Ink absorption box and inkjet printing cooperative control method and system

Abstract

The application discloses an ink suction box and inkjet printing cooperative control method and system, and relates to the technical field of inkjet printing. When the inkjet nozzle is cleaned or calibrated, residual ink is guided to a residual ink collection container by a negative pressure driving device; the residual ink is subjected to multi-stage physical separation treatment to obtain regenerated ink and is transported to an independent storage area of the ink suction box; the chroma and concentration characteristics of the regenerated ink are measured by an optical detection unit, a quality grade mark is generated and is bound to the storage position; the quality grade mark is queried according to the quality requirement of a printing task and the residual amount of main ink, the mixing ratio of the regenerated ink is determined, an ink supply distribution strategy is generated, main ink and regenerated ink are output to the inkjet nozzle in proportion by controlling a multi-way ink supply valve, and jetting stability parameters are collected to adaptively correct the quality criterion. The application realizes efficient recycling of residual ink and reduces ink consumption cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of inkjet printing technology, and more particularly to a method and system for coordinated control of ink cartridges and inkjet printing. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of inkjet printing technology, printheads require regular cleaning and calibration during long-term use to ensure inkjet accuracy and print quality. These operations typically consume a certain amount of ink and discharge rinsing fluid or waste ink containing residual ink. Current practice involves directly diverting the residual ink discharged from the printhead to a fixed-capacity waste ink collection device (such as a waste ink pad or waste ink tank) for temporary storage or one-time disposal. Even some high-end printers equipped with residual ink detection functions only use this to prompt users to replace the waste ink absorption assembly, without further separation, recycling, or reuse of the residual ink.

[0003] Ink, as a consumable, is expensive, and directly discarding large amounts of residual ink results in serious resource waste, especially in commercial printing or batch processing scenarios, increasing user costs and the operational burden on enterprises. Waste ink collection devices have limited capacity and require frequent replacement or cleaning. If not handled in a timely manner, waste ink can contaminate the delicate internal components of printing equipment due to evaporation, leakage, or adsorption saturation, even leading to short circuits or mechanical failures. Furthermore, the organic solvents, pigment particles, and heavy metal ions contained in waste ink can pose a continuous pollution risk to the environment if not properly handled.

[0004] The industry urgently needs a technological solution that can effectively collect, process, and reuse residual ink in order to reduce the cost of consumables while minimizing the adverse impact of waste ink emissions on equipment and the environment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a method and system for coordinated control of ink cartridges and inkjet printing, which can solve the problems in the prior art.

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a method for coordinated control of an ink cartridge and inkjet printing, comprising: When the printhead is cleaning or calibrating, the residual ink discharged from the printhead is guided to the residual ink collection container by the negative pressure drive device, and the source information and discharge time of the residual ink are recorded at the same time. The residual ink in the residual ink collection container is subjected to multi-stage physical separation to remove solid particulate impurities and gas components, resulting in separated regenerated ink, which is then transported to the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. The color and concentration characteristics of the recycled ink are measured non-contactly using an optical detection unit. A quality grade label is generated based on the measurement results and a preset quality criterion, and the quality grade label is then linked to the storage location of the recycled ink. Based on the quality requirement level of the current printing task and the remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge, the quality level identifier is queried to determine the available scenarios and mixing ratio of the regenerated ink, and an ink supply allocation strategy is generated. The ink supply distribution strategy controls the multi-channel ink supply valves of the ink cartridge to output the main ink and the regenerated ink to the printhead according to the mixing ratio, and collects the ejection stability parameters of the printhead as feedback data. The feedback data is then used to adaptively correct the preset quality criteria.

[0007] During printhead cleaning or calibration operations, a negative pressure drive device guides the residual ink discharged from the printhead to a residual ink collection container, while simultaneously recording the source information and discharge time of the residual ink, including: Before triggering a cleaning or calibration operation on the printhead, the ink color type currently used by the printhead, the nozzle array position identifier to which the printhead belongs, and the type identifier of the triggering operation are extracted, and the ink color type, the nozzle array position identifier, and the type identifier are encoded to generate a unique source identifier; Start the negative pressure drive device and establish a negative pressure monitoring circuit. Determine the starting time of the residual ink flow based on the pressure response curve of the negative pressure monitoring circuit. Bind the starting time with the source identifier to form initial traceability data. The flow path of the residual ink into the residual ink collection container is spatially located by an optoelectronic sensor array. Based on the spatial location result, the storage partition number in the residual ink collection container is determined, and the storage partition number is associated with the initial traceability data. The working status of the negative pressure drive device is continuously monitored until the pressure response curve recovers to the steady-state threshold. The termination time corresponding to the recovery to the steady-state threshold is recorded, and the discharge time span is calculated using the start time and the termination time. The source identifier, storage partition number, start time, end time, and discharge time span are encapsulated into a structured source information record, written into the traceability database, and permanently bound to the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container, thus completing the full-process recording of the source information and discharge time of the residual ink.

[0008] Encapsulating the source identifier, storage partition number, start time, end time, and discharge time span into a structured source information record, writing it into the traceability database, and permanently binding it to the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container includes: The source identifier, storage partition number, start time, end time, and discharge time span are labeled with field types and standardized with data format to generate structured data objects that conform to the predefined pattern specification; A multi-dimensional index relationship is constructed based on the time and spatial dimension information in the structured data object, and the multi-dimensional index relationship is fused with the structured data object to form a searchable source information record; A unique physical entity identifier is assigned to the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container. The physical location coordinates and capacity status parameters of the residual ink collection container are obtained through the sensor interface. The physical entity identifier is associated with the physical location coordinates and the capacity status parameters to generate an entity attribute description. Establish a bidirectional reference relationship between the source information record and the entity attribute description, and embed the associated pointer in the bidirectional reference relationship into the data structure of the source information record and the entity attribute description; The source information record containing the bidirectional reference relationship is written to the traceability database in a transactional manner, and the relationship mapping table in the traceability database is updated synchronously, so that the source information record and the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container form an immutable and permanent binding.

[0009] The residual ink in the residual ink collection container undergoes multi-stage physical separation to remove solid particulate impurities and gaseous components, yielding separated regenerated ink. The regenerated ink is then transported to an independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. The residual ink in the residual ink collection container is screened step by step by a gradient aperture filter array. The solid particles are removed and the solidified liquid is obtained at the final output end of the gradient aperture filter array. The light transmittance characteristics of the solidified liquid are detected in real time. When the light transmittance characteristics are lower than the preset clarity threshold, a backwashing procedure is triggered to regenerate the gradient aperture filter array. The desolidified liquid that meets the clarity threshold is introduced into the vacuum degassing chamber. The dissolved gas components and microbubbles in the desolidified liquid are driven to migrate to the liquid surface and discharged through the exhaust port by the negative pressure field in the vacuum degassing chamber. The density change curve of the desolidified liquid during the degassing process is collected simultaneously. The gas removal efficiency parameter is calculated based on the density change curve. When the gas removal efficiency parameter reaches the preset convergence condition, the degassing process is terminated and the separated regenerated ink is output. The gas removal efficiency parameter is correlated with the current storage volume of the regenerated ink to generate delivery configuration parameters. According to the aforementioned delivery configuration parameters, the delivery pump group is controlled to deliver the regenerated ink through an isolation pipeline to the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. During the delivery process, the pressure distribution within the pipeline is dynamically adjusted according to the gas removal efficiency parameter to prevent secondary gas precipitation during the delivery process and ensure that the regenerated ink enters the independent storage area in a stable physical state.

[0010] The color and concentration characteristics of the recycled ink are measured non-contactly using an optical detection unit. A quality grade label is generated based on the measurement results and preset quality criteria. This quality grade label is then linked to the storage location of the recycled ink. A multispectral light source driving the optical detection unit emits a detection beam covering the visible to near-infrared bands into the regenerated ink. The transmission and reflection spectra of the detection beam after passing through the regenerated ink are collected by a photoelectric sensor array. The transmission and reflection spectra are decomposed into bands to obtain multi-channel light intensity distribution data. The tristimulus values ​​of the visible light band are extracted from the multi-channel light intensity distribution data as chromaticity feature vectors, and the absorbance peak position and peak width parameters of the near-infrared band are extracted as concentration feature vectors. The chromaticity feature vectors and the concentration feature vectors are normalized to construct a joint feature matrix. The joint feature matrix is ​​matched with the standard feature library in the preset quality criteria to calculate the similarity. The quality deviation index between the recycled ink and the standard ink sample is determined according to the distribution pattern of the matching similarity. A quality grade label is generated according to the range of the quality deviation index in the preset grading interval. The three-dimensional spatial coordinates and storage container number of the regenerated ink in the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge are obtained simultaneously, and the quality grade identifier, the three-dimensional spatial coordinates and the storage container number are structured and encapsulated to form a quality position mapping record; The quality location mapping record is written into a distributed index table, and a bidirectional query link is established in the distributed index table with the quality grade identifier as the primary key and the three-dimensional spatial coordinates as the auxiliary index. This allows the subsequent ink supply scheduling process to directly locate the storage location of the recycled ink according to the quality requirements, thus completing the binding between the quality grade identifier and the storage location of the recycled ink.

