# US 9,751,320 B2 · Printhead with separate address generator for ink level sensors

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- Number: US 9,751,320 B2
- Document ID: US9751320B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/024,339
- Filed: 2013-09-27
- Published: 2016-08-25
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2013-09-27
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Ning Ge
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751320B2

## CPC

- B41J 2/17566: {Ink level or ink residue control}
- B41J 2/0451: {for detecting failure, e.g. clogging, malfunctioning actuator}
- B41J 2/04565: {detecting heater resistance}
- B41J 2/0458: {controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles}
- B41J 2/04581: {controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements}
- B41J 2/14153: {Structures including a sensor}
- G01F 23/80: Arrangements for signal processing
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME

## Abstract

A printhead with a separate address generator for ink level sensors is described. In an example, a printhead includes drop ejectors fluidically coupled to nozzles, at least one nozzle address generator, nozzle decoders coupled to nozzle address generator(s) and the drop ejectors, ink level sensors each having a sensor circuit in a sensor chamber and a purging resistor circuit, a sensor address generator, and sensor decoders coupled to the sensor address generator and the purging resistor circuit in each of the ink level sensors.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A printhead, comprising:
drop ejectors fluidically coupled to nozzles;
at least one nozzle address generator;
nozzle decoders coupled to the at least one nozzle address generator and the drop ejectors;
ink level sensors each having a sensor circuit in a sensor chamber and a purging resistor circuit
a sensor address generator; and
sensor decoders coupled to the sensor address generator and the purging resistor circuit in each of the ink level sensors.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The printhead of claim 1, wherein the at least one nozzle address generator and the sensor address generator are coupled to a control line and a plurality of clock lines.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The printhead of claim 2, wherein the at least one nozzle address generator is responsive to first pulse patterns on the control line, and wherein the sensor address generator is responsive to second pulse patterns on the control line.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The printhead of claim 3, wherein the second pulse patterns includes a pulse pattern causing the sensor address generator to address a first portion of the sensor decoders, and a second pulse pattern causing the sensor address generator to address a second portion of the sensor decoders.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The printhead of claim 1, wherein the at least one nozzle address generator generates addresses in an address space equal to a number of the drop ejectors.

### Claim 6

A method of controlling a printhead, comprising:
receiving pulse patterns on a control line related to clock signals on clock lines;
generating addresses using at least one address generator for addressing drop ejectors responsive to first pulse patterns on the control line; and
generating addresses using an additional address generator for addressing purging resistor circuits for ink level sensors responsive to second pulse patterns on the control line.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one address generator generates addresses in an address space equal to a number of the drop ejectors.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the number of drop ejectors and a number of purging resistor circuits exceed the number of addresses in the address space.

### Claim 9

An apparatus, comprising:
a firing resistor array having resistors to thermally eject ink from nozzles;
a sensor purging resistor array having purging resistor circuits for purging ink residue from ink level sensors;
nozzle decoders to selectively couple energy on fire lines to the resistors;
sensor decoders to selectively couple energy on the fire lines to the purging resistor circuits;
at least one address generator to provide address signals to the nozzle decoders; and
an additional address generator to provide address signals to the sensor decoders.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
clock lines to provide clock signals to the at least one address generator and the additional address generator; and
a control line to provide pulse patterns related to the clock signals on clock lines, the pulse patterns having first pulse patterns detectable by the at least one address generator and second pulse patterns detectable by the additional address generator.