System, method and software for reducing printer colorant usage
AssigneeInternational Paper Company
InventorsRichard D. Faber, Krishna M. Pamidimukkala, Donna Wenzel, Maria A. Dannemiller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, method, and printer controller software for reducing printer colorant usage by using printer controller software which controls the deposition by the printer of the printer colorant on the printable medium in response to selected print image quality and printer colorant reduction criteria, as well as identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics of the printable medium, identifying characteristics of the printer, and identifying characteristics of the printer colorant.
Claims58
In a system comprising a printer having identifying printer characteristics data, a source of printer colorant associated with the printer and having identifying printer colorant characteristics data, a computer in electronic communication with the printer and which receives the identifying printer characteristics data and the identifying printer colorant characteristics data, a display device in electronic communication with the computer which displays a printer menu which comprises at least:
- (a) print image quality criteria to be selected;
- and (b) printer colorant reduction criteria to be selected, a printer controller associated with the computer, wherein the printer controller controls deposition by the printer of the printer colorant from the printer colorant source on a printable medium having identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics data to thereby reduce printer colorant usage in response to:
- (1) the identifying printer characteristics data received by the computer;
- (2) the identifying printer colorant characteristics data received by the computer;
- (3) the print image quality criteria selected;
- (4) the printer colorant reduction criteria selected;
- and
- (5) the identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics data.
A method for use with a system which comprises a printer, a source of printer colorant associated with the printer, a computer in electronic communication with the printer, and a display device in electronic communication with the computer which displays a printer menu which comprises at least:
- (a) print image quality criteria to be selected;
- and (b) printer colorant reduction criteria to be selected, the method comprising the following steps:
- (1) selecting print image quality criteria and printer colorant reduction criteria from the printer menu;
- (2) determining the identifying printer characteristics of the printer, the identifying printer colorant characteristics, and the identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics of a printable medium on which the printer colorant is to be deposited;
- and
- (3) controlling deposition by the printer of the printer colorant from the printer cartridge on the printable medium to thereby reduce printer colorant usage in response to:
- (a) the printer image quality and printer colorant reduction criteria selected;
- and (b) the identifying printer characteristics, the identifying printer colorant characteristics, and the identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics determined.
A product comprising a machine readable medium having associated therewith printer controller software which is loadable on a computer for controlling a printer having identifying printer characteristics data and which is associated with a source of printer colorant and having identifying printer colorant characteristics data, the computer also being in electronic communication with a display device which displays a printer menu which comprises at least:
- (a) print image quality criteria to be selected;
- and (b) printer colorant reduction criteria to be selected, wherein the printer controller software controls deposition by the printer of the printer colorant from the printer colorant source on a printable medium having identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics data to thereby reduce printer colorant usage in response to:
- (1) the identifying printer characteristics data;
- (2) the identifying printer colorant characteristics data;
- (3) the print image quality criteria selected;
- (4) the printer colorant reduction criteria selected;
- and
- (5) the identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.