[0011] Based on the quality requirement level of the current print job and the remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge, the quality level identifier is queried to determine the available scenarios and mixing ratio of the regenerated ink, and an ink supply allocation strategy is generated, including: The image complexity parameters and color level distribution characteristics of the current printing task are analyzed. Based on the image complexity parameters and color level distribution characteristics, the quality requirement level quantification value is calculated. At the same time, the real-time remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge is obtained through the liquid level monitoring interface, and the main ink resource tension coefficient is calculated. Using the quality requirement level quantification value and the main ink resource tension coefficient as joint query conditions, the quality level identifier is retrieved in the distributed index table, and a subset of candidate recycled inks whose quality level meets the quality requirement level quantification value and whose storage capacity can meet the compensation requirements of the main ink resource tension coefficient is selected. For each regenerated ink in the candidate regenerated ink subset, its chromaticity deviation vector and concentration stability index are extracted. The chromaticity deviation vector is then used to calculate the Euclidean distance between the chromaticity deviation vector and the standard chromaticity reference of the main ink. Based on the calculated chromaticity distance value, the available scenario categories of the regenerated ink are classified. For recycled inks classified as mixed-use scenarios, the optimal mixing ratio of the main ink and the recycled ink is determined; The available scenario categories, the optimal mixing ratio, and the storage location information of the candidate regenerated ink subsets are integrated to generate an ink supply allocation strategy.

[0012] The ink supply distribution strategy controls the multi-channel ink supply valves of the ink-absorbing cartridge to output the main ink and the regenerated ink to the printhead according to the mixing ratio, and collects the ejection stability parameters of the printhead as feedback data. The preset quality criteria are then adaptively corrected using the feedback data, including: The flow distribution weight and ink source path mapping table in the ink supply distribution strategy are analyzed. Based on the flow distribution weight, the valve opening setting value corresponding to the main ink and the regenerated ink is calculated. The valve opening setting value is converted into the drive control signal of the multi-channel ink supply valve of the ink cartridge. Send the drive control signal to the multi-channel ink supply valve to synchronously regulate the valve opening of each ink supply channel connecting the main ink storage area and the regenerated ink storage area, and drive the main ink and the regenerated ink to be output from their respective storage areas and flow into the ink supply pipeline of the printhead according to the mixing ratio. During the process of the main ink and the regenerated ink being output to the printhead, instantaneous pressure fluctuation data in the cavity of the printhead is collected by a pressure sensor array, and ink droplet ejection frequency uniformity data of the printhead is collected by a frequency detection unit. Statistical feature extraction is performed on the instantaneous pressure fluctuation data and the ink droplet ejection frequency uniformity data to generate ejection stability parameters. The jetting stability parameter is correlated with the quality grade label of the currently used recycled ink. The correlation deviation between the jetting stability parameter and the quality grade label is calculated. When the correlation deviation exceeds a preset allowable threshold, the evaluation dimension that needs to be corrected in the preset quality criteria is identified. For the evaluation dimensions that need to be corrected, the weight coefficients and judgment boundaries in the preset quality criteria are adjusted, and the adjusted weight coefficients and judgment boundaries are updated to the quality evaluation module. The preset quality criteria are then adaptively corrected using feedback data.

[0013] A second aspect of the present invention provides a collaborative control system for ink cartridges and inkjet printing, comprising: The residual ink diversion unit is used to divert the residual ink discharged from the printhead to the residual ink collection container through a negative pressure drive device when the printhead is performing cleaning or calibration operations, and at the same time record the source information and discharge time of the residual ink. The regeneration separation unit is used to perform multi-stage physical separation treatment on the residual ink in the residual ink collection container to remove solid particulate impurities and gas components, obtain the separated regenerated ink, and transport the regenerated ink to the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. The quality inspection unit is used to perform non-contact measurement of the color and concentration characteristics of the recycled ink through an optical inspection unit, generate a quality grade label based on the measurement results and preset quality criteria, and bind the quality grade label to the storage location of the recycled ink. The ink supply strategy unit is used to query the quality level identifier based on the quality requirement level of the current printing task and the remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge, determine the available scenarios and mixing ratio of the regenerated ink, and generate an ink supply allocation strategy. The ink supply control unit is used to control the multi-channel ink supply valves of the ink-absorbing cartridge according to the ink supply distribution strategy, output the main ink and the regenerated ink to the printhead according to the mixing ratio, and collect the ejection stability parameters of the printhead as feedback data, and use the feedback data to adaptively correct the preset quality criteria.

[0014] A third aspect of the present invention provides an electronic device, comprising: processor; Memory used to store processor-executable instructions; The processor is configured to invoke instructions stored in the memory to execute the aforementioned method.

[0015] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the aforementioned method.

[0016] The source and discharge time of residual ink are recorded simultaneously, facilitating the tracing of the original operating conditions and time points of ink loss and providing data for subsequent quality analysis. Multi-stage physical separation effectively removes solid particulate impurities and gaseous components, significantly reducing the risk of contamination in recycled ink and decreasing the purchase volume of new ink and the cost of waste liquid disposal. Recycled ink is stored separately in an independent area to avoid cross-contamination with the main ink, ensuring the cleanliness of the original ink supply system.

[0017] The optical inspection unit enables non-contact, precise measurement of the color and concentration of recycled ink. A grade label generated based on preset quality criteria ensures the controllability of recycled ink quality. Once this label is linked to the storage location, the suitability of each batch of recycled ink can be quickly retrieved, avoiding the risk of printing defects due to quality fluctuations. Through quantitative evaluation of recycled ink quality, the printing system can maintain the accuracy of output colors and the consistency of patterns when reusing waste ink.

[0018] Based on the current print job's quality requirements and the remaining main ink level, the system dynamically queries the quality label of the reclaimed ink, automatically determining the usable scenario and mixing ratio to ensure the reclaimed ink is rationally integrated into the ink supply process. Multiple ink supply valves precisely output a mixture of main and reclaimed inks according to a distribution strategy, reducing printing material consumption while maintaining high-precision print quality. A mechanism for collecting and feeding back printhead ejection stability parameters drives adaptive correction of preset quality criteria, enabling the system to continuously optimize the reclaimed ink selection threshold and mixing algorithm, enhancing the robustness and economy of print quality during long-term operation. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the ink cartridge and inkjet printing collaborative control method according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a time-series correlation diagram of injection stability parameters in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of quality assessment and ink supply distribution for regenerated ink cartridges according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a negative pressure driven ink discharge response curve diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the collaborative control method between the ink cartridge and inkjet printing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] The collaborative control methods for ink cartridges and inkjet printing include: When the printhead is cleaning or calibrating, the residual ink discharged from the printhead is guided to the residual ink collection container by the negative pressure drive device, and the source information and discharge time of the residual ink are recorded at the same time. The residual ink in the residual ink collection container is subjected to multi-stage physical separation to remove solid particulate impurities and gas components, resulting in separated regenerated ink, which is then transported to the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. The color and concentration characteristics of the recycled ink are measured non-contactly using an optical detection unit. A quality grade label is generated based on the measurement results and a preset quality criterion, and the quality grade label is then linked to the storage location of the recycled ink. Based on the quality requirement level of the current printing task and the remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge, the quality level identifier is queried to determine the available scenarios and mixing ratio of the regenerated ink, and an ink supply allocation strategy is generated. The ink supply distribution strategy controls the multi-channel ink supply valves of the ink cartridge to output the main ink and the regenerated ink to the printhead according to the mixing ratio, and collects the ejection stability parameters of the printhead as feedback data. The feedback data is then used to adaptively correct the preset quality criteria.

[0024] In one optional implementation, during the printhead cleaning or calibration operation, a negative pressure drive device guides the residual ink discharged from the printhead to a residual ink collection container, while simultaneously recording the source information and discharge time of the residual ink, including: Before triggering a cleaning or calibration operation on the printhead, the ink color type currently used by the printhead, the nozzle array position identifier to which the printhead belongs, and the type identifier of the triggering operation are extracted, and the ink color type, the nozzle array position identifier, and the type identifier are encoded to generate a unique source identifier; Start the negative pressure drive device and establish a negative pressure monitoring circuit. Determine the starting time of the residual ink flow based on the pressure response curve of the negative pressure monitoring circuit. Bind the starting time with the source identifier to form initial traceability data. The flow path of the residual ink into the residual ink collection container is spatially located by an optoelectronic sensor array. Based on the spatial location result, the storage partition number in the residual ink collection container is determined, and the storage partition number is associated with the initial traceability data. The working status of the negative pressure drive device is continuously monitored until the pressure response curve recovers to the steady-state threshold. The termination time corresponding to the recovery to the steady-state threshold is recorded, and the discharge time span is calculated using the start time and the termination time. The source identifier, storage partition number, start time, end time, and discharge time span are encapsulated into a structured source information record, written into the traceability database, and permanently bound to the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container, thus completing the full-process recording of the source information and discharge time of the residual ink.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, the method includes: This figure records pressure fluctuation values ​​and frequency uniformity indices at different time periods, corresponding to the "collection of printhead jet stability parameters" step. Pressure fluctuation (0.52 to -3.02) reflects the amplitude of instantaneous pressure changes within the printhead cavity, while frequency uniformity (0.98 to -0.81) characterizes the consistency of ink droplet ejection frequency across all nozzles. Together, these constitute a jet stability parameter vector, used for correlation analysis with quality grade labels to calculate the correlation deviation, thereby triggering adaptive correction of the quality criteria. This data supports the quantitative evaluation basis of the feedback control closed loop.

