Claims
- 1. A thermal control system for a printhead assembly with an ink ejection driver head, comprising:a sensor coupled to the ink ejection driver head that generates a measured signal; a distributive processor physically integrated with the ink ejection driver head and having a converter that generates a digital format of the measured signal and registers for storing temperature-related information; and a thermal control device that analyzes the digital format and the temperature-related information and makes thermal control decisions for regulating thermal characteristics of the ink ejection driver head.
- 2. The thermal control system of claim 1, wherein the sensor has a voltage output proportional to a sensed temperature.
- 3. The thermal control system of claim 1, wherein the converter is a digital to analog converter having a digital input and a converter voltage output proportional to a value of the digital format received by the digital input.
- 4. The thermal control system of claim 1, further comprising a counter having an output connected to the converter and operable to increment the digital format.
- 5. The thermal control system of claim 4, wherein the counter includes a storage register for storing the digital format.
- 6. The thermal control system of claim 4, wherein the counter is responsive to an equivalency signal for transmitting the digital format.
- 7. The thermal control system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature control device for comparing the digital format to a preselected temperature threshold value to determine if the temperature is within a selected range, and for changing the temperature in response to a determination that the temperature is outside of the selected range.
- 8. The thermal control system of claim 7, wherein changing the temperature comprises transmitting energy to the printhead assembly.
- 9. The thermal control system of claim 7, wherein changing the temperature comprises preventing printing.
- 10. The thermal control system of claim 7, wherein the temperature control device includes a setpoint register containing the preselected value, a sensor register containing the digital format, and a comparator connected to the setpoint register and to the sensor register.
- 11. The thermal control system of claim 1, further comprising a reference voltage connected to the converter.
- 12. The thermal control system of claim 1, further comprising a distributive processor incorporating the converter, analyzing the digital format and making thermal control decisions.
- 13. A printing system including the printhead assembly of claim 1, and further comprising:a media moving mechanism; a printhead support mechanism that supports the printhead assembly in relation to the media moving mechanism; an ink supply coupled to the printhead assembly for providing ink to the printhead assembly; and an external controller that receives the digital format.
- 14. An inkjet printing system comprising:a sensor; a controller; and a printhead assembly having an ink ejection driver head that is in communication with the controller and the sensor, the ink ejection driver head including a distributive processor physically integrated with the ink ejection driver head, wherein the distributive processor includes registers for storing temperature-related information and a thermal control device for regulating thermal characteristics of the printhead assembly.
- 15. The inkjet printing system of claim 14, further comprising an ink supply for providing ink to the printhead assembly.
- 16. The inkjet printing system of claim 14, wherein the ink supply is a removeably mounted ink container.
- 17. The inkjet printing system of claim 14, further comprising a primitive having a plurality of nozzles for ejecting the ink supplied by the ink supply.
- 18. The inkjet printing system of claim 14, further comprising:a media moving mechanism; a printhead support mechanism that supports the printhead assembly in relation to the media moving mechanism; and an ink supply coupled to the printhead assembly for providing ink to the printhead assembly.
- 19. The inkjet printing system of claim 14, wherein the thermal control device regulates the thermal characteristics of the printhead assembly by comparing a measured signal of the sensor to a preselected temperature threshold value to determine if the temperature is within a selected range, and changing the temperature in response to a determination that the temperature is outside of the selected range.
- 20. The inkjet printing system of claim 19, wherein changing the temperature comprises transmitting energy to the printhead assembly.
- 21. The inkjet printing system of claim 19, wherein changing the temperature comprises preventing printing.
- 22. The inkjet printing system of claim 19, wherein the temperature control device includes a setpoint register containing the preselected value, a sensor register containing the measured signal, and a comparator connected to the setpoint register and to the sensor register.
- 23. A printing method for a printhead assembly having an ink ejection driver head, comprising:generating a measured signal from the printhead assembly in a digital format; storing temperature-related information in registers physically integrated with the ink ejection driver head of the printhead assembly; and using a distributive processor physically integrated with the ink ejection driver head that uses the digital format and the temperature-related information for regulating thermal characteristics of the printhead assembly.
- 24. The printing method of claim 23, further comprising:comparing the measured signal to a preselected temperature threshold value; determining if the temperature is within a selected range; and changing the temperature in response to a determination that the temperature is outside of the selected range.
- 25. The printing method of claim 24, wherein changing the temperature comprises transmitting energy to the printhead assembly.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to and is a continuation-in-part and a United States patent application by George H. Corrigan entitled “Thermal Ink Jet Print Head and Printer Temperature Control Apparatus and Method”, Ser. No. 08/959,639, filed on Oct. 28, 1997 and issued on Nov. 28, 2000 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,154,229.
US Referenced Citations (23)
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/959639 |
Oct 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/253417 |
|
US |