초록 ▼

An improved printer is provided that predicts how many pages can be printed before the toner or ink cartridge becomes empty, and also predicts how much time remains before this toner or ink cartridge becomes empty. This prediction is based upon the previous printing history of the printer while usin

An improved printer is provided that predicts how many pages can be printed before the toner or ink cartridge becomes empty, and also predicts how much time remains before this toner or ink cartridge becomes empty. This prediction is based upon the previous printing history of the printer while using this particular toner cartridge. After measuring the quantity of toner left in the toner cartridge, the printer of the present invention will display the approximate quantity of toner remaining in the cartridge on a screen of a host computer that is connected to the printer, either directly or through a network. The monitor screen of the host computer can also display the predicted number of pages remaining, based on the printer's previous usage history as described above. The toner measuring device provides a "level change" output signal when the remaining toner passes through a predetermined gradation threshold, and depending upon the size of the toner cartridge and upon the time and date at which the level change was detected, the predicted number of pages remaining and the actual amount of toner remaining are more accurately updated upon reaching one of these predetermined gradation thresholds. As each gradation level transition occurs, the printer calculates a new value for the "pages per gradation" variable, and also calculates the number of pages that have been printed since the latest cartridge was installed in the printer, the number of pages printed since the last level or gradation change, and the number of pages or sheets printed between the last two level changes. The printer also can approximate the amount of toner used in printing a particular page of print media to create a Toner Tally for each printed page, which can be used to judge the amount of toner used for one print job and compare that to the amount of toner used for a second print job. The Toner Tally uses a combination hardware/software counter to count the number of "active" pels of each page for a print job.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A printing apparatus, comprising: a cartridge that contains a toner material that is used to create printing indicia on a print media; an interface circuit that measures the physical quantity of said toner within said cartridge; a memory circuit that stores information, and a proce

[ We claim:] [1.] A printing apparatus, comprising: a cartridge that contains a toner material that is used to create printing indicia on a print media; an interface circuit that measures the physical quantity of said toner within said cartridge; a memory circuit that stores information, and a processing circuit; whereinsaid interface circuit is configured to transmit a toner level signal to said processing circuit, said toner level signal being related to the physical toner level remaining in said cartridge; andsaid processing circuit is configured to determine a toner usage per printed page statistic based upon the previous number of pages that have been printed by said printing apparatus with respect to the physical toner level of said cartridge; said toner usage per printed page statistic being used by said processing circuit to predict the number of pages that can be printed using the physical quantity of toner remaining within said cartridge.