USO0RE4123 8E
(19) United States (12) Reissued Patent
(10) Patent Number:
Saruta (54)
(45) Date of Reissued Patent:
PRINTER AND INK CARTRIDGE ATTACHED CN
1067981 A
(75) Inventor: Toshihisa Saruta, NaganoKen (JP)
OTHER PUBLICATIONS Japanese O?ice Action mailed Sep. 16, 2003, for Applica tion Serial NO. 2002*152154.
(21) APPL No‘: 09/996,986
Nov. 30, 2001
(Commued) Primary ExamineriAnh T. N. Vo (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firmistroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Related US. Patent Documents Reissue of:
(64) Patent No.: Issued: A_PP1- NOJ
6,196,670 Mar. 6, 2001
Flled:
NOV- 26’ 1999
(57) ABSTRACT A printer that enables required data, such as a remaining
09/449,731
_
_
1/1993
(Continued)
(73) Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
(22) Filed:
Apr. 20, 2010
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
THERETO
(30)
US RE41,238 E
_
_
quantity of each ink, to be written securely even when a _
storage device having a relatively low allowable frequency
Forelgn Apphcatlon Prmnty Data
of rewriting is applied for a storage element mounted on an
Nov. 26, 1998 Nov. 26, 1998
(JP) ......................................... .. 10-336330 (JP) ......................................... .. 10-336331
ink cartridge. An ink cartridge that is detachably attached to the printer. In the printer, a sequential access-type EEPROM
De0~ 24, 1998 Jan 11, 1999
(JP) (JP)
having a relatively low allowable frequency of rewriting is applied for storage elements incorporated in both a black ink
Oct. 18, 1999
(JP) ......................................... .. 11-296024
(51)
10-367490 11'003993
Int CL B41] 29/393
Cartridge and a Color ink cartridge_ A prim Controller in the
printer has a memory, for which an EEPROM (or a DRAM) is applicable. Data relating to each ink cartridge, such as a
(200601) (200601)
B41] 2/175
remaining quantity of each ink in the ink cartridge, are stored into both the EEPROM of the print controller and a
52
(
)
(58)
us. Cl. .......................................... .. 347/19- 347/86 _ _ _ ’
memory Cell included in the Storage element Of‘he ink Car‘ tridge. The writing operation of data into the EEPROM of
Field of Classi?cation Search .................... ..
the print controller is carried out at every time the remaining
347/5,
-
347/7, 14, 19, 23, 29, 33434, 86487; 358/523,
358/524, 404, 444; 711/115; 395/112
See a
.
lication ?le for complete search history pp
_
.
h
11.
1
~
8%
i
,
ADDRESS
;
COUNTER
.
.
i
PRINTER MAIN
I
:
BODY 100
,
; (PRINT 5 ; CONTROLLER 40) g ! i I I
1
61 Claims, 16 Drawing Sheets
[30 (107K. 107F)
:
h
f h .nk
that is, the su?icient reliability of data and the restriction of the allowable frequency of rewriting.
(Continued)
l
-
down instruction. This arrangement causes the frequency of
10/1990 Gilliland et al, 9/1991 Arthur et al.
i
-
writing into the storage element of the ink cartridge to be lower than the frequency of writing into the EEPROM of the print controller. This accordingly ful?lls the requirements,
Us‘ PATENT DOCUMENTS
I
-
cartridge 1s carried out restrictedly 1n response to a power
References Clted
4,961,088 A 5,049,898 A
-
non ~1m0 t- e memory Ce m-t e StOr-age e emem O t e 1
'
(56)
-
. . . . . quant1ty of each 1nk1s calculated, whereas the writ1ng opera
81
8 2)
\ MEMORY CELL
CONTROLLER “
US RE41,238 E Page 2
US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,138,344 A 5,365,312 A
8/1992 Ujita 11/1994 Hillmann etal.
EP
1114726 A1
7/2001
EP
1136268 A1
9/2001
EP GB
1247651 A2 2257274 A
10/2002 1/1993 11/2()()()
5,410,641 A
4/1995 Wakabayashietal. .... .. 395/112
GB
2350220 A
5,491,540 A
2/1996 Hirst
JP
59.79234 A
5,506,611 A
4/1996 Ujitaetal. .................. .. 347/86
JP
62.184856
5,519,418 A
5/1996 Nishikawa et al.
JP
2.279344 A
5,610,635 A
3/1997 Murrayetal. ............... .. 347/7
JP
4.500482
5,646,660 5,699,091 5,786,828 5,788,388 5,812,156 5,835,817 5,861,897
A A A A A A A
7/1997 12/1997 7/1998 8/1998 9/1998 11/1998 1/1999
Murray Bullocketal. Yamamoto Cowger et al. Bullocketal. Bullocketal. Ide etal.
JP JP JP JP JP JP JP
05-020275 05-193127 06.103579 A 06.126981 06-187433 A 06-261337 A 3-137854
5/1984 8/1987
11/1990 1/1992
1/1993 3/1993 4/1994 5/1994 7/1994 9/1994 7/1996
5,930,553 A
7/1999 Hirst et a1.
JP
8.197748
8/1996
RE36,279 E
8/1999 Ujita
JP
8-224885
9/1996
5,975,677 A 6,019,449 A
11/1999 Marler et a1. 2/2000 Bullocketal.
JP JP
08-224836 A 03-224891 A
9/1996 9/1996
6,019,461 A
2/2000 Yoshimura et al. .......... .. 347/86
JP
08-310007
11/1996
6,065,824 A 6,109,723 A
5/2000 Bullock et al. 8/2000 Castle et al.
JP JP
2594912 9.1823
12/1996 1/1997
6,126,265 A
6,168,262 6,196,670 6,312,073 6,341,841 6,371,586 6,447,090 6,494,559 6,565,198 6,631,967 2002/0085051 2002/0180851
B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B1 B2 B1 A1 A1
2002/0191038 A1
10/2000 Childers et al. ............. .. 347/23
Jp
1/2001 3/2001 11/2001 1/2002 4/2002 9/2002 12/2002 5/2003 10/2003 7/2002 12/2002
JP JP JP JP JP WO WO W0 WO W0
Clarketal. Saruta Inoraet al. Shimadaetal. Saruta Saruta Tsuji Sarutaetal. Saruta Saruta Saruta
9.309213 A
12/1997
9-314861 10.44475 A 10.044567 A 10-217509 2000-301738 WO9()/()()974 WO96/05061 WO98/52762 WO99/65695 W()()()/26()34
12/1997 2/1998 2/1998 8/1998 10/2000 2/1990 2/1996 11/1998 12/1999 5/2000
12/2002 Tsuji
2mm aruta
2003/0058297 A1
3/2003 Saruta
2003/0l9775l A1
100003 Saruta
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 1189415 0443245 789 322 0854043 0854044 0873873 0891865 0940259 1004449 1004451 1066967 1080911 1080912
A A2
A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 A2
8/1998 8/1991 8/1997 7/1998 7/1998 10/1998 1/1999 9/1999 5/2000 5/2000 1/2001 3/2001 3/2001
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Japanese O?ice Action mailed Sep. 16, 2003, for Applica .
.
“on SenalNO' 20027179691‘
.
Japanese O?ice Act1on ma1led Oct. 28, 2003, for Appl1ca tion Serial No. 20024152146.
Japanese O?ice Action mailed Oct. 28, 2003, for Applica tion Serial No. 20024171460.
“Serial EEPROM”, Transistor Gijutsu SPECIAL No. 25, pp.
1419, 86488, and unnumbered page (With partial English
translation). U.S. Appl. No. 09/432,272, ?led Nov. 2, 1999, Saruta. U.S. Appl. No. 10/465,650, ?led Jun. 20, 2003, Saruta.
TietZe, U., et al., “HalbleiteriSchaltungstechnik” (1993), cover, p. i, pp. 2724301, 624411, 676477, and 704407.
TietZe, U., et al., “Electronic Circuits Design and Applica tion”, 10th ed. (1991), cover, pp. i, 242469, 560477, 606%)9, and 63(L35. * cited by examiner
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 1 or 16
107M
1 1 1, 0 6
107C
US RE41,238 E
107K,117K
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 3 0f 16
US RE41,238 E
Fig.3 LC
M
LM
01- 0-1 01- 0-1 01- 0. 0.
0. 3
~10
MAIN SCANNING DIRECTION
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 4 or 16
US RE41,238 E
Fig.4A
107K
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 5 0f 16
US RE41,238 E
Fig.5 192 193
191
r
189
%
172
186 183
INK
/80 I g ? /
/ g
1% g /%\
’ '
\ 175
107K
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 6 0f 16
US RE41,238 E
Fig.6
[80 (107K, 1 07F) 8’? ADDRESS COUNTER PRINTER MAIN BODY 100
I ‘
(PRINT
5
CONTROLLER 40) !
81
82x W/R CONTROLLER
MEMORY CELL
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 7 0f 16
US RE41,238 E
Fig. 7A PROCESS OF
O
WRITING DATA SELECT STORAGE ELEMENT
~ST21
GENERATE cLbcK SIGNAL TO
N 31-22
SPECIFY ADDRESS WRITING OPERATION
Fig. 7B
cs __f
W/R
I
~$T23
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 8 0f 16
Fig‘ 8
US RE41,238 E
80,107K / Contents of Information
701
1st Data on remaining quantity of black ink
702
2"6 Data on remaining quantity of black ink
‘71 1
Data on time (year) of unseaiing ink cartridge
712
Data on time (month) of unseaiing ink cartridge
71 3
Version data of ink cartridge
71 4
Data on type of ink
71 5
Data on year of manufacture
71 6
Data on month of~ manufacture
71 7
Data on date of manufacture
71 8
Data on production line
719
Serial number data
720
Data on recycle
> 760 4
> 750
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 9 0f 16
US RE41,238 E
Fig ' 9
so. 1o7|=
/ Contents of Infcrmation 601
1“t Data on remaining quantity of cyan ink
\
602
2"d Data on remaining quantity of cyan ink
603
1‘it Data on remaining quantity of magenta ink
604
2"‘1 Data on remaining quantity of magenta ink
605
1“ Data on remaining quantity of yellow ink
606
2"d Data on remaining quantity of yellow ink
607
1" Data on remaining quantity of light cyan ink
608
2"d Data on remaining quantity of light cyan ink
609
1't Data on remaining quantity of light magenta ink
61 0
2'‘4 Data on remaining quantity of light magenta ink
61 1
Data on time (year) of unsealing ink cartridge
61 2
Data on time (month) of unseaiing ink cartridge
61 3
Version data of ink cartridge
61.4
Data on type of ink
61 5
Data on year of manufacture
61 6
Data on month of manufacture
61 7
Data on date of manufacture
61 8
Data on production line
61 9
Serial number data
620
Data on recycle
_
p 660
4
F 65°
J
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 10 or 16
US RE41,238 E
Fig.10 90, 100 ,/ 801
802 803 804 805
Contents of Information Data on remaining quantity of black ink Data on time (year) of unsealing ink cartridge Data on time (month) of unsealing ink cartridge Version data of ink cartridge Data on type of ink
806
Data on year of manufacture
807
Data on month of manufacture
808
Data on date of manufacture
809 81 0 81 1 821 822 823 824 825
Data on production line Serial number data Data on recycle Data on remaining quantity Data on remaining quantity Data on remaining quantity Data on remaining quantity Data on remaining quantity
826 827 828 829
of cyan ink of magenta ink of yellow ink of light cyan ink of light magenta ink Data on time (year) of unsealing ink cartridge Data on time (month) of unsealing ink cartridge Version data of ink cartridge
832 833
Data Data Data Data Data
834
Serial number data
835
Data on recycle
880
831
on type of ink on year of manufacture on month of manufacture on date of manuFacture on production line
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 11 0f 16
US RE41,238 E
Fig. 11
S30 INK CARTRIDGE
HAS JUST BEEN EPLAGED"
Yes
/‘
33
2
INCREMENT FREQUENCY OF ATTACHMENT AND
WRITE INCREMENTED No
33L
FREQUENCY INTo INK CARTRIDGE
READ INFORMATION STORED IN INK CARTRIDGES
$33k
WRITE READ-CUT
INFORMATION INTo EEPROM
S34
INK CARTRIDGES ~ RE SUITABLE‘?
S36
s35
P RIN TING
0331x1283 1S ALLOWED
END
ObERAqO’N 13
msgfgylgg?smm 0F PRINTING
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
US RE41,238 E
Sheet 12 0f 16
Fig.
€INTING PROCHS S ROUTIN9
S40
READ DATA ON
REMAINING QUANTITY OF INK In FROM BEPROH S41
INPUT PRINT DATA S42 CALCULATE AMOUNT O
/
INK CONSUI'IPTION
AI
I
S43
CALCULATE CUMULATIVE AMOUNT OF INK
CONSUI'IPTION Ii S44 OUTPUT PRINT DATA
NO
S45 PRINTING HAS BEEN
COMPLETED WITH REGARD TO ONE PAG 846 v CALCULATE
CURRENT REMAINING
QUANTITY or mm n+1 In+1'-In —Ii
1 WRITE CURRENT REMAINING J QUANTITY OF INK In+l INTO EEPROM
+
(m)
S47
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
US RE41,238 E
Sheet 13 0f 16
Fig. 13 PROCESSING ROUTINE
BY INTERRUPTION
YES
PROCESSING ROUTINE B! INTBRRUPTION FORCIBLB CUT-OFF OF POWER SUPPLY?
S51
CONTINUE PRINTING
OPERATION BY PRBSET
UNIT (CALCULATE MINING QUANTITIES OF INKS)
852 CAP PRINT HEAD
l STORE HEAD DRIVING
853 __
/
CONDITIONS
S54 STORE COUNTS ON
VARIOUS TIMBRS
5 5 5. STORE CONTENTS OF
CONTROL PANEL p
S56 WRITE CURRENT REMAINING
QUANTITIES OF INKS In+1 INTO STORAGE ELEMENTS 80
1
CE“)
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Sheet 15 or 16
US RE41,238 E
ig. 15 200
[~40
(
3'90
PRINT
107K
CONTROLLER T R CONTROL IC
PIO
I NM I . I l l
l_______.l
(.210 RAM
EE PROM
(107!’
| l
iP owe r R
W2
-Q-l-K-2->
STORAGE ELEMENT
m.
US. Patent
Apr. 20, 2010
Fig. 16
Sheet 16 or 16
US RE41,238 E
US RE41,238 E 1
2
PRINTER AND INK CARTRIDGE ATTACHED THERETO
attached, the cartridge keeping ink therein and having a rewritable non-volatile memory, wherein the ink kept in the
Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [ ] appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue speci?ca
printer main body of the printer to a printing medium, so as to implement printing. The printer includes: a memory writ
cartridge is transferred from a print head mounted on a
ing unit that writes plural pieces of information relating to
tion; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue. Notice: More than one reissue application has been?led for the reissue of US. Pat. No. 6,196, 670. The reissue appli cations are application Ser. Nos. 09/996,986 (the present
the cartridge into the rewritable non-volatile memory of the cartridge at a preset timing and thereby at a certain fre quency; a rewritable storage device incorporated in the
printer main body of the printer; and an information writing unit that writes speci?c information into the rewritable stor age device of the printer main body at a speci?ed frequency
application) and 11/056,608.
that is higher than the certain frequency, at which the plural pieces of information relating to the cartridge are written into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge, the speci?c information being identical with at least part of the plural
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, such as an ink jet printer and an ink jet plotter, and also to an ink
pieces of information relating to the cartridge.
cartridge detachably attached to a printer main body of the
The present invention is also directed to a method of man
printing apparatus. More speci?cally the invention pertains to a technique of processing and storing required pieces of information in the ink cartridge. 2. Description of the Related Art A printing apparatus such as the ink jet printer and the ink jet plotter mainly includes an ink cartridge, in which one or plural inks are kept, and a printer main body with a print
20
aging information in a printer, which corresponds to the con ?guration of the printer discussed above. In the method, a
cartridge, which is detachably attached to the printer, keeps ink therein and has a rewritable non-volatile memory,
25
wherein the ink kept in the cartridge is transferred from a print head mounted on a printer main body of the printer to a printing medium, so as to implement printing. The method
head to carry out actual printing operations on a printing
includes the steps of: writing plural pieces of information
medium. The print head ejects ink fed from the ink cartridge
relating to the cartridge into the rewritable non-volatile
onto the printing medium, such as printing paper, so as to
memory of the cartridge at a preset timing and thereby at a
implement printing on the printing medium. The ink car 30
certain frequency; and writing speci?c information into a rewritable storage device incorporated in the printer main body of the printer at a speci?ed frequency that is higher than the certain frequency, at which the plural pieces of
runs out, the ink cartridge is replaced with a new one. Such a
information relating to the cartridge are written into the non
printing apparatus is arranged to cause the printer main body to calculate the remaining quantity of ink in the ink cartridge
35
volatile memory of the cartridge, the speci?c information being identical with at least part of the plural pieces of infor mation relating to the cartridge. In the printer and the corresponding method of the present
tridge is designed to be detachably attached to the printer main body. A new ink cartridge has a predetermined quantity of ink kept therein. When the ink kept in an ink cartridge
based on the amount of ink ejected from the print head and to inform the user of a state of running out of the ink, in order to
prevent the printing procedure from being interrupted by the
invention, the rewritable non-volatile memory is mounted on
out-of-ink.
the cartridge, which is detachably attached to the printer.
Another proposed ink cartridge stores certain pieces of
40
Information relating to the cartridge is written into the stor
information, such as the type and the capacity of each ink
age device incorporated into the printer main body of the
kept in the ink cartridge, in advance. These pieces of infor
printer at a speci?ed frequency, which is higher than a cer tain frequency, at which the information is written into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge. The information relat
mation are stored, for example, in the form of a barcode, in the ink cartridge. The printer, to which such an ink cartridge is attached, scans the barcode and reads the certain pieces of information, such as the type of ink kept in the ink cartridge, thereby enabling a printing process suitable for the ink to be
45
tion of the information into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge is restricted. This arrangement enables a storage
carried out.
While the certain pieces of information, such as the type of each ink kept in the ink cartridge, are stored in the ink
50
cartridge, such as a remaining quantity of each ink, are stored in the printer or a printer driver for the printer. In the
non-volatile memory incomplete, which occurs in a conven 55
ink cartridge, such as the remaining quantity of each ink, may be lost or made incorrect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is thus to provide a printer that adequately processes and stores information relating to a cartridge, such as a remaining quantity of each
60
a speci?c con?guration, wherein data are written into the non-volatile memory at the preset timing, whereas data are
written into the storage device of the printer main body at the
such a printer, without increasing the manufacturing cost of At least part of the above and the other related objects is actualiZed by a printer, to which a cartridge is detachably
tional structure when the power supply is suddenly cut off, for example, by power failure or by pulling the power plug out of the socket, in the course of the writing operation into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge. The difference in frequency of writing may be attained by
preset timing as well as at another timing. In accordance with one preferable application of the
ink, as well as a cartridge, which is detachably attached to
the ink cartridge.
element having a relatively low allowable frequency of rewriting to be applied for the non-volatile memory of the
cartridge. This arrangement also prevents a possible trouble, that is, making the writing operation of information into the
cartridge, other pieces of information relating to the ink event that the ink cartridge is replaced with a new one in the course of a printing process, the information relating to the
ing to the cartridge is thus updated at the higher frequency in the storage device of the printer, whereas the writing opera
present invention, the plural pieces of information are writ 65
ten into the rewritable non-volatile memory of the cartridge at a power-off time of the printer and/ or at a time of replace ment of the cartridge. While the power supply to the printer
US RE41,238 E 3
4
continues and the same cartridge is used, it is thought that the contents of the storage in the storage device of the printer main body accurately re?ect the information relating to the cartridge attached to the printer. In accordance With one preferable application of the present invention, the speci?c information is Written into the reWritable storage device on completion of printing With regard to one page or on completion of printing With regard
failure, hoWever, the control IC is in charge of controlling the Writing operation into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge. This arrangement favorably relieves the loading to the printer main body, and enables the Writing operation into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge to be carried out
quickly. When there is a requirement for Writing data, for example, in the case of cutting the poWer supply off, the printer main body outputs a Writing instruction to the control IC. The control IC receives the Writing instruction and directly Writes the contents of storage in the storage device
to at least one raster line. This is because the information
relating to the cartridge is generally updated With the progress of the printing operation. By Way of example, the amount of ink consumption gradually increases With the progress of the printing operation. It is accordingly effective
disposed therein into the non-volatile memory of the car
tridge. The printer may have a carriage, to Which both a black ink
cartridge, in Which black ink is kept, and a color cartridge, in
to Write the information regarding the amount of ink con
Which a plurality of different color inks are kept, are detach
sumption into the storage device of the printer main body When the printing operation is completed With regard to one
ably attached. In general, the printer may have a structure that receives any cartridge that keeps only one ink or a com bination of selected inks. In this structure, a non-volatile
page or With regard to at least one raster line.
In accordance With another preferable application of the present invention, the printer further includes a cleaning unit that is activated in response to a predetermined operation, so
20
information relating to each cartridge is Written into the non volatile memory of the cartridge.
as to carry out a head cleaning process, Which causes the
print head to eject a predetermined quantity of ink. In this structure, the speci?c information is Written into the reWrit able storage device at a timing When the cleaning unit is activated. This is because the head cleaning process con
sumes a relatively large quantity of ink. The timing of Writ ing information into the storage device may be in the course of the head cleaning process, on completion of the head cleaning process, or before the head cleaning process is ini tiated. In accordance With one preferable embodiment of the
Although the Writing operations into the non-volatile 25
30
access. In this case, the plural pieces of information are Writ nism With a clock for specifying an address. The non-volatile
35
inexpensive and desirably applied for the expendable car
tridge. body is a non-volatile memory that holds contents of storage even after a poWer-off operation of the printer. In this case, 45
the case of an accidental poWer off. In accordance With still
another preferable embodiment of the printer, a Writing rate of the reWritable storage device of the printer main body is 50
reWritten at a high frequency enables the high-speed access access time. Either a DRAM or an SRAM may be applicable
backed up. 60
Writing operation of the plural pieces of information into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge. In this structure, the
printer main body is in charge of controlling the Writing operation of data into the storage device of the printer main body incorporated in the control IC. In the case Where there is a requirement for Writing data into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge, for example, in the case of poWer
storage device of the printer main body. This advantageously completes the Writing operation of the information relating a structure that determines Whether or not the contents of
55
hand, does not require the refreshing process and is readily The reWritable storage device of the printer main body may be disposed in a control IC, Which directly controls the
In accordance With the alternative structure, the informa tion is Written into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge, after the Writing operation of the information into the storage device of the printer main body is completed. In this case, a non-volatile storage element is applied for the reWritable storage device of the printer main body. This enables the
to the cartridge Within a short time period. The printer and the corresponding method may further has
in the printer main body and favorably reduces the total as the high-speed storage element. The DRAM is generally inexpensive and readily available. The SRAM, on the other
tridge.
storage device of the printer main body to securely hold the information relating to the cartridge. A storage element that enables the high-speed access is generally applied for the
higher than a Writing rate of the reWritable non-volatile
memory of the cartridge. Applying a high-speed storage ele ment for the storage device of the printer main body that is
contents of storage in the non-volatile memory of the car
mation to be stored in the non-volatile memory of the car 40
printer, the reWritable storage device of the printer main the information in the storage device of the printer main body, Which is reWritten at the high frequency, is kept even in
identical timings. For example, it is desirable that the data are Written into both the storage device of the printer main body and into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge at a poWer-off time of the printer. In this case, the information may be Written into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge, before the information is Written into the storage device of the printer main body. This arrangement causes the tridge to be securely updated. Even in the event that the cartridge is replaced With a neW one during the poWer-off time of the printer, this enables the accurate pieces of infor
memory that transmits data by serial access is generally
In accordance With another preferable embodiment of the
memory of the cartridge and into the reWritable storage device of the printer main body are carried out at different frequencies, the information is Written into both the non volatile memory and the reWritable storage device at some
printer, the non-volatile memory transmits data by serial ten into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge in synchro
memory should be provided in each cartridge, that is, respec tively in the black cartridge and the color cartridge. The
storage in the non-volatile memory of the cartridge are coin cident With the contents of storage in the reWritable storage device of the printer main body at a time of poWer supply to the printer and/ or at a time of initiating a replacement of the cartridge. The structure reconciles the contents of storage in one of the non-volatile memory and the reWritable storage device With the contents of storage in the other of the non volatile memory and the reWritable storage device, in the case Where it is determined that the contents of storage in the non-volatile memory are not coincident With the contents of
65
storage in the reWritable storage device. The contents of stor
age having the higher precision should be chosen preferen tially over the other, based on a sequence of the Writing
