Printer Ink Level Detection via Segmented Light Transmission
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current printer technologies lack efficient methods for accurately determining ink levels in ink containers, leading to potential ink shortages or wastage during printing.
Innovation Solution
A printer system that includes an ink tank, a print head, a light source, and a sensor to detect ink levels by emitting light and processing low-resolution and high-resolution pixel data from the ink tank, allowing for precise determination of ink amounts and types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high resolution pixel data is collected from the entire ink tank area, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to processing large data volumes
Solution Approach 1:
The ink tank detection area is divided into a first reading area and a second reading area. The first reading area uses low resolution pixel data for general monitoring, while the second reading area uses high resolution pixel data for precise measurement. This segmentation allows the system to achieve accurate ink level detection without processing high resolution data across the entire tank, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining measurement precision where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
Different reading areas are assigned different resolution qualities based on their functional requirements. The first reading area employs lower resolution for broad coverage, while the second reading area employs higher resolution for critical measurement zones. This local quality differentiation optimizes the balance between detection precision and processing efficiency by applying high resolution only where necessary.
2Loss of time
If low resolution pixel data is used for ink level detection, then loss of time is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system segments the ink tank into multiple reading areas with different resolution requirements. The second reading area specifically designated for precise ink level measurement uses high resolution pixel data, ensuring measurement precision is maintained in critical zones while other areas use lower resolution to reduce overall processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
High resolution data collection is applied locally to the second reading area where precise ink level detection is required, rather than uniformly across the entire ink tank. This localized high quality approach maintains measurement precision where needed while reducing the total data volume and processing time.
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
This solution enables accurate detection of ink levels and types, preventing ink shortages and wastage, and improving overall printing efficiency by providing real-time monitoring and notification for replenishment.
Implementation Method 1
a light source that emits light into the ink tank; a sensor that outputs pixel data by detecting light from an ink tank side
Data Source
AI summary
A printer includes an ink tank, a print head that performs printing by using ink in the ink tank, a light source that emits light into the ink tank, a sensor that outputs pixel data by detecting light incident from an ink tank side in a period during which the light source emits light, and a processing section that determines an ink amount by an output of the sensor. The processing section determines an ink amount based on low resolution pixel data output from the sensor in a first reading area and high resolution pixel data output from the sensor in a second reading area other than the first reading area.