Patent Application
20070154228
The present exemplary embodiments relate to universal replaceable consumable devices. They find particular application in conjunction with printing cartridges having on board electronic circuits, including ink and toner cartridges, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiments are also amenable to other printing applications as well as in other applications such as where containers holding consumable substances or materials are used and anywhere containers are used to hold and selectively distribute consumable materials or other substances such as chemicals, biological indicators, medical fluids and the like.
In the printing arts, ink jet and laser printers are provided for placing various marks onto associated substrates such as paper sheets, labels, plastic sheets, cloth materials, edible confectionary products, etc. To that end, various original equipment manufacturers OEMs have provided highly specialized printers for these purposes. Typical printers require specific cartridge devices for use therewith holding the consumable marking material therein.
Consumers and end users have attempted to mix cartridge and printer types and styles to reuse old cartridges in new printers and for other reasons such as by mistake and to attempt to save costs. Obviously, ink jet printers will not operate if toner cartridges are installed. Conversely, laser printers cannot operate with ink. However, in practice within each of these broad categories of printing technologies, printing device OEMs have designed and developed printing apparatus which require highly specialized ink and toner cartridges for use by equally sophisticated printers. Typically, those cartridges are unique to particular printer models, styles, and types. Further, many modern cartridges have on board electronics holding parameters and other data needed by the printer to effectively use the cartridge for printing or to otherwise distribute materials from the cartridge. It is not uncommon for cartridge ink compatibility issues to arise even across the product line of a single original equipment manufacturer. Therefore, the market is faced with the need to provide many single replacement cartridges specific to each individual printing device.
There is a need, therefore, to provide universal cartridges for use with multiple printing apparatus. The universal cartridges would hold marking material or other materials or substances for use in printing apparatus of different types. In particular, there is a need for a universal smart chip provided on cartridges for adapting the cartridges for use with multiple printing apparatus.
In accordance with one aspect of the present exemplary embodiments, a universal marking material cartridge is provided for use with an associated marking device selected from a plurality of different marking device types for making marks on an associated substrate. The universal marking material cartridge includes a housing holding a marking material therein, an outlet port formed in the housing for communicating the marking material from the housing to the associated marking device, and an electronic system on the housing. The electronic system includes a communication portion adapted to receive identification information from the associated marking device. Further, the electronic system includes a first memory storing first and second sets of configuration data, the first set of configuration data for configuring the cartridge for operation with a first associated marking device of a first type and a second set of configuration data for configuring the cartridge for operation with a second associated marking device of a second type different than the first type. A second memory is further provided in the electronic system together with a control unit adapted to selectively copy a one of the first set of configuration data and the second set of configuration data to the second memory as operating data for configuring the cartridge for operation with the associated marking device based on the identification information received from the communication portion.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present exemplary embodiments, a universal electronic system is provided for use with a marking material cartridge operative with an associated marking device selected from a plurality of marking device types for making marks on an associated substrate. The marking material cartridge includes a housing holding a marking material therein, and an outlet port formed in the housing for communicating the marking material from the housing to the associated marking device. The universal electronic system comprises a communication portion adapted to receive identification information from the associated marking device, a first memory storing first and second sets of configuration data, a second memory, and a control unit adapted to selectively copy, based on identification information received from the communication portion, a one of the first and second sets of configuration data through the first memory to the second memory for use as operating data for configuring the cartridge for operation with the associated marking device.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present exemplary embodiments, a method in a universal marking material cartridge is provided for use with an associated marking device selected from a plurality of marking device types. The method comprises providing a housing holding a marking material therein, providing an outlet port formed in the housing for communicating the marking material from the housing to the associated marking device, providing an electronic system on the housing, and, using a control unit of the electronic system, copying a one of a first and second set of configuration data from a first memory portion of the electronic system to a second memory portion of the electronic system based on identification information received from the associated marking device for adapting the cartridge for use with the marking device.
Still further in accordance with yet another aspect of the present exemplary embodiments, a method in a marking material cartridge is provided for use with an associated marking device. The method includes providing an electronic system on a housing of the marking material cartridge, and copying a one of a first or second set of configuration data from a first memory portion of the electronic system to a second memory portion of the electronic system for use by the cartridge to adapt the cartridge for use with the associated marking device.
