Fluid Content (e.g., Moisture Or Solvent Content, Ink Refilling, Liquid Level) Patents (Class 347/7)
  • Patent number: 11968336
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is configured to operate based on a contract concluded with a contractor related to a consumable for the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a mounting unit configured to receive the consumable, a printing unit configured to print an image on a print medium using the mounted consumable, and a controller configured to execute acquisition processing of acquiring arrival time information of a first consumable delivered for the printing apparatus based on the contract, prediction processing of predicting a usable amount of the mounted consumable at an arrival time indicated by the arrival time information acquired in the acquisition processing, and decision processing of deciding an execution mode of maintenance save processing for weakening given maintenance processing of the printing apparatus based on the usable amount predicted in the prediction processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ayako Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11960947
    Abstract: Variable data printing operations use static and variable content to create many different documents. An estimation system for printing operations implements accelerated consumable use estimation for variable data printing operations by tagging reused objects having static content. The static content is rendered within the estimation system once and then stored for use in later estimation operations, as needed. Variable content is rendered for each record. Using this process, the estimation system does not need to render reused content repeatedly in providing consumable use estimates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Javier A. Morales
  • Patent number: 11958304
    Abstract: An ink-jet textile printing pretreatment liquid is discharged by an ink-jet nozzle, and contains a specific solvent and a specific resin particle. The specific solvent contains water and polyvalent alcohol. The specific resin particle contains a cationic resin having a cationic group. A particle size of the specific resin particle is 30 nm or more and 150 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Jun Hioki
  • Patent number: 11919314
    Abstract: An inkjet recording apparatus includes a tank, a recording head, a cover, a monitor, a cover sensor, an operation panel, and a controller. The cover is movable to cover a plurality of injection inlets associated with a plurality of ink chambers and to expose the plurality of injection inlets. The cover sensor outputs signal depending on position of the cover. The controller controls the monitor to display one of inquiry information and notification on the monitor depending on receipt of the signal from the cover sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Horade, Mana Honoki
  • Patent number: 11917115
    Abstract: A printing system is disclosed. The printing system includes at least one physical memory device to store compensation logic and one or more processors coupled with the at least one physical memory device to execute the compensation logic to receive a contone image, receive a first halftone threshold array, receive alignment correction data and generate a halftoned print image based on the contone image, first halftone threshold array and the alignment correction data by applying the alignment correction data to shift one or more of the contone image, the halftoned print image and the halftone threshold array based on one or more non-zero values of the alignment correction data, wherein for non-zero values of the alignment correction data, the contone image and the halftone print image are shifted in relation to each other and the halftone threshold array is shifted based on the alignment correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Walter F. Kailey, Florin Neagu
  • Patent number: 11904613
    Abstract: There is provided an inkjet recording device including a head, a support member, a storage portion, a valve, an actuator, and a controller. The head includes a nozzle and is configured to eject ink from the nozzle. The support member supports the head. The storage portion storing therein ink. The storage portion has a part positioned above the nozzle. The storage portion has an air communication opening allowing an interior of the storage portion to be communicated with an outside of the storage portion. The valve is movable between an opening position in which the valve opens the air communication opening and a closing position in which the valve closes the air communication opening. The actuator is configured to move the valve. The controller configured to control, while the head is ejecting ink from the nozzle toward a recording medium, the actuator to maintain the valve at the closing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumio Nakazawa, Yoshinori Osakabe, Taichi Shirono, Sosuke Kuroyanagi
  • Patent number: 11897266
