Abstract: A micro-fluidic device includes a plurality of heating elements on a substrate for heating the substrate. They define a plurality of temperature regions having distinct temperatures on the substrate. A flow feature layer is formed above the substrate to define a channel extending across the substrate through each temperature region. As fluid is repeatedly pumped within the channel, it flows from one temperature region to a next temperature region to undergo thermal cycling. Fluid wells reside in the flow feature layer under a cover and connect to the channel whereby fluid can dwell for diagnostic applications.

Abstract: A substrate heating system for an inkjet printhead. The substrate heating system includes heating resistors distributed in association with the ink jet nozzle structures, and located thermally adjacent thereto. The plural switching transistors that control the current through the substrate heating resistors are also distributed with the ink jetting nozzle structures, together with the substrate heating resistors. Polysilicon is used in constructing the substrate heating resistors. Cells of the substrate heaters can be arranged physically in a linear manner, along the nozzle structures. The substrate heater cells can be controlled so that the temperature of various zones of nozzle structures can be controlled.

Abstract: Micro-fluid ejection apparatuses and devices, and methods related to communication in and with the same. One such micro-fluid ejection apparatus includes a controller configured to generate a data signal, and a transmitter configured to convert the data signal to a current signal. The apparatus further includes a conductor capable of carrying the current signal, and a receiver configured to receive the current signal from the conductor and to convert the current signal to a second data signal. The micro-fluid ejection apparatus is configured to operate on the second data signal. In one embodiment, the micro-fluid ejection apparatus may be a printing apparatus, such as an inkjet printing apparatus. In some embodiments, the current signal comprises a pair of corresponding differential current signals and/or current transfer logic signals offset from a base amperage level.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a temperature of a printhead by configuring its I/O pad to multitask. In one embodiment of the invention, a system includes an I/O pad affixed to the printhead to supply a signal to a circuit disposed on the printhead, a controller to interrupt the supply of the signal to the circuit when the temperature of the printhead exceeds a predetermined value, a drive mechanism to drive the I/O pad to a ground level when the temperature of the printhead falls back below the predetermined value, and a polling circuit to measure an electric level of the I/O pad such that the controller reestablishes the supply of the signal to the circuit when a ground level is measured by the polling circuit thereby providing an efficient way to constantly monitor and control the temperature of the printhead.

Abstract: A substrate heating system for an inkjet printhead. The substrate heating system includes heating resistors distributed in association with the ink jet nozzle structures, and located thermally adjacent thereto. The plural switching transistors that control the current through the substrate heating resistors are also distributed with the ink jetting nozzle structures, together with the substrate heating resistors. Polysilicon is used in constructing the substrate heating resistors. Cells of the substrate heaters can be arranged physically in a linear manner, along the nozzle structures. The substrate heater cells can be controlled so that the temperature of various zones of nozzle structures can be controlled.

Abstract: A micro-fluid ejection device, such as an inkjet printhead, includes a substrate, a heater chip on the substrate, a structure on the substrate for supplying ink to the heater chip and a nozzle plate on the heater chip. The heater chip has a plurality of electrically-activatable spaced apart heater elements that can be repetitively subjected to momentary electrical activation and deactivation so as to cause cyclical heating and cooling of ink in the heater chip resulting in repetitive ejection of drops of ink by the nozzle plate on the heater chip. The device also includes a thermal control system in the heater chip being self-managed by operation of a control loop defined by the thermal control system internally of the heater chip and substrate for sensing and limiting the variation of the temperature of the substrate during cyclical operation of the heater elements of the heater chip.

Abstract: Current control circuit for micro-fluid ejection heaters. In one embodiment, the current through a heater in a micro-fluid ejection device may be monitored and regulated to maintain a particular value or range of values. In such an embodiment, the heater current may be monitored and compared to a reference value. A signal may be induced based upon the divergence of the heater current from the value and the signal may be applied to the logic switch for the monitored heater. The logic switch may regulate the current through the heater based upon the induced signal. As a result of the regulation of the current, the induced signal may dynamically change thereby allowing fast regulation of the heater current.