[0026] Before triggering a cleaning or calibration operation on the printhead, basic attribute information related to the printhead needs to be collected in advance to establish a complete traceability file for the discharged residual ink. Specifically, the color type of the ink currently loaded in the printhead (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow, or black) is extracted, along with the physical location identifier of the nozzle array to which the printhead belongs within the overall printhead assembly, and the operation type identifier (cleaning or calibration operation) of the current operation. These three types of information are concatenated and hashed according to predetermined encoding rules to generate a unique source identifier throughout the entire lifecycle of the device. The uniqueness of this source identifier ensures that residual ink from different batches, different nozzle positions, and different operation types will not be confused during subsequent database queries, serving as the basic index unit of the entire traceability system. During the encoding process, the color type field uses fixed-length enumeration encoding, the nozzle array position identifier uses two-dimensional coordinate encoding, and the operation type identifier uses a single-byte flag bit. After concatenating the three segments of encoding and adding a check bit, a source identifier string with self-verification capability is finally formed.

[0027] After the source identifier is generated, the negative pressure drive device is activated and a negative pressure monitoring loop is established simultaneously. The negative pressure monitoring loop uses pressure sensors placed at key nodes in the ink flow path to continuously collect pressure values ​​within the path using high-frequency sampling, forming a continuous pressure response curve. When the pressure value in the pressure response curve shows a significant decrease from the initial static value and exceeds a preset pressure drop threshold, it is determined that residual ink has begun to flow from the printhead towards the residual ink collection container under the action of negative pressure. The corresponding timestamp is recorded as the start time. Accurate determination of the start time is crucial for calculating the subsequent discharge time span; therefore, the pressure sampling frequency must be sufficiently high to avoid the accumulation of time errors. The start time is then data-bound with the aforementioned source identifier to form an initial traceability data object, which serves as the basis for all subsequent extended information.

[0028] As residual ink flows along the guide pipe towards the residual ink collection container under negative pressure, its flow path is spatially located using a photoelectric sensor array. The photoelectric sensor array consists of multiple photoelectric pairs distributed along the guide pipe. As ink flows past each sensor node, the transmittance of the photoelectric signal changes, thus determining the ink's real-time position within the pipe. Based on the spatial location results and a pre-defined storage partition layout within the residual ink collection container, the final storage partition number into which the residual ink is collected is determined. The partitioning is pre-planned based on ink color type and operation type, ensuring that similar residual inks are concentrated in adjacent partitions to reduce the risk of cross-contamination during subsequent separation processing. After determining the storage partition number, this number is written into the initial traceability data object, establishing a ternary association with the source identifier and start time, allowing any field to serve as a retrieval entry point for complete traceability information.

[0029] The negative pressure drive device remains operational throughout the residual ink discharge process, while the negative pressure monitoring circuit synchronously tracks the pressure response curve in real time. As the residual ink in the printhead is gradually drained, the fluid resistance characteristics within the pipeline change, and the pressure response curve begins to gradually recover. When the pressure value recovers and stabilizes within the preset steady-state threshold range, and the duration exceeds the predetermined stability judgment window, the ink discharge operation is considered complete, and the timestamp at this point is recorded as the termination time. The discharge time span is calculated using the start and termination times, assuming the start time is... The termination time is Then the time span is output. satisfy The discharge time span is an important auxiliary parameter for assessing the volume and flow state of residual ink. Combined with the known flow characteristics of the negative pressure drive device, the total amount of residual ink discharged this time can be further estimated, providing a quantitative reference for the quality testing of subsequent regenerated ink.

[0030] After obtaining the source identifier, storage partition number, start time, end time, and discharge time span, the above five types of information are encapsulated according to a predetermined data structure specification to generate a structured source information record. This record includes a fixed-length header field (record version number, device number, and record generation timestamp) and a variable-length payload field (storing the above five types of core information). After encapsulation, the source information record is written to the traceability database, and the atomicity of the write operation is ensured through a database transaction mechanism to avoid record incompleteness due to abnormal interruptions.

[0031] After successful writing, a permanent binding relationship is established in the traceability database between the source information record and the residual ink entity in the corresponding storage partition of the residual ink collection container. This binding relationship uses the storage partition number as a physical anchor point to associate the digitized traceability record with the actual liquid ink entity. This ensures that in subsequent multi-level physical separation processing, regenerated ink quality testing, and ink supply and distribution strategy generation, the original source, operational background, and discharge time information of any batch of regenerated ink can be traced by querying the traceability database. This provides reliable data support for the closed-loop management of the entire collaborative control method.

[0032] The traceability database uses an append-only write mode, meaning historical records cannot be modified; only add and query operations are allowed to ensure the integrity and reliability of the traceability data. When the same storage partition receives residual ink from multiple ink flushing operations at different time periods, the traceability database will contain multiple source information records associated with that partition number. Queries return records sorted by the start time, supporting historical retrospective analysis of the composition of mixed residual ink.

[0033] In one optional implementation, encapsulating the source identifier, the storage partition number, the start time, the end time, and the discharge time span into a structured source information record, writing it into a traceability database, and permanently binding it to the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container includes: The source identifier, storage partition number, start time, end time, and discharge time span are labeled with field types and standardized with data format to generate structured data objects that conform to the predefined pattern specification; A multi-dimensional index relationship is constructed based on the time and spatial dimension information in the structured data object, and the multi-dimensional index relationship is fused with the structured data object to form a searchable source information record; A unique physical entity identifier is assigned to the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container. The physical location coordinates and capacity status parameters of the residual ink collection container are obtained through the sensor interface. The physical entity identifier is associated with the physical location coordinates and the capacity status parameters to generate an entity attribute description. Establish a bidirectional reference relationship between the source information record and the entity attribute description, and embed the associated pointer in the bidirectional reference relationship into the data structure of the source information record and the entity attribute description; The source information record containing the bidirectional reference relationship is written to the traceability database in a transactional manner, and the relationship mapping table in the traceability database is updated synchronously, so that the source information record and the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container form an immutable and permanent binding.

[0034] After collecting the source identifier, storage partition number, start time, end time, and ejection time span, the above information needs to undergo systematic field type labeling and data format standardization. Specifically, the source identifier uses a fixed-length string type, formatted according to a three-segment encoding rule of "device number-printhead number-operation type"; the storage partition number uses an integer field, corresponding to the physical number of each independent storage area in the ink cartridge; the start time and end time are uniformly converted to the ISO 8601 standard UTC timestamp format, retaining millisecond precision; the ejection time span is stored as a long integer value in milliseconds. After the above field type labeling and format standardization, each field is organized according to a predefined schema specification, generating a structured data object that conforms to the schema specification. This structured data object contains descriptive information in four dimensions: field name, field type, field value, and field constraints, thereby ensuring that residual ink information from different batches and sources has consistent comparability and processability at the data level.

[0035] A multi-dimensional index relationship is constructed based on the time and spatial dimensions of the structured data object. The time dimension index uses the start time as the primary key and the end time as the secondary key, supporting range queries based on time intervals. The spatial dimension index uses the storage partition number as the primary key and the source identifier as the secondary key, supporting precise queries based on physical location or device origin. The multi-dimensional index relationship is implemented using a combination of B+ tree structure and hash index. The B+ tree index supports ordered traversal of time intervals, while the hash index supports fast location of storage partition numbers. This multi-dimensional index relationship is then integrated with the structured data object by embedding reference pointers to each dimension index node within the structured data object's data structure, forming a searchable source information record. This source information record not only contains the original field information but also embeds index location information, enabling subsequent query operations to quickly locate the target record without a full table scan.

[0036] Each residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container is assigned a unique physical entity identifier. This identifier is generated using a UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) ​​format. The generation algorithm is based on a hash calculation combining the container's hardware serial number, current timestamp, and random entropy value, ensuring no identifier conflicts occur in multi-device concurrent scenarios. The physical location coordinates and capacity status parameters of the residual ink collection container are obtained through a sensor interface: the physical location coordinates are in three-dimensional spatial coordinates. This indicates the installation location of the corresponding container inside the printing device; the capacity status parameter includes the volume of residual ink currently stored. With the container's maximum capacity The data is collected in real time by a liquid level sensor. The physical entity identifier is then compared with its physical location coordinates. and capacity status parameters , The association is performed to generate entity attribute descriptions. Entity attribute descriptions are organized in key-value pairs, with the physical entity identifier as the primary key, and the physical location coordinates and capacity status parameters as attribute values. An attribute collection timestamp is attached to record the valid time range of the parameters.

[0037] A bidirectional reference relationship is established between source information records and entity attribute descriptions. This bidirectional reference relationship is implemented by adding an "entity reference pointer" field to the source information record's data structure, which stores the physical entity identifier corresponding to the entity attribute description; and adding a "record reference pointer" field to the entity attribute description's data structure, which stores the unique record identifier corresponding to the source information record. Through this embedded bidirectional pointer, the source information record can directly locate its corresponding physical entity, and the entity attribute description can also directly trace back to its corresponding source information record, thus achieving bidirectional reachability at the data level. The bidirectional reference relationship is maintained at the database level through foreign key constraints and trigger mechanisms. When a record on either side changes, the trigger automatically verifies the consistency of the bidirectional reference, preventing data anomalies such as dangling or one-way references.

[0038] Source information records containing bidirectional references are written to the traceability database in a transactional manner. Transaction processing follows the ACID principles: Atomicity ensures that the writing of source information records and the updating of the relationship mapping table are executed as an indivisible whole; failure in any step results in a rollback of the entire transaction. Consistency ensures that the constraints of the traceability database are satisfied before and after the write operation. Isolation prevents data races during concurrent writes through a serialization isolation level. Durability ensures that data is not lost due to system failures after the transaction is committed through a write-ahead log (WAL) mechanism. Simultaneously with transaction commit, the relationship mapping table in the traceability database is updated. The relationship mapping table uses the unique identifier of the source information record and the physical entity identifier as a composite primary key, recording the mapping relationship between the two and the mapping establishment time.

[0039] To ensure the immutability of the binding relationship between source information records and residual ink entities, the traceability database employs an append-only storage strategy. This means that any submitted record cannot be modified or deleted in situ, and historical versions are preserved through a timestamp-chained appending method, maintaining a complete change history. For source information records with established permanent bindings, a write-protection flag is set at the database level. Any subsequent modification requests to these records are rejected and an exception log is recorded. Binding entries in the relationship mapping table are also subject to write protection, ensuring that the binding relationship is irrevocable once established. Through these mechanisms, a permanent binding relationship with integrity guarantees at both the logical and storage levels is formed between source information records and residual ink entities, providing a reliable data foundation for subsequent residual ink quality traceability, usage decisions, and data auditing.

[0040] In one optional embodiment, the residual ink in the residual ink collection container undergoes multi-stage physical separation to remove solid particulate impurities and gaseous components, obtaining separated regenerated ink, and the regenerated ink is then transported to an independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge, including: The residual ink in the residual ink collection container is screened step by step by a gradient aperture filter array. The solid particles are removed and the solidified liquid is obtained at the final output end of the gradient aperture filter array. The light transmittance characteristics of the solidified liquid are detected in real time. When the light transmittance characteristics are lower than the preset clarity threshold, a backwashing procedure is triggered to regenerate the gradient aperture filter array. The desolidified liquid that meets the clarity threshold is introduced into the vacuum degassing chamber. The dissolved gas components and microbubbles in the desolidified liquid are driven to migrate to the liquid surface and discharged through the exhaust port by the negative pressure field in the vacuum degassing chamber. The density change curve of the desolidified liquid during the degassing process is collected simultaneously. The gas removal efficiency parameter is calculated based on the density change curve. When the gas removal efficiency parameter reaches the preset convergence condition, the degassing process is terminated and the separated regenerated ink is output. The gas removal efficiency parameter is correlated with the current storage volume of the regenerated ink to generate delivery configuration parameters. According to the aforementioned delivery configuration parameters, the delivery pump group is controlled to deliver the regenerated ink through an isolation pipeline to the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. During the delivery process, the pressure distribution within the pipeline is dynamically adjusted according to the gas removal efficiency parameter to prevent secondary gas precipitation during the delivery process and ensure that the regenerated ink enters the independent storage area in a stable physical state.

[0041] The residual ink enters the first stage of a multi-stage physical separation process from the residual ink collection container, where solid particles are progressively sieved through a gradient pore size filter array. This array consists of several layers of filter media arranged sequentially, with the pore size of each layer decreasing along the flow direction, for example, from tens of micrometers in the initial layer to sub-micrometers in the final layer. Driven by negative or positive pressure, the residual ink passes through each layer of filter media sequentially. Larger solid particles are retained in the earlier stages, while smaller particles are further intercepted in subsequent stages. Finally, a desolvated liquid, with all solid particles removed, is obtained at the final stage output of the gradient pore size filter array.

[0042] During the process of the stripping liquid flowing out from the final stage output end, its light transmittance characteristics are monitored in real time. The monitoring method involves setting an optical detection window in the output pipeline, allowing a beam of light of a specific wavelength to penetrate the stripping liquid, and then using a sensor at the receiving end to collect the transmitted light intensity. This transmitted light intensity is compared with a reference light intensity to calculate the real-time light transmittance value. .when Below the preset resolution threshold When the filter media's retention efficiency decreases, excessive solid particles penetrate to the output, triggering a backwashing process. The backwashing process flushes out particles clogging the pores of the filter media by reversing the flow of cleaning fluid or gas, discharging them through the waste liquid discharge port and restoring the gradient pore size filter array to normal operation. After backwashing, the solidification liquid level is retested. Value, confirmed to be satisfied Only after this can the subsequent degassing process continue.

[0043] The desolidified liquid that meets the clarity threshold is then introduced into the vacuum degassing chamber. Inside the vacuum degassing chamber, a certain negative pressure field is maintained by a vacuum pump. The absolute pressure value of the negative pressure field is... The pressure is much lower than atmospheric pressure, which disrupts the dissolution equilibrium of the gas components and microbubbles dissolved in the degassing liquid. Gas molecules migrate from the liquid phase to the gas phase, while microbubbles rise to the liquid surface under the combined effects of buoyancy and pressure difference, and are discharged from the chamber through the exhaust port. The design of the vacuum degassing chamber must ensure that the degassing liquid has sufficient residence time within the chamber to guarantee the complete leaching of gas. Simultaneously, the density change curve of the degassing liquid during the degassing process is acquired. Density detection can be achieved using a vibrating tube density sensor, which continuously acquires the instantaneous density value of the degassing liquid at a fixed sampling frequency. ,in The sampling sequence number is used to form a complete curve of density changing over time.

[0044] Based on the collected density change curves, the gas removal efficiency parameters are calculated. Specifically, the initial density at the start of degassing. Compared with current density The difference reflects the amount of gas released, and is combined with the theoretical saturation density. Normalizing the density of the liquid (i.e., the density under complete degassing) yields: ; The range of values ​​is ,when When the value approaches 1, it indicates that the gaseous components in the desolidification liquid have been sufficiently removed. The preset convergence condition is... ,in This is a convergence threshold pre-calibrated based on ink characteristics and print quality requirements. When When the convergence condition is met, the degassing process is terminated, and the desolidified liquid at this point is output as the separated regenerated ink. If within the specified maximum degassing time... Unable to achieve If this occurs, an abnormal alarm will be triggered, and the delivery of the current batch of recycled ink will be suspended, pending manual or automatic diagnostic processing.

[0045] Gas removal efficiency parameters Compared with the current storage volume of recycled ink The process involves correlation to generate conveying configuration parameters. These parameters comprise two core elements: the target conveying pressure and the... Secondly, the conveying flow rate . The determination needs to be considered comprehensively. The actual value and ,when At a higher level (with sufficient degassing), a slight increase is permissible. To accelerate transportation efficiency; when When it is relatively low, it needs to be reduced. This is to reduce pressure fluctuations in the pipeline and prevent residual dissolved gases from precipitating out due to pressure changes. Then according to The size is segmented to avoid negative pressure zones in the pipeline due to excessive flow rate when the storage volume is small.

[0046] Based on the delivery configuration parameters, the delivery pump unit is controlled to deliver the regenerated ink through an isolation pipeline to the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. The isolation pipeline is lined with an inert material to prevent the pipeline material from affecting the color and chemical composition of the regenerated ink. During the delivery process, according to... The pressure distribution within the pipeline is dynamically adjusted based on real-time monitoring values. Specifically, pressure sensors are installed at key nodes in the delivery pipeline to collect real-time pipeline pressure data at each node. ( (assign node number), when any node's Below the critical pressure for gas evolution At that time, the pressure regulating valve upstream of the node is automatically adjusted to increase the local pressure, so that... This inhibits the generation of secondary gases. The dissolved gas content of the recycled ink and the current temperature determine the temperature before delivery. The calculation results are estimated and written into the control parameter table.

[0047] After the reclaimed ink enters the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge, this area is isolated from the main ink storage area by a physical partition or one-way valve structure to prevent the two inks from mixing naturally in an unmixed state. A level sensor is installed in the independent storage area to monitor the reclaimed ink level in real time and feeds the data back to the control unit for generating subsequent ink supply strategies. The entire multi-stage physical separation and delivery process uses closed-loop control logic to ensure that the reclaimed ink enters the independent storage area in a stable physical state, providing a reliable material basis for subsequent quality inspection and mixed ink supply.

[0048] In one optional implementation, the color and concentration characteristics of the recycled ink are measured non-contactly using an optical detection unit. A quality grade identifier is generated based on the measurement results and a preset quality criterion. The quality grade identifier is then linked to the storage location of the recycled ink, including: A multispectral light source driving the optical detection unit emits a detection beam covering the visible to near-infrared bands into the regenerated ink. The transmission and reflection spectra of the detection beam after passing through the regenerated ink are collected by a photoelectric sensor array. The transmission and reflection spectra are decomposed into bands to obtain multi-channel light intensity distribution data. The tristimulus values ​​of the visible light band are extracted from the multi-channel light intensity distribution data as chromaticity feature vectors, and the absorbance peak position and peak width parameters of the near-infrared band are extracted as concentration feature vectors. The chromaticity feature vectors and the concentration feature vectors are normalized to construct a joint feature matrix. The joint feature matrix is ​​matched with the standard feature library in the preset quality criteria to calculate the similarity. The quality deviation index between the recycled ink and the standard ink sample is determined according to the distribution pattern of the matching similarity. A quality grade label is generated according to the range of the quality deviation index in the preset grading interval. The three-dimensional spatial coordinates and storage container number of the regenerated ink in the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge are obtained simultaneously, and the quality grade identifier, the three-dimensional spatial coordinates and the storage container number are structured and encapsulated to form a quality position mapping record; The quality location mapping record is written into a distributed index table, and a bidirectional query link is established in the distributed index table with the quality grade identifier as the primary key and the three-dimensional spatial coordinates as the auxiliary index. This allows the subsequent ink supply scheduling process to directly locate the storage location of the recycled ink according to the quality requirements, thus completing the binding between the quality grade identifier and the storage location of the recycled ink.

[0049] The optical detection unit incorporates a multispectral light source capable of simultaneously outputting a detection beam covering the visible to near-infrared bands, typically set between 380nm and 1100nm, to ensure effective optical response to both the chromaticity and concentration characteristics of the regenerated ink. During detection, the multispectral light source emits a detection beam at a fixed angle into the detection pool containing the regenerated ink. After penetrating the liquid, the beam is collected by a photoelectric sensor array along both the transmission and reflection directions. The photoelectric sensor array consists of multiple narrowband filters and corresponding photosensitive elements, with each channel corresponding to a specific center wavelength. The channel spacing can be set from 10nm to 20nm, thus obtaining continuous light intensity distribution data across the entire spectral range. After acquisition, the transmission and reflection spectra are decomposed into wavelengths, distributing the original light intensity signals to each channel according to wavelength ranges, forming multi-channel light intensity distribution data, providing a data foundation for subsequent feature extraction.

[0050] When extracting chromaticity features from multi-channel light intensity distribution data, light intensity data within the visible light band (380nm to 780nm) are selected. Following the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) standard colorimetric method, the light intensity values ​​of each channel are integrated with their corresponding color matching functions to obtain the tristimulus values. , , The three together constitute the chromaticity feature vector. This provides a complete description of the hue, brightness, and saturation information of the recycled ink. Simultaneously, it identifies the wavelength positions of the absorbance peaks from the absorbance curves in the near-infrared band (780nm to 1100nm). With the corresponding half-peak width The two are combined into a concentration feature vector. The absorbance peak position is used to characterize the concentration distribution of pigment particles in recycled ink. The shift in the absorbance peak position reflects the degree of change in the pigment molecular structure, while the broadening of the half-maximum width is closely related to the dispersion of the particle size distribution. The combination of the two can effectively distinguish the state of recycled ink under different concentration gradients.

[0051] For chromaticity feature vectors With concentration eigenvector Normalization is performed separately, and each component is mapped to... The interval is used to eliminate the interference of differences in the dimensions of different physical quantities on subsequent matching calculations. Normalization is performed using a maximum-minimum normalization method, with the historical extreme values ​​of each parameter in the standard feature library of the preset quality criteria as the normalization boundary. The normalized chromaticity feature vector and concentration feature vector are concatenated column-wise to construct a joint feature matrix. The rows of the matrix correspond to different detection sampling times, and the columns correspond to each feature component, thus completely preserving the multidimensional optical feature information of a single detection in a structured matrix form.

[0052] Joint feature matrix Feature matrices of each standard ink sample in the standard feature library ( Similarity matching was performed on each standard sample (with a specified sample number). The similarity calculation employed a weighted fusion of cosine similarity and Euclidean distance, with the cosine similarity set as follows: The normalized value of the Euclidean distance is Then the overall similarity ,in The weighting coefficient has a range of values. This is typically set to 0.6 to give higher weight to chromaticity direction similarity. The overall similarity over all standard samples... Sort the results and take the highest similarity value. The corresponding standard sample serves as the optimal matching reference, and the quality deviation index... Defined as The higher the value, the more significant the quality difference between recycled ink and standard ink.

[0053] According to the quality deviation index A quality level identifier is generated within the predefined grading range. The predefined grading range is typically divided into three levels: when... fall into When the quality is determined to be Level 1, the grade is marked as follows: This indicates that the recycled ink is highly consistent with the standard ink and can be used in high-precision printing scenarios; when fall into At that time, it was judged to be of level two quality, and the grade was marked as follows: This indicates a slight deviation, suitable for printing regular documents; when fall into At that time, it was determined to be of level three quality, and the level was marked as follows: This indicates a significant quality deviation, suitable only for draft printing or use after high-proportion mixing with the main ink. The boundary values ​​of the grade range can be adjusted according to actual application needs through the parameter configuration interface of the preset quality criteria, providing flexible adaptability.

[0054] After the quality grade label is generated, the three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the batch of recycled ink in the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge are obtained simultaneously. With storage container number The three-dimensional spatial coordinates are reported in real time by a network of position sensors inside the ink cartridge. , , These correspond to the three axial components of the storage area in the ink cartridge coordinate system, and the storage container number. This is a unique identifier pre-etched onto the ink cartridge at the factory. It indicates the quality level. ( ), three-dimensional spatial coordinates With storage container number The data is structured and encapsulated according to a predetermined data structure to form a quality location mapping record. The data types and lengths of all fields in the records are defined according to a unified standard to ensure compatibility with subsequent write and query operations.

[0055] Mass position mapping record After being written to the distributed index table, it is identified by its quality level in the index table. A forward index chain is established using the primary key, with three-dimensional spatial coordinates. A reverse query path is established for the auxiliary index, forming a bidirectional query structure. The forward query path supports the ink supply scheduling process in directly retrieving the storage location of the regenerated ink that meets the requirements according to the quality level, and returning the corresponding... Based on coordinate information, the ink supply valve is driven to accurately locate the target storage area. The reverse lookup path supports rapid backtracking of the corresponding quality level identifier when the storage location is known, used to update index records when the storage area dynamically changes. The distributed index table uses a sharded storage method, partitioning records by quality level. Records of the same level are stored in the same partition, reducing the overhead of cross-partition queries and improving response speed in high-frequency scheduling scenarios. Each time a new detection result is written, the index table automatically triggers an incremental update, ensuring that the index content remains consistent with the actual storage state of the ink cartridge in real time. This allows subsequent ink supply scheduling to accurately locate and allocate regenerated ink based on the latest quality location mapping.

[0056] In one optional implementation, based on the quality requirement level of the current print job and the remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge, the quality level identifier is queried to determine the available scenarios and mixing ratio of the regenerated ink, and an ink supply allocation strategy is generated, including: The image complexity parameters and color level distribution characteristics of the current printing task are analyzed. Based on the image complexity parameters and color level distribution characteristics, the quality requirement level quantification value is calculated. At the same time, the real-time remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge is obtained through the liquid level monitoring interface, and the main ink resource tension coefficient is calculated. Using the quality requirement level quantification value and the main ink resource tension coefficient as joint query conditions, the quality level identifier is retrieved in the distributed index table, and a subset of candidate recycled inks whose quality level meets the quality requirement level quantification value and whose storage capacity can meet the compensation requirements of the main ink resource tension coefficient is selected. For each regenerated ink in the candidate regenerated ink subset, its chromaticity deviation vector and concentration stability index are extracted. The chromaticity deviation vector is then used to calculate the Euclidean distance between the chromaticity deviation vector and the standard chromaticity reference of the main ink. Based on the calculated chromaticity distance value, the available scenario categories of the regenerated ink are classified. For recycled inks classified as mixed-use scenarios, the optimal mixing ratio of the main ink and the recycled ink is determined; The available scenario categories, the optimal mixing ratio, and the storage location information of the candidate regenerated ink subsets are integrated to generate an ink supply allocation strategy.

