US 6,554,392 B2 · System and method for managing an auxiliary spittoon in a printer

Abstract

A system and method for substantially optimizing print quality or throughput based upon user preferences through use of a left spittoon to perform servicing operations on the printhead of a printer. By virtue of the fact that print quality is inversely proportional to throughput, sacrificing one aspect yields an improvement in the other aspect. When a certain printmode is selected, e.g., draft, print, or the like, the throughput associated with printing according to the selected printmode may vary. Accordingly, a user may select to improve either the print quality, the throughput, or a combination thereof through implementation of the auxiliary spittoon to perform servicing operations on the printhead at various times during a printing operation.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A method for operating a printer having a main spittoon, an auxiliary spittoon, and printhead, said printhead being operable to perform a uni-directional or bi-directional printing pass, said method comprising:

receiving a selected printmode;
determining a decap time in response to said received printmode;
estimating a nominal time to complete a uni-directional sweep and a bi-directional sweep;
determining a last time said printhead was refreshed;
and
performing a servicing operation on said printhead in response to said last time said printhead was refreshed exceeding a predetermined value.

3 more elements

A method for managing an auxiliary spittoon in a printer having a main spittoon and a printhead, said printhead being operable to perform a uni-directional or bi-directional printing pass, said method comprising:

receiving a selected printmode;
determining a decap time in response to said received printmode;
estimating a nominal time to complete a uni-directional sweep and a bi-directional sweep;
determining a last time said printhead was refreshed;
determining whether said printing pass is a left to right sweep in response to said printmode being bi-directional;
determining whether a uni-directional sweep time exceeds said decap time in response to said printing pass being a left to right sweep;
performing a spitting operation of said printhead in said auxiliary spittoon in response to a sum of a current time and the uni-directional sweep time minus a last time a spit on the fly was performed being greater than or equal to said decap time;
and
performing a bi-directional printing pass with said printhead.

6 more elements

A computer readable storage medium on which is embedded one or more computer programs, said one or more computer programs implementing a method for operating a printer having a main spittoon, an auxiliary spittoon, and a printhead, said printhead being operable to perform a uni-directional or bi-directional printing pass, said one or more computer programs comprising a set of instructions for:

receiving a selected printmode;
determining a decap time in response to said received printmode;
estimating a nominal time to complete a uni-directional sweep and a bi-directional sweep;
determining a last time said printhead was refreshed;
determining whether said printing pass is a left to right sweep in response to said printmode being bi-directional;
determining whether a uni-directional sweep time exceeds said decap time in response to said printing pass being a left to right sweep;
performing a spitting operation of said printhead in said auxiliary spittoon in response to a sum of a current time and the uni-directional sweep time minus a last time a spit on the fly was performed is greater than or equal to said decap time;
and
performing a bi-directional printing pass with said printhead.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and method for managing an auxiliary spittoon in a printer

Life of this patent

System and method for managing an auxiliary spittoon in a printer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30