Ink stick with electronically-readable memory device

Abstract

A machine, such as a phase change or solid ink printing apparatus, comprises at least one ink stick and a coupler external to the ink stick. The ink stick has an electronically-readable memory device attached thereto, with the memory device having stored therein electronic data associated with the ink stick. The coupler is configured to read the electronic data from the memory device. The data in the memory device may include identification data, anti-arbitrage variables, usage data, maximum use values, and performance data related to the ink stick, and the coupler and memory device may employ various means for communicating this data. Also, communication between the coupler and memory device facilitates a method for determining a quantity of marking material in the machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Referring now to the figures, which are exemplary embodiments, wherein like items are numbered alike:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation view of a printing apparatus including ink sticks, wherein each of the ink sticks includes an electronically-readable memory device;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial top perspective view of the printing apparatus with an ink access cover open, showing an ink stick in position to be loaded into a feed channel;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of a feed channel of a ink feed system taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic view of one means for communicating the electronic data between the memory device and a coupler in the machine;

FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic view of another means for communicating the electronic data between the memory device and the coupler;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a radio frequency identification tag that may be used in the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the radio frequency identification tag of FIG. 6 attached to an ink stick;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an alternative radio frequency identification tag that may be used in the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the radio frequency identification tag of FIG. 8 attached to an ink stick;

FIG. 10 is a simplified schematic view of yet another means for communicating the electronic data between the memory device and the coupler

FIG. 11 is a flow chart depicting a method for determining a quantity of marking material in the machine; and

FIGS. 12A-D depict ink sticks in a feed channel of the printing apparatus during various steps of the method of FIG. 11.

Claims

1. An ink stick having an electronically-readable memory device attached thereto, the memory device having stored therein electronic data associated with the ink stick.

2. The ink stick of claim 1, further comprising: an antenna attached to the ink stick and operably coupled to the memory device for communicating the electronic data with a reader external to the ink stick by way of electromagnetic coupling.

3. The ink stick of claim 1, wherein the electronically-readable memory device includes a radio frequency identification chip, and the ink stick further comprises: at least one contact pad exposed on a surface of the ink stick and electrically connected to the radio frequency identification chip for communicating the electronic data between the radio frequency identification chip and an antenna external to the ink stick.

4. The ink stick of claim 1, wherein the memory device is a component of a radio frequency identification chip having an antenna disposed thereon.

5. The ink stick of claim 1, further comprising: at least one contact pad exposed on a surface of the ink stick and electrically connected to the memory device for communicating the electronic data between the memory device and a coupler external to the ink stick.

6. The ink stick of claim 1, wherein the electronic data includes at least one of: identification data, anti-arbitrage variables, usage data, maximum use values, and performance data related to the ink stick.

7. A method for determining a quantity of a marking material in a machine, wherein the marking material is in the form of ink sticks arranged in a queue, each of the ink sticks has a memory device attached thereto, and the method comprises: a) identifying a lead ink stick in the queue;b) interrogating the memory device associated with each of the ink sticks in the queue to determine a number of ink sticks in the queue;c) determining at least one of a remaining quantity of the lead ink stick and a consumed quantity of the lead ink stick; andd) determining the quantity of the marking material in the machine using the number of ink sticks in the queue and the at least one of the remaining quantity of the lead ink stick and the consumed quantity of the lead ink stick.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: discarding the memory device in the lead ink stick when the at least one of the remaining quantity of the lead ink stick and the consumed quantity of the lead ink stick reaches a threshold;identifying a new lead ink stick in the queue; andrepeating steps b) through d) for the new lead ink stick.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: before discarding the memory device in the lead ink stick, writing data to the memory device in the lead ink stick to prevent re-use of the memory device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying the lead ink stick in the queue includes: storing a unique variable in the memory device of the lead ink stick.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said unique variable is a serial number assigned to each CRUM.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the remaining quantity of the lead ink stick includes at least one of: determining a number of pixels printed using the lead ink stick; determining a number of pages printed using the lead ink stick; determining an amount of time that the lead ink stick was heated; and determining a temperature at which the lead ink stick was heated.

13. A method of manufacturing an ink stick, the method comprising: attaching an electronically-readable memory device to the ink stick; andstoring electronic data related to the ink stick in the memory device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: positioning at least one contact pad on a surface of the ink stick, the at least one contact pad being electrically connected to the memory device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the memory device is a component of a radio frequency identification chip.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the electronic data includes at least one of: identification data, anti-arbitrage variables, usage data, maximum use values, and performance data related to the ink stick.

17. A method of manufacturing an ink stick, the method comprising: attaching an electronically-readable memory device to the ink stick, wherein the memory device has stored therein electronic data related to the ink stick.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: positioning at least one contact pad on a surface of the ink stick, the at least one contact pad being electrically connected to the memory device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the memory device is a component of a radio frequency identification chip.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic data includes at least one of: identification data, anti-arbitrage variables, usage data, maximum use values, and performance data related to the ink stick.

21. A machine comprising: at least one ink stick having an electronically-readable memory device attached thereto, the memory device having stored therein electronic data associated with the ink stick; anda coupler external to the ink stick, the coupler being configured to read the electronic data from the memory device.

22. The machine of claim 21, further comprising: an antenna attached to the ink stick and operably coupled to the memory device for communicating the electronic data with the coupler by way of electromagnetic coupling.

23. The machine of claim 21, wherein the electronically-readable memory device includes a radio frequency identification chip, and the ink stick further comprises: at least one contact pad exposed on a surface of the ink stick and electrically connected to the radio frequency identification chip for communicating the electronic data between the radio frequency identification chip and an antenna external to the ink stick.

24. The machine of claim 21, wherein the memory device is a component of a radio frequency identification chip having an antenna disposed thereon.

25. The machine of claim 21, wherein the at least one ink stick includes a plurality of ink sticks arranged in a queue, and wherein the coupler communicates with memory devices attached to the ink sticks in order to: identify a lead ink stick in the queue, anddetermine a number of ink sticks in the queue; and wherein the machine further comprises a signal processor configured to:determine at least one of a remaining quantity of the lead ink stick and a consumed quantity of the lead ink stick, anddetermine a quantity of marking material in the machine using the number of ink sticks in the queue and the at least one of the remaining quantity of the lead ink stick and the consumed quantity of the lead ink stick.

26. The machine of claim 25, wherein a memory device in the lead ink stick is discarded when the at least one of the remaining quantity of the lead ink stick and the consumed quantity of the lead ink stick reaches a threshold, and wherein the coupler communicates with memory devices attached to each of the ink sticks in order to identify a new lead ink stick in the queue.

27. The machine of claim 26, wherein, before discarding the lead ink stick, the coupler writes data to the memory device in the lead ink stick to prevent re-use of the memory device.

28. The machine of claim 26, wherein the ink stick is melted to provide marking material for depositing on a receiving medium within the machine.