Method and apparatus for determining an optimum print density for an ink jet printer

An ink jet printing system, comprising:

• an ink jet printer responsive to print commands from a computer;
• an ink jet printhead electrically connected to said ink jet printer, said ink jet printhead transmitting an ink drop volume parameter to said ink jet printer;
• said ink jet printer applying said ink drop volume parameter to said print commands to achieve an optimum print density;
• a mechanism for holding a first printed page of output to provide separation from a second printed page of output, wherein said second printed page of output is printed subsequently to said first printed page of output;
• and
• a temperature sensor in said ink jet printer for measuring temperature data, said temperature data used by said ink jet printer to hold said first printed page of output in said holding mechanism an optimal period of time for said second printed page of output to dry.

An ink jet printing system, comprising:

• a computer;
• an ink jet printer having a processor responsive to instructions from said computer;
• an ink jet printhead electrically connected to said ink jet printer, said ink jet printhead having an attached printhead memory device for storing printhead data and for transmitting said printhead data to said processor of said ink jet printer;
• and
• an ink supply cartridge electrically connected to said ink jet printer, said ink supply cartridge having an ink supply cartridge having an ink supply cartridge memory device for storing supply cartridge data and for transmitting said supply cartridge data to said processor of said ink jet printer;
• and
• wherein said processor determines a print density for printing operations to be conducted with said ink jet printhead and said ink supply cartridge in dependence on said ink supply data and said printhead data.

A method of determining an optimum print density for an ink jet printhead used in an ink jet printer, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a print command in said ink jet printer from a computer;
• reading an ink drop volume parameter from a printhead memory device on said ink jet printhead into a printer memory device on said ink jet printer;
• said ink jet printer reading an ink formulation parameter from an ink memory device on an ink supply cartridge into a printer memory device on said ink jet printer;
• determining an ink density compensation value for said ink jet printhead based on said ink drop volume parameter and on said ink formulation parameter;
• applying said ink density compensation value to the print command, thereby creating a depleted print command;
• and
• using said ink jet printhead, said ink jet printer and said depleted print command in a printing operation.