US 6,644,544 B1 · Imaging apparatus capable of forming an image consistent with type of imaging consumable loaded therein and method of assembling the apparatus

Abstract

Imaging apparatus capable of forming an image consistent with type of imaging consumable loaded therein, and method of assembling the apparatus. The imaging apparatus reports the consumable type and manufacturer batch identification to a remote computer. The remote computer responds by returning batch-specific information that may affect processing parameters for the imaging apparatus. In the preferred embodiment, an electrically programmable read/write memory contained in a transponder is integrally attached to the consumable package. The transponder communicates with a transceiver, disposed within the imaging apparatus. The transceiver has antenna and support components for polling each transponder. As instructed by a control logic processor, the transceiver can both read manufacturing data from the transponder about the consumable and write usage and processing data to the transponder for storage in memory. A networked server connects to the control logic processor and to a network for communication with remote computer.

Claims38

Dependent claims

An imaging apparatus for forming an image consistent with type of imaging consumable loaded therein, comprising:

(a) an identifier associated with the consumable, said identifier defining identifier information characterizing the type of consumable;
(b) an image forming assembly for forming the image according to the identifier information;
(c) a data source remotely disposed with respect to said image forming assembly, said data source containing image forming information corresponding to the identifier information;
and
(d) a telecommunications link and a reader coupled to said telecommunications link, said reader being disposed relative to said identifier for reading the identifier information and for providing the identifier information to said telecommunications link, said reader and telecommunications link linking said identifier to said data source for carrying the identifier information from said identifier to said data source and said telecommunications link linking said data source to said image forming assembly for carrying the image forming information from said data source to said image forming assembly, so that the image is formed consistent with the type of the consumable loaded in said image forming assembly, wherein said reader comprises a transceiver coupled to said telecommunications link, said transceiver being operative to transmit a first electromagnetic field and to sense a second electromagnetic field, the first electromagnetic field containing sufficient power to generate the second electromagnetic field.

2 more elements

A method of operating an imaging apparatus for forming an image consistent with type of imaging consumable loaded therein, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an identifier defining identifier information characterizing the type of consumable;
(b) providing an image forming assembly and forming the image according to the identifier information;
(c) remotely disposing a data source with respect to the image forming assembly, the data source containing image forming information corresponding to the identifier information;
(d) providing a telecommunications link and linking the identifier to the data source for carrying the identifier information from the identifier to the data source and linking the data source to the image forming assembly for carrying the image forming information from the data source to the image forming assembly, so that the image is formed consistent with the type of the consumable loaded in the image forming assembly;
and
(e) providing a reader that is coupled to the telecommunications link and the reader being disposed relative to the identifier so as to read the identifier information and provided the identifier information to the telecommunications link wherein the reader comprises a transceiver that is coupled to the telecommunications link, the transceiver transmitting a first electromagnetic field and sensing a second electromagnetic field, the first electromagnetic field having sufficient power to provide the energy for generating the second electromagnetic field.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Imaging apparatus capable of forming an image consistent with type of imaging consumable loaded therein and method of assembling the apparatus

Life of this patent

Imaging apparatus capable of forming an image consistent with type of imaging consumable loaded therein and method of assembling the apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims38