USO0RE41377E
(19) United States (12) Reissued Patent
US RE41,377 E ( 10) Patent Number: (45) Date of Reissued Patent: Jun. 15, 2010
Saruta (54)
PRINTER AND INK CARTRIDGE ATTACHED THERETO
(75) Inventor:
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS CN
1067981 A
Toshihisa Saruta, Nagano-ken (JP)
(Continued)
(73) Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
“Serial EEPROM”, Transistor Gijutsu Special No. 25, pp. 1419, 86488, and unumbered page (with partial English
(21) Appl. No.: 11/056,608 Feb. 11, 2005 (22) Filed:
translation) no date.
(Continued)
Related US. Patent Documents
Reissue of:
(64)
Patent No.:
6,196,670
Primary ExamineriAnh T. N. V0 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firmistroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
Issued:
Mar. 6, 2001
Appl. No.:
09/449,731
Filed:
Nov. 26, 1999
(57)
US. Applications: (63)
(30)
Continuation of application No. 09/996,986, ?led on Nov. 30, 2001.
Foreign Application Priority Data
Nov. 26, 1998
(JP) ......................................... .. 10-336330
Nov. 26, 1998
(JP)
.....
. . . ..
10-336331
Dec. 24, 1998
(JP)
.....
. . . ..
10-367490
Jan. 11, 1999 Oct. 18, 1999
(51)
l/l993
(JP) ......................................... .. 11-003993 (JP) ......................................... .. 11-296024
ABSTRACT
A printer that enables required data, such as a remaining quantity of each ink, to be written securely even when a storage device having a relatively low allowable frequency of rewriting is applied for a storage element mounted on an
ink cartridge. An ink cartridge that is detachably attached to the printer. In the printer, a sequential access-type EEPROM having a relatively low allowable frequency of rewriting is applied for storage elements incorporated in both a black ink cartridge and a color ink cartridge. A print 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 remaining quantity of each ink in the ink cartridge, are
Int. Cl. B41] 29/393
(2006.01)
stored into both the EEPROM of the print controller and a memory cell included in the storage element of the ink car
(52)
US. Cl. ....................................................... .. 347/19
tridge. The writing operation of data into the EEPROM of
(58)
Field of Classi?cation Search .................... .. 347/7,
the print controller is carried out at every time the remaining
347/19, 86; 358/523; 711/3, 6, 111, 202 See application ?le for complete search history. (56)
References Cited U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,961,088 A
5,049,898 A
10/1990
quantity of each ink is calculated, whereas the writing opera tion into the memory cell in the storage element of the ink cartridge is carried out restrictedly in response to a power down instruction. This arrangement causes the frequency of 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, that is, the su?icient reliability of data and the restriction of _ _
Gilliland et al.
9/1991 Arthur et al‘
the allowable frequency of rewritmg.
(Continued)
24 Claims, 16 Drawing Sheets
[80 (107K. 107F) i. ............... _.
8?
:
ADDRESS
i
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iE PRINTER BODY 100 MAIN i '
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(PRINT
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.
i CONTROLLER 4o) !
8
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W/R
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US RE41,377 E Page 2
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,138,344 A 5,365,312 A
8/1992 Ujita 11/1994 Hillmann et al.
5,410,641 5,506,611 5,519,418 5,610,635 5,610,873 RE36,279 5,975,677
4/1995 4/1996 5/1996 3/1997 3/1997 8/1999 11/1999
A A A A A E A
6,002,846 A
6,019,449 6,019,461 6,065,824 6,109,723 6,126,265
6,168,262 6,196,670 6,312,073 6,371,586
* l2/l999 Okamoto ................. .. 358/l.l6
A A A A A
6,155,664 A
Wakabayashi etal. Ujita et al. Nishikawa et al. Murray et al. Lee Ujita Marler et al.
2/2000 2/2000 5/2000 8/2000 10/2000
Bullock et al. Yoshimura et al. Bullock et al. Castle et al. Childers et al.
* 12/2000 Cook .......................... .. 347/7
B1 B1 B1 B1
6,421,137 B1 *
1/2001 3/2001 11/2001 4/2002 7/2002
Clark et a1. Saruta Inora et al. 59mm
EP EP
1 1 1 1
EP Ep GB GB Jp Jp JP JP JP
080 912 114 726 136268 247 651 2257274 2 350 220 59_79234 62484856 02279344 04-500482 06_103579
A2 A1 Al A2 A A A
JP
06_l87438 A
7/1994
JP Jp JP Jp JP
06_261337 A 0g_224gg6 A 08_22489l A 2594912 09001823
9/1994 9/1996 9/1996 12/1996 H1997
A
3/2001 7/2001 9/2001 10/2002 1/1993 11/2000 571984 g/19g7 11/1990 1/1992 4/1994
JP
9309213 A
12/1997
JP JP Jp JP
09314861 10_044567 A 10_217509 2000-301738
12/1997 2/1998 g/199g 10/2000
Endo ....................... .. 358/1.16
WO
90/00974
2/1990
6,447,090 6,494,559 6,565,198 6,631,967 2002/0085051
B1 B1 B2 B1 A1
9/2002 12/2002 5/2003 10/2003 7/2002
Saruta Tsuji Saruta et a1. Saruta Saruta
WO WO WO
98/52762 99/65695 00/26034
11/1998 12/1999 5/2000
2002/0180851
A1
12/2002
Saruta
2002/0191038 2002/0196302 A1
12/2002 Tsuji Saruta
2003/0007027 A1 2003/0058297 A1
l/2003 Saruta 3/2003 Saruta
2003/0197751 A1
10/2003 Saruta
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 1189415 0 443 245 789 322 0 854 043 0 854 044 0 873 873 0 891 865 0 940 259 1 004 449 1 004 451 1 066 967 1 080 911
A 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
OTHER PUBLICATIONS _
“
_
_
”
T1etZe, Cover, PPU.,1’ PPet al. 272*301, HalblerteriSchaltungstechnrk 624*41, 676*77, 21I1d704£7~
TietZe, U., et al. “Electronic Circuits Design and Applica tions”, 10th ed. (1991), cover, pp. i, 242469, 560*77, 606409, and 63(L35.
Japanese O?ice Action for Appln. Serial No. 20024152154, dated Sep. 16, 2003. Japanese O?ice Action for Appln. Serial No. 20024179601, dated Sep. 16, 2003. Japanese O?ice Action for Appln. Serial No. 20024152146, dated Oct. 28, 2003.
Japanese O?ice Action for Appln. Serial No. 20024171460, dated Oct. 28, 2003.
US. Appl. No. 09/432,272, ?led Nov. 2, 2000, Saruta. U.S. Appl. No. 10/465,650, ?led Jun. 20, 2003, Saruta. U.S. Appl. No. 10/197,407, ?led Jul. 18, 2002, Saruta. * cited by examiner
US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 1 0f 16
Fig.1 107F
US RE41,377 E
US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 3 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
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Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 4 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 5 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
Fig.5 192 193 191
INK
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US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 6 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
Fig.6
/80<107K. 107F) i
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Power
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US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 7 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
Fig. 7A PROCESS OF
0
wRITING DATA SELECT STORAGE ELEMENT
NSTZT
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N STZZ
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WRITING OPERATION
~sT23
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US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 8 0f 16
F19 ' 8
US RE41,377 E
so. 107K 1
Contents of Information a
701
1st Data on remaining quantity of black ink
702
2"d Data on remaining quantity of black ink
71 1
Data on time (year) of unsealing ink cartridge
712
Data on time (month) of unsealing ink cartridge
713
Version data of ink cartridge
714
Data on type of ink
71 5
Data on year of manufacture
» 760
> 750
716
Data on month of manufacture
71 7
Data on date of manufacture
718
Data on production line
719
Serial number data
720
Data on recycle
US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 9 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
F1 9 . 9
80, 1O7F
/ Contents of Information 601
1st Data on remaining quantity of cyan ink
602
2"d Data on remaining quantity of cyan ink
603
1‘t Data on remaining quantity of magenta ink
604
2"“ Data on remaining quantity of magenta ink
605
1st Data on remaining quantity of yellow ink
606
2'“1| 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
i‘tData on remaining quantity of light magenta ink
610
2"d 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 unsealing ink cartridge
613
Version data of ink cartridge
614
Data on type of ink
61 5
Data on year of manufacture
\
? 660
> 650
61 6
Data on month of manufacture
61 7
Data on date of manufacture
61 8
Data on production line
619
Serial number data
620
Data on recycle
US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 10 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
Fig.10 90, 100
/ 801 802 803 804
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
805
Data on type of ink
806
Data on year of manufacture
807
Data on month of manufacture
808
Data on date of manufacture
809
Data on production line
81 0 81 1 821 822 823 824 825 826 827 828 829
Serial number date Data on recycle Data on remaining quantity of cyan ink Data on remaining quantity of magenta ink Data on remaining quantity of yellow ink Data on remaining quantity of light cyan ink Data on remaining quantity 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 Data on type of ink
830
Data on year of manufacture
831
Data on month of manufacture
832
Data on date of manufacture
833 834 835
Data on production line Serial number data Data on recycle
US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 11 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
Fig. 11
INK CARTRIDGE
.
_
._....
HAS JUST BEEN EPLACED"
No
Kb“ INCREMENT FREQUENCY OF ATTACHMENT AND wRITE INCREMENTED FREQUENCY INTO INK CARTRIDGE I
53L READ INFORMATION sToREO IN INK CARTRIDGES
83L
WRITE READ-OUT
INFORMATION INTO EEPROM
S34
INK CARTRIDGES ‘ RE SUITABLE?
S36 s35
' r PRINTING OPERATION Is
\ OP‘EFFQLI'FIISS ‘5 ALLOWED
END
015552? ISIIRBEI-IIDIBITION OF PRINTING
US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 12 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
Fig. 12
€INTING PROCESS ROUTIN9 S40 READ DATA on REMAINING QUANTITY OF INK In mom EEPROM
‘I’
341
INPUT PRINT
\-/
DATA s42
CALCULATE AMOUNT 01rd INK CONSUMPTION
AI
1
s43
CALCULATE CUMULATIVE AMOUNT OF INK
CONSUMPTION Ii $44
a/ OUTPUT PRINT DATA
N0
545 PRINTING HAS BEEN COMPLETED WITH
S46 CALCULATE CURRENT REMAINING QUANTITY OF INK In+1
In+l‘-In —Ii S47
WRITE CURRENT REMAINING QUANTITY OF INK In+1 INTO EEPROM
+
C
END
J
US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 13 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
Fig. 13 S50
PROCESSING ROUTINE BY INTERRUPTION
PROCESSING ROUTINE BY INTERRUPTION FORCIBLE CUT-OFF OF POWER SUPPLY?
S51
CONTINUE PRINTING OPERATION BY PRESET
UNIT (CALCULATE REMAINING
QUANTITIES OF INKS)
852
K
CAP PRINT HEAD
I
853
STORE HEAD DRIVING CONDITIONS
S54 STORE COUNTS ON VARIOUS TIMERS
S55. STORE CONTENTS OF CONTROL PANEL +
856 WRITE CURRENT REMAINING QUANTITIES OF INKS 111+]. INTO STORAGE ELEMENTS 80
C
END
D
US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 14 or 16
US RE41,377 E
Fig. 14 40
200
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US. Patent
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 15 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
Fig. 15
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US. Patent
Fig. 16
Jun. 15, 2010
Sheet 16 0f 16
US RE41,377 E
US RE41,377 E 1
2
PRINTER AND INK CARTRIDGE ATTACHED THERETO
ink, as well as a cartridge, which is detachably attached to
such a printer, without increasing the manufacturing cost of
the ink cartridge. At least part of the above and the other related objects is actualiZed by a printer, to which a cartridge is detachably 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 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. 11/056,608 (the present
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 printer includes: a memory writ
ing unit that writes plural pieces of information relating to
application) and 09/996,986.
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
This application is a continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 09/996,986, which is a reissue of US. Pat. No. 6,196,670, ?led on Nov. 26, 1999, for PRINTER AND INK CAR TRIDGE ATTACHED THERETO.
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
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
20
pieces of information relating to the cartridge.
cartridge detachably attached to a printer main body of the
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 head to carry out actual printing operations on a printing
The present invention is also directed to a method of man 25
cartridge, which is detachably attached to the printer, keeps
30
memory of the cartridge at a preset timing and thereby at a
implement printing on the printing medium. The ink car 35
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
40
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
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
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
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 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
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 50
cartridge, other pieces of information relating to the ink
55
ink cartridge, such as the remaining quantity of each ink,
non-volatile memory incomplete, which occurs in a conven 60
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
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, such as a remaining quantity of each ink, are stored in the printer or a printer driver for the printer. In the 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 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
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
includes the steps of: writing plural pieces of information relating to the cartridge into the rewritable non-volatile
onto the printing medium, such as printing paper, so as to
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
aging information in a printer, which corresponds to the con ?guration of the printer discussed above. In the method, a ink therein and has a rewritable non-volatile memory,
medium. The print head ejects ink fed from the ink cartridge
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
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
65
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 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 preset timing as well as at another timing.
US RE41,377 E 3
4
In accordance With one preferable application of the present invention, the plural pieces of information are Writ ten into the reWritable non-volatile memory of the cartridge
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
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 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
sumption into the storage device of the printer main body When the printing operation is completed With regard to one
20
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
25
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 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 printer, the non-volatile ink transmits data by serial access. In this case, the plural pieces of information are Written into
the non-volatile memory of the cartridge in synchronism With a clock for specifying an address. The non-volatile
Although the Writing operations into the non-volatile 30
35
cartridge, before the information is Written into the storage device of the printer main body. This arrangement causes the 40
inexpensive and desirably applied for the expendable car
mation to be stored in the non-volatile memory of the car 45
printer, the reWritable storage device of the printer main
50
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 55
reWritten at a high frequency enables the high-speed access access time. Either a DRAM or an SRAM may be applicable
a structure that determines Whether or not the contents of 60
hand, does not require the refreshing process and is readily backed up.
Writing operation of the plural pieces of information into the non-volatile memory of the cartridge. In this structure, the
storage device of the printer main body. This advantageously completes the Writing operation of the information relating 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
The reWritable storage device of the printer main body may be disposed in a control IC, Which directly controls the
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
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
as the high-speed storage element. The DRAM is generally inexpensive and readily available. The SRAM, on the other
tridge. In accordance With an alternative structure, the informa
body is a non-volatile memory that holds contents of storage even after a poWer-off operation of the printer. In this case,
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
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
tridge.
the information in the storage device of the printer main body, Which is reWritten at the high frequency, is kept even in
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 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
memory that transmits data by serial access is generally
In accordance With another preferable embodiment of the
memory should be provided in each cartridge, that is, respec tively in the black cartridge and the color cartridge. The 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
activated. This is because the head cleaning process con
Which a plurality of different color inks are kept, are detach
65
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
