Systems and methods for monitoring toner usage
US7720397B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 3, 2005 |
| Grant date | May 18, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 18, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G2215/0888
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Systems and methods for estimating the amount of imaging material, such as toner, used in a printing device. In one example, a system estimates toner usage from imaging data and accounts for a “diffusion effect” caused by non-adjacent pixel groups. In certain embodiments, the system examines sets of pixel locations within a page. For example, the system may evaluate each set of eight adjacent pixel locations (i.e., a byte of information) on a page. For each pixel location set, the system determines a proximity factor that is indicative of the number of independent pixel groups within the respective pixel location set. The system then calculates a proximity value based on at least a portion of the proximity factors and uses the proximity value and a pixel count for the page to estimate a toner usage amount.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.