초록 ▼

An ink jet printer of the type having at least one customer replaceable ink cartridge with an ink monitoring system detects whether or not the ink in the cartridge contains qualified ink or not and adjusts the normal printing mode to a non-normal printing when non-qualified ink is detected, thereby

An ink jet printer of the type having at least one customer replaceable ink cartridge with an ink monitoring system detects whether or not the ink in the cartridge contains qualified ink or not and adjusts the normal printing mode to a non-normal printing when non-qualified ink is detected, thereby providing the customer the option to print with non-qualified ink with minimized effect on the printer or print quality.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A method for adjusting the print mode of a printer using a customer replaceable marking material supply cartridge from a normal print mode to a non-normal print mode in response to a detection of a non-qualified ink in the cartridge by an electronic monitoring system, comprising th

[ We claim:] [1.] A method for adjusting the print mode of a printer using a customer replaceable marking material supply cartridge from a normal print mode to a non-normal print mode in response to a detection of a non-qualified ink in the cartridge by an electronic monitoring system, comprising the steps of:a) reading an identification number on a customer replaceable marking material supply cartridge after installation thereof in the printer;b) comparing the identification number which has been read with identification numbers stored in a controller memory of the printer;c) identifying matches and non-matches between said customer replaceable cartridge identification number and said stored identification numbersd) displaying either a warranty or an out-of-warranty condition on a display panel for the printer, the displayed condition depending upon whether matches or non-matches are respectively identified;e) causing a non-normal printing mode for the printer when the printer is actuated for printing and an out-of-warranty condition is displayed on the display panel and enabling use of a cartridge having non-matched identification numbers by said printer, the non-normal printing mode having printing parameters adjusted to minimize the effect of non-qualified marking material on the printer; andf) automatically logging a use of a non-normal printing mode in the controller memory of the printer, thus enabling the optional use of a cartridge containing a non-qualified marking material.