초록 ▼

The invention relates to an apparatus for providing information to a printer controller in order to identify the type of printer cartridge installed in a thermal ink jet printer. The apparatus includes a printer cable containing a set of electrically-conductive wires connected to contacts in a print

The invention relates to an apparatus for providing information to a printer controller in order to identify the type of printer cartridge installed in a thermal ink jet printer. The apparatus includes a printer cable containing a set of electrically-conductive wires connected to contacts in a printer cable connector. The contacts of the printer cable connector make physical connection to an identification circuit on the printer cartridge. The identification circuit includes an electrical conductor which is at an electrical reference potential. When none, or one or more contacts on the cable connector are in electrical contact with the electrical conductor of the identification circuit, a signal corresponding to the identification of the printer cartridge is produced which is used by the printer controller to determine the type of printer cartridge installed in the printer. Selective contact between the connector contacts and the identification circuit, so as to produce an electrical code, may be obtained using a label having apertures, contact pads, electrical traces, or a combination thereof. Accordingly, various cartridge identification codes can be produced using various methods which allow encoding of the information on a cartridge during or after the manufacture of the cartridge body is substantially complete.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An apparatus for providing identification information to a printer controller of a thermal inkjet printer, the information relating to a thermal ink jet printer cartridge, the apparatus comprising:a printer cable comprising electrically-conductive wires, each wire having

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An apparatus for providing identification information to a printer controller of a thermal inkjet printer, the information relating to a thermal ink jet printer cartridge, the apparatus comprising:a printer cable comprising electrically-conductive wires, each wire having a first end and a second end, the first end of each ofthe wires being electrically connected to a voltage source;a printer connector having electrically-conductive contacts electrically connected to the second end of the wires, the contacts physically contacting an identification circuit;the identification circuit disposed upon the printer cartridge, the identification circuit either integral to or separate from a TAB circuit on the cartridge, the identification circuit comprising:an electrical conductor which is at a reference potential; anda planar label composed of electrically-nonconductive material having an adhesive material on one surface thereof for adhesively attaching the label to the printer cartridge adjacent the electrical conductor to cover and electrically insulate at least a portion of the electrical conductor, the label having no apertures, or one or more apertures which expose one or more areas of the electrical conductor to electrical connection with one or more of the contacts; andan input circuit connected to the first end of each of the wires for sensing which of the wires are at the reference potential, and for providing input signals to the printer controller corresponding to the wires which are at the reference potential.