The invention may take form in certain components, structures, and steps, the preferred of which will be illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
a is a schematic illustration of a marking material cartridge according to the prior art;
b is a table showing data stored in a memory device according to the prior art;
With reference to
In the prior art system illustrated, interlock data is used for preventing the first cartridge C1 from use with printers other than the first printing device P1 and, similarly, for preventing the use of the second cartridge C2 with printers other than the second printing device P2. Simply, the first cartridge C1 is compatible or operable only with the first printing device P1. Similarly, the second cartridge C2 is operable with the second printing device P2, exclusively.
a is a schematic representation of a prior art marking material cartridge 10. Although an ink cartridge is illustrated, it is to be appreciated that the prior art description of the on board electronics is equally applicable to toner cartridges and cartridges containing other marking materials and substances. As shown, the prior art cartridge 10 includes a housing 11 holding a marking material (not shown) therein with an outlet port 12 formed in the housing for communication the marking material from the housing to an associated marking device. An electronic system 13 is provided on the housing for selective communication of parameters between the cartridge 10 and associated printing devices. Typical prior art electronic systems include a memory portion 14 for storing parameters relating primarily to the marking material contained within the cartridge and also relating to other data and information necessary for proper operation of the cartridge in the printer device. An input and output circuit 15 is provided for communicating the data stored in the memory 14 to the associated printing device. An intermediary buffer circuit 16 is located between the memory portion 14 and the input and output circuit 15.
b is a schematic illustration of the memory portion 14 of the prior art cartridge 10 of
With reference now to
With continued reference to
Preferably, the first memory 42 is a read only memory for holding data in a secure manner. The first memory 42 may be write protected regular memory. More particularly, the data stored in the first memory is read only data to maintain its integrity during operation of the subject cartridge 30 with the associated marking device. In contrast, for reasons which will become apparent below, the second memory 44 is rewritable for holding data which is changeable during operation of the subject cartridge 30 with the associated marking device.
In its preferred form, the first memory 42 is a one of a FLASH memory and a programmable read only memory (PROM) memory. The second memory 44, however, is preferably an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) memory.
More particularly, the information 56 contained in the first set of configuration data 52 includes, by way of example only, OPC, PCR, and MDR data appropriate or suitable for use with a first marking device of a first type. Further, device settings and device parameters are included in the information 56 associated with the first set 52 of configuration data. The second set 54 of configuration data includes information 58 relating to a second marking device of a second type different from the first type. To that end, OPC data, PCR data, and MDR data useful with the second marking device but not the first device is included together with the information 58 of the second set 54 of configuration data. Device setting data and parameter information useful to the second marking device of the second type are also contained together with the information 58 of the second set 54 of configuration data. It is to be appreciated that any form of data can be stored in the memory portions as desired. The data may relate to the date and time of manufacture, the date of last use, or any of a variety of useful data types.
With continued reference to
The marking device interface portion 100 operatively couples the electronic system 36 with the associated marking device for communicating, during operation of the associated marking device, the identification information 90 from the marking device to the control unit and selected portions of operating data stored in the second memory 44 to the associated marking device. In one embodiment, the marking device interface portion 100 includes a set of electromechanical contacts adapted to engage a corresponding set of communication contacts provided on the associated marking device. In another embodiment, the marking device interface portion 100 includes a radio frequency communication circuit adapted to communicate with a corresponding radio frequency communication portion disposed on the associated marking device. Other forms of electromechanical, electromagnetic, infra-red, or other device interfaces are also possible.
During operation of the associated marking device, the communication portion is adapted to receive update information from the associated marking device. The control unit 46 is adapted to replace selected portions of the operating data stored in the second memory 44 with the update information received from the communication portion. Examples of update information include OPC, PCR, and MDR where data changes, toner lever changes, usage time data, page counts, and the like. The present application is not limited to the above data types, however, and any data can be updated in the second memory 44 during operation of the subject cartridge 30 in the associated marking device.
The exemplary embodiments have been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the exemplary embodiments be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