    Abstract: Memory provided in an ink cartridge attached to a printing apparatus includes: a storage section in which ink amount information about an amount of stored ink and threshold information about a threshold of the amount of the ink are stored; and a processing section that performs processing based on information received from the printing apparatus and information stored in the storage section, in which when receiving, from the printing apparatus, empty-ink information indicating that the ink cartridge is in an unusable state, the processing section performs comparing processing of comparing the ink amount information with the threshold information, when a result of the comparing processing satisfies a predetermined writing condition, the processing section writes the empty-ink information to the storage section, and when the result does not satisfy the writing condition, the processing section does not write the empty-ink information to the storage section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomoo Kubota
  • Patent number: 11890874
    Abstract: A nozzle ink cartridge includes an ink cartridge main body and a first circuit substrate disposed at the ink cartridge main body. The first circuit substrate is configured with, a nozzle circuit and a first interface circuit. A second circuit substrate is disposed on the ink cartridge main body, and configured with a second interface circuit and a third interface circuit, which are electrically connected and disposed on a same side of the ink cartridge main body. A replaceable ink container is contained in an accommodation portion and configured with a first storage circuit and a fourth interface circuit electrically connected to the first storage circuit and the third interface circuit. The first storage circuit at least stores ink amount information of the ink container. The second circuit substrate is further configured with a switching circuit capable of processing signal transmission between the second and third interface circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: GEEHY MICROELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Weichen Liu
  • Patent number: 11892799
    Abstract: Provided is a method of operating an image forming apparatus. The method includes: calculating a remaining lifespan of at least one component consumed through an image forming job in the image forming apparatus; determining whether to proceed with a refill operation to refill a toner in a cartridge of the image forming apparatus, based on the remaining lifespan of the at least one component; and displaying guide information to guide the refill operation based on a result of the determining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jongwon Hong, Haneol Yoon, Mok-Hwa Lim, Jang-Geun Kim, Hyeonseung Lee
  • Patent number: 11868955
    Abstract: In some examples, a computing device can include a processing resource and a memory resource storing instructions to cause the processing resource to determine, via an input, whether to sustainably process a print component associated with a printing device, determine, in response to a determination to sustainably process the print component a processing mechanism for the print component and a shipping location to ship the print component, and generate a shipping label for the print component associated with the shipping location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gabriel Scott McDaniel, Paul L. Jeran
  • Patent number: 11857060
    Abstract: A cosmetic dispenser according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises a first bi-directional communication unit that receives at least one of user information and environmental information from a mobile terminal, a control unit that acquires a cosmetic dispensing method based on at least one of the user information and the environmental information which are received, and a cosmetic dispensing unit that comprises at least one cartridge that contains cosmetics, a nozzle unit that moves the cosmetics contained in the cartridge according to the acquired cosmetic dispensing method, and a dispensing unit that discharges the cosmetics passed through the nozzle unit to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: LG HOUSEHOLD & HEALTH CARE LTD.
    Inventors: Bok Hyun Pack, Seong Eun Koo, Kwang Ho Oh, Hae Young Hwang
  • Patent number: 11850865
    Abstract: The cartridge includes: a liquid containing portion, a liquid supply portion, an arrangement portion having the liquid supply portion arranged inside thereof and having a bottom wall facing a distal end of the liquid supply portion, in which the bottom wall has an opening portion through which the liquid introduction portion is inserted at a position facing the distal end, a first liquid absorbing member arranged inside the arrangement portion, of which a part of the first liquid absorbing member is exposed from the opening portion, and a second liquid absorbing member arranged inside the arrangement portion and coming into contact with the first liquid absorbing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shun Oya, Tadahiro Mizutani, Yoshihiro Koizumi, Takumi Nagashima
  • Patent number: 11853625
    Abstract: A consumables management system includes a plurality of printers in each of which a consumables container is installed and each of which is configured to consume consumables contained in the consumables container, and a management unit connected via a network to the plurality of printers. The management unit manages container identification information assigned to the consumables container, device identification information assigned to each of the plurality of printers, and user identification information assigned to the user of each of the plurality of printers in association with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinya Yamagata, Noriyuki Fukasawa, Yoshiharu Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11833831
    Abstract: An ink-jet printing apparatus includes an ink-cartridge mounting unit to which an ink cartridge having a first ink chamber containing ink is to be mounted, and a second ink chamber. The second ink chamber stores ink supplied from the first ink chamber. The ink-jet printing apparatus is configured such that, in a case where the ink cartridge is mounted to the ink-cartridge mounting unit, the second ink chamber can be viewed from outside of the ink-jet printing apparatus. An equation 0.5 L?d?1.2 L is satisfied, where d is a length of the second ink chamber, and L is a length of the ink cartridge in a direction in which the ink cartridge is inserted into the ink-jet printing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyamoto, Yasunori Takei
  • Patent number: 11836556
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an obtaining unit configured to obtain an image; an identification unit configured to identify a type of paper on which the image obtained by the obtaining unit is printed; a gamma correction unit configured to subject the image obtained by the obtaining unit to gamma correction based on the type of the paper identified by the identification unit; a saving unit configured to save the image after being subjected to the gamma correction; and a unit configured to stop printing of the image based on a failure of the identification unit to identify the type of the paper on which the image is printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toru Wakana
  • Patent number: 11833830
    Abstract: A liquid storage container includes a container main body that is capable of storing a liquid and at least a portion of which includes a translucent outer wall; a support member that is integrally formed with the container main body; and a rotation member that is rotatably supported by the support member. The rotation member includes a float that rotates due to fluctuations in a liquid level of the liquid, and a display member that rotates in conjunction with the float and is capable of displaying a position of the float to an outside through the translucent outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahisa Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11820151
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes: a liquid ejection cartridge unit that ejects ink droplets and includes a liquid chamber that stores liquid, and a first and a second electrode pins inserted in the liquid chamber; an application portion that applies a voltage between the first and the second electrode pins; and a detection portion that includes a detection resistance to which a voltage is applied by the application portion and detects a voltage value or a current value. When the application portion applies a voltage, the detection portion detects the voltage value or the current value so that the amount of liquid remaining in the liquid chamber is detected. At least one of the determination threshold value of the amount of the liquid in the liquid chamber, the applied voltage value, or the detection resistance value is set at intervals based on the cumulative application time of the voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yosuke Takagi, Chiaki Muraoka
  • Patent number: 11807017
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejection apparatus including an ink cartridge including a first ink storage section which stores ink; an ink tank including a second ink storage section which is connected to the ink cartridge and supplied with ink from the ink cartridge; and a detection unit including a light emitting section which emits detection light and a light receiving section which receives the detection light, in which the ink cartridge includes a first protrusion in communication with the first ink storage section, the ink tank includes a recess and a second protrusion in communication with the second ink storage section, the light emitting section and the light receiving section are arranged in the recess, and the first protrusion and the second protrusion are arranged between the light emitting section and the light receiving section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masato Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11801698
    Abstract: An information processing device includes an attached-cartridge information obtainer configured to, for a plurality of tape printing apparatuses with which the information processing device is able to communicate, obtain attached-cartridge information indicating types of tape cartridges respectively attached to the tape printing apparatuses, a target tape information obtainer configured to obtain target tape information indicating a type of a target tape desired as a printing target by a user, a first determiner configured to determine, based on the attached-cartridge information for the plurality of tape printing apparatuses and the target tape information, whether the plurality of tape printing apparatuses include an attached-tape printing apparatus to which a target tape cartridge containing the target tape is attached, and a display controller configured to, when it is determined that the plurality of tape printing apparatuses include the attached-tape printing apparatus, cause attached-apparatus informat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kai Matsumura
  • Patent number: 11786945
