Apparatus for estimating toner usage
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsDavid Birnbaum, Steven M. Palermo, Douglas A. Ross
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is an apparatus and method adaptable for use in a printing system, to measure the mass of toner developed on an electrostatic latent image produced therein. The printing system employs an electrostatic process to produce a printed sheet in response to a plurality of image intensity signals. The toner mass measuring apparatus sums a plurality of individual toner mass signals, generated as a function of the image intensity signals, to approximate the toner mass used to develop the electrostatic latent image.
Claims21
An apparatus for estimating the mass of toner developed on an electrostatic latent image, comprising:
- converting means for generating a toner mass signal approximating a toner mass developed by a latent output pixel of the latent image as a function of a greyscale image intensity signal used to control the formation of the latent output pixel;
- and
- summing means, responsive to the toner mass signal, for determining a sum of the approximated toner mass for a plurality of output pixels and thereby producing a sum signal.
An electrostatic printing machine of the type having an insulating member, comprising:
- means for supplying a plurality of image intensity signals;
- means, responsive to the image intensity signals, for recording an electrostatic latent image on the insulating member, with the electrostatic latent image having a plurality of output pixel spots, whereby the charge level of each output pixel spot is controlled in response to the associated image intensity signal;
- developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image recorded on the insulating member with toner to produce a developed image on the insulating member;
- and
- means for estimating the mass of toner adhering to the insulating member as a function of the image intensity signals.
A method of estimating the mass of toner developed on an electrostatic latent image, comprising:
- generating a toner mass signal approximating a toner mass developed by a latent output pixel of the latent image as a function of a greyscale image intensity signal used to control the formation of the latent output pixel;
- and
- determining, in response to the toner mass signal, a sum of the approximated toner mass for a plurality of output pixels to produce a sum signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.