Printer Color Detection for Print Medium Depletion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printers lack an effective method to detect the remaining amount of print medium, leading to potential errors in printing and unnecessary resource consumption.
Innovation Solution
A printer system equipped with a detector to monitor color or color brightness changes of the print medium and a processor that updates a held value based on detection results, determining when the print medium is depleted by comparing pre- and post-conveyance detection values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a detector is added to monitor color changes of the print medium, then the ability to detect remaining amount is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes color detection to monitor the print medium's remaining amount. The detector measures color or color brightness changes of the conveyance object (print medium and member other than print medium) to determine when the print medium is depleted. This allows the system to detect the remaining amount without adding complex mechanical or sensor arrays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the color characteristics of the conveyance object as an intermediary indicator to indirectly measure the remaining amount of the print medium. Instead of directly measuring the print medium quantity, the system detects color changes that occur as the print medium is consumed, providing a simplified detection mechanism.
2Reliability
If continuous monitoring of color changes is performed, then reliability of remaining amount detection is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic detection by measuring color or color brightness at specific points in the conveyance cycle - before and after the conveyance object passes through the detection position. This periodic sampling provides sufficient reliability for determining remaining amount while minimizing continuous energy consumption compared to constant monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor compares detection results from multiple measurements to determine when the print medium is depleted. By using feedback from sequential color brightness measurements (before conveyance and after conveyance), the system achieves reliable detection without requiring continuous high-energy monitoring, as the processor only processes data when changes are detected.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Accurately determines when the print medium is exhausted, preventing unnecessary printing and resource waste by stopping the printing process when no remaining amount is detected.
Implementation Method 1
a detector configured to detect a color or color brightness of the conveyance object at a detection position
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes:a print head that performs printing on a print medium of a conveyance object having the print medium and a member other than a print medium having mutually different colors or color brightness levels on regions on one side;a detector to detect a color or color brightness of the conveyance object at a detection position; anda processor.When there is a change in the color or color brightness as a first detection result as compared with the color or color brightness as a second detection, the processor updates a held value, and does not update the held value when there is no change.The processor determines whether there is a change in a detection value as compared with the updated held value or a previous held value not updated. When determining that there is no change, the processor stops printing.