Printer Paper Consumption Counter for Precise Job Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional printers lack the ability to accurately measure and output paper consumption during a single printing operation or a specified short period, as their maintenance counters are designed for long-term usage and cannot frequently reset, leading to inaccurate determination of paper usage in forward conveyance direction.
Innovation Solution
A printer with a paper consumption counter in volatile memory that can be reset and measures paper consumption from a specific start to stop time, allowing for precise calculation and output of paper usage during desired intervals, independent of the maintenance counter in nonvolatile memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a maintenance counter using nonvolatile memory is used to measure paper conveyance length, then the counter can store data permanently and indicate when parts need replacing, but the counter cannot be frequently reset and cannot accurately measure paper consumption during short periods or single printing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the counter functionality into two separate counters: a maintenance counter using nonvolatile memory for long-term reliability, and a paper consumption counter using volatile memory for precise short-term measurement. This segmentation allows each counter to be optimized for its specific purpose without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The volatile memory paper consumption counter acts as an intermediary between the nonvolatile maintenance counter and the user's need for short-term measurement data. It captures and measures paper consumption during specific periods, then can be reset independently without affecting the permanent maintenance counter.
2Quantity of substance
If the maintenance counter measures total paper conveyance length including reverse direction, then it tracks overall usage for maintenance scheduling, but it cannot accurately determine forward conveyance distance or paper consumption per print job
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by making the paper consumption counter directionally selective, counting only forward conveyance movements while excluding reverse direction movements. This allows the system to maintain comprehensive total conveyance tracking while simultaneously providing precise forward-only measurement for paper consumption calculation.
Solution Approach 2:
The paper consumption counter dynamically adjusts its counting behavior based on the direction of paper movement, enabling it to selectively measure only forward conveyance while the maintenance counter continues to measure total conveyance in both directions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the maintenance counter is reset only when consumable parts are replaced, then it manages consumable service life effectively, but it cannot provide paper consumption data for arbitrary time periods or individual print jobs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by having the paper consumption counter continuously accumulate and measure paper consumption data during normal operation. This preliminary measurement allows users to retrieve consumption data for any desired time period or print job without needing to reset or intervene in the counter, making data retrieval simple and flexible.
Solution Approach 2:
The paper consumption counter operates with periodic reset capability, allowing it to be reset at any desired interval to measure consumption for specific time periods, individual print jobs, or other arbitrary intervals, providing flexible measurement without affecting the permanent maintenance counter.
Data Source
AI summary
A printer 3 with a paper consumption output function resets the count of a paper consumption counter 32 (ST22) when a start measuring command C1 is received from the host computer 2 side, and measures the paper consumption 32A from a specific start measurement time to a specific stop measurement time using a paper consumption counter 32 (ST23b to ST27b). When a fetch paper consumption command C2 is received (ST41), the printer 3 outputs the paper consumption 32A, which is the count of the paper consumption counter 32, to the host computer 2 (ST43).