Inkjet Controller Time Estimation for Power-Off Ink Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inkjet printing apparatuses face inaccuracies in time information stored in RAM when powered off, leading to unnecessary ink discharge without proper lapse time calculation, as they lack a reliable method to estimate non-energized time lengths during power outages.
Innovation Solution
An image recording apparatus with a timer, power generator, memory, and controller that calculates and estimates energized and non-energized time lengths using a fundamental cycle time parameter, allowing for accurate lapse time calculation and preventing unnecessary ink discharge by compensating for power-off periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the inkjet printing apparatus is powered off and then powered on again, then the time information in RAM becomes inaccurate, but the conventional system still performs ink discharge determination by comparing with stored ink discharged time, leading to unnecessary ink discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing the ink discharged time in EEPROM before power-off occurs. This preliminary storage ensures that even when RAM time information becomes inaccurate after power-off, the system can still perform accurate lapse time calculation by combining the pre-stored ink discharged time with the current accurate time from timer or host computer, thereby preventing unnecessary ink discharge.
2Productivity
If the time information is not received from host computer after power-off, then the conventional system ignores the power-off period and performs ink discharge, but this leads to incorrect lapse time calculation
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the ink discharged time stored in EEPROM as an intermediary reference point. When time information is not received from the host computer after power-off, the system calculates lapse time by combining the pre-stored ink discharged time (intermediary) with the current time from the timer, rather than ignoring the power-off period. This intermediary approach ensures accurate lapse time measurement while maintaining printing operation continuity.
3Loss of substance
If the system continuously monitors and calculates exact lapse time to prevent unnecessary ink discharge, then ink consumption is optimized, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the time management function into two independent parts: (1) storing the ink discharged time reference point in EEPROM, and (2) calculating lapse time by combining this stored reference with current time from timer or host computer. This segmentation simplifies the overall system complexity while achieving accurate ink consumption optimization, as each segment performs a specific function without requiring complex continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller of an inkjet recording apparatus is configured to calculate an energized time length during which a timer is in an energized state after a particular calculation start point for calculating a lapse time length based on a time measured by the timer and store the energized time length, determine whether there exists a non-energized state after the calculation start point, estimate the non-energized time length, referring to the energized time length and a time length parameter stored in a memory when it is determined that there exists the non-energized state after the calculation start point, and calculate the lapse time length elapsed from the calculation start point based on the non-energized time length estimated in the estimation process and the energized time length stored in the memory.