Dynamically determining first-page out (FPO) time
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsBrian C. Mayer, Quintin T. Phillips, David M. Payne
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Abstract
An image-formation device is disclosed which includes an image-formation mechanism and a controller. The image-formation mechanism is capable of forming images on media. The controller is capable of dynamically determining a first-page out (FPO) time for the image-formation mechanism based on at least changing characteristics of the image-formation mechanism.
Claims25
An image-formation device comprising:
- an image-formation mechanism capable of forming images on media;
- and,
- a controller capable of dynamically determining a first-page out (FPO) time for the image-formation mechanism based on at least changing characteristics of the image-formation mechanism,
- wherein the FPO time for the image-formation mechanism indicates how long it takes for the image-formation mechanism to complete and eject a first media sheet of an image-formation job on which an image has been formed after the image-formation device has received the job, the FPO time depending at least on a length of time it takes for the image-formation mechanism to become ready to form images on media.
An image-formation device comprising:
- an image-formation mechanism capable of forming images on media;
- and,
- means for dynamically determining a first-page out (FPO) time for the image-formation mechanism based on at least changing characteristics of the image-formation mechanism,
- the changing characteristics comprising at least one of a number of pages of media on which images have already been formed by the image-formation mechanism, a type of toner currently being employed by the image-formation mechanism an actual FPO time for the image-formation mechanism, a type of media on which images are to be formed by the image-formation mechanism and environmental factors.
A method comprising:
- requesting that an image-formation mechanism font an image on media at a first-page out (FPO) time t0;
- determining that the image-formation mechanism actually forms the image on the media at a FPO time t1;
- and,
- utilizing a time-difference t1−t0 to dynamically determine future FPO times.
A controller assembly for a laser-printing mechanism of a laser-printing device comprising:
- a non-volatile memory on which a number of pages of media on which the laser-printing mechanism has printed is stored and updated;
- a communications mechanism to receive from a toner cartridge inserted into the laser-printing mechanism a toner type of toner stored within the toner cartridge;
- and,
- a controller to dynamically determine a first-page out (FPO) time for the laser-printing mechanism based on the number of pages of media on which the laser-printing mechanism has printed and on the toner type of the toner stored within the toner cartridge.
A toner cartridge for use within a laser-printing device, the laser-printing device capable of dynamically determining a first-page out (FPO) time for a laser-printing mechanism of the laser-printing device based on at least changing characteristics of the laser-printing mechanism including a toner type of toner, the toner cartridge comprising:
- a supply of toner;
- and,
- a memory device having stored thereon at least the toner type of the toner within the supply of toner, for utilization by the laser-printing device in dynamically determining the FPO time for the laser-printing mechanism of the laser-printing device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.