[0057] like Figure 3 As shown, the method includes: Before generating the ink distribution strategy, a deep analysis of the image content of the current printing task is required to quantify its actual ink quality requirements. For the image to be printed, two core indicators are extracted: image complexity parameters and color level distribution features. Image complexity parameters are characterized by calculating the spatial frequency distribution, edge density, and richness of detail texture. Specifically, a gradient magnitude statistical method can be used to statistically analyze the local gradients at each pixel location in the image, obtaining the mean and variance of the gradient across the entire image, thus reflecting the density of fine structures in the image. Color level distribution features are obtained by statistically analyzing the pixel proportion distribution of the image in each color gamut within the Lab color space, paying particular attention to the ratio between high-saturation areas and neutral grayscale areas, as these two types of areas have significantly different sensitivities to ink color accuracy.

[0058] Based on image complexity parameters and color level distribution characteristics, calculate the quantification value of quality requirement level. . Normalized value of image complexity parameter Weighted entropy value of color level distribution characteristics A linear combination yields, i.e. ,in and These are the weighting coefficients for image complexity and color level, respectively, with the sum of the two being 1. The specific values ​​are pre-calibrated based on the application scenario of the printing device. The range of values ​​is normalized to The range indicates that the higher the value, the more stringent the ink quality requirements for the printing task.

[0059] At the same time, the real-time remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge is read through the liquid level monitoring interface. And combined with the estimated total ink consumption of the current printing task. Calculate the main ink resource shortage coefficient . Defined as ,when hour, A value of 0 indicates sufficient main ink resources, requiring no regenerated ink compensation; when hour, A positive value is taken; the larger the value, the greater the main ink gap and the more urgent the need for compensation with recycled ink. The liquid level monitoring interface collects the liquid level height in real time through a float-type or capacitive liquid level sensor and converts it into a volume value. The sampling period is set to 100ms to ensure the timeliness of the data.

[0060] by and As a condition for the joint query, the distributed index table is used to retrieve records of recycled ink that have been labeled with quality grade identifiers. The distributed index table is labeled with quality grade identifiers. The primary index key is used, with storage volume as a secondary index, supporting range queries and multi-condition filtering. During retrieval, the quality deviation index corresponding to the quality level of candidate records is required. No more than The mapping yields a maximum allowable deviation threshold, while also requiring that the available storage space for candidate records is not less than [a certain threshold]. The corresponding compensation volume requirement. Records that meet the above dual constraints are included in the candidate regenerated ink subset. .

[0061] right For each candidate regenerated ink entry, extract its chromaticity deviation vector. With concentration stability index Chromaticity deviation vector Defined as the chromaticity feature vector of the recycled ink With the main ink standard colorimetric reference vector The difference, that is .right Calculate the Euclidean distance to obtain the chromaticity distance value. Concentration stability index The standard deviation of multiple concentration measurements collected during the near-infrared detection phase characterizes the consistency level of the concentration of this batch of recycled ink.

[0062] in accordance with Based on the size, candidate recycled inks are divided into three categories of usable scenarios. Below the preset strict chromaticity threshold In this case, the recycled ink is classified as a standalone application and can be used directly without mixing for printing areas where color accuracy requirements are low, such as large-area background filling or draft mode output. Between With relaxed chromaticity threshold When used in between, it falls under the category of mixed use and needs to be mixed with the main ink in a certain proportion to compensate for color deviation. Exceed In such cases, the recycled ink is classified as a restricted use case and can only be used for internal test printing or equipment self-test processes, and must not be used for formal printing output.

[0063] For recycled inks classified as being used in mixed applications, the optimal mixing ratio of primary ink and recycled ink is determined. The objective of finding the optimal mixing ratio is to minimize the Euclidean distance between the chromaticity eigenvector of the mixed ink and the standard chromaticity reference of the main ink, while simultaneously ensuring that the mixed concentration value falls within an acceptable range for printing. Let the chromaticity eigenvector of the main ink be... The chromaticity feature vector of recycled ink is The chromaticity feature vector after mixing is approximately: ,in This represents the volume percentage of recycled ink in the mixture. Minimize the objective function. Under constraints The solution is as follows. Based on concentration stability index The maximum allowable mixing ratio is dynamically set. The larger The smaller the value, the better, to prevent print quality degradation due to concentration fluctuations. Under the assumption of linear chromaticity mixing, the above optimization problem has an analytical solution and can be directly calculated. The optimal value can be obtained without iterative solution, which is computationally efficient and suitable for real-time control scenarios.

[0064] After completing the classification of available scenarios and solving for the optimal mixing ratio, the available scenario category and optimal mixing ratio of each candidate recycled ink item are determined. and the corresponding storage location information (including quality location mapping records) The registered storage coordinates and container numbers are integrated into a structured ink allocation strategy. This strategy uses the print job identifier as the key and contains a priority list of multiple recycled ink entries, sorted based on overall similarity. The ink is sorted from highest to lowest chroma, prioritizing the use of regenerated inks whose color is closest to the main ink. The ink supply allocation strategy also records the maximum available volume for each entry, ensuring that the actual available quantity in each storage area is not exceeded during strategy execution, thereby guaranteeing the traceability and reliability of the entire ink supply scheduling process.

[0065] In one optional implementation, the multi-channel ink supply valves of the ink-absorbing cartridge are controlled according to the ink supply distribution strategy to output the main ink and the regenerated ink to the printhead according to the mixing ratio, and the ejection stability parameters of the printhead are collected as feedback data. The preset quality criteria are adaptively corrected using the feedback data, including: The flow distribution weight and ink source path mapping table in the ink supply distribution strategy are analyzed. Based on the flow distribution weight, the valve opening setting value corresponding to the main ink and the regenerated ink is calculated. The valve opening setting value is converted into the drive control signal of the multi-channel ink supply valve of the ink cartridge. Send the drive control signal to the multi-channel ink supply valve to synchronously regulate the valve opening of each ink supply channel connecting the main ink storage area and the regenerated ink storage area, and drive the main ink and the regenerated ink to be output from their respective storage areas and flow into the ink supply pipeline of the printhead according to the mixing ratio. During the process of the main ink and the regenerated ink being output to the printhead, instantaneous pressure fluctuation data in the cavity of the printhead is collected by a pressure sensor array, and ink droplet ejection frequency uniformity data of the printhead is collected by a frequency detection unit. Statistical feature extraction is performed on the instantaneous pressure fluctuation data and the ink droplet ejection frequency uniformity data to generate ejection stability parameters. The jetting stability parameter is correlated with the quality grade label of the currently used recycled ink. The correlation deviation between the jetting stability parameter and the quality grade label is calculated. When the correlation deviation exceeds a preset allowable threshold, the evaluation dimension that needs to be corrected in the preset quality criteria is identified. For the evaluation dimensions that need to be corrected, the weight coefficients and judgment boundaries in the preset quality criteria are adjusted, and the adjusted weight coefficients and judgment boundaries are updated to the quality evaluation module. The preset quality criteria are then adaptively corrected using feedback data.

[0066] like Figure 4 As shown, the method includes: This graph depicts the pressure change of the negative pressure drive device over time during the residual ink discharge process. The horizontal axis represents time (seconds), and the vertical axis represents the relative pressure percentage (10%~100%). The curve fully presents the ink discharge process from the initial moment (pressure drop) to the final moment (restoration to steady state), with "threshold" and "steady state" reference lines marked, corresponding to the critical points for determining the start of pressure drop and the termination of steady state recovery, respectively. This curve directly corresponds to steps such as "determining the start moment based on the pressure response curve of the negative pressure monitoring circuit" and "recording the termination moment of recovery to the steady state threshold," and is the core data source for calculating the discharge time span and estimating the total amount of residual ink.

[0067] When analyzing the ink supply allocation strategy, the mapping table of each ink source path and its corresponding flow allocation weight are extracted. The flow allocation weight describes the proportion of flow that should be output by the main ink channel and each regenerated ink channel per unit time. Let the flow allocation weight of the main ink channel be... , No. The flow distribution weight of the regenerated ink channel is: The valve opening setpoint for each channel is then converted based on its corresponding weight and the valve flow characteristic curve to obtain a quantitative value of the opening expressed as an angle or percentage. The valve flow characteristic curve is provided by the factory calibration data and describes the nonlinear mapping relationship between the valve opening and the flow rate. The converted quantitative value of the opening is encoded into a drive control signal, which is usually expressed in pulse width modulation waveform or digital bus frame format, so as to directly drive the solenoid valve or stepper motor valve actuator.