    Abstract: A controller associated with a machine may determine that a first subset of nozzles, of a plurality of nozzles of the machine, is to be cleaned. The controller may determine a first flow rate of the fluid through the first subset of nozzles and increase, based on determining that the first subset of nozzles is to be cleaned, the first flow rate of the fluid through the first subset of nozzles to a second flow rate of the fluid through the first subset of nozzles. The controller may decrease the second flow rate of the fluid through the first subset of nozzles to the first flow rate of the fluid through the first subset of nozzles when the first subset of nozzles is cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nathaniel Doy
  • Patent number: 11752772
    Abstract: There is provided an ink container for storing ink inside thereof. A replenishing opening refills the inside with ink. A moving member is disposed in the inside below the replenishing opening in the vertical direction. The moving member moves up and down in the vertical direction with a level of a liquid surface of the ink, stored inside, which moves up and down in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohisa Atsuta, Junichiro Iri, Yusuke Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11745513
    Abstract: A liquid supplying device includes a tank and a cartridge configured to be attached to the tank. The cartridge includes a first storage chamber. The tank includes a second storage chamber, a liquid passage, a gas passage, and an air communication portion. The liquid passage has a first end formed with a first opening, and a second end formed with a second opening. The gas passage has a third end formed with a third opening, and a fourth end formed with a fourth opening. In an attachment state where the first storage chamber is in communication with both the second opening and the fourth opening, the first storage chamber has a portion positioned above the liquid passage and the gas passage, and the second storage chamber is positioned below the liquid passage and the gas passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiro Hayashi, Yoshinori Osakabe, Akinari Ishibe, Hiroaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11745525
    Abstract: To normally perform a preliminary ejection after a cleaning process. Provided is a recording apparatus including: a recording head that includes an ejection component that ejects a liquid; a circulation unit configured to perform a circulation operation of circulating the liquid in a circulation route including the recording head; a cleaning mechanism that performs a cleaning process with respect to the recording head; and a preliminary ejection unit configured to perform a preliminary ejection operation of preliminarily ejecting the liquid from the ejection component. The cleaning mechanism performs the cleaning process in a state in which circulation of the liquid is stopped, and at least one of the circulation operation by the circulation unit and the preliminary ejection operation by the preliminary ejection unit is performed after the cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Fukasawa, Takatoshi Nakano, Atsushi Takahashi, Yoshinori Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 11724510
    Abstract: An apparatus may include an electrical interface to access a memory. Based on data receivable from the memory, an actuator may allow fluid flow from a print fluid supply external to the apparatus to a print fluid reservoir of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Mark A. Devries
  • Patent number: 11726146
    Abstract: Examples of an electronic device are described. In some examples, the electronic device includes a first shared line of a plurality of first contacts to respectively connect to a plurality of integrated circuits, a plurality of second lines of respective second contacts to respectively connect to the plurality of integrated circuits, and a third shared line of a plurality of third contacts to respectively connect to the plurality of integrated circuits. In some examples, the electronic device includes circuitry to determine whether one of the third contacts is connected to an integrated circuit based on a state of the first shared line and a state of one of the second lines that is associated with the one of the third contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: John Michael Rossi, Erik Donald Ness, Scott Alan Linn, James Michael Gardner
  • Patent number: 11720772
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus on which a replaceable container storing a recording material is mounted includes an image forming unit configured to form an image using the recording material, a determination unit configured to determine whether the container satisfies a predetermined condition, an acquisition unit configured to acquire an amount of the recording material used for image formation in a predetermined period and stored in the container determined as a container that satisfies the predetermined condition, a memory configured to accumulate information indicating the amount of the recording material acquired by the acquisition unit, and a prediction unit configured to predict a number of days about replacement of the container, based on the information indicating the amount of the recording material and accumulated in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutaka Shinagawa
  • Patent number: 11712887
    Abstract: A die may include a plurality of fluid pumps, at least one strain gauge sensor to sense a strain in the die, and at least one temperature sensor to sense the temperature of the die to compensate for a temperature component of the sensed strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.
