US 6,431,677 B1 · Print head drive scheme

Abstract

The invention provides a three-dimensional printhead drive scheme for a printhead of an ink jet printer. A method is provided for selectively activating a printing element within an array of printing elements on a printhead of an ink jet printer. The printhead includes an integrated circuit having pass-gate devices and power devices associated with corresponding printing elements. The pass-gate devices and power devices each have a source, drain, and gate, where the source of each pass-gate device is connected to the gate of a corresponding one of the power devices, and where the source of each power device is connected to a corresponding one of the printing elements. According to the method, a quadrant selection signal is provided to a subset of the pass-gate devices, and the subset of printing elements within the array of printing elements is selected based on the quadrant selection signal. An address signal is provided to a group of the power devices within the subset, and the group of printing elements is selected based on the address signal. A primitive signal is provided to the selected group of printing elements on the printhead, and a printing element within the selected group is activated based on the primitive signal.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of selectively activating a printing element within an array of printing elements on a printhead of an ink jet printer, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of printing elements, each printing element having an associated pass-gate device and power device, each pass-gate device and power device having a source, drain, and gate, where the source of each pass-gate device is connected to the gate of a corresponding one of the power devices, and where the source of each power device is connected to a corresponding one of the printing elements,
(b) defining a plurality of subsets of printing elements and associated pass-gate and power devices,
(c) providing a quadrant selection signal to the pass-gate devices of a selected one of the subsets to thereby select a subset of printing elements in the array of printing elements based on the quadrant selection signal,
(d) defining a plurality of groups of printing elements and associated pass-gate devices and power devices within each subset,
(e) providing an address signal to a selected group of the power devices within the selected subset to thereby select a group of printing elements based on the address signal,
(f) providing a primitive signal to the selected group of printing elements on the printhead, and
(g) activating a selected printing element within the selected group based on the primitive signal.

4 more elements

An integrated circuit on an ink jet printhead for generating a printed image on a print medium based on a first, second, and third control signal from a printer controller, the integrated circuit comprising:

an array of q×a×p number of resistive heating elements for heating adjacent ink and thereby causing the ink to be expelled onto the print medium, the resistive heating elements in q number of subsets and a number of groups within each subset, there being p number of resistive heating elements within each group,
q×a×p number of power switching devices, each connected to a corresponding one of the resistive heating elements,
q×a×p number of pass switching devices, each connected to a corresponding one of the power switching devices,
q number of first control lines corresponding to the q number of subsets, each first control line connected to and providing the first control signal to a corresponding one of the q number of subsets of the pass switching devices, the first control signal for selectively enabling activation of the q×p number of resistive heating elements within the corresponding subset,
a number of second control lines corresponding to the a number of groups within each subset, each second control line connected to and providing the second control signal to a corresponding one of the a number of groups of the pass switching devices, the second control signal for selectively enabling activation of the p number of resistive heating elements with the corresponding group,
p number of third control lines corresponding to the p number of resistive heating elements within each group, each third control line connected to and providing the third control signal to a corresponding one of the p number of resistive heating elements within the corresponding group, the third control signal for selectively activating one of the p number of resistive heating elements, and
each pass switching device for providing the second control signal to the corresponding power switching device based upon the corresponding first control signal.

4 more elements

An ink jet printing apparatus for generating a printed image on a print medium, the apparatus comprising:

an array of resistive heating elements for heating adjacent ink and thereby causing the ink to be expelled onto the print medium,
subset selection means for selecting a subset of the resistive heating elements to be activated based on subset selection signals,
group selection means for selecting a group of the resistive heating elements within the selected subset to be activated based on group selection signals,
primitive selection means for providing primitive selection signals to resistive heating elements within the selected group, where the primitive selection signals activate individual resistive heating elements within the selected group,
power switching devices for controlling activation of corresponding resistive heating elements based on the group selection signals, and
pass switching devices for providing the group selection signals to corresponding power switching devices based on the subset selection signals.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Print head drive scheme

Life of this patent

Print head drive scheme

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20