[0068] After synchronously sending drive control signals to the multi-channel ink supply valves of the ink cartridge, the valve opening of each ink supply channel is adjusted to the set value. The main channel valve connecting the main ink storage area and the regenerator channel valve connecting the regenerator ink storage area are opened synchronously, allowing the main ink and regenerator ink to be output from their respective storage areas through independent pipelines. The two ink streams merge at the confluence node and enter the ink supply pipeline of the printhead. The geometric structure of the confluence node is designed with a Y-shaped or T-shaped connector to ensure that the two fluids are fully and uniformly mixed after confluence, avoiding uneven color or density distribution due to laminar flow effects. A static mixer is configured in the confluence section, which applies repeated division and recombination of the fluid through a multi-layer cross baffle structure to further improve the mixing uniformity and ensure that the ink mixing ratio reaching the printhead cavity matches the mixing ratio set in the ink supply distribution strategy. Maintain consistency.

[0069] During the continuous output of main ink and regenerated ink to the printhead, a pressure sensor array arranged on the printhead cavity wall collects instantaneous pressure fluctuation data in real time. The pressure sensor array consists of multiple miniature piezoresistive pressure sensors distributed at different locations within the printhead cavity, with a sampling frequency of at least 10kHz to capture the high-frequency pressure response characteristics under inkjet drive pulse excitation. Statistical feature extraction is performed on the collected instantaneous pressure fluctuation time series, including calculating the root mean square amplitude of the pressure fluctuations. Peak-to-peak value and the periodic consistency coefficient of the pressure waveform The root mean square amplitude reflects the overall intensity of pressure fluctuations within the cavity, the peak-to-peak value reflects the extreme fluctuation range, and the period consistency coefficient is calculated by cross-correlation of the pressure waveforms of adjacent injection cycles. The closer its value is to 1, the higher the repeatability of the injection action.

[0070] Simultaneously, the ink droplet ejection frequency of each nozzle in the printhead is monitored orifice-by-orifice by a frequency detection unit. The frequency detection unit records the actual ejection trigger moment of each nozzle based on photoelectric gate or piezoelectric feedback signals, statistically analyzes the time interval sequence between adjacent ejection events, and calculates the uniformity index of the ejection frequency of each nozzle. The uniformity index is defined as the reciprocal of the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean of the ejection time interval. A higher value indicates a more uniform ejection frequency across all nozzles and a more stable inkjet process. Combining the statistical characteristics of pressure fluctuations with the frequency uniformity index constitutes an ejection stability parameter vector. This vector comprehensively represents the actual working state of the printhead under the current ink mixing ratio.

[0071] The injection stability parameter vector Quality grade labeling of recycled ink used in the current ink supply process A correlation analysis is performed. The core of this analysis is establishing a mapping relationship between quality grade designations and expected jet stability: for higher quality grade recycled inks, the expected jet stability parameters should fall within an optimal value range; for lower quality grade recycled inks, the allowable fluctuation range of the expected jet stability parameters is relatively loose. Using the expected stability parameter ranges corresponding to each quality grade as a benchmark, the measured jet stability parameter vector is calculated. The degree of deviation from the expected center point is used to obtain the correlation deviation. The correlation deviation comprehensively considers two dimensions: pressure fluctuation amplitude deviation and frequency uniformity deviation. It is calculated using a weighted summation method, with the weights determined by the contribution of each dimension to the final print quality in historical data. Exceeding the preset allowable threshold If a significant discrepancy is found between the current quality grade label and the actual spraying performance, the quality criterion correction process is triggered.

[0072] After identifying excessive deviations in correlation, the evaluation dimensions that need correction in the preset quality criteria are further located. These evaluation dimensions include three categories: chromaticity feature weights, concentration feature weights, and quality grade judgment boundaries. By analyzing the deviation direction of each component of the jet stability parameters, it is determined whether the deviation mainly originates from inkjet clogging tendency caused by chromaticity deviation or droplet volume instability caused by concentration abnormalities. If the pressure fluctuation amplitude... Significantly higher and frequency uniformity If the result is basically normal, then the judgment boundary of the colorimetric evaluation dimension is too lenient, and the colorimetric-related thresholds need to be tightened; if Significantly low If the changes are minimal, then the weighting of the concentration assessment dimension is deemed unreasonable, and the weighting coefficient of the concentration feature in the overall similarity calculation needs to be increased. .

[0073] For the identified evaluation dimensions requiring correction, the weighting coefficients and judgment boundaries in the preset quality criteria are quantitatively adjusted based on the magnitude and direction of the deviation. The adjustment range of the weighting coefficients is related to the degree of correlation deviation. The adjustment step size is proportional to the actual value and constrained by upper and lower limits to prevent excessive single corrections from causing oscillations in the quality assessment system. The adjustment direction of the judgment boundary is opposite to the deviation direction; that is, if the measured result is lower than the expected lower limit, the judgment boundary is moved towards tightening; if the measured result is higher than the expected upper limit, the judgment boundary is moved towards loosening. After adjustment, the updated weight coefficients and judgment boundaries are written to the parameter storage area of ​​the quality assessment module, overwriting the original preset values, so that the quality grade assessment of subsequent batches of recycled ink can be based on the revised criteria. After several rounds of printing task feedback iterations, the preset quality criteria gradually converge to a state that highly matches the actual jetting performance, thereby achieving continuous adaptive optimization of the recycled ink quality assessment system.

[0074] A second aspect of the present invention provides a collaborative control system for ink cartridges and inkjet printing, comprising: The residual ink diversion unit is used to divert the residual ink discharged from the printhead to the residual ink collection container through a negative pressure drive device when the printhead is performing cleaning or calibration operations, and at the same time record the source information and discharge time of the residual ink. The regeneration separation unit is used to perform multi-stage physical separation treatment on the residual ink in the residual ink collection container to remove solid particulate impurities and gas components, obtain the separated regenerated ink, and transport the regenerated ink to the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. The quality inspection unit is used to perform non-contact measurement of the color and concentration characteristics of the recycled ink through an optical inspection unit, generate a quality grade label based on the measurement results and preset quality criteria, and bind the quality grade label to the storage location of the recycled ink. The ink supply strategy unit is used to query the quality level identifier based on the quality requirement level of the current printing task and the remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge, determine the available scenarios and mixing ratio of the regenerated ink, and generate an ink supply allocation strategy. The ink supply control unit is used to control the multi-channel ink supply valves of the ink-absorbing cartridge according to the ink supply distribution strategy, output the main ink and the regenerated ink to the printhead according to the mixing ratio, and collect the ejection stability parameters of the printhead as feedback data, and use the feedback data to adaptively correct the preset quality criteria.

[0075] A third aspect of the present invention provides an electronic device, comprising: processor; Memory used to store processor-executable instructions; The processor is configured to invoke instructions stored in the memory to execute the aforementioned method.

[0076] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the aforementioned method.

[0077] This invention can be a method, apparatus, system, and / or computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions loaded thereon for performing various aspects of the invention.

