Ink level estimation using drop count and ink level sense
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsSusan M. Hmelar, Michael L. Bullock, Norman E. Pawlowski, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A printing system including an ink container having a memory and an ink level sensing circuit, a print cartridge having a memory, and a printer controller. Remaining ink level in the ink container is estimated pursuant to ink drop usage information provided by the ink container memory and ink level sense information provided by the ink level sensing circuit.
Claims46
An ink container for an ink jet printing system having an ink jet printhead that selectively deposits ink drops on print media, the ink container comprising:
- an ink reservoir for storing ink to be provided to the ink jet printhead;
- an information storage device for storing information that is utilized by a controller for providing an estimate of available ink in said ink reservoir over a first estimated ink volume range;
- and
- an ink level sensing circuit for providing an ink level sense signal that is utilized by the controller for providing an estimate of available ink over a second estimated ink volume range that is different from said first estimated ink volume range.
A printing system comprising:
- an ink jet printhead for selectively depositing ink drops on print media;
- an ink reservoir for storing ink to be provided to the ink jet printhead;
- an information storage device for storing information that is indicative of an available volume of ink in the ink reservoir based on printing activity;
- an ink level sensing circuit for providing an ink level sense output that is indicative of a sensed volume of ink in the ink reservoir;
- and
- a processor responsive to said storage device output and said ink level sense output for providing over a first estimated ink volume range a remaining ink level estimate that is based on said stored information, and for providing over a second estimated ink volume range that is different from said first estimated ink volume range a remaining ink level estimate that is based on said ink level sense output.
A method for determining an amount of ink remaining in an ink container installed in a printing system having an ink jet printhead for receiving ink from the ink container and selectively depositing ink drops on print media, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a calculated remaining ink volume based on ink drop count information and a printhead drop volume estimate;
- providing a sensed remaining ink volume based on sensed ink volume information;
- and
- providing (1) over a first estimated ink volume range an ink volume estimate based on the calculated remaining ink volume and (2) over a second estimated ink volume range that is different from the first estimated ink volume range an ink volume estimate based on the sensed remaining ink volume.
An ink container having an ink reservoir for providing ink to a printing system that includes a controller for controlling operation of the printing system, comprising:
- a first ink level estimation portion for providing first information that is utilized by the controller for providing an estimate of available ink volume in the reservoir over a first estimated ink volume range;
- and
- a second ink level estimation portion for providing second information that is utilized by the controller for providing the estimate of available ink volume in the reservoir over a second estimated ink volume range that is different from said first estimated ink volume range.
An ink jet printing system comprising:
- an ink jet printhead for selectively depositing ink drops on print media;
- an ink reservoir for storing ink to be provided to the ink jet printhead;
- a first ink level estimation portion for providing first information indicative of available ink volume in the reservoir;
- a second ink level estimation portion for providing second information indicative of available ink volume;
- and
- a processor responsive to said first information and said second information for providing an estimate of available ink volume in the reservoir, wherein the estimate is based on said first information while one of said first information and said second information indicates that ink level is greater than a threshold level.
A method of providing an estimate of ink volume in an ink reservoir, comprising the steps of:
- causing a first ink level estimation portion to provide first information indicative of available ink volume;
- causing a second ink level estimation portion to provide second information indicative of available ink volume;
- providing (1) over a first estimated ink volume range an ink volume estimate that is based on the first information and (2) over a second estimated ink volume range that is different from the first estimated ink volume range an ink volume estimate that is based on the second information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.