    Inventors: James M. Gardner, Berkeley Fisher, Daryl E Anderson
  • Patent number: 11698764
    Abstract: An image recording device includes a cartridge mount to which a cartridge is mounted, a print engine that performs printing, a cartridge interface, an information interface, a memory, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Okuno, Shinya Esaki, Shunsuke Minamikawa, Haruka Azechi, Yushi Deura, Tony Lee
  • Patent number: 11660871
    Abstract: A repair chip, an ink cartridge, and a printer are provided. In the repair chip, a first surface of a substrate is provided with a first contact point and a second contact point. A repair resistor, a first tin point, and a second tin point are provided on a second surface of the substrate. Each of the first tin point and the second tin point is connected to both ends of the repair resistor. Each of the first contact point and the second contact point is electrically connected to the printer. The first contact point is connected to the first tin point, and the second contact point is connected to the second tin point; each of the first tin point and the second tin point is connected to the chip contact points of an ink cartridge chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: HANGZHOU CHIPJET TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jie Song, Yuanjie Yu
  • Patent number: 11654482
    Abstract: A method of controlling sensing level in a liquid ejector is disclosed. The method includes filling a reservoir in communication with a liquid ejector with a printing material to a first level set point, receiving a drop out signal from a laser-based level sensor that reads from a surface of a melt pool in the reservoir, pausing an operation of the liquid ejector, adjusting the printing material level set point to a second level set point of printing material in reservoir that is higher than the first level set point, increasing a quantity of printing material in the reservoir to fill the reservoir to the second level set point, and resuming the operation of the liquid ejector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph C. Sheflin, Jason M. LeFevre
  • Patent number: 11635924
    Abstract: There is disclosed a device, method and program, wherein the method comprises detecting a power increase, during which power usage increases by at least a threshold amount over an expected power usage during movement of a printer carriage over a print medium along a scan axis. The increase method further comprises detecting a location of the printer carriage at a time of the detected power usage increase and determining, based on the detected location of the printer carriage, whether the print medium is damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Josep Maria Bel Calavia, Antonio Gracia Verdugo, Andrei Alexandru Dafinoiu
  • Patent number: 11623453
    Abstract: To provide a liquid storage container equipped with a plug member that can prevent leakage of a liquid from the liquid storage container and can be opened without causing scatter of the liquid, and a liquid ejection apparatus equipped with the liquid storage container. For the purpose, at least one of a connection part of the convex part with the cover part and an apical part of the convex part most apart from the connection part is provided offset from the centroid of the cover part, seen from a direction orthogonal to an opening surface of a supply port in a state that the plug member is mounted on a supply port of the liquid storage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryo Shimamura, Akira Shiba, Kazuya Yoshii, Norihiro Ikebe, Takeho Miyashita, Tomoki Yamamuro, Atsushi Arai, Masatoshi Ohira, Tatsuaki Orihara, Hirofumi Okuhara, Kazumasa Matsushita, Misato Furuya
  • Patent number: 11619899
    Abstract: A printer includes: an installation case to which a cartridge having a first memory is installed, a printing unit which performs printing by using a print material supplied from the cartridge, a sensor which outputs a detection value according to an amount of the print material stored in the cartridge, a cartridge interface communicable with the first memory, a second memory, and a controller. The first memory stores cartridge information including: cartridge identification information and residual amount information according to the amount of the print material stored in the cartridge. The controller acquires the cartridge identification information and the residual amount information from the first memory, stores history information in the second memory, and updates the residual amount information of the history information based on information according to the amount of the print material discharged by the printing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobumasa Tanaka, Tetsunori Mori, Ayaka Hotta
  • Patent number: 11607889
    Abstract: A remanufactured ink cartridge and an electronic patch are provided in the present disclosure. A remanufactured ink cartridge includes an ink accommodation container; an original chip disposed at an outer side of the ink accommodation container, where the original chip includes a first memory; and an electronic patch disposed between the original chip and the ink accommodation container. The electronic patch includes a second memory and first programming terminals electronically connected to the second memory; the first programming terminals are configured to program data for repairing to the second memory; the data for repairing is configured to repair or replace at least a portion of data in the first memory; and at least one of the first programming terminals is exposed outside the original chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: GEEHY MICROELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Tao Gao, Fengjun Song, Weichen Liu
  • Patent number: 11602019