[0078] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for coordinated control of ink cartridge and inkjet printing, characterized in that, include: When the printhead is cleaning or calibrating, the residual ink discharged from the printhead is guided to the residual ink collection container by the negative pressure drive device, and the source information and discharge time of the residual ink are recorded at the same time. The residual ink in the residual ink collection container is subjected to multi-stage physical separation to remove solid particulate impurities and gas components, resulting in separated regenerated ink, which is then transported to the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. The color and concentration characteristics of the recycled ink are measured non-contactly using an optical detection unit. A quality grade label is generated based on the measurement results and a preset quality criterion, and the quality grade label is then linked to the storage location of the recycled ink. Based on the quality requirement level of the current printing task and the remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge, the quality level identifier is queried to determine the available scenarios and mixing ratio of the regenerated ink, and an ink supply allocation strategy is generated. The ink supply distribution strategy controls the multi-channel ink supply valves of the ink cartridge to output the main ink and the regenerated ink to the printhead according to the mixing ratio, and collects the ejection stability parameters of the printhead as feedback data. The feedback data is then used to adaptively correct the preset quality criteria.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, During printhead cleaning or calibration operations, a negative pressure drive device guides the residual ink discharged from the printhead to a residual ink collection container, while simultaneously recording the source information and discharge time of the residual ink, including: Before triggering a cleaning or calibration operation on the printhead, the ink color type currently used by the printhead, the nozzle array position identifier to which the printhead belongs, and the type identifier of the triggering operation are extracted, and the ink color type, the nozzle array position identifier, and the type identifier are encoded to generate a unique source identifier; Start the negative pressure drive device and establish a negative pressure monitoring circuit. Determine the starting time of the residual ink flow based on the pressure response curve of the negative pressure monitoring circuit. Bind the starting time with the source identifier to form initial traceability data. The flow path of the residual ink into the residual ink collection container is spatially located by an optoelectronic sensor array. Based on the spatial location result, the storage partition number in the residual ink collection container is determined, and the storage partition number is associated with the initial traceability data. The working status of the negative pressure drive device is continuously monitored until the pressure response curve recovers to the steady-state threshold. The termination time corresponding to the recovery to the steady-state threshold is recorded, and the discharge time span is calculated using the start time and the termination time. The source identifier, storage partition number, start time, end time, and discharge time span are encapsulated into a structured source information record, written into the traceability database, and permanently bound to the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container, thus completing the full-process recording of the source information and discharge time of the residual ink.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Encapsulating the source identifier, storage partition number, start time, end time, and discharge time span into a structured source information record, writing it into the traceability database, and permanently binding it to the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container includes: The source identifier, storage partition number, start time, end time, and discharge time span are labeled with field types and standardized with data format to generate structured data objects that conform to the predefined pattern specification; A multi-dimensional index relationship is constructed based on the time and spatial dimension information in the structured data object, and the multi-dimensional index relationship is fused with the structured data object to form a searchable source information record; A unique physical entity identifier is assigned to the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container. The physical location coordinates and capacity status parameters of the residual ink collection container are obtained through the sensor interface. The physical entity identifier is associated with the physical location coordinates and the capacity status parameters to generate an entity attribute description. Establish a bidirectional reference relationship between the source information record and the entity attribute description, and embed the associated pointer in the bidirectional reference relationship into the data structure of the source information record and the entity attribute description; The source information record containing the bidirectional reference relationship is written to the traceability database in a transactional manner, and the relationship mapping table in the traceability database is updated synchronously, so that the source information record and the residual ink entity in the residual ink collection container form an immutable and permanent binding.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The residual ink in the residual ink collection container undergoes multi-stage physical separation to remove solid particulate impurities and gaseous components, yielding separated regenerated ink. The regenerated ink is then transported to an independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. The residual ink in the residual ink collection container is screened step by step by a gradient aperture filter array. The solid particles are removed and the solidified liquid is obtained at the final output end of the gradient aperture filter array. The light transmittance characteristics of the solidified liquid are detected in real time. When the light transmittance characteristics are lower than the preset clarity threshold, a backwashing procedure is triggered to regenerate the gradient aperture filter array. The desolidified liquid that meets the clarity threshold is introduced into the vacuum degassing chamber. The dissolved gas components and microbubbles in the desolidified liquid are driven to migrate to the liquid surface and discharged through the exhaust port by the negative pressure field in the vacuum degassing chamber. The density change curve of the desolidified liquid during the degassing process is collected simultaneously. The gas removal efficiency parameter is calculated based on the density change curve. When the gas removal efficiency parameter reaches the preset convergence condition, the degassing process is terminated and the separated regenerated ink is output. The gas removal efficiency parameter is correlated with the current storage volume of the regenerated ink to generate delivery configuration parameters. According to the aforementioned delivery configuration parameters, the delivery pump group is controlled to deliver the regenerated ink through an isolation pipeline to the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. During the delivery process, the pressure distribution within the pipeline is dynamically adjusted according to the gas removal efficiency parameter to prevent secondary gas precipitation during the delivery process and ensure that the regenerated ink enters the independent storage area in a stable physical state.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The color and concentration characteristics of the recycled ink are measured non-contactly using an optical detection unit. A quality grade label is generated based on the measurement results and preset quality criteria. This quality grade label is then linked to the storage location of the recycled ink. A multispectral light source driving the optical detection unit emits a detection beam covering the visible to near-infrared bands into the regenerated ink. The transmission and reflection spectra of the detection beam after passing through the regenerated ink are collected by a photoelectric sensor array. The transmission and reflection spectra are decomposed into bands to obtain multi-channel light intensity distribution data. The tristimulus values ​​of the visible light band are extracted from the multi-channel light intensity distribution data as chromaticity feature vectors, and the absorbance peak position and peak width parameters of the near-infrared band are extracted as concentration feature vectors. The chromaticity feature vectors and the concentration feature vectors are normalized to construct a joint feature matrix. The joint feature matrix is ​​matched with the standard feature library in the preset quality criteria to calculate the similarity. The quality deviation index between the recycled ink and the standard ink sample is determined according to the distribution pattern of the matching similarity. A quality grade label is generated according to the range of the quality deviation index in the preset grading interval. The three-dimensional spatial coordinates and storage container number of the regenerated ink in the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge are obtained simultaneously, and the quality grade identifier, the three-dimensional spatial coordinates and the storage container number are structured and encapsulated to form a quality position mapping record; The quality location mapping record is written into a distributed index table, and a bidirectional query link is established in the distributed index table with the quality grade identifier as the primary key and the three-dimensional spatial coordinates as the auxiliary index. This allows the subsequent ink supply scheduling process to directly locate the storage location of the recycled ink according to the quality requirements, thus completing the binding between the quality grade identifier and the storage location of the recycled ink.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the quality requirement level of the current print job and the remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge, the quality level identifier is queried to determine the available scenarios and mixing ratio of the regenerated ink, and an ink supply allocation strategy is generated, including: The image complexity parameters and color level distribution characteristics of the current printing task are analyzed. Based on the image complexity parameters and color level distribution characteristics, the quality requirement level quantification value is calculated. At the same time, the real-time remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge is obtained through the liquid level monitoring interface, and the main ink resource tension coefficient is calculated. Using the quality requirement level quantification value and the main ink resource tension coefficient as joint query conditions, the quality level identifier is retrieved in the distributed index table, and a subset of candidate recycled inks whose quality level meets the quality requirement level quantification value and whose storage capacity can meet the compensation requirements of the main ink resource tension coefficient is selected. For each regenerated ink in the candidate regenerated ink subset, its chromaticity deviation vector and concentration stability index are extracted. The chromaticity deviation vector is then used to calculate the Euclidean distance between the chromaticity deviation vector and the standard chromaticity reference of the main ink. Based on the calculated chromaticity distance value, the available scenario categories of the regenerated ink are classified. For recycled inks classified as mixed-use scenarios, the optimal mixing ratio of the main ink and the recycled ink is determined; The available scenario categories, the optimal mixing ratio, and the storage location information of the candidate regenerated ink subsets are integrated to generate an ink supply allocation strategy.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ink supply distribution strategy controls the multi-channel ink supply valves of the ink-absorbing cartridge to output the main ink and the regenerated ink to the printhead according to the mixing ratio, and collects the ejection stability parameters of the printhead as feedback data. The preset quality criteria are then adaptively corrected using the feedback data, including: The flow distribution weight and ink source path mapping table in the ink supply distribution strategy are analyzed. Based on the flow distribution weight, the valve opening setting value corresponding to the main ink and the regenerated ink is calculated. The valve opening setting value is converted into the drive control signal of the multi-channel ink supply valve of the ink cartridge. Send the drive control signal to the multi-channel ink supply valve to synchronously regulate the valve opening of each ink supply channel connecting the main ink storage area and the regenerated ink storage area, and drive the main ink and the regenerated ink to be output from their respective storage areas and flow into the ink supply pipeline of the printhead according to the mixing ratio. During the process of the main ink and the regenerated ink being output to the printhead, instantaneous pressure fluctuation data in the cavity of the printhead is collected by a pressure sensor array, and ink droplet ejection frequency uniformity data of the printhead is collected by a frequency detection unit. Statistical feature extraction is performed on the instantaneous pressure fluctuation data and the ink droplet ejection frequency uniformity data to generate ejection stability parameters. The jetting stability parameter is correlated with the quality grade label of the currently used recycled ink. The correlation deviation between the jetting stability parameter and the quality grade label is calculated. When the correlation deviation exceeds a preset allowable threshold, the evaluation dimension that needs to be corrected in the preset quality criteria is identified. For the evaluation dimensions that need to be corrected, the weight coefficients and judgment boundaries in the preset quality criteria are adjusted, and the adjusted weight coefficients and judgment boundaries are updated to the quality evaluation module. The preset quality criteria are then adaptively corrected using feedback data.

8. A coordinated control system for ink cartridge and inkjet printing, used to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, include: The residual ink diversion unit is used to divert the residual ink discharged from the printhead to the residual ink collection container through a negative pressure drive device when the printhead is performing cleaning or calibration operations, and at the same time record the source information and discharge time of the residual ink. The regeneration separation unit is used to perform multi-stage physical separation treatment on the residual ink in the residual ink collection container to remove solid particulate impurities and gas components, obtain the separated regenerated ink, and transport the regenerated ink to the independent storage area of ​​the ink cartridge. The quality inspection unit is used to perform non-contact measurement of the color and concentration characteristics of the recycled ink through an optical inspection unit, generate a quality grade label based on the measurement results and preset quality criteria, and bind the quality grade label to the storage location of the recycled ink. The ink supply strategy unit is used to query the quality level identifier based on the quality requirement level of the current printing task and the remaining amount of main ink in the ink cartridge, determine the available scenarios and mixing ratio of the regenerated ink, and generate an ink supply allocation strategy. The ink supply control unit is used to control the multi-channel ink supply valves of the ink-absorbing cartridge according to the ink supply distribution strategy, output the main ink and the regenerated ink to the printhead according to the mixing ratio, and collect the ejection stability parameters of the printhead as feedback data, and use the feedback data to adaptively correct the preset quality criteria.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: processor; Memory used to store processor-executable instructions; The processor is configured to invoke instructions stored in the memory to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the method described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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