Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Takayuki Ochiai

Kenji Kitabatake

Yasuhiko Ikeda

Mitsuyuki Fujibayashi

Akira Kuribayashi

Kimiyuki Hayasaki

Nobuyuki Hatasa

Kenjiro Watanabe

Taketomo Naruse

Akiyoshi Sahara

Takeshi Matsushita

Shinji Watanabe

Yoko Hirosugi

The image forming apparatus manages information on a consumable item by a management chip and includes a control unit configured to control the management chip, and the management chip includes: a chip-side storage unit whose storage area is made up in units of blocks; a simultaneous writing unit configured to simultaneously write information on the consumable item in units of the blocks in the chip-side storage unit; and a predetermined unit writing unit configured to write information on the consumable item in predetermined units smaller than the block unit in the chip-side storage unit, and the control unit performs control so as to write information on the consumable item by the simultaneous writing unit at timing at which there is time constraint and performs control so at to write information on the consumable item by the predetermined unit writing unit at timing at which there is no time constraint.

Image forming apparatus and management method of consumable item

A reference mark is recorded in an area between one image and the next image sequentially printed on a first surface of a continuous sheet. In a print on a second surface of the sheet, the recorded reference mark is read, and a print position of the image on a second surface of the sheet is set. A plurality of images are sequentially printed on the second surface on the basis of this setting.

Print control method and print apparatus

Provided are an image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the same, an information processing apparatus and an information processing method, and a program for implementing these methods, in which the fact that a setting is to be changed can be reported to a host apparatus through a simple arrangement. The image forming apparatus for attaining this object includes storage unit for storing the latest set value of the apparatus, transmitting unit for transmitting the latest set value, which has been stored in the storage unit, to the host apparatus in response to a request from the host apparatus, and updating unit for receiving a print setting from the host apparatus and updating the latest set value stored in the storage unit.

Image forming apparatus and method of controlling same, and information processing apparatus and method

A recording apparatus includes a carriage, ink containers mounted in the carriage and including respective light emitters, a driving unit for moving the ink tanks, a light receiver receiving light from the light emitters, a light control unit controlling lighting the light emitter of a predetermined ink container, and a determining unit for determining whether the predetermined ink container is mounted at a correct position, based on the light emitted from the light emitter of the predetermined ink container at positions. When the driving unit does not move the carriage to a position where at least one of the ink containers is facing the light receiver, the determining unit determines whether the at least one of the ink containers is mounted at the correct position, based on the light received from the light emitters at a position adjacent to the facing position.

Recording apparatus capable of checking positions of ink containers, and method for checking the positions

A recording apparatus and method for detecting the position of an ink container in the recording apparatus, whereby when an ink tank is correctly mounted within the recording apparatus, detection of the position of the ink container is performed in a timely manner, and whereby when in container is incorrectly mounted, the incorrect position as well as the color of the incorrectly mounted ink container are identified using light emitting portions of the ink containers.

Recording apparatus and method for detecting the position of an ink container

A recording apparatus including a movable carriage, wherein a plurality of mounting positions are arranged in a moving direction of the carriage, a light receiving portion capable of receiving light emitted by a light emitting portion of a plurality of liquid containers, a determining means for determining whether a correct liquid container is mounted at a mounting position based on a light receiving amount received by the light receiving portion, and a specifying means for specifying an incorrectly mounted liquid container based on the light receiving amount received by the light receiving portion, wherein the specifying means stops the carriage such that any mounting position with the incorrectly mounted liquid container is opposite the light receiving portion, and wherein if a plurality of liquid containers are determined to be incorrectly mounted, the light emitting portion of the incorrectly mounted liquid containers emit light in a specific order.

Ink tank position detection method

A variation in brightness among light emitting portions provided in a plurality of liquid containers can be reduced to decrease power required to drive the light emitting portions, while allowing the light emitting portions to appropriately function as reporting units. Thus, to illuminate the light emitting portions provided in the plurality of ink tanks, a driving pulse for each of the plurality of light emitting portions is modulated to control rates of a light emission period and a light emission halted period during a unit time. Further, the light emission period of at least one of the plurality of light emitting portions overlaps the light emission halted period of at least another one of the plurality of light emitting portions.

Method for controlling light emitting portion for liquid container and printing apparatus

A control section of each ink tank detects a difference in voltage value between a voltage value of an output data signal and a voltage value of an input data signal through the differential detector. When a plurality of ink tanks of the same color are mounted, this voltage difference carries a value different from a voltage of the original output data signal. Accordingly, by detecting this voltage difference, it can be detected that the plurality of the ink tanks of the same color are mounted, these ink tanks can be specified and identified, and be controlled individually.

Liquid container and ink jet printing apparatus

A recording apparatus and method for identifying positions of ink tanks within the recording apparatus whereby when an ink tank is correctly mounted within the recording apparatus, detection of the position of the ink tank is performed in a timely manner, and whereby when an ink tank is incorrectly mounted, the incorrect position as well as the color of the incorrectly mounted ink tank are identified using light emitting portions of the ink tanks.

A liquid container that can present various information using illumination of a light-emitting unit includes an IC package having a storage element and the light-emitting unit. The storage element stores information used for controlling the amount of light emitted from an LED included in the light-emitting unit, so that variation in brightness of the light-emitting unit can be reduced and the information can be adequately presented.

Ink container with light-emitting unit to convey information

A recording apparatus and method for detecting the mounting position of an ink tank within the recording apparatus, whereby it is determined whether the ink tank is mounted in the correct position. In addition, it is also determined whether there an abnormality exists with a light receiving portion of the recording apparatus, where the light receiving portion is used in determining whether an ink tank is mounted in the correct position.

Growing community of inventors

Inagi, Japan

Takayuki Ochiai