    Abstract: A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system includes a sensor including a capacitor with a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate, a storage portion for storing an aerosol-forming substrate, and a vaporizer. The storage portion is between the first capacitor plate and the second capacitor plate. The permittivity of the liquid storage portion changes upon a change of the volume f the liquid aerosol-forming substrate held in the liquid storage portion. The sensor is configured to measure the capacitance of the capacitor. The measured capacitance relates to a corresponding permittivity of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion so that the amount of the volume of the aerosol-forming substrate held in the storage portion is determinable from the measured capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventor: Tony Reevell
  • Patent number: 11597211
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to identifying an amount of remaining supply of a print material, selecting one of a plurality of threshold ranges associated with the amount of remaining print material, and updating a visual indicator indicative of the selected one of the plurality of threshold ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew Chick, Pratik Shah, Kenneth K Smith, Adam L Hornstein, Dustin C Rosing, Richard Motzkus
  • Patent number: 11586399
    Abstract: A printing system includes a printing device, a color management server, and a client device. An estimated ink use is determined for a print job within printing system. After printing operations, a baseline average ink use is determined for a set of printed pages of the print job. If the baseline average ink use varies from the estimated ink use, then a corrective action is taken to adjust ink use to be closer to the estimated ink use. The corrective action is a global corrective action for the entire document of the print job or a targeted action that adjusts only specified features or pages of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Javier A. Morales
  • Patent number: 11586142
    Abstract: Provided is a method of operating an image forming apparatus. The method includes: calculating a remaining lifespan of at least one component consumed through an image forming job in the image forming apparatus; determining whether to proceed with a refill operation to refill a toner in a cartridge of the image forming apparatus, based on the remaining lifespan of the at least one component; and displaying guide information to guide the refill operation based on a result of the determining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jongwon Hong, Haneol Yoon, Mok-Hwa Lim, Jang-Geun Kim, HyeonSeung Lee
  • Patent number: 11584130
    Abstract: A system includes: a housing; a first tank; a second tank; a first reservoir configured to be connected to the first tank; a second reservoir configured to be connected to the second tank; and a liquid discharge head that ejects the liquid supplied from the first tank and the second tank. The housing includes: a front wall; a rear wall facing the front wall; and a housing side contact, the first reservoir and the second reservoir includes: a liquid flow hole; a first outer wall; and a second outer wall facing the first outer wall, the first tank includes a first flow pipe, and the second tank includes a second flow pipe. The system further includes a circuit board that is disposed on the second outer wall and has a reservoir side contact that contacts the housing side contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Ono, Akinari Ishibe, Hiroaki Takahashi, Takahiro Miyao, Kosuke Nukui
  • Patent number: 11511547
    Abstract: An ink cartridge includes an ink chamber that stores ink. A protruding chamber protrudes upward from the ink chamber in a gravitational direction when the ink cartridge is used. A swing body has a float and a detection portion, and a detection chamber in which the detection portion moves and with which an amount of ink stored in the ink chamber is detected in accordance with a position of the detection portion. In the ink cartridge, a pivot center of the swing body that pivotally moves is disposed inside the protruding chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Shimamura
  • Patent number: 11513471
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing having an opening; a cover for opening and closing the opening; a cartridge attachable to the casing through the opening; and a controller. The casing includes a first memory. The cartridge includes a second memory storing consumption state information representing a consumption state of the cartridge. The controller performs: determining whether the cartridge attached to the casing is unused; storing, when the attached cartridge is unused, the consumption state information acquired from the second memory in the first memory; determining, when the image forming apparatus is powered on or the cover is closed, whether the consumption state information in the first memory and the consumption state information in the second memory match; permitting use of the cartridge when the two sets of consumption state information match; and prohibiting use of the cartridge when the two set of consumption state information does not match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuki Fukusada
  • Patent number: 11511548
    Abstract: A liquid ejection apparatus includes a housing provided at least with an upper surface and side surfaces, and a liquid tank that is arranged in the housing and is refillable with a liquid from outside. A display unit that indicates a remaining liquid amount in the liquid tank is arranged at least at one of joining portions each joining the upper surface to one of the side surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaya Uyama, Souta Takeuchi, Takumi Shimoda
  • Patent number: 11498339
    Abstract: An ink-jet printing apparatus includes an ink-cartridge mounting unit to which an ink cartridge having a first ink chamber containing ink is to be mounted, and a second ink chamber. The second ink chamber stores ink supplied from the first ink chamber. The ink-jet printing apparatus is configured such that, in a case where the ink cartridge is mounted to the ink-cartridge mounting unit, the second ink chamber can be viewed from outside of the ink-jet printing apparatus. An equation 0.5?L?d?1.2 L is satisfied, where d is a length of the second ink chamber, and L is a length of the ink cartridge in a direction in which the ink cartridge is inserted into the ink-jet printing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Miyamoto, Yasunori Takei
