Portable Printer Battery Capacity Calculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users are concerned about the potential deterioration of print quality and the inability to print due to low remaining battery capacity in portable printers with rechargeable batteries, as power consumption occurs when issuing print media.
Innovation Solution
A system that calculates and notifies users with improved precision about the number of print media that can be printed based on the remaining battery capacity, using a printer with a controller, battery manager, and sensors to track battery status and platen roller rotations, allowing for accurate computation and display or transmission of the number-of-forms-issuable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rechargeable battery is used to power a portable printer, then the printer can be used outside with improved mobility, but the remaining battery capacity decreases as print media is issued, causing concern about print quality deterioration and inability to print
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of the number of print media that can be issued before the battery is depleted. The control unit calculates this value based on the remaining battery capacity and power consumption characteristics, and notifies the user in advance. This allows users to plan printing activities before power runs out, ensuring continuous print capability without sudden interruptions.
2Measurement precision
If the printer continuously monitors and calculates remaining battery capacity, then user notification precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit utilizes existing system resources (power consumption data already being collected for other operations, existing battery management capabilities) to perform the calculation of remaining print media capacity. Rather than adding dedicated monitoring hardware, the system repurposes existing data and processing capabilities, thereby achieving precise monitoring without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A printer for issuing a print medium includes: a rechargeable battery configured to supply power to the printer; a printing part configured to print information on the print medium; a controller configured to determine a number of print media on which the printing part can print with present remaining battery capacity of the battery, based on information related to variation of remaining battery capacity of the battery relative to a number of print media that have been issued.