41J 2002/17569: {based on the amount printed or to be printed}
- G03G 21/1875: {provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. lifetime of the cartridge}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY

## Abstract

An example printing material cartridge may include an input/output device, a container storing printing material, and a memory. The memory may store an identifier of the cartridge, a usage counter of the cartridge, and an indicator that the cartridge has reached a usage threshold. The memory may also store a usage offset equal to a historical usage of the cartridge, the usage offset for determining a new remaining usage of the cartridge.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printing material cartridge comprising:
an input/output device; and
a memory,
wherein the memory stores an identifier of the cartridge, and a usage counter of the cartridge, and
wherein the memory is to store a usage offset indicating a historical usage of the cartridge and a usage capacity of the cartridge, and the usage offset and the usage capacity are used for determining a new remaining usage of the cartridge.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the historical usage corresponds to a value of the usage counter at a time of remanufacture and includes at least one of a page count, a dot count, or a colorant count.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the memory stores an indicator that the cartridge has reached a usage threshold.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cartridge of claim 1,
wherein the memory is to further store a new usage capacity of the cartridge, the new usage capacity for determining the new remaining usage of the cartridge, and
wherein the new usage capacity of the cartridge is received from a user of the cartridge, a remanufacturer of the cartridge, or a remote server.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores a signature for authenticating a valid remanufacture operation.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The cartridge of claim 5, wherein the usage offset is obtained from a remote server.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the indicator that the cartridge has reached the usage threshold includes a binary flag.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The cartridge of claim 1, wherein the memory is to further store a low threshold of the cartridge, the low threshold of the cartridge to be used for setting the indicator that the cartridge has reached the usage threshold.

### Claim 9

A printing material cartridge comprising:
an input/output device; and
a memory,
wherein the memory stores an identifier of the cartridge, a usage counter of the cartridge, and an indicator that the cartridge has reached a usage threshold, and
wherein the memory stores a usage capacity of the cartridge, the usage capacity and the usage counter are used for determining the new remaining usage of the cartridge.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the memory is to store a usage offset equal to a historical usage of the cartridge, the usage offset for determining a new remaining usage of the cartridge; and
wherein the historical use of the cartridge corresponds to a value of the usage counter at a time of remanufacture and includes at least one of a page count, a dot count, or a colorant count.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The cartridge of claim 10, wherein the memory is to store a new remaining usage of the cartridge based on:
New
⁢
Remaining
⁢
Usage
=
(
1
-
(
Us
⁢
age
⁢
Counter
-
Us
⁢
age
⁢
Offset
Us
⁢
age
⁢
Capacity
)
)
×
100
⁢
%
.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The cartridge of claim 9, wherein a usage capacity of the cartridge is obtained from the memory of the cartridge, from a user input at an image forming apparatus, or from a remote server.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the memory further stores instructions to:
determine if the usage offset equals zero,
if the usage offset does not equal zero, determine if the new remaining usage is less than a low threshold,
if the new remaining usage is less than the low threshold, set a new usage offset equal to a historical usage of the cartridge upon determining that the offset does not equal zero, and
determine an updated new remaining usage of the cartridge based on the new usage offset, the usage counter, and the usage capacity of the cartridge.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The cartridge of claim 9, wherein the memory further stores instructions to:
set the usage offset when a signature of the cartridge is validated by the printer.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory memory for a printing material cartridge, the memory comprising:
an identifier of the cartridge;
a usage counter of the cartridge;
an indicator that the cartridge has reached a usage threshold; and
a usage capacity of the cartridge,
wherein a new remaining usage of the cartridge is determined based on the usage capacity and the usage counter.