Printhead with separate address generator for ink level sensors
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorNing Ge
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Abstract
A printhead with a separate address generator for ink level sensors is described. In an example, a printhead includes drop ejectors fluidically coupled to nozzles, at least one nozzle address generator, nozzle decoders coupled to nozzle address generator(s) and the drop ejectors, ink level sensors each having a sensor circuit in a sensor chamber and a purging resistor circuit, a sensor address generator, and sensor decoders coupled to the sensor address generator and the purging resistor circuit in each of the ink level sensors.
Claims10
A printhead, comprising:
- drop ejectors fluidically coupled to nozzles;
- at least one nozzle address generator;
- nozzle decoders coupled to the at least one nozzle address generator and the drop ejectors;
- ink level sensors each having a sensor circuit in a sensor chamber and a purging resistor circuit
- a sensor address generator;
- and
- sensor decoders coupled to the sensor address generator and the purging resistor circuit in each of the ink level sensors.
A method of controlling a printhead, comprising:
- receiving pulse patterns on a control line related to clock signals on clock lines;
- drop ejectors responsive to first pulse patterns on the control line;
- and
- generating addresses using another address generator for addressing purging resistor circuits for ink level sensors responsive to second pulse patterns on the control line.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a firing resistor array having resistors to thermally eject ink from nozzles;
- a sensor purging resistor array having purging resistor, circuits for purging ink residue from ink level sensors;
- nozzle decoders to selectively couple energy on fire lines to the resistors;
- sensor decoders to selectively couple energy on the fire lines to the purging resistor circuits;
- at least one address generator to provide address signals to the nozzle decoders;
- and
- an additional address generator to provide address signals to the sensor decoders.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.