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US 7,452,041 B2Granted
Ink jet heater chip with internally generated clock signal
AssigneeLexmark International, Inc.
InventorsJohn Glenn Edelen, Kristi Maggard Rowe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for generating a clock pulse train within a heater chip of an ink jet printer that is used to serially load data into the chip eliminates the need for an externally generated clock signal. These heater chips with internally generated clock signals allow for reduced print head cost.
Claims30
Apparatus comprising:
- an ink jet heater chip comprising:
- a plurality of ink jet nozzles;
- a plurality of data shift registers;
- a plurality of latches;
- and
- a first clock signal generator on the ink jet heater chip for generating a first clock signal without using an external clock input from a printer main body, wherein the first clock signal is used to shift data into and through the data shift registers.
3 more elements
Apparatus comprising:
- an ink jet heater chip comprising:
- a plurality of ink jet nozzles;
- a plurality of data shift registers;
- and
- a plurality of latches;
- and
- a first clock signal generator for generating a first clock signal, wherein the first clock signal is used to shift data into and through the data shift registers;
- a data I/O,
- a second clock signal generator which produces a second clock signal,
- an internal bus, and
- a set of latches that load address data bits onto the internal bus, wherein the data is input through the data I/O and, once all the data in a data cycle has been scanned into the shift registers, the second clock signal controls the set of latches that load the address data bits onto the internal bus, wherein:
- the second clock signal generator is on the ink jet heater chip
9 more elements
Apparatus comprising:
- an ink jet heater chip comprising:
- a plurality of ink jet nozzles;
- a plurality of data shift registers;
- and
- a plurality of latches;
- and
- a first clock signal generator for generating a first clock signal, wherein the first clock signal is used to shift data into and through the data shift registers;
- a data I/O,
- a second clock signal generator which produces a second clock signal,
- an internal bus, and
- a set of latches that load address data bits onto the internal bus, wherein the data is input through the data I/O and, once all the data in a data cycle has been scanned into the shift registers, the second clock signal controls the set of latches that load address data bits onto the internal bus, wherein:
- the second clock signal generator is on the ink jet heater chip and includes at least one of an oscillator circuit and a counter on the ink jet heater chip.
9 more elements
A method of printing comprising:
- providing an ink jet printer having an ink jet heater chip comprising:
- a plurality of ink jet nozzles;
- a plurality of data shift registers;
- a plurality of latches;
- and
- generating a first clock signal on the ink jet heater chip without using an external clock input from a printer main body, wherein the first clock signal is used to shift data into and through the data shift registers.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.