  • Patent number: 11485146
    Abstract: An Imaging device includes a print monitoring engine to monitor an ink level of an ink cartridge installed in the imaging device and track a print count for each ink level. The print count for each ink level indicates a number of prints printed during a one percent drop in the ink level. Further, a print capacity estimation engine is to determine an average print rate for the ink cartridge based on the print count for each one percent drop in ink level and determine a print capacity estimate of the ink cartridge based at least on the average print rate and the current ink level. Further, an Ink cartridge controlling engine is to deactivate the ink cartridge upon occurrence of a predetermined event and activate the deactivated ink cartridge in response to an activation input from a user, wherein the activation input is based on the print capacity estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Shinoj Bhaskaran, Subhash Pulikkara Veedu
  • Patent number: 11479046
    Abstract: In an example, a method includes, by logic circuitry associated with a replaceable print apparatus component installed in a print apparatus, responding to a sensor data request received from the print apparatus by returning a first response; receiving a calibration parameter from the print apparatus; and returning a second response which is different from the first response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James Michael Gardner, Sirena Chi Lu, Scott A. Linn, Stephen D. Panshin, David Owen Roethig, David N. Olsen, Anthony D. Studer, Michael W. Cumbie, Jefferson P. Ward
  • Patent number: 11446931
    Abstract: A controller determines, for each cartridge, whether a remaining amount in a first liquid chamber is smaller than a first liquid amount; in response to determining that a first cartridge exists for which the remaining amount is smaller than the first liquid amount, determines, for each cartridge other than the first cartridge, whether the remaining amount is smaller than a second liquid amount larger than the first liquid amount; in response to determining that a second cartridge exists, determines whether a remaining amount of the second cartridge is smaller than the first liquid amount, the second cartridge having the remaining amount smaller than the second liquid amount; and in response to determining that a particular second cartridge exists, displays a first screen including a first object that prompts replacement of the first cartridge and the particular second cartridge having the remaining amount smaller than the first liquid amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tony Lee
  • Patent number: 11413874
    Abstract: In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a fluid extraction system is described. The fluid extraction system includes an interface to fluidically and electrically couple a removable extraction reservoir to a printing device. A return line of the fluid extraction system is to connect the interface and a reservoir of the printing device. The fluid extraction system includes a switch to 1) responsive to attachment of the removable extraction reservoir to the printing device, open the return line to direct fluid form the reservoir to the interface and 2) responsive to removal of the removable extraction reservoir from the printing device, close the return line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul Allan Osborne, Devin Michael Knowles, Christopher John Arnold
  • Patent number: 11407221
    Abstract: A printer includes a print head to print a pixel by ejecting drops of a printing fluid from the print head, and a controller. The controller monitors a drop volume of the printing fluid ejected by the print head. When the drop volume is below a threshold, the controller controls the print head in accordance with a first print mode to increase the frequency of ejecting drops of the printing fluid within the pixel print time with a decrease in the drop volume that maintains a print quality parameter. The controller changes to a second print mode to increase the pixel print time that maintains the print quality parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Antonio Gracia Verdugo, Joan Uroz Soria, Aleix Fort Filgueira
  • Patent number: 11396187
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a first container with a first compartment, a second container with a second compartment, a recorder, a display, and a controller, is provided. The controller controls the display to display a first screen and a second screen. The first screen contains a first object having a form that reflects an amount of a colorant in the first compartment and a second object having a form that reflects an amount of the colorant in the second compartment. The second screen contains a third object having a form that reflects one of the amount of the colorant in the first compartment, the amount of the colorant in the second compartment, and a total amount of the colorant in the first compartment and the second compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Minamikawa, Kenta Horade
  • Patent number: 11333542
    Abstract: A physical quantity detection device including a container that is formed with an accommodation space accommodating a detection object formed of a dielectric, a first electrode and at least one second electrode that face with each other via the accommodation space, and an electrostatic capacitance detector that detects an electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode by applying an alternating current voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode. A frequency of the alternating current voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode is 1 kHz or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takayuki Yonemura