Toner Level Display Control via Prediction and Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses experience errors in predicting the remaining toner amount, leading to deviations between the displayed and actual toner levels due to factors like dot density, resulting in inaccurate displays.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with an acquisition unit for toner level measurement, a prediction unit for toner usage based on image formation data, and a control unit that maintains the displayed toner level until the next measurement, ensuring accuracy by updating it only when new data is acquired.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a sensor unable to exhibit high detection accuracy is employed to reduce costs, then the device complexity and cost are reduced, but the measurement precision of the remaining toner amount deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a prediction unit as an intermediary that calculates predicted remaining toner amounts based on image formation data (dot counts, page counts). This predicted value serves as a mediator between the low-precision sensor and the display unit, allowing the system to use a cheaper sensor while maintaining accurate display through the prediction calculation that compensates for sensor limitations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces reliance on mechanical/sensor-based detection with a calculation-based prediction system. Instead of depending solely on the physical sensor's detection capability, the system substitutes sensor readings with computed predictions based on actual image formation consumption patterns, thereby achieving high precision without requiring expensive high-accuracy sensors
2Productivity
If the predicted value of remaining toner amount is continuously updated based on dot count to provide continuous display, then the productivity and user experience are improved, but the reliability of the displayed value deteriorates due to cumulative errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the sensor periodically provides actual remaining toner amount measurements that are used to correct the predicted value. The correction amount is calculated as the difference between sensor value and predicted value, and this correction is applied to subsequent predictions. This feedback loop prevents cumulative errors from diverging, maintaining both continuous display updates and long-term accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic sensor measurements to reset and recalibrate the prediction system. Instead of relying solely on continuous prediction which accumulates errors, the system periodically obtains fresh sensor data to re-synchronize the predicted values with actual conditions, thereby maintaining reliability while preserving continuous display functionality
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus for performing image formation using a recording material includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire a remaining amount of the recording material, a prediction unit configured to predict a remaining amount of the recording material based on data used for the image formation, a setting unit configured to set the predicated remaining amount of the recording material as a remaining amount of the recording material to be displayed, and a control unit configured to perform control so that when the predicted remaining amount of the recording material reaches a remaining amount of the recording material to be acquired next by the acquisition unit, the remaining amount of the recording material to be displayed is maintained at the remaining amount of the recording material to be acquired next by the acquisition unit until the acquisition unit acquires the next remaining amount of the recording material.