Cartridge, recording apparatus, and method for determining amount of recording liquid remainder

A recording apparatus to which a recording liquid accommodating container having a recording liquid accommodating portion is mountable, wherein

• said recording liquid accommodating container includes communicating means for bi-directional wireless communication with said recording apparatus,
• said recording apparatus includes a communication antenna for wireless communication with said communicating means;
• said communication antenna and said communicating means are constructed to be disposed opposed to each other with said recording liquid accommodating portion interposed therebetween, and
• it is discriminated depending on a state of wireless communication between said communication antenna and said communicating means whether or not a remaining amount of the recording liquid in said recording liquid accommodating portion is not more than a predetermined amount,
• wherein said communicating means wirelessly receives a signal from said communication antenna and returns a signal in response to the received signal, and
• wherein an output level of the signal wirelessly sent toward said communicating means from said communication antenna is changed, and the remaining amount of the recording liquid is discriminated as being not more than the predetermined amount when a minimum one of the output levels in response to which said communicating means returns the signals is lower than a predetermined threshold.

A recording liquid remaining amount discrimination method comprising:

• a sending step of wirelessly sending a signal across a recording liquid accommodating portion of a recording liquid accommodating container mounted to a recording apparatus to communicating means of a recording liquid accommodating portion;
• a receiving step of discriminating presence or absence of a reply signal from said communicating means in response to the wirelessly sent signal;
• and
• a determining step of determining on the basis of the discrimination of said receiving step whether or not a remaining amount of recording liquid in said recording liquid accommodating portion is not more than a predetermined amount,
• wherein said sending step includes wirelessly sending the signal of the same signal intensity a plurality of times, and wherein said receiving step includes determining a ratio, to a number of said times, of a number of times in which the reply signals are sent in response to the number of times of the wirelessly sent signal, and wherein said determining step determines that remaining amount of the recording liquid is not more than the predetermined amount, when the ratio is at a predetermined threshold.

A recording liquid remaining amount discrimination method comprising:

• a sending step of wirelessly sending a signal across a recording liquid accommodating portion of a recording liquid accommodating container mounted to a recording apparatus to communicating means of a recording liquid accommodating portion;
• a receiving step of discriminating presence or absence of a reply signal from said communicating means in response to the wirelessly sent signal;
• and
• a determining step of determining on the basis of the discrimination of said receiving step whether or not a remaining amount of recording liquid in said recording liquid accommodating portion is not more than a predetermined amount,
• wherein said sending step includes wirelessly sending the signal of the same signal intensity a plurality of times, and wherein said receiving step includes determining a number of times in which the reply signal is continuously sent in response to the wirelessly sent signals, and wherein said determining step determines that remaining amount of the recording liquid is not more than the predetermined amount, when the number of times of the continuous reply signal is at a predetermined threshold.

A recording liquid remaining amount discrimination method comprising:

• a sending step of wirelessly sending a signal across a recording liquid accommodating portion of a recording liquid accommodating container mounted to a recording apparatus to communicating means of a recording liquid accommodating portion;
• a receiving step of discriminating presence or absence of a reply signal from said communicating means in response to the wirelessly sent signal;
• and
• a determining step of determining on the basis of the discrimination of said receiving step whether or not a remaining amount of recording liquid in said recording liquid accommodating portion is not more than a predetermined amount,
• wherein said sending step includes wirelessly sending the signal of the same signal intensity a plurality of times, and wherein said receiving step includes determining a number of times in which the reply signal is continuously sent in response to the wirelessly sent signals, and wherein said determining step determines that remaining amount of the recording liquid is not more than the predetermined amount, when the number of times of the continuous reply signal is at a predetermined threshold.

A cartridge comprising:

• a memory medium capable of storing individuality information;
• a plurality of electrodes functioning as an electrical contact;
• detecting means for detecting a state of a potential of each of said electrodes;
• and
• a communication module for wirelessly communicating information relating to the individuality information and to the state of the potential.