Abstract: Micro-fluid ejection apparatuses and devices, and methods related to communication in and with the same. One such micro-fluid ejection apparatus includes a controller configured to generate a data signal, and a transmitter configured to convert the data signal to a current signal. The apparatus further includes a conductor capable of carrying the current signal, and a receiver configured to receive the current signal from the conductor and to convert the current signal to a second data signal. The micro-fluid ejection apparatus is configured to operate on the second data signal. In one embodiment, the micro-fluid ejection apparatus may be a printing apparatus, such as an inkjet printing apparatus. In some embodiments, the current signal comprises a pair of corresponding differential current signals and/or current transfer logic signals offset from a base amperage level.

Abstract: A method is described for controlling the temperature of a fluid ejection head is a fluid ejection apparatus. The fluid ejection head includes heating elements for generating fluid-nucleating heat for fluid ejection purposes and for generating non-fluid-nucleating heat (NNH) for temperature control purposes. The fluid ejection head has heating elements disposed in a plurality of zones distributed across the fluid ejection head. The heating elements are assigned to a plurality of address groups that are activated during corresponding address windows. The method includes generating a bit intensity word corresponding to each zone, where the bit intensity word specifies a sequence for activating the address groups for generating NNH. Each bit of the bit intensity word controls the activation of a corresponding address group during a corresponding address window.

Abstract: Micro-fluid ejection apparatuses and devices, and methods related to communication in and with the same. One such micro-fluid ejection apparatus includes a controller configured to generate a data signal, and a transmitter configured to convert the data signal to a current signal. The apparatus further includes a conductor capable of carrying the current signal, and a receiver configured to receive the current signal from the conductor and to convert the current signal to a second data signal. The micro-fluid ejection apparatus is configured to operate on the second data signal. In one embodiment, the micro-fluid ejection apparatus may be a printing apparatus, such as an inkjet printing apparatus. In some embodiments, the current signal comprises a pair of corresponding differential current signals and/or current transfer logic signals offset from a base amperage level.

Abstract: A thermal inkjet apparatus includes a printhead body, nozzles, ink cavities and ink supply lines. Heater resistors are in the cavities and a firing circuit is connected to provide firing pulses to the heater resistor and nucleate the ink so that it fires ink out of the nozzles. Each heater resistor is also connected to a warming circuit that supplies warming pulses, one warming pulse during each firing cycle, to warm the heater resistors but not nucleate the ink. The warming circuit includes current limiting ballast resistors to limit the current through the healer resistors and thereby prevent the warming pulse from nucleating the ink. Warming pulses and firing pulses are not generated during the same firing cycle for a particular heater resistor. One or more thermal sensors are disposed on the printhead body to sense the temperature and a control circuit responds to the sensors to generate warming pulses having desired widths to provide a desired level of warming.

Abstract: Current control circuit for micro-fluid ejection heaters. In one embodiment, the current through a heater in a micro-fluid ejection device may be monitored and regulated to maintain a particular value or range of values. In such an embodiment, the heater current may be monitored and compared to a reference value. A signal may be induced based upon the divergence of the beater current from the value and the signal may be applied to the logic switch for the monitored heater. The logic switch may regulate the current through the heater based upon the induced signal. As a result of the regulation of the current, the induced signal may dynamically change thereby allowing fast regulation of the heater current.

Abstract: An inkjet printhead includes an actuator chip for delivering ink from the printhead. The actuator chip has a plurality of bond pads for electrically connecting to a controller of an external device. A plurality of temperature sense resistors (TSRs) of the actuator chip each has an output provided as a current proportional to temperature of nearby vicinities and such connect to only a single one of the bond pads. On-chip circuitry also scales the outputs on the actuator chip which avoid scaling at the controller of the external device. Representative arrangements of the TSRs include transistor drivers in or out of feedback loop circuits. Attendant circuitry representatively includes switching logic, current mirrors, and amplifiers. Functionality of the circuitry includes actuator chip temperature averaging, actuator chip temperature zones, current scaling and gain, and point source TSRs. Inkjet printers and other external devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: The inventions relate to methods for trimming integrated circuits. Various embodiments include providing a method to trim an integrated circuit wherein trim data is stored in an on-board memory and then sent off of the circuit to be operated on by an external device. Corresponding trim data is then sent back to the integrated circuit in order to potentially modify the function of one or more analog devices along the circuit. Other embodiments include methods for trimming integrated circuits wherein trim data is stored in an on-board memory and retrieved using an on-board sequencer. The retrieved data is used to modify a function of one or more analog devices on the integrated circuit.