# US 7,744,181 B2 · Printer controller for monitoring an ink drop count

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- Number: US 7,744,181 B2
- Document ID: US7744181B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/145,504
- Filed: 2008-06-25
- Published: 2008-10-23
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 1998-11-09
- Assignees: Silverbrook Research Pty Ltd
- Inventors: Paul Lapstun; Simon Robert Walmsley; Kia Silverbrook
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7744181B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/04596: {Non-ejecting pulses}
- B41J 2/0452: {reducing demand in current or voltage}
- B41J 2/04528: {aiming at warming up the head}
- B41J 2/04543: {Block driving}
- B41J 2/04551: {using several operating modes}
- B41J 2/04563: {detecting head temperature; Ink temperature}
- B41J 2/0457: {Power supply level being detected or varied}
- B41J 2/0458: {controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles}
- B41J 2/04586: {controlling heads of a type not covered by groups B41J2/04575 - B41J2/04585, or of an undefined type}
- B41J 2/04591: {Width of the driving signal being adjusted}
- B41J 2/155: for line printing
- B41J 2/16507: {integral with the printhead}
- B41J 2/16511: {Constructions for cap positioning (B41J2/16547 takes precedence)}
- B41J 2/16585: {for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads}
- B41J 2/175: Ink supply systems {; Circuit parts therefor}
- B41J 2/17566: {Ink level or ink residue control}
- B41J 2/515: line printer type
- B41J 11/008: {Controlling printhead for accurately positioning print image on printing material, e.g. with the intention to control the width of margins}
- B41J 11/42: Controlling {printing material conveyance for accurate alignment of the printing material with the printhead; Print registering}
- B41J 13/103: {for the sheet feeding section}
- B41J 29/02: Framework
- B41J 29/13: Cases or covers
- B41J 29/38: Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
- G03G 15/0863: {provided with identifying means or means for storing process- or use parameters, e.g. an electronic memory}
- G03G 15/55: {Self-diagnostics; Malfunction or lifetime display}
- G06F 3/122: {with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU}
- G06F 3/1247: {by conversion to printer ready format}
- G06F 3/1284: {Local printer device}
- G06K 15/00: Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data {, e.g. computer output printers}(printing or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00)
- G06K 15/02: using printers
- G06K 15/102: {using ink jet print heads}
- G06K 15/1814: {including print-ready data, i.e. data already matched to the printing process}
- G06K 15/1815: {Receiving print data in mixed format}
- G06K 15/1817: {Buffers}
- G06K 15/1852: {involving combining data of different types}
- G06K 15/1855: {Combining raster data and graphic primitives}
- G06K 15/1856: {characterized by its workflow}
- G06K 15/1857: {involving parallel processing in the same printing apparatus}
- H04N 1/32561: {using a programmed control device, e.g. a microprocessor}
- H04N 1/32587: {Controller}
- H04N 1/32598: {Bus based systems}
- H04N 1/3871: {the composed originals being of different kinds, e.g. low- and high-resolution originals}
- H04N 1/40: Picture signal circuits (H04N1/387 takes precedence)
- H04N 1/41: Bandwidth or redundancy reduction (by scanning H04N1/17 {; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00})
- H04N 1/60: Colour correction or control {(H04N1/54 takes precedence)}
- H04N 1/642: {Adapting to different types of images, e.g. characters, graphs, black and white image portions}
- B41J 25/34: Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages
- B41J 2002/17569: {based on the amount printed or to be printed}
- B41J 2202/17: Readable information on the head
- B41J 2202/20: Modules
- B41J 2202/21: Line printing
- G03G 2215/0697: being an electronically readable memory
- G03G 2221/1823: Cartridges having electronically readable memory
- G06F 3/1213: {at an intermediate node or at the final node}
- G06F 3/1214: {at the submitting node}
- G06K 2215/0094: Colour printing
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

Provided is a printer controller for a pagewidth printer having a printhead configured to print according to print quality information. The printer has a paper transport mechanism for transporting a sheet of paper along a media path through the printer. The controller includes a processor having an address, data and control bus, an expander unit and a decoder unit each coupled to the bus and configured to decompress a bi-level black layer and a continuous tone (contone) layer of a page to be printed. The controller also includes a replaceable ink cartridge arranged in the media path and having a first integrated circuit (IC) interfaced with the processor, the first IC containing the print quality information. Also included is a second IC interfaced to the processor. The processor is configured to count a number of drops of ink printed by the printhead, to update a remaining drop count of the ink cartridge using the counted drops printed and to write an updated remaining drop count to the second IC each time a page has been printed. The processor is also configured to control the paper transport mechanism during printing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printer controller for a pagewidth printer having a printhead configured to print according to print quality information, the printer having a paper transport mechanism for transporting a sheet of paper along a media path through the printer, the controller comprising:
a processor having an address, data and control bus, an expander unit and a decoder unit each coupled to the address, data and control bus and configured to decompress a bi-level black layer and a continuous tone (contone) layer of a page to be printed;
a replaceable ink cartridge arranged in the media path and having a first integrated circuit (IC) interfaced with the processor, the first IC containing the print quality information; and
a second IC interfaced to the processor, wherein
the processor is configured to count a number of drops of ink printed by the printhead, to update a remaining drop count of the ink cartridge using the counted drops printed and to write an updated remaining drop count to the second IC each time a page has been printed, the processor configured to control the paper transport mechanism during printing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The printer controller of claim 1, wherein the paper transport mechanism includes:
a sheet feed roller, a paper drive roller and pinch wheels operatively feeding the sheet along the media path;
a mechanical media sensor arranged in the media path between the sheet feed roller and paper drive roller; and
a capping mechanism configured to cap the printhead when not in use.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The printer controller of claim 2, wherein the paper transport mechanism includes a motor which is configured to drive the paper drive roller and the pinch wheels at a start and an end of the media path when running in a forward direction, and to drive the sheet feed roller when reversed, the sheet feed roller being configured to transport a topmost sheet from a sheet feeder to the paper drive roller.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The printer controller of claim 3, wherein the motor is configured to reverse only when the sheet is detected by the media sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The printer controller of claim 2, wherein the capping mechanism includes a pivoting capping molding with an elastomeric seal and sponge configured so that when the printhead is not in use, the capping molding is held by a spring against a face of the printhead with the elastomeric seal conforming to the face to create an airtight seal around the printhead.